Happy Mother’s Day yesterday! I hope all Moms in every form had a fabulous day filled with with fun, laughter, love, appreciation, caring, peace, understanding, kisses, hugs, happiness, special times and so much more….

Now on to my Pinnacle Report covering the Weston, MA real estate market…. The last two weeks of market activity in Weston has been solid – 13 single family homes came on the market, and 8 sold.* As has been the recent trend, the activity has been taking place at a variety of price points, which is a healthy market indicator. And of note, two of our sold* listings were priced above $6 million. Our inventory (106) has increased slightly since my last report (104) and is lower than where it was this time last year (116). Here’s to continued positive Spring market activity.

To get the details on the market stats, please click Weston-Pinnacle-Report-4-30-2012-5-13-2012. And for more information about the real estate market in Weston, Wellesley, Wayland and the surrounding towns or if you are considering selling your home, please contact me, Lisa Curlett Williams (781-267-2844 or www.homesalesbylisa.com), to answer any questions or for a complimentary home appraisal.

* Sold means pending/under agreement and not yet closed.

Happy Mother’s Day to all Moms, StepMoms, to-be Moms and every other kind of Mom there is! We all would not be here today if it weren’t for our Moms so this is an extra-special day. This morning at church, we read together this incredible poem (Judy Welles, adapted) comparing Moms to flowers, and I wanted to share it with you….

• Today we pay homage to our mothers. Your mother and mine, our collective mothers, all of them.
• Like wildflowers, how unique they are, how different from one another.
• Some mothers are like forsythia spilling over the neighbor’s fence – almost unbearably cheerful, energetic and determinedly curious, insinuating themselves into our lives.
• Some mothers are like daisies by the side of the road – humble, perhaps a little frayed around the edges.
• Some mothers are likes irises in formal gardens – austere and complicated, holding themselves back as we try in vain to discover what’s really inside.
• Some mothers are like roses displayed on a trellis – lovely, sweet-smelling, sure of their favored place in our hearts.
• Some mothers are like thistles in a field – their sharpness wounding us as we try to get close.
• Some mothers are like violets coming up in the lawn – unassuming but tenderly loyal, always there regardless of how we take them for granted.
• Some mothers are like ivy on a brick wall – holding us too tightly, unwilling or unable to let go.
• Some mothers are like beds of peonies – bosomy, overdressed, embarrassing us with their lavishness and the lipstick marks they leave on our cheeks.
• Some mothers are like lilac bushes beside the kitchen door – welcoming, familiar, reminding us that we can always come home again.
• Living or dead, perfect or flawed, gorgeous or plain, they are our others. From them we were given the gift of life. Let us say thank you, each in our own way, as we worship together this day.

And then on a just-for-fun note, I wanted to share some TV Mom trivia that aired earlier this week on the Today Show’s hour featuring Kathie Lee and Hoda (answers are below*):

1. Which of the following TV Moms gave birth in real life on the same day that her character gave birth on TV?

A) Maggie Seaver from “Growing Pains“

B) Lucy Ricardo from “I Love Lucy“

C) Samantha Stephens from “Bewitched“

D) Debra Barone from “Everybody Loves Raymond“

2. In addition to being a Mother of five in “The Cosby Show,” Attorney Clair Huxtable, was originally scripted to be what?

A) Dentist

B) Plumber

C) Florist

D) House Wife

3. Which TV Mother said, “I’m not going to vacuum until Sears makes one you can ride”?

A) Peg Bundy from “Married with Children“

B) Marge Simpson from “The Simpsons“

C) Roseanne Conner from “Roseanne“

D) Debra Barone from “Everybody Loves Raymond“

4. Which actress begged producers to giver her TV Mom character a profession?

A) Barbara Billingsley from “Leave it to Beaver“

B) Florence Henderson from “The Brady Bunch“

C) Shirley Jones from “The Partridge Family“

D) Joanna Kerns from “Growing Pains“

5. Which TV Mom is famous for saying, “I can’t talk! There’s too much fruit in the house!”

A) Edith Bunker from “All in the Family“

B) Debra Barone from “Everybody Loves Raymond“

C) Peg Bundy from “Married with Children“

D) Elyse Keaton from “Family Ties“

6. Which TV Mom went back to college after years of regretting not going?

A) Norma Arnold from “The Wonder Years“

B) Lorelai Gilmore from “The Gilmore Girls“

C) Angela Bower from “Who’s the Boss?“

D) Murphy Brown from “Murphy Brown“

Happy Mother’s Day – from my home to yours….  I hope your day is filled with fun, laughter, love, appreciation, caring, peace, understanding, kisses, hugs, happiness, special times and so much more….

xoxo Lisa

* Answers: 1(b), 2(b), 3(c), 4(b), 5(b), 6(a)

U.S. News & World Report just came out with its Best High Schools report, and it gives Weston High School high marks, ranking it 5th in the state. According to the publication, “We reviewed 21,776 U.S. public high schools; 87 Massachusetts schools made our rankings.” The academic indicators analyzed were College Readiness Index, Math Proficiency, English Proficiency and Student/Teacher Ratio. Per the study, the top 10 high schools in Massachusetts are:

#1 – Sturgis Charter Public School, Hyannis, MA, also ranked #15 nationally

#2 – Boston Latin School, Boston, MA, also ranked #62 nationally

#3 – Hopkinton High School, Hopkinton, MA, also ranked #89 nationally

#4 – Belmont High School, Belmont, MA, also ranked #111 nationally

#5 – Weston High School, Weston, MA, also ranked #132 nationally

#6 – Dover-Sherborn High School, Dover, MA, also ranked #166 nationally

#7 – Sharon High School, Sharon, MA, also ranked #168 nationally

#8 – Mystic Valley Regional Charter School, Malden, MA, also ranked #172 nationally

#9 – The Bromfield School, Harvard, MA, also ranked #206 nationally

#10 – Cohasset High School, Cohasset, MA, also ranked #210 nationally

Wellesley and Needham High Schools also ranked within the top 20 high schools in Massachusetts; specifically Wellesley at #12 and Needham at #17.

Weston High School has also received high marks for the last three years in Boston Magazine’s Best Public Schools feature. In 2011, Weston ranked #3, and in 2010 and 2009, Weston ranked #1.

For more information about the schools or real estate market in Weston, Wellesley, Needham, Dover and the surrounding towns or if you are considering selling your home, please contact me, Lisa Williams (781-267-2844 or www.homesalesbylisa.com), to answer any questions or for a complimentary home appraisal.

How much power does a house number have? In other words, does the house number play a significant role in your decision-making process when buying a home? Many of us have heard the superstitions around various numbers, especially the alleged unlucky numbers of 4 and 13. Number 4 in the Chinese culture is considered unlucky because it sounds like “death.” Number 13 is also considered to be unlucky in many countries, including our own. Have you ever been in an elevator and found that the button for the 13th floor – as well as the 13th floor itself – was not there? And then there’s Friday the 13th. I must admit that I can sometimes be a bit trepidatious about traveling on Friday the 13th. And yet there are others who think that these supposed unlucky numbers are, in fact, lucky….

So back to the question at hand – if the house that you had fallen in love with was #44, would you still buy it? What about if it were #13? I do know of buyers who have changed their house number, specifically from #40 to #38, which they considered to be a more auspicious number. Where does the house number rank on your preference list when buying a home? Is your new, to-be house number a significant factor, completely inconsequential or a bit of both when making your decision to buy? I can’t wait to hear….

For more information about the real estate market in Weston, Wellesley, Wayland and the surrounding towns or if you are considering selling your home, please contact me, Lisa Williams (781-267-2844 or www.homesalesbylisa.com), to answer any questions or for a complimentary home appraisal.

If you have children and live in the ‘burbs of Boston, specifically in our neck of the woods – Weston, Wellesley, Wayland, Needham, Dover and the surrounding towns – then what to do and where to have your child’s birthday party is most likely a question that you have pondered at least once a year. Of course, you can always have a fun shindig at your home…. But through the years, I have learned that there is something fabulous to be said for having a kids birthday party at a location outside of your home. Basically, you show up and then leave (of course after paying them for the experience), without having to set up and clean up the party and with the assistance of a party organizer to deal with any issues or problems.  It’s extremely low maintenance, stress-free and fun for all – even the parents!

Here are a few of the burb locations where we’ve had parties for our children or been to parties for their friends:

• AMC Cinemas, Framingham, MA – The kids gather to see a fun movie, share popcorn and eat cake. How much fun is that?!
• Boston Sports Club, Waltham, MA - This is a great place to have a party, especially for the younger ones. The kids can play on an amazing structure (at least at the BSC in Waltham) and in the gym.  Party providers organize games and songs for the kids too.
• Build-A-Bear, Natick, MA (see second photo) – My kids have loved having parties here over the years. It’s especially great for the little ones, but my older daughters (nine and 12) still love attending parties here. You can’t bring in cake so what we typically do is venture down to the Food Court at the Natick Mall after the party and enjoy cake there.
• The Clayroom, Brookline, MA - The kids choose from a variety of pottery options (piggy banks, ice cream cones, jewelry holders, plates, vases and more) and then paint and decorate the items, which then go into the kiln and are picked up a few days later. You can bring in a cake and drinks or ask the Clayroom to provide pizza and cake. This party idea is geared for older children as the little ones will be done decorating in less than 10 minutes.
• Creative Movements and Arts Center, Needham, MA – Like the classes that Creative Movement offers, parties consist of fun activities and games for kids of all ages.
• Exxcel Gymnastics & Climbing, Newton, MA – The kids get to indulge in exciting games and obstacle courses, rock climbing, rides on the zip line as well as Trampoline and foam pit fun. There is even a free t-shirt for the birthday child.
• Fun and Games, Framingham, MA – Parties here are truly so much fun. The kids use tokens for the games and machines, and then the ‘piece de resistance’ is that they get to choose their prizes based on the number of tickets they have won. Fun and Games also has Laser Tag. This is a great place to go even if it’s not a child’s birthday.
• King’s Bowling, Dedham, MA (see top photo)  - We just had a birthday party here, and it was fabulous. Pizza, drinks and cake were provided as was a bowling trophy for the birthday child.  There is another location in Boston.
• Lazer Zone, Marlboro, MA – The web page says it all, “Party like an alien.  LazerZone throws out-of-this-world birthday celebrations.”  There’s LazerTag, 2xLazerTag, Thrill Zone, Karaoke and more. Most of the party packages include pizza, unlimited popcorn and drinks. This will be more enjoyed by the older kids and not the wee little ones.
• Planet Gymnastics, Natick, MA – Another locale for kids of all ages.  The supervised gym activities include obstacle courses, games, playing with a parachute and more. After the gym fun, it’s on to cake and balloon fun.
• Plaster Fun Time, Framingham, MA (see third photo) – We’ve had numerous birthday parties here. Bring in your own cake, while the kids choose their plaster piece to decorate and then choose which spray to use. This is for kids of all ages, and there are locations in Dedham, Newton and Waltham too.
• Sky Zone Sports, Boston, MA – The kids will be setting their sights high as they bounce up and down and across the all-trampoline, walled playing courts. There are even three-dimensional versions of sports favorites, such as dodgeball. If you want cake, you need to include that as part of a reserved birthday/group package complete with private room rental.
• Snip-Its, Framingham, MA – This is catered more for the girls. We haven’t had parties here but my girls have gone to parties at Snip-its.  The kids have a chance to explore fun hair styles, party outfits, make-up and more. Snip-its provides cupcakes, cakes, beverages, party favors and a gift for the birthday girl.
• Sweet Beads of Lexington, Lexington, MA – This locale also caters more toward girls, and it is for children ages 6 and up.  Kids make their own custom necklaces and then partake in pizza and cake fun if you choose this option.

Of course, this is just a mere sampling of party locales in the area – there are many, many more. That being said, is your favorite kids birthday party location listed above?  If so, which is it?  If not, please share your thoughts on where you like to have your kids birthday party fun.  I can’t wait to hear….