Happy Boxing Day

Boxing Day is a national Bank Holiday, a day to spend with family and friends and to eat up all the leftovers of Christmas Day. The origins of the day, however, are steeped in history and tradition.

Why is it Called Boxing Day?

Arguments abound on the origins of the name Boxing Day. All the answers below are valid, so maybe it is one, or even all of them.

The name is a reference to holiday gifts. A ‘Christmas Box’ in Britain is a name for a Christmas present. Boxing Day was traditionally a day off for servants and the day when they received a ‘Christmas Box’ from the master. The servants would also go home on Boxing Day to give ‘Christmas Boxes’ to their families.

The name is a reference to charity drives. A box to collect money for the poor traditionally and placed in Churches on Christmas day and opened the next day - Boxing Day.

The name refers to a nautical tradition. Great sailing ships when setting sail would have a sealed box containing money on board for good luck. Were the voyage a success, the box was given to a priest, opened at Christmas and the contents then given to the poor. 

When is Boxing Day?

Boxing Day is the 26th December and is a national holiday in the UK,  Ireland and Canada.

Activities on Boxing Day

Boxing Day is a time to spend with family or friends, usually those not seen on Christmas Day itself. In recent times, the day has become synonymous with many sports. Horse racing is particularly popular with meets all over the country. Many top football teams also play on Boxing Day.

Fox Hunting on Boxing Day

Until 2004, Boxing Day hunts were a traditional part of the day, but the ban on fox hunting has put an end to this in its usual sense. Hunters will still gather dressed resplendently in red hunting coats to the sound of the hunting horn. But, since it is now forbidden to chase the fox with dogs, they now follow artificially laid trails.

The New Boxing Day Sport - Shopping

Another ‘sport’ to emerge in recent years is shopping. Sadly, what was once a day of relaxation and family time sees the start of the sales. Sales used to start in January, post-New Year, but the desire to grab a bargain and for shops to off-load stock means many now begin on Boxing Day.

Food and Drink on Boxing Day

With guests often popping in for a snack or tipple the food and drink on Boxing Day are more relaxed than Christmas Day.

Lunch will usually be a buffet or leftovers from Christmas lunch. Baked Ham is a popular Boxing Day meat and of course, mince pies with brandy butter or a slice of Christmas cake or other dessert are almost obligatory.

TO ALL OUR EUROPEAN AND FRIENDS TO THE NORTH
WE WISH YOU A HAPPY BOXING DAY!

Lexington Annual Christmas Eve Caroling

Please bring family and friends to Lexington's annual Christmas Eve Caroling event!  Caroling will take place from 4:00 – 4:30 pm on December 24th at the Hastings Park Bandstand in Lexington.  Join in this town tradition that is enjoyed by several hundred residents and neighbors each year who gather to sing an assortment of traditional and favorite carols.  Song sheets will be provided to all and the Boy Scouts will be dutifully donating and serving up hot chocolate and cookies for the carolers!

Contact Jackie Piscitello with any questions at jackiepiscitello@gmail.com.  

Visit:  https://www.tourlexington.us/ for more holiday events around Lexington.

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10 DIY Christmas Ornaments to Make with Kids

The kids are getting excited as Christmas gets closer. Keeping their excitement in check can be daunting. Why not work on some of these cute DIY Christmas ornaments to give away as gifts or create a cute kids tree full of these ornaments.

1. Sesame Street Ornaments

Help your kids bring their favorite TV characters to the Christmas tree by stuffing disc-shaped ornaments with red or blue crinkle-cut paper and gluing on tiny Cookie Monster and Elmo faces. 

What you'll need: plastic disc ornament, red shredded crinkle-cut paper blue shredded crinkle-cut paper), printable Cookie Monster and Elmo templates

2. Charlie Brown Ornament

Squirt a little paint into your ornament, shake it until the color is evenly distributed, and stick on a zig-zagging strip of contact paper to nail your favorite Peanut's iconic look.

What you'll need: plastic ball ornament, yellow paint and black contact paper

3. Santa's Belt Ornament

Kids will love stuffing this cutesy bauble with fun, fluffy feathers — just make sure you leave the hot-gluing to Mom or Dad.

What you'll need: plastic ball ornament, red feathers, black glitter elastic, and a  rhinestone buckle slider.

4. Goldfish Bowl Ornament

Real aquarium gravel makes this fish bowl ornament extra convincing. Complete the underwater illusion by threading some fishing line through a vinyl goldfish and using it to suspend him.

What you'll need: plastic ball ornament, green aquarium gravel vinyl goldfish, fishing line and a  funnel.

5. Despicable Me Minion Ornament

This one is guaranteed to be a hit with the kids. Set them up with the right materials, then let them customize their Minions to build a little yellow family.

What you'll need: plastic ball ornament, yellow paint, black contact paper, aluminum foil, and googly eyes.

VISIT: GOODHOUSEKEEPING.COM to get the rest of the list and watch the video to make all these cute holiday ornaments and more.

Sell Your Lexington Home This Holiday Season

Lexington Home Sellers

If you need or want to sell your Lexington home this holiday season, there’s no need to wait! Contact me, your Lexington real estate agent, I am happy to help. There are fewer buyers out now, sure, but there are also perks to selling during the holidays!

1.  Holiday decorations help make your home look brighter and cozier.

2.  The home-selling process happens faster, because there are less transactions being processed in December. Home inspectors, mortgage lenders, etc. are less busy.

3.  There’s less competition from other sellers. There will always be buyers who need or want to sell right now, and they are serious buyers looking for a fast purchase!

When ready to begin the home-selling process in the Lexington real estate market, contact me, your Lexington real estate agent! Let’s get started! Happy Holidays!

Theresa D'Antuono

Lexington MA Real Estate Agent

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2019 Lexington Winter Rec Programs

The 2019 Lexington Winter Rec Programs are now available to register! 

Click to Access the program

The Lexington Rec Program Mission

To provide affordable, quality programs meeting the needs of the community. We are committed to providing active and passive leisure opportunities that are educational, fun and life-enriching. The Department promotes participation by all Lexington residents in safe, accessible, and well-maintained facilities.

Activities for all ages!

 Phone:

781-698-4800
781-698-4810 Recorded Information & Cancellations

Address:

Community Center

39 Marrett Rd.

Lexington, MA 02421

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Lexington Events December 9, 2018

Lexington Tea Burning

Sunday, December 9, 10 AM - 4 PM, Lexington Visitor’s Center (1875 Massachusetts Avenue)
Lexington Historical Society and the Lexington Minute Men invite all to the Lexington Tea Burning, an all-day event free and open to the public.

The events will take place on the grounds of another sponsor of the event, the Lexington Visitor’s Center and will begin at 10 AM with an 18th century soldier encampment, followed by musket drills, 18th century cooking demonstrations, parades, and music, and culminate with the burning of the tea at 1:30 PM.

Historic Buckman Tavern - decorated for the holidays - will be open for complimentary tours that day. Take a tour and learn more about tasty alternatives to tea that were available to patriots during the war in an interactive drop-in program from 12-1 and 2-3 PM.

http://www.lexingtonhistory.org/events    

Masters Singers Christmas

Sunday, December 9, 4:00pm at First Parish Church

You're invited to start your holiday celebration with this local tradition: a late afternoon holiday concert followed by a reception with Christmas cookies! The Master Singers presents a program of  rich choral music with strings and organ, including Mozart’s Missa Brevis in D and Francesco Durante’s Magnificat, which was misattributed to Giovani Pergolesi for many years. The concert will close with a selection of traditional Christmas carols, and a festive reception follows. First Parish Church is located at 7 Harrington Road on the historic Battle Green in Lexington, MA. The church is fully accessible with ample free parking behind the church. Concert tickets are $25.00 for general admission and $20.00 for seniors and students. Discounts are available from members of the chorus and to WGBH member card holders and Greater Boston Choral Consortium members. 

For information and directions, please call (781) 275-1478 or visit www.themastersingers.org.

The Master Singers of Lexington is turning 50 this year! Save these dates for our remaining concerts: a special 50th Anniversary Concert on March 23, followed by POPS: As Time Goes By on May 4.

www.themastersingers.org    

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Thanksgiving Tours

Friday November 23 and Saturday November 24

Not interested in shopping this Black Friday weekend?

Come visit our historic homes this holiday season! Self-guided audio tour, social media exhibit, and wonderfully stocked museum store at Buckman Tavern, 9:30 AM - 4 PM. Guided tour and First Shot! Film at Hancock-Clarke House, 10 AM - 4PM. 

VISIT THE LEXINGTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY FOR MORE INFORMATION

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8 Ways to Winterize Your Car

Winter is fast approaching in Lexington and we often talk about winterizing our homes but often neglect getting our vehicles ready for winter. Many of the things on the list can be completed on your own or you just might want to leave it all to a trained mechanic. Either way spend a few minutes reviewing this list and get ready for winter!

1. Check your battery.  The chemical reactions required to generate power in a car battery slowdown in cold temperatures. At 5 degrees F, a fully charged battery has only half its rated amp-hour capacity. Also during cold weather, your engine requires more current from the battery in order to get the engine started. Combine less power output with more power requirements and you get a car that won’t start on a cold winter morning.
   
2. Change your wiper blades and refill your wiper fluid.  Build-up of winter precipitation and salt on your windshield can greatly reduce visibility. Wiper blades are only good for a year. Replace yours if they look frayed or worn and consider getting “winter wiper blades”.
   
3. Consider getting snow tires.  Snow tires are made of a softer rubber than all-season tires which allows them to retain flexibility in the bitterest of cold. Snow tires also have tread patterns specially designed to grip into snow and ice.
   
4. Check your tire pressure. If you don’t replace your regular tires with snow tires, at least keep them properly inflated during the winter. Cold weather causes air pressure in your tires to drop. For every 10 degree drop in temperature, your tire’s air pressure will drop about 1psi. A properly inflated tire ensures the best possible contact between the road and the tires which is essential for safe traction when driving in wintry conditions.
   
5. Check your anti-freeze mixture. The mixture of anti-freeze and water in your radiator should be about 50:50. This will prevent the coolant in your radiator from freezing. If you want to check the composition of your radiator’s fluid, you can pick-up an inexpensive anti-freeze tester at your local auto parts store.
   
6. Stock your car with emergency supplies. You never know when you’ll get stranded on the side of the road in a hellacious blizzard. Be prepared by having your car packed with emergency supplies. Examples are bottled water, blankets, small/travel snow shovel, flashlight etc.
   
7. Change the oil and adjust the viscosity. In order for your engine to run, it needs proper lubrication from oil. Unfortunately, cold weather reduces the oil’s effectiveness. The colder it is outside, the thicker the oil gets, and thick oil doesn’t circulate through your engine as easily as thin oil. Consequently, your engine doesn’t get the lubrication it needs during start-up and you’re left with a car that won’t start.
   
8. Check your belts and hoses. Cold temps can weaken the belts and hoses that help make your engine run. Check them for any signs of wear and tear and have them replaced if needed. If a belt snaps while you’re driving, you’ll have to wait for a tow truck to come pick your cold butt up.

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Home Inspection Questions for Lexington MA Homebuyers

Lexington MA Homebuyer Tips

As a Lexington MA homebuyer, it’s important that you get a home inspection done before signing the closing papers. This will allow you to renegotiate the price or terms if anything major comes up. As your Lexington real estate agent, here are questions I suggest asking your home inspector:

1.  What is major and what’s minor? It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when you receive the report, so ask the inspector which issues they find the most serious.

2.  Should I call in an expert? If an issue is pretty serious, your inspector might recommend that you call an expert to look into it further.

3.  Can you explain? Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification on an issue you don’t understand!

4.  Did you see this? If you think the inspector missed something, speak up.

Don’t be shy with your home inspector! Ask all the questions you need to better understand the findings. When ready to buy in the Lexington real estate market, contact me, your Lexington real estate agent! I’m here to help!

Theresa D'Antuono

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11th Annual Lexington High School Cross Country Post-Thanksgiving 5k Race

11th Annual Lexington High School Cross Country
Post-Thanksgiving 5k Race

Where: Lincoln FieldWhen: Friday November 23rd at 9am (the morning after Thanksgiving)Registration Fee: $20

REGISTER TODAY

Lexington High School Cross Country/Track alumni have been coming together with the local running community the morning after Thanksgiving to compete, relive the glory days, and burn off some Turkey Day calories since 2008. Now in its 11th year, the "Alumni Race" has served as a great way to bring together the local running community to race on the team's storied 5k home course. All proceeds will benefit the Lexington High School Cross Country program.  

The Girls and Boys teams are among the top ranked teams in the state this year, and will be making a serious run at the Cross Country State Title next month. After the All-State meet we are planning on going to compete in the Nike Northeast Regional Championships where the top two teams advance to Nationals. Each kid has to pay their own way to attend this meet, and the proceeds of this race help to cover much of that expense.

REGISTER TODAY

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Last 2018 Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day for Lexington

The Facility will be Open Saturday, November 3, 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Lexington residents may dispose of hazardous household products by bringing them to:

Minuteman Household Hazardous Products Regional Facility
Lexington Compost Facility
60 Hartwell Avenue 

You must bring identification and proof of residence in Lexington.

Directions to the facility:
From Rte 128 take exit 31 (Rte 4/225 heading towards Bedford).
At the first light take a right, via jug handle, onto Hartwell Ave.
The composting facility site is ¼ mile on the left just after the bike path .

Description of Services:

Residents of Lexington and participating communities may help protect the environment by taking common household hazardous products — ranging from cleaners and photography chemicals to paints, fuels and certain devices — to the Minuteman Facility on Hartwell Avenue in Lexington. Mailings with the complete schedule for the Minuteman Facility are sent to all Lexington residents annually.

Please bring identification and proof of residency with you to the center.

Please do not make multiple trips per event.  This slows down the event and it increases the cost to your town, as each town is assessed a fee based on the quantity of material per car brought to the site.

The Minuteman Hazardous Products Facility reserves the right to refuse unidentified materials or unacceptable amounts of hazardous waste.

If you cannot go to any of the Minuteman collections or are moving before the next one, Clean Harbors Environmental, Inc. holds HHW and electronic collections every Saturday from April 1 - October 31 at their Braintree facility.

CLICK HERE FOR LIST OF ITEMS

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128 Business Expo

Join us for the 128 Business Expo

Over 100 different businesses showcase their products, goods and services.
There will be raffles and giveaways.

DON'T MISS OUT! 

Date: November 2, 2018

Time: 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM EDT

Location:

Westin Waltham-Boston Hotel
70 Third Avenue
Waltham, MA 

ATTENDANCE IS FREE!!!!

​Exhibitor Fee: CHAMBER MEMBER $350 (6' table) or $700 (12' table)

                    NON-CHAMBER MEMBERS $500 (6' table) or $1000 (12' table)

                    Contact Molyna Richards for details: director@lexingtonchamber.org

REGISTER TODAY

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Is Your Homeowners Insurance Enough?

What is covered under a standard homeowner’s insurance policy?

Some natural disasters are always covered by homeowner’s insurance, including wildfires, tornadoes and hail storms. But other natural disasters are never or rarely covered under a standard homeowner’s insurance policy. They generally fall into two categories: floods and “earth movements.”

The first category comprises disasters caused by rising water, which includes everything from floods caused by extensive rainfall and hurricane-induced storm surges to dam failures and tsunamis. “Earth movements” include disasters such as earthquakes, landslides and sinkholes.

Unfortunately, many Americans are unaware that these disasters are not covered by a standard homeowner’s policy, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

Certain natural disaster typically aren’t covered because of the level of the destruction they create, said Lynne McChristian, a spokeswoman for the Insurance Information Institute and executive director of the Center for Risk Management Education and Research at Florida State University.

With these disasters, “the damage is usually so widespread, and it’s typically a total loss,” McChristian said. “Insurance companies can’t price it appropriately to make it a viable line of business for them.”

Read the entire article at www.realtor.com

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Why to Buy a Lexington MA Home This Fall

Buy a Lexington MA home this fall

If you’ve been wanting to buy a Lexington MA home, but have been putting it off, now is the time to do it! As your Lexington real estate agent, allow me to fill you in on some reasons why fall is the ideal season for home-buying:

1.  You’ll reap tax benefits. Buy before the year’s over and you can take advantage of tax breaks, such as mortgage interest and property tax deductions.

2.  You’ll be home for the holidays. Buy now, before the holiday season begins, and you’ll be able to celebrate the winter holidays in your new Lexington MA home!

3.  The market is calmer. Bidding wars dominated the summer market, but activity tends to slow down in the fall. Take advantage now and you might have more bargaining power.

4. You could save money. Home prices and mortgage rates are still on the rise. The sooner you buy, the more you may save.

When you’re ready to begin house hunting in the Lexington real estate market this fall, contact me, your Lexington real estate agent! Fall weather is beautiful for showings. Take advantage!

Theresa D'Antuono

Lexington MA Real Estate Agent

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Verrill Farms Harvest Fest

Saturday, October 6, 11 am - 3 pm
12th Annual Harvest Festival & Benefit for Emerson Hospital Pediatric Care

Fields surrounding the farm stand are transformed into an old-fashioned fair ground. Event includes games, activities, music food, a raffle & more.

Water Balloon Toss Hay rides Obstacle Course	Pony rides High Striker Hay Treasure Hunt	Spin the Wheel! Noodle Smash Cow Milking

Violet the Clown & Face Painting - sponsored by Cambridge Savings Bank

• Pick-Your-Own Pumpkin in fields by the stand
• Live Music by Live Music by The Sky Ridge Boys
• Delicious food, beverages & more... a la carte

There will also be a Silent Auction & a Raffle of items featuring fun family activities, gourmet food baskets & restaurant gift certificates. Activity, game & raffle tickets are 5 tickets for $10 or 12 for $20.

Proceeds from ticket sales and food purchases are used by Emerson Hospital's Pediatric Intervention 

Team to create and distribute age appropriate kits to all children entering the Hospital. The kits are used to help both children and families manage and cope successfully with the hospital experience.

Tickets for games and activities can be purchased at the festival for $2 each or 12 for $20. Entry to Festival is free.

Proceeds from activity, game & raffle tickets, as well as food purchases, go to Emerson Hospital's Pediatric Intervention Team to provide Coping Kits for children at the hospital.

Rain Date October 13

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Minuteman Bikeway 25th Anniversary

Come celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Minuteman Commuter Bikeway on Saturday, September 29, 2018, when Arlington, Lexington, and Bedford will host a tri-town celebration of the popular rail-trail.  The bikeway was completed and dedicated by the three towns during 1992-93, and its success has inspired countless rail-trail and pathway projects in New England and beyond.  As we celebrate the past 25 years of Going Places on the Minuteman Bikeway, we look forward to an even better trail that is part of a robust regional bicycle transportation network.  
 

Community celebrations will be held simultaneously along the bikeway in all three towns from 11 am to 3 pm on September 29.  You are welcome to visit as many activities as you like in Arlington Center (Whittemore Park), Lexington Center (Visitors' Center lawn), and Bedford (near the Bikeway Source), as well as along the bikeway.  Each location will feature conversations with local bicycle enthusiasts and bikeway representatives, information about current and future bicycling initiatives, and light refreshments.  Planning is underway for special visual art and musical interludes along the path. 

Of course, the best way to celebrate the bikeway's success is to get out and enjoy it by foot, bicycle, skates, or wheelchair!  We look forward to celebrating "Minuteman Bikeway Day" with everyone on September 29.

Curious about the the bikeway and its history? Visit MinutemanBikeway.org and watch the special 25th Anniversary video. 

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What is an Energy Efficient Mortgage?

If you’re in the market for a new Lexington home, there’s a way to save the environment and some cash at the same time: Consider a “green” mortgage.

An energy-efficient mortgage (EEM), the umbrella term for these types of loans, allows buyers to fold expenses for energy-saving home improvements into their mortgage.

EMs are an option if you’re buying or building a home and you want to add energy-efficient features, if you’re refinancing a mortgage for a home you already own and want to add energy-efficient renovations, or if you’re buying a new home that is already energy-efficient.

The idea is that, in the long run, the money saved on monthly utility bills will offset the higher mortgage payment. The projected energy savings from the lower bills could also qualify buyers for a larger loan amount and a better, more energy-efficient home.

And at the point of resale, homeowners will likely benefit again, as the energy upgrades can boost the home’s value and attract buyers in a competitive market.

Improving Your Home’s Energy Efficiency

Green mortgages can be used to finance a range of energy-efficient upgrades, from weather stripping to new heating and cooling systems to double-pane windows and solar panels.

A required home energy audit provides recommendations for energy-saving improvements and estimates of the costs and savings of those improvements. Lenders use this information to determine how much you’ll save in energy costs with each improvement.

Fannie Mae, the Federal Housing Administration, and the Department of Veterans Affairs all offer a version of EEMs. The amount of energy improvements a borrower can finance varies by program, ranging from about 5 percent of the value of the property through an FHA loan to around 15 percent with a conventional mortgage. A VA EEM, available to military personnel, caps energy improvements at $3,000 to $6,000.

Understanding the Green Mortgage Lending Process

While securing an EEM can be fairly simple for the borrower, it can be cumbersome for lenders unaccustomed to the process of managing the “work flow” of the energy improvements, says Tonya Todd, senior vice president of strategic products at Mountain West Financial in Redlands, California. This may be why they aren’t more common.

“The loan itself is easy; it’s the facilitation that takes some work,” Todd says. “Lenders that are successful at this will find a local energy-efficient mortgage facilitator. The facilitator handles everything from A to Z to ensure a smooth and timely process for all parties.”

The facilitator works with the buyer, the energy rater, the contractor, the realtor and the lender to keep everything moving to avoid delays.

“After closing, the facilitator will ensure the installation of the energy improvements are completed,” she adds. “It just makes everything much smoother.”

So, if you’re interested in pursuing an EEM, go for it — just be aware you may have to put some effort into finding a lender.

“Niche lenders do offer these programs and do them well,” Todd says. “However, a lot of lenders do not offer them because they do not understand the operational component, or they don’t have the support system internally.”

CLICK HERE TO FINISH READING ARTICLE

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Breakfast & Pajama Party with LexFUN!

You Donut Want To Miss This! Please Come in Your PJs!

Saturday, September 15th
8.30am - 1pm
Keilty Hall at St. Brigids Church, 2001 Mass. Ave.

Open to existing and prospective members!

Help us kick off the 2018-2019 membership year.  We invite you and your family to join us in your pajamas.

Enjoy free breakfast from favorites Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks, Wegmans and Wicked Bagel. Stay until noon for free custard from Abbott’s!

Schedule of fun:

8.30am - Games, Face Painting, Balloon Twisting, and Instrument Petting Zoo with Keys for Kids Music School begin

9.30am - Pajama Parade with Prizes!

10.15am - Toe Jam Puppet Band

12.00pm - Enjoy free frozen custard from Abbott’s

LexFUN!  

  

Location: Keilty Hall at St. Brigids Church, 2001 Mass. Ave. Lexington, MA 02421

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Lexington Homebuyers Trade Must-Haves for Good Schools

Now that the new school year is in full swing, are you considering relocating to a better school district? As your Lexington real estate agent, I understand! A new report from Realtor.com found that 86 percent of homebuyers defined their home search by school district boundaries, and 78 percent of buyers were willing to sacrifice must-have home features for a dream school district.

The Lexington MA school district was named the second best school district in Massachusetts by Niche, with an overall A+ grade. We received an A+ grade in Academics, Teacher and College Prep!

If you’d like to relocate to Lexington MA for better schools, or you’d like to buy and remain in the Lexington school district, contact me! As your Lexington real estate agent, I can help you find a home that meets your needs in the Lexington real estate market this fall.

Theresa D'Antuono

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Girl Scout Information Nights

Calling all parents and caregivers of girls in kindergarten and older! Join us to learn more about joining Girl Scouts--whether you're joining a troop, volunteering to be a troop leader, or coming to learn about the amazing programs and activities Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts offers, adults are invited to join us for a Q&A.

Choose from two different dates! Both sessions will be held at the Lexington Community Center (39 Marrett Road, Lexington MA).

THURS 9/6, 7pm-8pm
WED 9/12, 7pm-8pm

Recruitment Specialist Molly Kazin will be there, along with volunteers from Lexington MA Girl Scouts to answer any and all of your Girl Scouting questions! We do request that this event is adults-only. 

Can't make it? That's okay, sign up to become a member and join a troop online now! Secure her spot for fall, register on the Girl Scouts of Eastern MA website www.gsema.org/join, select "Join Today", fill out the girl registration page and click continue. Search by troop number or zip code on the next page.

Financial aid is available for girl and adult memberships. Your transaction is complete when you receive an email confirmation for your purchase. Remember to add your adult membership if you plan to help with the troop.

Questions? Email Molly at MKazin@gsema.org.

Facebook Event for Girl Scout Info Session    

Location: Community Center, 39 Marrett Road, Lexington

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8 Ideas to Add Color to Your Laundry Room

If you have a finished, designated area for laundry, have you ever considered what a great canvas you have for injecting personality into your home? Take a look at eight eye-catching examples of colorful laundry rooms for inspiration.

1. Be bold. Keep in mind that this isn’t your living room or bedroom, therefore you probably (hopefully!) won’t be be spending hours upon hours in the space. I’m also guessing it’s not where you do the bulk of your entertaining, so don’t be afraid to go for a vibrant color if you happen to be a fan of intense hues. A saturated, juicy orange is a terrific choice for revving up the room.

2. Borrow from the kitchen. Take your favorite elements from the kitchen — a floor or wall tile pattern, a nice light fixture — and crank it up with color for the laundry room. This black, white and deep green laundry room has an interesting graphic appeal because of the contrasting hues. The punches of green set it apart from ubiquitous mostly-white laundry rooms.

3. Go wild with wallcoverings. A hot-pink backsplash might not fly in your open-plan kitchen, but why not inject this unusual hue into your laundry room? Forget about what’s trendy and go ahead and select colors or patterns that speak to you, regardless of how bold they might be.

4. Look to the ceiling. Don’t forget the often-overlooked “fifth wall” when upgrading your laundry room. The ceiling can be a fantastic canvas for a fun color. This yellow ceiling really raises the eye upward and accentuates the handsome pendant light fixture.

5. Consider colorful cabinetry. Fire-engine-red cabinetry might be a visually overwhelming choice for your kitchen, but in a laundry room it injects much-needed energy and personality. The colors we surround ourselves with can affect our mood and motivation level, so if you need to get revved up to do the laundry, hot hues such as red can get your motor running.

6. Add artwork. In addition to using a fetching wall color, think about installing artwork and other decorative elements, such as pretty window treatments. There’s no reason why the laundry room has to be a boring, utilitarian space. If you’re going to spend time in there, make it as comfortable and visually appealing as you can.

7. Have fun. I say don’t feel obligated to stick to safe neutrals for the laundry room. Go ahead and experiment with color combinations you wouldn’t normally consider. Color trends are constantly shifting, but paint is a relatively easy and affordable thing to change. Tile is a bit more labor-intensive to add or change out, but if you select a relatively inexpensive tile and the area to be tiled is not very large, you might be surprised by just how budget-friendly an option it can be. So have fun with it and don’t worry so much about trends or resale value.

8. Be creative. Lest all the color fun be limited to those with separate and distinct laundry rooms, here’s a clever color upgrade for those of us living with laundry closets. I love this vibrant blue-green, but if you’re worried about a bold door color clashing with other decor in the room, you could always paint the eye-catching hue on the inside panel of the doors only, or just the interior walls of the closet. That way you’ll get an eyeful of gorgeous color whenever you open the doors to put in a load.

Article compliments of Houzz.com

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