If you’ve ever pictured yourself living in Amira, why not go ahead and take a picture of yourself in Amira. Do so and you could win a camera!
We’re celebrating National Photography Month in our community throughout the month of May. As part of that, we’re asking everyone to come, take pictures of themselves and tag us on Instagram and/or Facebook @AmiraCommunity and use the hashtag #PictureYourselfInAmira. Each week, we’ll take a look at the photos and choose a winner who will receive an Instax Polaroid Camera pack with film!
Winners will be announced every Monday. There will be four winners in all.
Where in Amira should you take your photo? Anywhere! We encourage you to get creative and have fun. Our well-appointed model homes make a beautiful backdrop, but it would be even more fun to snap a photo of you pretending to cook in the kitchen. Bring some friends or family with you and take photos of you hanging out on the back patio of your favorite model.
As you tour our gorgeous community, you are sure to see many photo-worthy places. One of our favorite spots is The Resort at Amira. With our gorgeous pool, 7,000-square-foot clubhouse and lake views, friends will think you’ve found a hidden vacation destination. If Fido is along for the ride, you could take a picture of him looking longingly at the other dogs playing inside Derby Dog Park as he pictures himself living the Amira life.
It’s your choice. We just want to see how you picture yourself living in our community! Ready to shoot? Grab your camera and get out here today.
Summer is around the corner and so are summer camps. In addition to keeping kids busy when school is out, camps help kids learn independence, make new friends, focus special interests and gain new skills. Luckily for Amira parents, the Tomball area is full of day camps kids will want to return to year after year. Here are some of our favorites:
24922 Tomball Parkway
Tomball, TX 77375
9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Mon.-Fri., July 19-23
K-6
$250 per child
Children will learn persistence and open the door to creativity at this STEM-based camp. Campers will create and market inventions, build launching devices and make vehicles that soar.
Salem Community Center
22601 Lutheran Church Road
Tomball, TX 77377
Times vary, Mon.-Fri., June 1-Aug. 12
K-8
$150 half day, $235 full day, per week
Shoot some hoops and learn mad skills this summer. Campers can choose between total player, shooting and competition half-day camps or combine two camps for a full day of play.
24913 Kuykendahl Road
10 a.m.-3 p.m. Mon.-Fri., June 1-Aug. 31
Tomball, TX 77375
Ages 8+
$390 per student, per week
Beginner and advanced students can join a band and fine tune their musical skills at these weekly camps focusing on instrumentation, arranging, recording and performing.
1230 Ulrich Road
Tomball, Texas 77375
Times vary, Mon.-Fri., May 31-July 10 and July 12-Aug. 31
Ages 3+
$135 per session (6 classes), $30 half day, $40 full day
Kids will have a blast tumbling, playing games, hitting nearby playgrounds and swimming at Tomball Town Pool.
13913 Stagecoach Road
Magnolia, Texas 77355
8:45 a.m.-4:45 p.m. Mon.Fri., June 1-Aug. 13
K-8
$165 per child per week, $160 per child/per week for two or more family members
Christian-based camp featuring themed weeks, swimming, inflatables, catch-and-release fishing, live animals and more on 20 acres of beautiful outdoors.
Friends of Texas Wildlife Education Center
29816 Dobbin Hufsmith
Magnolia, TX 77354
10 a.m.-2 p.m. Mon., Wed., Fri., June 7-11, 14-18 and 21-25
Ages 7-12
$125 per camper, per week
Animal-loving kids will get answers to all of their most pressing wildlife questions at this day camp where they can meet live animals, play games and do crafts. Camp fee includes a t-shirt and snack. Campers should wear closed-toe shoes, as well as bringing a water bottle and a sack lunch.
From video doorbells to smart thermostats, many of today’s homes — including those built in Amira — include smart home technology. All of it can be run from your smart phone or tablet but the most convenient solution is to just “ask Alexa.” The voice behind your Amazon Dot, Echo, or Show, Alexa allows you to control your smart technology with voice commands.
New to Alexa? Here are some tips that will have you saying “hello” in no time. If you like what you read visit us during the Smart Living Home Tour at Amira. You can tour seven beautiful model homes and register for a chance to win one of six hi-tech home devices including an Amazon Show, Dot and Echo.
What is Alexa?
The name Alexa is used interchangeably with Amazon’s Echo, Dot, Show and Fire products but, really, it’s the name of Amazon’s cloud-based artificial intelligence (AI) voice service. It can also be found on third-part devices, as well as smart phones and tablets.
What Can Alexa Do?
Alexa can do a lot of things, including running your home automation system, playing music, keeping track of your shopping list, reading audio books and answering questions. You can also use “skills” to do everything from ordering a pizza to opening your blinds and brewing your coffee in the morning.
Saying ‘Hello’ to Alexa
Setting up Alexa is easy. Plug in your Dot, Echo or Show. As soon as you do, you will see an orange glowing light. This means your device is ready to pair with your phone. Download the Alexa app to your smart phone. Once you’ve done that, it will prompt you to turn on your Bluetooth and choose your Amazon device from the selections offered. Once you have paired your device with your phone, the app will show you an introductory video. That’s it!
Customize Alexa
There are many ways to customize Alexa, all of which you can do through the app or just by asking Alexa to help you. Some things you may want to do include setting up your default music service (Amazon Music, Spotify, etc.), link Alexa to your calendar and email and connect your smart home devices.
Connect Your Smart Home Devices
Connecting your smart home technology is easy. Alexa supports Nest, Control4, SmartThings, Philips Hue lights, Lutron, Insteon and more. As a general rule, the manufacturers have set up “skills” that can be paired with your device. To do so, simply open the Alexa app on your phone and go to “Skills.” Find your device and click on “settings” to add your device and learn the voice command that will start it.
Set Up a Routine
Routines are shortcuts that allow you to group together a bunch of actions under one voice command. For example, you could say “Alexa, good morning” a command that will turn on the lights, start your coffee maker and have Alexa tell you what today’s traffic is like. Some routines have already been set up. You just have to click on them in the Alexa app.
Set Up Voice Purchasing
You can use Alexa to purchase products from Amazon. Simply say “Alexa I would like to buy X” and she will tell you what she has found and how much it costs. You can then tell her to buy it. To keep little voices from ordering their favorite candy, be sure to turn on the Voice Code setting. Alexa will establish a four-digit PIN number that you must include when ordering.
Manage Your Privacy
Alexa keeps track of your voice commands. However, there is an easy way to change that, if you prefer. Amazon lets you opt-out and delete voice recordings, which you can do on within the Alexa app or use the command “Alexa, delete everything I said today.”
Moving is stressful for everyone, including pets. It might even be more stressful. One minute they are taking a nap on the sofa and the next minute their sofa is in a completely different place. Here are a few ways you can help your pet adjust to their new Amira home.
Moving Day
Moving day is confusing for your pet. They won’t know the movers and those strangers will be carrying items out of their territory. While cats may be indifferent, dogs are bound to be upset. To lessen the anxiety, board your pet or take them to a trusted friend’s house until everything is on the moving truck. If you can’t do either, put your pet in a quiet room with a “do not enter” sign on the door.
Be sure to put together a pet “to-go pack.” It should contain your pet’s food and water bowls, favorite toys and their beds or favorite blankets. You don’t want to be looking through a dozen boxes in order to find them once you get to the new place.
Despite the chaos, try to keep to your pet’s routine. If you feed them at a certain time during the day, do that and if your dog is used to a morning or afternoon walk try to carve out time for that.
Welcome to Your New Home
Set out your pet’s bed, food and water dishes and toys out. If you can, put them in approximately the same spot they would occupy in your old home. They will feel less stressed if their old things are there when they move in.
If you have a cat, create a quiet room. Put their food and water dishes, litter box, bed and toys in it. Once the movers leave, the boxes are unpacked and you are feeling calmer, you can let your cat out to explore the rest of their new home.
Your dog will want to explore right away, but don’t let them until you’ve checked your yard and fence to make sure both are secure. While unpacking, be aware of where your cleaning supplies are located — you don’t want Fido accidently getting into them. Keep your dog on a leash until they seem relaxed.
Keep to regular routines for feeding and walking but put aside extra time for playing with your pet. This will reassure them that this move is not punishment. If you can, spend a day or two at home with your pet after the move. They will want reassurance that you aren’t abandoning him in this new environment.
Even if your cat is usually an outdoor cat, keep them inside for at least two weeks. Otherwise, your cat might run away and try to return to your old home.
Take your dog for long walks around the neighborhood so both of you can get to know the neighbors. Make even more four-legged and two-legged friends at Amira’s Derby Dog Park. Your dog can burn of energy, play with their favorite human and start to realize that maybe moves aren’t so bad after all.
If you’ve got a hankering for fruits and vegetables fresh from the farm, the Tomball Farmers Market is the perfect place to spend your Saturday mornings.
Located at 205 W. Main St. on the corner of Main Street (FM 2920) and Walnut Street in Downtown Tomball, the market has been providing families with farm-fresh produce, cottage foods and artisanal goods for 13 years.
One thing that differentiates Tomball’s farmers market from others is that it was started by two young mothers who wanted to not only feed their families healthier foods but feed the surrounding community, as well. Traveling to other markets was inconvenient, so the mothers held a meeting and asked Tomball residents if they would support a local farmers market. The first market was held in June 2008 and it’s been going strong ever since.
The market is open every Saturday, rain or shine, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Vendors come from all over. On any given Saturday you might be able to harvest fresh produce from Rain Song Farm, Angie’s Garden, Stump Farms and many others. 3 Sisters Farm offers up fresh eggs as well as pasteurized, sustainably produced meats. Love baked goods? Buff’s Bagel & Bakery, Flour House Bakers and J’s Baking Studio offer up delectable items. You can find a full list of participating vendors here.
If you are planning to visit, remember to stop at the ATM as not all vendors take credit cards. Bring a wagon or stroller to carry your kids and a few extra goodies. If you’d like to shop and then explore Downtown Tomball (which we highly recommend), bring a cooler to store your produce and meats.
Remember shopping at your local farmers market is good for you, the local economy and the environment. It’s also fun and a great way to connect with other members of the community. Amira residents love it so we know you will, too.