So long farewell...

This blog was created to promote a neighborhood and area. Originally started by Teresa Harvey in 2009.

The Harvey's moved and a friend has updated sporadically the blog. It's not a priority since she did not live in the neighborhood but was part of the area. The blog has mostly become dormant.

We will leave this here for those who stumble upon or value any content here within. If someone in the neighborhood or community would like to take the blog over and promote it then please contact honeysuckletx@gmail.com. Due to this being a public reflection on the neighbors and neighborhood any editors will be checked out and references needed before turning the blog over.

It was fun providing information and getting to know Honeysuckle Estates and Midlothian.

Merry Christmas and a Happy 2017!

Looking for a Country Estate? We've got real estate...

Country living offers large estate size homes with big lots, quiet surroundings, with a lot of nature and charm at hand.

Here are a few homes in or near our neighborhood...

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/4661-Sunrise-Ln_Midlothian_TX_76065_M79151-99705  ***SOLD

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/5040-Honeysuckle-Rd_Midlothian_TX_76065_M70745-67383?row=1

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/4621-Sunrise-Ln_Midlothian_TX_76065_M81280-11562?row=1

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/3654-Skinner-Rd_Midlothian_TX_76065_M85962-14046


Schedule an appointment and find your dream home today!

#RealEstate #CountryLiving #KellerWilliams #EbbyHalliday #Texas #Waxahachie #Midlothian #HoneysuckleEstates #Twitter #HoneysuckleEst

Back 2 School!!

Can you believe it's that time of year? Soon we will be pulling out sweaters and picking our pumpkins. 2014 is zooming by. Hope everyone had a fabulous summer.

We did. Great vacays. Fun time with family and friends. Lots of time at the pool, beach and hanging out. Watermelon, hot dogs, burgers, steaks and corn on the cob grilling...all the things that make for great summer memories.

Now it's time to wind down the fun and stock the backpacks!

Need a back pack? Check out cool back packs!
cool back packs

Don't forget your lunch.
Salad 2 Go
LL Bean Containers
PB Teens

Fun style trends.
Must Haves

Pinterest

Today

As you get ready to send those kids out remember to give them an extra hug and kiss and pray for the teachers. Cheers to school year 2014-2015!

Honeysuckle Estates...what a great neighborhood!

Happily Ever After….

By Teresa Harvey

That is what every new home owner hopes for. However, just a year ago that dream seemed far, far, away for homeowners in Honeysuckle Estates, an upscale neighborhood, located in the town of Midlothian just a few short miles from Waxahachie.

The neighborhood was riddled with fear, fraud and terms like squatters. There were approximately 17 homes for sale mostly due to foreclosure as of January 2009. Realtors would steer their clients to more “desirable” neighborhoods. This is what our family found when house hunting a year ago.

We were visiting friends here in Midlothian and were looking for a new home and not finding a lot of options, in our town or in our price range, when my friend said we should take a look online to see what might be available in Midlothian. It was a Sunday afternoon and immediately our search, for a new home, led us to several really nice large homes on anything from a regular interior city lot to really nice size lots of ½ - 1 acre. The prices were a little less but not much less than our town until one popped up that was way below the other listings and was listed as “new” on 1+ acres with 4800 sq. ft. WOW. I thought it was a typo, but took a chance and called the realtor. The realtor answered and said she couldn’t show me a property out “there” but I could call the office. Strange. We found a realtor who agreed to show us the home but wanted to show us 3 others first. I loaded up the kids, my hubby and our friends and took off for location number 1. We liked the 3 homes we were shown but the lots were smaller or the prices were over double of the home we were holding out for. So, the realtor finally said, “You really don’t want that neighborhood. Look, I have to tell you it’s had problems.” I assured him I didn’t scare easily and was looking for a diamond in the rough.

Our first drive into Honeysuckle Estates was on a cloudy cold January day approaching dusk. Looking like we had found the local version of a ghost town rather than a residential neighborhood, we drove into the driveway of the home on the listing. After a few calls to find the right code for the lockbox we made our way inside. Amazing! It wasn’t finished but there were beautiful hardwood floors, granite countertops, custom wood cabinets and SPACE! The home was just under 4800 sq. ft. with 4 bedrooms, 4 baths, a game room, a media room complete with a Texas size lot of just over an acre. The price was dirt cheap for anywhere. I felt sorry for the builder but was intrigued by the possibilities. As we walked around we noticed home after home for sale. We immediately decided we wanted to see them all. The next day after taking my children to school I drove the hour drive that would become an almost daily trip out to Honeysuckle Estates from our current home to see what was there. I found homes in all states of disrepair, completion or vandalism. It didn’t add up. I was told the builder had financing problems and the homes had been foreclosed on. A little web search of the area and neighborhood led to more details. It seems the prestigious neighborhood, which started off with a bang of families looking for that true dream home or investing in their retirement home, became a nightmare as mortgage fraud and an almost unheard of term for today “squatters” took over. A neighborhood with custom upscale finishes and elite living had been hijacked!



By the time I started exploring the possibilities there were no more squatters but the evidence of their presence was everywhere in the homes that were left behind. Our family decided we would gamble on the amazing deal and bid on a home. We didn’t get the first home we bid on but won the 2nd. Foreclosures are not always a quick method of buying. It took us from March 1st until June 5th to finalize our closing and take possession of our “new” home. We took possession of a home that was missing a cook top, had a busted water heater, was lacking caulking on all the windows, had a hole in at least one wall of every single room, leaky roof, missing insulation and a big dirt & rock back yard! Rolling up our sleeves we got busy turning the negatives to positive and making this our home. Those first few weeks were busy but almost eerie as no one was ever outside! Finally more and more of the foreclosed or for sale homes sold. By mid July we were down to about 5 houses left on the market. People were starting to come outside. Children could be seen playing, sprinklers were running, and flowers were popping up from the stingy rock with hope and beauty. Hope. That is the feeling people started to share in our tiny little neighborhood. We started meeting neighbors. A group of neighbors started sharing stories about fencing cost, where to buy sod, who was a good pediatrician. I started a Yahoo Group for neighbors to have a central place to get information and share ideas. We had our first block party on Halloween. It was a BIG success. 23 families from our neighborhood of 46 homes showed up. Kids had a blast decorating pumpkins, showing off costumes, participating in the cake walk, fishing game, pumpkin toss & hayride. Adults mingled, talked, corralled kids, and laughed at the kids playing. Speaking to a few of the “pioneer” families we learned of the long road they had endured to reach this moment of hope. Many of the first home owners may still be a little upside down on their investment but things are definitely moving in the right direction for Honeysuckle Estates! As of September all our homes are sold. Fences are going up, yards are sporting beautiful landscape, several new pools have been carved out of the rock, beautiful new doors have replaced the builder specials, and everywhere you look you see families working hard to turn these houses into homes and creating their version of “Happily ever after”.

UPDATE: Fast forward to 2014

The past is far behind but Honeysuckle proved not to be for our family. A difficult neighbor and constant privacy issues drove us away. The homes have continued to come on and off the market usually selling below other areas. The neighborhood often times seems snake bit. Utilities for these lovely large homes are high. Water bills while there were often $300-400 a month during the summer. This results in most yards looking browned out and burned up. Few have taken the time to add additional trees. The homes are all electric and large so electric bills running over $600 a month is not uncommon in the highest heat of the summer and the coldest months of the winter. We've known families to have their homes listed for months.

Most owners have managed to update and repair the poor initial craftsmanship and the majority of families that live there are great hard working families. This could still be a happily ever after but you need money, vision and time AND hopefully not to live by the cuckoo's. ;)

WooHoo 2014!!!!

So many exciting things happened in 2013. A year of growth for our neighborhood. New babies born in the 'hood. New neighbors. A new high school is being completed. A year of so many good and new things. Can't wait to see what 2014 will bring.

Happy New Year - Bring on 2014!

Merry Christmas!

Wishing each of you a wonderful Christmas. May it be filled with family, friends and great memories.  Be safe.  From our neighborhood to yours MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Thanksgiving!

Happy Labor Day!

Looks like a great weekend for the grill to be fired up, the pool to be in full use, the yard to be filled with fun and laughter!

Hope your plans include some down time and good times with friends.

May Days...

Crazy weather but I am loving the progress around our little neighborhood, aren't you? My flowers and trees are budding and blooming despite the ups and downs.

Honeysuckle Estates *Porch Inspriation

Have you been watching the new house being built? Looks like it is coming along well AND we will have another one soon. Another lot on Evening Lane sold and the sand and porta potty is in place. HA. Exciting times. It also looks like the Pastors former house will be enjoying a pool this summer. So fun!

Honeysuckle Estates *Pool Inspriation

What are you doing to get ready for summer? New plants, patio cover, pool? Fighting the rock pile is always a challenge out here. Hang in there and stay frosty.

Honeysuckle Estates *Garden Inspirations

 

 

 

A Spade as a Spade

Reposting the latest harassment by Tiera.

Alerts are sent when Teresa Stephens Harvey's name is used. Mailbox was full this morning 8 months after the Harvey's moved and had hoped to leave this behind. Tiera has been using Google to posts. The postings started after January 2012 while the Harvey's were trying to sell their home and move and regular post to harass the Harvey's have been posted. These are screen shots of the most recent posts. The time stamps confirm when they were posted.

The last picture is a contribution from the Harvey's of the frisbee Tiera likes to go on about -picture taken in June 2010 when the frisbee incident occurred. The picture was taken of the frisbee Tiera's sent over and her version of "new" - a sun bleached dollar store frisbee to replace the White Ultimate Frisbee the McMahon's kept that belonged to the Harvey's.  The "Nasty" message Tiera is speaking of is "Jesus Loves You" - warped sense of nasty, don't you think? Yes, the Harvey's sent their frisbee back in June 2010!

No, a frisbee isn't that important so why does someone feel the need to post it over and over? But having a neighbor and former neighbor use pictures out of context and continue to spend countless hours seeking out your address and private information... months, and months after you move for no other purpose than to post it online and harass you is Cyber Stalking.



Happy 2013

Happy 2013. May your yesterdays be fond memories or lessons learned. May your tomorrows be used to full fill your dreams, grow, learn, and be filled with happiness. Each day is what you make it.  Are you making yours worth the journey?!

Veteran's Day!

Veteran's Day Discounts

We are so honored by the great men and women who have served for our country! To protect, defend, serve and sacrifice. WE will never forget and forever be greatful.

Yes! Honeysuckle Estates is a great place to live.

The neighborhood is growing and changing.  We once again have two families that will be leaving our neighborhood and hate to see them go. Two great houses are on the market and awaiting their new families.

We have a lot of opportunities to be involved and to get out and meet the neighbors. First up will be the neighborhood annual Halloween party!

Hope everyone is having a great week.

Don't you love the country life? Our neighborhood is FAB! Happy October.

Honeysuckle Estates

Honeysuckle Estates is now just a memory. We loved our home there but it's amazing at the doors that open and the beautiful home we now have. Loving the space! Didn't realize how much we missed surround sound and whole house intercom systems! Loving turning on music and enjoying it from anywhere in the house or yard. All ready putting to use the outdoor kitchen and outdoor tv - this home defines the word outdoor living! The yard is lush, green and private. Love that! They started on the outdoor fireplace today and it's coming along beautifully - it was the only thing missing to make this yard complete. Truly a house was made for entertaining and it's something we enjoy. Sometimes you have to let go to embrace new and better things for your life. Truly enjoying a grocery store and terrific shopping only 2 1/2 miles from the front door. Missed that.

A big shout out and thank you for our first guests! Received the best surprise visits from friends who flew out to help unpack and get us settled. Now that is friendship! Have the best BFF's ever. Looking forward to the crew that is coming for the 4th...love that we will be able to enjoy fireworks again in our own backyard! They sell them on the street corners here. :) Very cool.

Also, thank you again & again! What a wonderful send off from our friends in Texas - we celebrated Memorial Day weekend with 73 people at our home. Want to thank everyone again for the sweet gifts for our new home that was so unexpected! We are blessed with the greatest friends. Put the gift cards to use all ready. :) And the wine gift basket that was at the front door was a great way to celebrate our first night here. What a great last hurrah!

Not sure what this Blog will become. Our yahoo, FB & Google sites have new caregivers so they will become their vision...I will enjoy seeing how my blog evolves into something new with a new vision.

If you live in Honeysuckle stop by and see the new neighbors. Great family. They will need love and support getting settled!

"Keep Texas Beautiful" is hard to do with all that rock in Midlo.

Good luck Honeysuckle....

Good bye, Adios, Adieu, so long...Woohoo! The packing is underway. Moving truck is scheduled and we are leaving Midlothian. Texas will all ways be home & we will enjoy visits back with friends and family. For now we are experiencing, "The future's so bright, I gotta wear shades"! Excited to return to work in Interior Design and enjoying the hub's promotion. Life is good.
We are looking forward to the new location, house and the plans for the new pool.

Love when God has a plan and it all falls into place in perfect timing! You may not realize it at the time but once you allow him to layout his plan you see that it couldn't have worked out better.  Continue to keep us in your prayers as we travel forward.

Please also pray for the new family moving to the house we leave behind. Pray that they have a smooth move and are happy in their new home.

For those who live in Honeysuckle Estates or the surrounding area that would like to keep involved in neighborhood activities, community events, or swap info on local tradesmen find the Neighborhood Group on Facebook.

Neighbors @ Honeysuckle Estates

Spring...

Spring is right around the corner...I love this time of year. I start ordering seeds and planning a small kitchen garden and a few new flowers for our flower beds. Clear out all the dead plants from winter and start watching for new life!

It's also a great time of year to think about reorganizing and rearranging rooms in your home. I always do a complete deep clean. Everything is moved and dusted, swept and vacuumed.  All the "big" pieces of furniture are moved out of place so that everything is sparkling clean and is fresh for the spring and summer entertaining season.

I then take that opportunity to move things around or rethink a room. Maybe reorganize a linen closet or pantry, etc...I like to start now by collecting ideas. Making household wish lists and looking for inspiration and ideas to keep my home current, beautiful and workable for day to day life.

Here are a few of my inspirations for this year.........hope they help inspire you!

January 2012!

It's hard to believe it's the end of January! We've been blessed so far with a very mild winter. It makes you wander out doors and dream of spring. In doing so be sure to check those flower beds for weeds. They are sneaking in early this year. Also, mulch, mulch, mulch. Early blooms due to our mild weather could prove disasterous if we get a late freeze.

You might also start to plan now where to put in a new flower bed and how to incorporate more privacy and shade in your yard. Being in the county we have space, space and more space.  Break it up and create outdoor rooms and play spaces.  Here are a few pictures of inspiration.

Get out and enjoy the great outdoors!

Whew!

After a very long process we finally had our day in court!  The judge awarded in our favor. We only paid the amount we had offered on the fence our deductible costs. It was deemed a shared fence. We were also awarded reimbursement from the McMahon's for the cost of the temporary fencing. Resulting in pennies on the dollar costs out of pocket.

They did not receive the $5K they asked for. They did not get our charges ignored and they did not get the fence deemed as a sole owned fence. Nor were they able to get the judge to ignore our request for reimbursement. 

The fence is a property line fence and was agreed to stay that way. The Harvey's paid their half to have it built and the insurance covered the re-build.  It remains a shared fence still today.

Oh, happy days!

The only thing that could have been better is if we could have gotten a 12' fence built. Then there might have actually been some privacy!

Holiday fun at the ready!

Holiday fun...

Lot's to do in around the area this time of year! The weather is just right for firepits & hot chocolate. It's also a great time to experience some of the local holiday traditions. I've gathered a few of the one's we've done over the years...feel free to share any you know of as well.

The River Legacy Living Science Center is located in Arlington and it is a museum filled with learning stations for children. There is even a small play area for the youngest visitors. Outside the center is a series of trails that can be explored along the river.
http...://riverlegacy.org/

Dallas Arboreteum - a great place for fall & holiday pictures. Get those Christmas Cards ready.
http://www.dallasarboretum.org/

Ft. Worth Botanical Gardens - Beatiful place to spend the day with the family.
http://fwbg.org/

 Jazz in the Atrium What: Jazz in the Atrium. Arlington Jones Trio. Distinguished pianist, composer, and producer Arlington Jones performs his original compositions. Jones has shared the stage with legends such as David “Fathead” Newman, Red Holloway, and Frank Foster. He has been the keyboard player for Wayman Tisdale since 2001.
When: Thursday, December 2, 2010 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Where: Dallas Museum of Art
Cost: Free with general admission
Children's Medical Center Holiday Parade
Photo Courtesy of Children's Medical Center

The Children's Medical Center Holiday Parade is a free event open to the public. Sidewalk seating is available along the Parade route. Tickets for reserved bleacher seating may be purchased online. Free 2 and under.
When: Saturday, December 4, 2010 at 10 a.m.
Where: It begins at The Adolphus, 1321 Commerce Street, Dallas, Texas 75202 and it ends at City Hall Plaza.
Parking/DART: There are multiple street and garage lots for public parking. You can also take DART to the parade. Visit the DART for more information. The parade route is only a few blocks from the Akard Station, the West End Station, Union Station and the Convention Center Station.
TV: The parade will be broadcast on WFAA-TV Channel 8.
Parade Questions: Call 214-456-8360.

 Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer
What: Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer. Experience the timeless tale of Rudolph and friends live. The beloved classic soars from the TV screen to the Casa Mañana stage in this live-action world premier. Featuring everyone's favorite characters: Hermey the Elf, Sam the Snowman, the Misfit Toys, the Abominable Snow Monster, Yukon Cornelius, Santa and Rudolph! You won't want to miss this wonderful holiday tradition that speaks to the misfit in all of us. This show is suitable for all ages.
When: November 26 - December 23
Where: Casa Mañana Theatre, 3101 West Lancaster Avenue, Fort Worth, TX 76107. 817-332-2272
Tickets: Tickets from $20

 Holiday in the Park What: Holiday in the Park. Six Flags Over Texas turns into a winter wonderland each year. Enjoy spectacular seasonal shows, tasty holiday treats and an unprecedented Christmas celebration like none in North Texas. Sled down a hill made of snow and participate in crafts and sing-alongs. Don't miss the parade thirty minutes before closing.
When: November 26 - January 2, 2011
Where: Six Flags over Texas, 2201 Road To Six Flags, Arlington, TX 76010. 817-530-6000

 ICE! A Charlie Brown ChristmasWhat: Ice! is back. It's 2-million pounds of hand-carved sculptures and slides, including larger-than-life characters from A Charlie Brown Christmas by Charles Schulz. Lone Star Christmas features acres of dazzling decorations, a 52-ft rotating Christmas tree, over 1.5-million twinkling lights and special activities.
SNOW! - New this year. Grab a tube and speed down an extreme eight-lane tubing hill covered in real snow!
A real life-sized Gingerbread House Electric Train Display and Toy Soldier Stilt Walkers Rudolph's Reindeer Roundup Yourself as an Elf... A Family Holiday Adventure Visits with Santa and Cookies & Milk with Mrs. Claus Breakfast with Charlie Brown Where: Gaylord Texan Resport, Grapevine, TX
When: November 12 through January 3, 2011.

 Camp Gingerbread Celebrate the holidays in sweet style at the second annual Camp Gingerbread. Bring the whole family to decorate gingerbread cookies with frosting, nuts, dried fruit, candies and sprinkles.
When: December 4-5, 2010
Where: Northpark Centre, Located on Level One near Macy's.
Cost: $10 per child. Hours on Saturday, December 4th are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, December 5th are from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Charity Event: Proceeds benefit Shared Housing, a non-profit organization that facilitates affordable housing options for those in need.


Trains at Northpark CentreWhat: Over 2500 feet of train track wind through miniature landmarks, such as Reunion Tower, the Statue of Liberty, and Mount Rushmore. More than forty locomotives pull train cars around the track to the delight of kids and adults.
When: November 20, 2010 to January 2, 2011. M-Sat 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday noon to 6 pm. Closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
Where: NorthPark Center
Cost: Adults: $6; Kids 3-12 and seniors: $3; free for kids two and under. Discount tickets at Tom Thumb stores. Proceeds provide almost one-third of the annual operating budget for the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas.

North Pole Express Train Ride -Grapevine, TX
https://www.grapevinetexasusa.com/christmas/NPX/index.html

Fall Fun!

I love Fall - it brings cool temps, firepit evenings with the family and lots of fun with the kick off of the holiday season. Here are a few things to do around our area this fall.  Take a look, gather your favorite date or family and get out and about and make some memories.

Dallas fall activities. Here are eight fun fall activities for residents or visitors to Dallas-Fort Worth:
State Fair of Texas
The State Fair of Texas runs from September 26 through October 19 and features lots of family-friendly activities. Typical attendance at the State Fair of Texas is about 3 million people. Enjoy livestock competitions, excellent live music, a huge Ferris wheel, and an assortment of deep fried foods. There is even an auto show!
DFW Elite Auto Rental
Fall is a great time to rent a luxury convertible in Dallas. You can rent a Bentley GTC, Aston Martin, or classic vintage Mercedes from DFW’s premier sports car rental agency. Pamper yourself! Put the top down and take in some of this year’s best driving weather.
Great Pumpkin Festival
Running from September 20 to November 2, the Great Pumpkin Festival is part of Autumn at the Arboretum. The Dallas Arboretum grows many varieties of unusual pumpkins as well as lovely fall flowers like marigolds and chrysanthemums. Hay rides and a pumpkin house are also featured.
Taste of Arlington
This year’s Taste of Arlington will be on October 21. It’s a chance for the best restaurants of Arlington to show off their cooking. Patrons at this year’s taste can sample Arlington’s finest food, hear a little good music, and win a treasure or two in the Taste of Arlington’s charity auctions.
Alliance Air Show
A favorite for aviation fans of all ages, the show always features great demonstrations and a wide variety of vintage aircraft. This year’s air show will be on October 11 and 12. Flight simulators, balloon rides and kids activities round out the October event.
Fall Festival in the Japanese Garden
Take a visit to the Land of the Rising Sun during the fall festival in the Japanese Garden on October 25 and 26. The Japanese Garden is part of the Fort Worth Botanic Gardens. The celebration will include Japanese food, music, dancing and martial arts demonstrations.
Boo at the Zoo
The Fort Worth Zoo will be hosting the annual Boo at the Zoo event October 24 through 29. Bring the kids for an event that will include marionettes, live animals, pumpkin carving, and other activities for the whole family.
DFW Elite Toy Museum
For automobile enthusiasts of all ages, the DFW Elite Toy Museum is a repository of cool stuff. See vintage scale models including several by Enzo Ferrari’s favorite model maker, Michele Conti. The museum’s collection includes memorabilia, automotive-related toys, German driving school models, pedal cars, and carousel cars from the private collection of Fort Worth motivational speaker and business consultant Ron Sturgeon.

Waxachie has a few fun things to do....

A local HAUNT! Waxahachie Screams Park

10/9/2011		4th Annual Full Class Car Show - Trade Days of Waxahachie
10/9/2011		HYMNAL FESTIVAL and CHORAL CONCERT ON PRAYER

10/21/2011		Munster Mansion Charity Event, Benefiting the Ellis County SPCA
10/25/2011		RIBBON CUTTING For: CONNECT4LIFE THRIFT STORE
10/28/2011		Bye Bye Birdie
10/29/2011		Bob Phillips' Texas Country Reporter Festival
11/4/2011		Heart of Texas Arts & Crafts Show

Midlothian has a few closer to home options too...

Midlothian Church of Christ Fall Festival
Sunday, October 30th
5:00 – 7:00 pm
Completely Free!
Hayride, Games, Drinks, Hotdogs, Candy, Cakewalk
1627 North Highway 67
For More Info: 972-775-3026

7^th Annual ELLIS COUNTY BARBEQUE COOK-OFFOctober 7^th & 8^th, 2011
Registration Form
To be held at the Midlothian Civic Center located @ the corner of Main St. and 11^th.
Contact: Robert Cunningham @ (972) 824-1387 or Dennis DeWeerd @ (972) 523-7675
100% Payback plus trophies for 1st-3rd place finish

Catagories will include:Beef Brisket½ ChickenRibsJackpot Beans
Cook area will open to competitors @ 12:00 noon on Friday.
Registration and meat inspection will begin@ 4:00 P.M.

**Check back to see more activities and fun things to do as I come across them!