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Blog Family Fun Kyle Texas Tips

Pack the Perfect Summer Picnic

As great as air conditioning is, there’s just something classic about grabbing a few blankets, some tasty food, and cold drinks and heading out to a grassy spot for a picnic. 

 

The term “picnic” dates back to 17th century France, but in the early part of the 20th century, picnics started to catch on in popularity. 

 

Here are some helpful tips to help you plan the perfect summer picnic. 

 

Don’t Forget the Cooler 

 

With Texas temps firmly planted in the 90s during the summer, keeping cool and staying hydrated is a must. You’ll want to bring a sizable cooler to hold both your drinks and any cheeses, dips, deli meats, or other foods that need to be kept cool. 

 

While some premium coolers can keep foods cold for an entire day, others may only keep them cool for a few hours. It doesn’t hurt to toss a few ice packs in there to help make sure everything stays cool and fresh. 

 

Get Comfy

 

A sizable blanket is a must for a good picnic. It keeps you and your food off the grass, gives you an extra barrier against bugs, and, well, it’s just going to make your overall picnic experience that much more comfy. 

 

If you prefer not to sit on the ground, then be sure to bring along a few folding chairs. It also isn’t a bad idea to throw an umbrella in the car if you know you’ll be picnicking somewhere that doesn’t have a lot of trees to provide shade. 

 

Pack Your Basket Right

 

It’s easy to get carried away with packing all the delicious dips, sandwiches, salads, and other picnic foods and forget the other picnic essentials – utensils. The last thing you want is to get your blanket spread out in that perfect spot and open up your basket to find that you forgot to pack plates and utensils to eat with. 

 

A few other essentials to consider packing:

 

  • Napkins
  • Condiment packets
  • A trash bag
  • A small cutting board and knife
  • Bug spray
  • Sunscreen
  • A bottle opener

 

Picnic Fun for the Kids

 

The food is the highlight of every picnic, but you might as well enjoy the great outdoors to their fullest, right? Consider bringing along a frisbee or ball to toss, and if you have kiddos in tow with you, it doesn’t hurt to bring along bubbles, a kite, or a paddle ball set. 

 

This can provide a nice break to burn off some calories before heading home – or going back for seconds!

 

Bring the Right Foods

 

Some foods just aren’t ideal for a picnic. Foods like chocolate and fried chicken aren’t great because they can quickly get incredibly messy. Instead, opt for foods that travel well and can be easily packed up and taken home if you don’t finish them. 

 

A few classic picnic foods include:

 

  • Pasta salad
  • Fruit salad
  • Sandwiches
  • Empanadas
  • Oatmeal cookies
  • Chicken salad
  • Cheddar cheese straws

 

Now that you know the dos and don’ts of picnic planning, all that’s left to do is find that perfect spot, and there are a number of parks near Kyle that are ideal for an afternoon picnic.

 

If you’d like to learn more about all Kyle has to offer and find the perfect home here, contact the Crosswinds team today. 

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Blog Homeowner Tips Kyle Texas Tips

Summer Patio Decor Ideas

Maximizing the enjoyment of your time on the patio during the summer doesn’t have to be a huge endeavor; all it takes is a little bit of planning. Here are some patio tips and tricks that will help you make the most of your patio this summer and into the fall season. 

Set Up Your Seating

Good seating is a must whether your patio is huge or on the small side. If you have a grill and want to serve meals on your patio, then you’ll want to go with a dining set that provides seating for everyone in your household and at least a few guests. 

As far as patio furniture material, there are a lot of choices to choose from. Even if you plan on storing your patio furniture indoors during the winter months, you’re going to want furniture made of durable, weather-resistant material. Treated wood, aluminum, stainless steel, rattan, wrought iron, and resin wicker can all be great and affordable options; it all just depends on personal style.

Add Some Lighting

Good conversation and strong libations have a way of keeping people on the patio, and you’re going to need some lighting after the sun goes down. 

String lights are always a popular choice as they’re incredibly cheap and add an element of whimsical charm. They’re also pretty versatile too. You can string them on a trestle to create a lighted wall or outline them around your patio space to create the concept of an open room. 

Solar-powered lanterns, floor lamps, or step lights can also be a great choice and provide a practical and stylish lighting option. 

Fire Features 

While you may not want to gather around a fire pit in the middle of an August afternoon, these patio features are fantastic for those summer nights that stretch into cool fall evenings. 

Fire pits come in a variety of styles, from rustic to sleek and modern, and even portable. The traditional fire pit is wood-burning, but propane fire pits have become increasingly popular in recent years and offer a smoke-free controllable flame. 

Keep it Organized 

If you have young kiddos, there’s a good chance there’s any number of random toys out on the patio and spilling into the backyard at any given time. Help keep them organized with a patio storage box. 

These helpful space savers come in a variety of sizes, and some of them even double as extra seating with a bench on top (it’s a win-win). 

Keep Cool 

Just because you’re outside in the summer doesn’t mean you have to sweat. If your patio doesn’t have any natural shade in the form of a mature tree, then a large umbrella is a must. For some added comfort when a cool breeze is nowhere to be found, consider setting up an outdoor mobile fan. 

And if you find that your concrete patio gets hot enough to fry an egg in the summer sun, try a light-colored weather-resistant rug to help cool things down. 

Many of the homes in the Crosswinds community have thoughtfully designed outdoor spaces that are perfect for spending time with friends and family during the summer months. Contact us to learn more about our inventory of available homes.

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Amenities Area Attractions Blog Family Fun Tips

Summer Activities Other Than Swimming + Playing Outside

Swing by the Crosswinds community pool on a sunny day in the summer, and you’re bound to see people taking a dip. Whether at the pool, beach, or lake – swimming is pretty much essential for summer survival in Texas. 

 

That doesn’t mean, however, that there aren’t plenty of ways to make the most of the great outdoors in the summer months. Consider leaving the bathing suit at home and adding these outdoor activities to your summer bucket list.

 

Climb a Rock

 

Climbers from around the country come to this part of Texas to refine their skills on the area’s limestone rock faces. If you’re looking for a summer workout, climbing will definitely put your muscles to the test. 

 

Enchanted Rock State Natural Area and Reimer’s Ranch Park are two popular spots because of the diversity of climbing trails available. If you’re new to the sport or just want to work on your skills, consider signing up for a class or private lesson at Cruck Climbing Center in Austin. You’ll be able to perfect your technique under the guidance of seasoned climbing vets so that when you do tackle that 70-foot rock wall, you’re primed and ready. 

 

Catch a Fish

 

Scaling a 100-foot cliff can certainly help take your mind off the hustle and bustle of modern life, but if you’re looking for something a bit less extreme, fishing can do the trick too. Fishing is an ideal summer activity for families, and whether you plan to keep and eat your catch or toss it back, there’s no shortage of great places in the area to cast a line. 

 

Grab your tackle box and check out these fishing spots near Kyle:

 

  • Red Bud Isle
  • Lockhart State Park
  • McKinney Falls State Park
  • Lake Travis
  • Rebecca Creek
  • Onion Creek

 

Geocaching

 

If you’re unfamiliar with geocaching, it’s sort of along the lines of a treasure hunt using GPS. Individuals and organizations set up caches around a certain area and share the locations of these caches on the internet. 

 

Participants then use the GPS capability on their phones or tablet to locate the coordinates to find the caches. Once found, a cache may provide the visitor with a reward. There are essentially three rules for a fun round of geocaching: 

 

  1. Take something from the cache
  2. Leave something in the cache
  3. Write about it in the logbook

 

Popular items to leave in the geocache for the next person include buttons, keychains, small toys, coins, or something unique to the area. Geocaching is a super fun way to explore Kyle, and you can even pick up a passport through the city to go on a Kyle GeoTour.

 

Catch a Game

 

The roar of the crowd, the smell of popcorn… there’s nothing quite like catching a baseball game in the summer. Kyle residents are lucky enough to have two teams in the area that they can cheer on. The Round Rock Express is a Triple-A team that plays at Dell Diamond Stadium in Round Rock, and the Austin Weirdos, a Pecos League team that takes the field at Govalle Park in Austin. 

 

Whether you’re a Weirdos or Round Rock fan, a day at the ballpark is always a summer favorite. 

 

With so much to do in the Kyle area during the summer, the question isn’t what should you do, but what should you do next? If you’re looking to explore all Kyle has to offer, check out the inventory of new homes in Crosswinds or contact the Crosswinds team.

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Blog Family Fun Lifestyle Tips TX

Summer vacation – Travel hacks

If you’re like millions of other folks, you’re probably itching to head out on a summer vacation. Travel industry experts are predicting this to be a record-setting travel season – Memorial Day weekend alone saw over 42 million travelers. 

 

With busy skies and busy highways being a likelihood with so many heading out for vacation, here are a few tips to help make your trip a hassle-free one. 

 

Leave Early or Late – If you’re traveling by plane or train, consider opting for a red-eye ticket. These are often a little cheaper and may be less crowded. 

 

It’s probably not the safest idea to drive through the night, but if you can leave a few hours before morning rush hour, you’ll have less traffic to contend with on the roads. Just be sure to go to bed early the night before so you’re well rested. 

 

Use Alternative Routes – The U.S. interstate system revolutionized travel, but all those six-lane highways can get pretty crowded at times. Consider plugging an alternative route into your GPS that doesn’t take you on the interstate.

 

Often times these alternative routes aren’t that much longer and are less crowded. You may even discover some off-the-beaten-path places worth stopping at along the way.  

 

Flash Your Credentials – Many restaurants, rental car companies, hotels, and even airlines offer discounts based on affinity affiliations. Often times these discounts apply to senior citizens, Triple AAA members, first responders, active or military veterans, students, and even teachers. All you have to do is ask. 

 

Use Social Media to Your Advantage – Follow airlines and hotels on social media before your trip. This way, you’ll be privy to any important announcements or limited-time offers. 

 

The same goes for theme parks. Parks like Disney and Universal Studios also have apps that may be worth downloading to help find a bathroom or locate attractions with shorter wait times. 

 

Bring a Water Bottle – This is a simple one but can be a big money saver. By bringing a reusable water bottle with you, you’ll be able to save on constantly having to buy water bottles, a cost that can add up quickly in airports and theme parks. 

 

Pack Smart – Good organization is key for packing, and packing cubes make keeping everything organized that much easier. Not only do they help with organization, but they work like mini-compression sacks and enable you to cram more stuff in your suitcase. 

 

Block Out the Noise – If you’re going on a long flight or will be bunking with people whose sleep habits you’re unfamiliar with, do yourself a favor and buy some noise-canceling headphones. Trust us; they’re much better at blocking out snoring or loud music than simply shoving tissue in your ear. 

 

Splurge on Lunch – If you’re a foodie who loves to eat at the best restaurants on vacation (and who doesn’t?), then you know that eating out can get expensive. Check if the restaurant you’re eyeing offers a less expensive lunch menu and splurge on your mid-day meal rather than dinner. 

 

As much fun as heading out for a summer vacation is, it’s always great to come back to a home you love and sleep in your own bed. If you’re looking for the perfect home, reach out to the Crosswinds team to learn more about Kyle and our inventory of available homes.