As a family-oriented and fun-loving McKinney master-planned community, we love hosting events and gatherings that bring Craig Ranch residents together such as this weekend’s semi-annual garage sale!

Many residents in the Craig Ranch community have been cleaning out their closets and sorting through belongings to prepare for the sale this Saturday, May 18th. Come out early to claim someone’s “trash” as your new treasure! What’s old can be new again. You may even find that one item you’ve been considering buying in the store at full price with a nice discount at the garage sale.

Some items to keep an eye out for that are good garage sale finds:

• Glass bottles and jars perfect for decorating, storage or serving purposes
• Baskets to use as decor or storage (remember a little sprucing up can always help!)
• Books to use for decoration. Look for colorful spines or books with pretty pages to frame.
• Items to spray paint, also known as “spray paintables,” which can be anything and everything with a unique shape that just needs a fresh color.

Participating Craig Ranch communities include: Craig Ranch North, The Estates at Craig Ranch, The Villas at Craig Ranch, The Retreat at Craig Ranch and Hemingway at Craig Ranch. To receive a detailed map of the homes holding garage sales, call 972.548.9191 or email kharraid[at]ccmcnet[dot]com.

The selling begins at 8 a.m. and will end no later than 2 p.m. All unsold items will be donated to Goodwill when the sale is over.

She’s cooked your favorite meals, kissed every bruise and always had your back, so be sure you have something special planned for Mother’s Day this Sunday! Not sure what to do? Start by taking her to McKinney, Texas. The Craig Ranch community in McKinney, TX has the advantage of many local shops and restaurants nearby, especially those on the McKinney Square, but for those unfamiliar with the area, here are ideas for you and the mom in your life.

Enjoy Brunch at Landon Winery

This Sunday, May 12, bring Mom to Landon Winery in downtown McKinney (101 N. Kentucky Street) for the debut of their new Sunday Brunch Menu. From 10 am – 2 pm, moms can enjoy a complimentary glass of sparkling wine and a three-course meal for only $20. Whether she loves marinated pork chops, bacon and cheese frittatas or chocolate-dipped strawberries, Landon Winery has it all on their menu. It may be hard for her to decide!

Make your reservation by calling 903.454.7878

Relax at Cooper Craig Ranch

The Cooper Fitness Center & Spa at Craig Ranch has two special offers in honor of Mother’s Day: the Mommy & Me Tea and Cooper Spa treatment specials.

The Mommy & Me Tea event will begin at 11 am on Saturday, May 11, at Cooper Craig Ranch. Mother and children will sip tea, create fresh fruit bouquets, craft a birdhouse and decorate a special heart shaped cookie. Reserve a space today for you and your child (or children) by emailing tdemsky[at]coopercraigranch[dot]com or call 214.383.1083. Cost for Cooper members is $25 and $35 for non-members. All mothers are complimentary!

Cooper Spa is offering three pre-arranged gift baskets to choose from for the perfect Mother’s Day gift. Each basket is full of exquisite Cooper Spa products; selections start at just $45 and custom gift wrapping is available upon request. Not sure which products or spa services she would like? If you spend $300 on gift cards, you will receive a free $50 gift card. Spend $600 on gift cards and receive a free $125 gift card! Both are perfect options that will let your mom decide which service or products she prefers to enjoy.

Order Fresh Flowers From The Lily Pad

While many national flower delivery services offer Mother’s Day deals, there’s nothing quite like the touch of a local florist! Call The Lily Pad Flower Shop in McKinney to order a beautiful bouquet to be delivered to Mom this weekend! The Lily Pad creates made-to-order arrangements at customer request. By knowing what is in season and freshest daily in their cooler, they can suggest and design a bouquet specially tailored for Mom.

These are a few suggestions to consider for Mom to make her feel special and appreciated! She may even prefer a day at home just relaxing or maybe a nice, long walk on a trail like the fitness trails at Craig Ranch. Enjoy your Mother’s Day!

Kitchen/Breakfast Nook in The Villas at Craig Ranch Model Home

The Villas at Craig Ranch offers luxury patio homes designed for an active lifestyle without the maintenance hassle that comes with a large home and large lot. Now you can spend more time with your friends and family because yard work and landscaping services are taken care of by a homeowners association while you enjoy the world-class amenities surrounding you at Craig Ranch.

Just step outside your luxury patio home to a trail that winds around a series of ponds with cascading waterfalls and soothing fountains to socialize or exercise with your neighbors.  Get fit at the renowned Cooper Fitness Center & Spa at Craig Ranch or enjoy a round of golf at the prestigious TPC Craig Ranch. If you like to travel, this gated neighborhood provides peace of mind when you want to enjoy a weekend getaway or take an extended vacation. It’s a Lock & Leave lifestyle!

The Villas at Craig Ranch offer various floor plans including one or two story homes, starting from the high $300s by nationally recognized homebuilder K. Hovnanian Homes. Each home design features a spacious, open living area that is perfect for entertaining, three bedrooms and two or three car garages. Choose a patio home with a second floor bonus room or a private guest casita. Three unique front elevation designs allow home buyers to choose both the floor plan and exterior style that best suits them.

K. Hovnanian Homes’ energy saving construction methods and materials ensures low monthly energy bills without sacrificing comfort or style while improving indoor air quality and conserving water.  The low-maintenance patio home lifestyle gets you out of your big two-story home and into a luxurious one-story home designed with everything you need for entertaining friends and family. Spacious great rooms, garden courtyards, gourmet kitchens and back yard living areas are hallmarks of patio home living.

Enjoy a lifestyle unlike any other at Craig Ranch. If a low-maintenance patio home in the Villas at Craig Ranch sounds like a perfect fit, visit out patio home model at 5901 River Highlands in McKinney or call 469-737-6530. For more information about the Craig Ranch lifestyle, stop by the Information Center. We’d love to see you.

In honor of Earth Day this past week, the Craig Ranch community in McKinney, TX has put together a few of the best ways to live “green” at home! Being in a health conscious community is one of the many perks of living in Craig Ranch. Not only do we pride ourselves on maintaining a healthy lifestyle but we also do our best to take care of the Earth!

So what are some of the best ways to live green in your McKinney, TX home?

Consider Composting

Although composting may be something you have never considered before, it is one of the best ways to greenify your lifestyle! All the coffee grounds, potato peelings, brown bananas or rotten vegetables that you have been throwing in the trash can actually be reused if you compost.

Composting is an essential part of reducing household wastes. It can be done inexpensively and produces a product — finished compost or humus — that can benefit the environment as a natural fertilizer for gardening and farming. Plus composting is a great way to teach your kids about the cycle of life and how important it is to reuse and recycle. To learn how to start composting in your household, check out this article from how stuff works.

Buy & Use Local Products

While it’s always easier to pop over to the large chain grocery stores or fast food restaurants, you can lessen your impact on the environment when you shop locally and support your local economy!

When you buy produce at farmers’ markets that allow only local farmers to sell their produce, you’re cutting down on the number of miles the food travels to get to market, according to TLC’s article, “10 Ways to Greenify Your Home.” In addition, the fewer the miles, the lower the carbon dioxide emissions associated with transporting that food. There may be fewer energy and packaging costs, too. The same goes for buying from local artisans and retailers that specialize in locally produced goods.

Not sure when the McKinney Farmers Market will be open? Check out their Facebook page! If you’re in need of other local McKinney shops and restaurants, read our blog post about some of our favorite downtown McKinney spots like Patina Green Home and Market.

Develop Lean Energy Habits

Keep blinds and curtains drawn to prevent direct sunlight from streaming through your windows, which will keep your home cool during the warmer months. Then in the winter, be sure to do the same to prevent yourself from cranking up the heat because cold air is entering through the windows.

The recommended thermostat settings during winter and summer vary, but the Environmental Protection Agency suggests that you set your thermostat to a difference of 7 degrees when you leave your house and 4 degrees when you sleep. These kinds of small, mindful changes can make a difference over time!

These three tips are just a few of many green living tips that you can take to heart in order to make a positive impact on the Earth and the McKinney, Texas community. However you decide to embrace a more “greenified” lifestyle is up to you!

Color Me Cooper 5K/10K Challenge Course

Color Me Cooper Challenge Course is an off-road run with fitness challenges along the way. There will be obstacles to climb over, crawl under, balance across and more. Plus you get showered in all natural colors at every checkpoint and a color burst at the end! This will be a great and fun outing for the entire family! 5k or 10k options are available and it’s open for adults and kids. For the young ones, there is the one mile Kid’s Run where they will encounter easier obstacles and still get colored!

Come see if you are up for the Cooper Challenge this Saturday, April 20 at 9 am. The course will start at the Lowe’s Parking Lot at 8550 State Highway 121, McKinney (Custer & 121), and continue through the grassy fields between Lowe’s and the TPC Craig Ranch Golf Course. After the race, enjoy a concert, refreshments, color burst party and prize drawings!

Online registration is closed but you can still sign up on site at Cooper Fitness Center at Craig Ranch today or on race day. For more information, contact the Race Director: 214.383.1022.

The 2013 American Cancer Society Relay For Life of McKinney

On April 26, Craig Ranch will host the 12th annual American Cancer Society Relay For Life of McKinney. This event has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in the past and is expected to raise more than 250,000 dollars this year, which goes toward the fight against cancer.

If you’ve been affected by cancer in any way, being a part of this event empowers you to make a difference and fight back. This is your opportunity to honor cancer survivors, remember those we have lost to this disease, and raise funds and awareness to help end cancer forever.

The American Cancer Society Relay For Life event is a celebration of survivorship an occasion to express hope and our shared goal to end a disease that threatens the lives of so many people we love.
Sign up a team and join us in the fight against cancer by contacting Ginnie Brand: teams[dot]relaymckinney[at]yahoo[dot]com

To sign up as a survivor/caregiver, contact Cara Fraser cara[dot]relaymckinney[at]yahoo[dot]com

The 4th Annual Emmitt Smith Celebrity Invitational, presented by SoftLayer.

Pat & Emmitt Smith Charities is proud to announce the fourth annual Emmitt Smith Celebrity Invitational, presented by SoftLayer. This star-studded, two-day event is highlighted this year by “Dancing with the Smiths,” a gala dinner on Friday, May 10, 2013, at the Omni Dallas Hotel. The festivities resume the following morning with an 18-hole celebrity golf tournament on Saturday, May 11, at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney.

Semi-Annual Craig Ranch Garage Sale

All the Craig Ranch residents are clearing out their clutter! On May 18, Craig Ranch will be host their spring garage sale – the perfect opportunity to do a little bargain shopping! You’re not going to want to miss this sale because the next garage sale will not take place until October 12. We’ll see you there!

With all these events taking place in the Craig Ranch McKinney, TX community, your calendar should be pretty full! Also remember to always be checking our Facebook and Twitter pages to receive reminders about upcoming events and registration information.

Here at Craig Ranch we have various amenities that complement the active lifestyles of the McKinney, TX community. One of the most notable amenities is the impressive Cooper Fitness Center at Craig Ranch. This facility offers a state-of-the-art gym with updated fitness equipment as well as a lap pool, personal trainers, youth classes, meeting rooms, a spa, café, pro shop and endless fitness class options. One of the newest classes that has been added to the schedule is Yin Yoga, a yoga practice that is not often provided at even some of most prestigious yoga studios.

Yin Yoga, a unique form of Chinese yoga, is a complement to Vinyasa yoga and other forms of active exercise. Yin Yoga is quieting, calming and performed very slowly with great attention to mindfulness and keen awareness of where and what you are feeling during each pose. Yin Yoga works the body differently because it focuses on function rather than aesthetics. There is more emphasis on the deeper tissues and the joints; Yin Yoga has even been known to help your bones. To learn more about the practice, watch this short video: An Introduction To Yin Yoga. The video is just the beginning of the answer – to really understand Yin Yoga, or any form of yoga, one must experience it.

If you are interested in practicing Yin Yoga, classes are held at Cooper Fitness Center at Craig Ranch every Thursday at 11 am in the Main Group Exercise Studio.

With the winter season now behind us, it’s time to think of some new, creative recipes for the spring! While you could stick with your tried-and-true family favorites, it’s always fun to get into the kitchen of your McKinney, TX home and whip up something completely new! Here are three recipes for you to consider (that we highly recommend!)

Justina Blakeney’s Avocado and Eggs Breakfast Pizza

Here’s what you’ll need:

A Greek or pocketless pita (or any kind of flat bread), one lemon, one ripe avocado, one organic egg, sea salt, pepper, chili flakes, cumin, cumin seed, & extra virgin olive oil

Here’s what you do:

Toast pita until crisp, mash avocado and spread on pita, drizzle with a dash of lemon, olive oil and spices,  then place the egg (cooked however you prefer) on top and serve.

This “pizza” is a perfect healthy breakfast, afternoon snack or Sunday night dinner! Add prosciutto or a sprinkling of feta over the top to make it more satisfying.

Tom Douglas’ Seattle Kitchen’s Tuscan Bread Salad

Here’s what you’ll need for the vinaigrette:

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon minced shallots, 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic, 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper

Here’s what you’ll need for the salad:

1 loaf rustic bread (sliced 1 inch thick), extra virgin olive oil, 24 oil-cured black olives (pits removed), 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes (cut in half), 6 ounces fresh mozzarella (sliced or cubed), 4 cups flavorful salad greens, 1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil, 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup pine nuts (toasted) and freshly ground black pepper (optional: shredded rotisserie chicken)

Here’s what you do:

Mix all the ingredients needed for the dressing and store in a mason jar. Then drizzle oil on the slices of bread and put them on the grill or under the broiler until golden. Once the bread is done, use a serrated knife to cut it into bite size cubes. Lastly take a large serving bowl, put the bread in with the olives, tomatoes, mozzarella, parmesan, pine nuts, chicken, basil and greens. Pour vinaigrette over the salad and mix well.

Southern Living’s Lemon-Orange Chiffon Cake

Here’s what you’ll need for the cake:

2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour, 1 1/3 cups sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 5 large eggs (separated), 3/4 cup fresh orange juice, 3 tablespoons orange zest, 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Here’s what you do:

Preheat the oven to 350° and combine the first 4 ingredients in a mixing bowl (if you’re going to use an electric hand mixer) or the bowl of your electric stand mixer. Make a well in the center of the mixture and add oil, egg yolks and OJ. Beat at medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes or just until smooth then stir in zest.

Next beat the egg whites and cream of tartar at medium-high speed until stiff peaks form then gently fold into flour mixture. Spoon the batter into 3 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans.

Bake at 350° for 17-20 minutes (or until toothpick comes out clean). Take cake out and let it cool for 10 minutes then remove from pans and let it cool for a whole hour.

After cake is completely cooled, spread lemon-orange buttercream frosting between the layers, on top and down the sides – yum!

No matter what you decide to cook up in your McKinney, TX home for you, your family or your neighbors, it’s sure to be delicious! Use some of our suggestions and let us know how they turn out or feel free to share your favorite spring recipes on our Facebook page!

The first day of spring has come and gone – have you tackled spring cleaning in your McKinney, TX home yet? If not, we have rounded up three of the most useful spring cleaning tips from some of our favorite sources. So before you decide your spring cleaning list is impossible, take a look at some of our tips and you’ll find the inspiration to get to cleaning!

“When in doubt, throw it out!”

That’s right, it’s time to rid your home of all the clothing, accessories and “junk” that you no longer need! You will end up with more space in your closet and other areas once you clear out what you no longer wear or use. You may even find it invigorating to fill up a few bags full of items to donate to those who will get more use out of your unneeded items.

Once you’ve cleared out the closet, organize the rest by how you get dressed in the morning or by color. Your closet will look more appealing, and your everyday routine will become easier!

“Designate the purpose of a room”

While this may sound obvious, go through each room of your home and ensure everything in the room is relevant to what the room is used for. Have old clothes found their way into the home office? Are you keeping your tax documents in the corner of the living room? Once everything is in its designated place in order to serve its purpose, you will breathe a sigh of relief.

“Stock your ‘arsenal’ of supplies”

If you’re down to your last drops of Pine Sol, it’s time to replenish! Head to the store and stock up on all-purpose cleaner, glass cleaner, products meant for problem spots such as mildew in tile grout and natural cleaners such as baking soda and vinegar. Don’t forget sponges, rags, scrub brushes and rubber gloves too. Still not sure if you have everything you need? Look over Martha Stewart’s Complete Cleaning Products List before you get to cleaning!

When you’ve rid your McKinney, TX home of everything you don’t need, designated the purpose of each room, cleared the clutter and completed your deep clean, you will feel ready for spring and summer and all of the activities they bring. Your McKinney, TX home will shine!

The warmer weather, the leaves growing and turning green, the birds chirping – these are all signs that spring is here! It is now time to start thinking about how you want to set up your garden for the new, warmer season. Here are some ideas and tips to get you started on creating a beautiful garden at your McKinney, TX home.

Survey the Yard:

After the chilly winter, the first step in preparing your garden for spring is to do a walk-through of your yard. Take note of any tree limbs hanging over your house as they can cause damage during a big storm. Also be sure to eliminate anything that does not match your spring garden “vision.” Clear out the old to prepare for the new!

Assess Your Tools:

After surveying the yard, take an inventory of all your gardening tools. Make a list of any new tools you may need as well as those that need to be repaired. Be prepared for when the first buds begin to sprout! Check your lawnmower blades to make sure they are sharp as they have a tendency to dull over the winter (or consider using an eco-friendly manual mower and leave the clippings on the lawn for fertilizer).

Take a Soil Test:

Before beginning to plant and work on your topsoil, take multiple soil home tests around the yard. It is extremely important that you check each area of your yard as the minerals in each location differ. If an area is lacking in PH, add dolomitic lime, and if the PH is low, add elemental sulfur. Once the levels are regulated, it is time to begin planting.

Plant and Fertilize:

On a cool, cloudy day, begin planting bare-root trees, shrubs, perennials, and spread the seeds of cool-season flowers.  After you are done laying out your garden, make sure you fertilize everything with either 6-6-6 or 8-8-8 balanced fertilizer, fish emulsion, or other soil amendments. To make your garden environmentally friendly, look for fertilizer that is a “natural organic” or one with “slow release” ingredients. Avoid runoff by never applying fertilizer before heavy rains or to frozen ground.

Get the App:

If you get to work and begin to forget some of our green thumb tips, just get out your phone! Download one or a few of the many gardening apps available and you will have all the facts you need at your fingertips while you’re working on your McKinney, TX home’s garden.

Gardening can be such a relaxing and rewarding activity during the warmer seasons. Follow these tips and you should start to see plenty of sprouting buds. We hope to see many of you out enjoying the sunshine at Craig Ranch in McKinney, TX!

The Retreat at Craig Ranch is a great place to live a low-maintenance lifestyle in Dallas’ most convenient location for new homes. These single-family homes and beautiful townhomes feature some downstairs master suites, an impressive interior finish-out, stainless steel appliances and access to the best amenities in the area.

Residents of The Retreat have exclusive access to their own pool and a 9,000 square foot, 2-story clubhouse. Additional perks of buying a Dunhill Home in The Retreat include a one-year social membership to TPC Craig Ranch Golf Club and a one-year membership to the Cooper Fitness Center & Spa at Craig Ranch. The Craig Ranch community also offers multiple fitness trails and is located at the crossroads of Plano, Allen, Frisco and McKinney.

Dunhill Homes is building single-family homes with one or two-story floor plans, a two car garage and range from 1,527 square feet to 2,459 square feet in The Retreat at Craig Ranch. These homes start from the $220s and vary from 2 bedrooms and 2 baths to 4 bedrooms and 3.5 baths.

Each one of these new homes has an elegant entryway with high ceilings, as well as a first floor master bedroom with a large walk in closet. The Great Room has a spacious kitchen, dining room and an enclosed patio. The two story home designs offer options for a game room, media room and/or additional bedrooms.

Dunhill Homes wants you to love how you live. No matter if this is your first home or fifth home, it’s their priority to build a place you will truly love. There is no reason to compromise when it comes to the home of your dreams. The high standards and values of Dunhill Homes create a quality home that matches your needs and exceeds your expectations.

For more information on purchasing a new home in McKinney, Texas within The Retreat at Craig Ranch, visit www.dunhillhomes.com/retreat, call 972-547-0869, or stop by the furnished model home located at 8608 Shallowford Lane in McKinney, Texas.