Upcoming Changes!

We are excited to announce that we will be making some changes here at Michael Allen Homes! Continue to visit our blog for current community events, and also check out our WordPress at http://www.michaelmonk.wordpress.com for Michael Allen Homes news! We hope to keep you coming back!

Christmas at the Zoo!

Bring the family and head to the Montgomery Zoo this Saturday from 5:30 to 9:30 pm for the 18th Annual Christmas Light Festival. Join family and friends for live entertainment, food, arts and crafts, gifts, and pictures with Santa. You can view the lights by foot or take the train around the park to see the beautiful displays. Admission is $10 per person for ages 3 and up and all children under age 3 are admitted FREE!

For more information, call 334-240-4900

Auburn Christmas Celebration!

Get geared up to welcome in the Christmas season by coming out to the Auburn Christmas celebration this Thursday evening at 5:30 pm. The event will begin with a cheerful Christmas Parade sponsored by the Auburn Chamber of Commerce and will continue with a Christmas celebration on Samford Lawn with Auburn University students, faculty, and staff. What better way to bring in this wonderful time of year than with Auburn family and friends!

For more information, visit www.aotourism.com

Thanksgiving Day Brunch Extravaganza!

Come out and celebrate with The Auburn University Hotel and Conference Center this Thanksgiving for a feast you are sure to remember! This Thursday the Ariccia Italian Trattoria and Bar will host a Thanksgiving Day Brunch Extravaganza the entire family will enjoy. Tickets for adults will be $29.95 each and children's tickets 12 and under will be $12.95 Ariccia seating will begin at 12:00 and 2:30 pm and Grand Ballroom seating will be at 2:00 and 4:30 pm. Bring the family for a warm celebration with the AU Hotel!

For more information and a full menu, please visit http://www.auhcc.com/

Support the Junior League of Lee County!

In need of a little Christmas spirit? Come on out to the annual Poinsettia Truck Sale hosted by the Junior League of Lee County tomorrow, November 21, from 9 am until 3 pm. The sale will take place at the Wachovia parking lot on the corner of East University and Opelika Road and will feature a variety of poinsettias, including red, white, pink, and even marble. All proceeds will go to support programs for the children of Lee County. Be sure to come get one of these beautiful poinsettias and support a wonderful cause!

2009 National Peanut Festival

Nothing to do this weekend? Look no further! Bring the family and come on out to the nation's largest peanut festival in Dothan, Alabama. The festival began October 30th and will continue until November 8th, 2009. Events will include amusement rides, contests, arts and crafts, beauty pageants, food, concerts, and of course lots of peanuts! Nearly half of the nation's peanuts are grown within a 100 mile radius of Dothan and the festival celebrates the harvest season for all the peanut farmers. This is a fun time you don't want to miss!

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit http://www.nationalpeanutfestival.com/

9th Annual Downtown Trick or Treat

Attention all ballerinas, monsters, clowns, and princesses! Come on out to the 9th Annual Downtown Trick or Treat this Thursday, October 29 at 6:00 pm in downtown Auburn for a night filled with candy and fun. All downtown merchants will be handing out candy and special Halloween sounds will fill the air. Also, be sure not to miss your chance of winning the costume contest! All children under the age of 12 are invited and all parents must accompany their children for the evening. Happy Halloween!

For more information, contact Alison Hall at 33-501-2930.

Auburn Roads this Thursday!

Bring the family, dinner, a blanket, and even dog for a night of relaxation and music under the stars at Keisel Park on Chadwick Lane this Thursday, Oct. 15, at 6:00 pm. This event is free and open to the public and will include music from local and regional musicians. Be sure to attend and enjoy one of Auburn's finest parks with the family.




For more information, please visit http://www.auburnalabama.org/parks or call The City of Auburn Parks and Recreation Department at 334-501-2930.

Pine Hill Cemetery Tour

Looking for something new to do this Halloween? Well look no further! Come on out to the Pine Hill Cemetery at 303 Armstrong Street in Auburn and watch as some of Auburn's earliest inhabitants come to life! Pine Hill Cemetery dates back to 1837, and is the oldest of Auburn's 5 burying grounds. The luminary tour will begin at 7:00 pm and will continue until 9:00. Each tour is guided by an early Auburn inhabitant, and they will each share their story and significance in Auburn history. Parking will the available at Auburn Junior High School and transportation to the cemetery will be provided. Tickets are $10 each and will be available at the gates. Happy Halloween!

For more information about this event, contact Cathy Jones with the Auburn Heritage Association at 334-826-0390.

Keeping Auburn beautiful...

This Saturday, October 3, the Auburn Beautification Council will be hosting a Pansy and Mum sale to raise the funds needed to continue projects such as the downtown hanging baskets, Spring Azalea Trail, gardens at Keisel Park, and the beautification awards given to homes and businesses. The sale will take place in the Auburn Chamber of Commerce parking lot beginning at 8:00 am. The sale will inclue 6/flat Johny Jump Ups, 12/flat pansies, 8" mum pots, and 12" mum pots. Be sure to come on out and help keep Auburn beautiful!

For more information, contact the Auburn Chamber of Commerce at 334-887-8747 or visit http://www.auburnbeautification.org/

Leap into Fall!

Come on out to celebrate the first day of fall with a presentation by frog expert Jimmy Stiles. This fun and educational presentation will be held at the Auburn Forest Ecology Preserve on Tuesday, September 22, at 6:00 pm. After the presentation, join Jimmy as he hikes to the pond to hear frog calls, be sure to pack the flashlight!

Please contact Jennifer Lolly at (334) 707-6512 or visit https://fp.auburn.edu/preserve/ for more information.

Football, Fans, & Feathers this Friday!

Wanting to learn more about the unique Auburn war eagle? If so, you are in for a treat! The Southeastern Raptor Center will host an educational birds-in-flight raptor program this Friday, September 18, at 4:00 pm at the Edgar B. Carter Educational Amphitheater on Raptor Road off Shug Jordan Parkway. Tickets will be for sale at the center gates for $5.00 a person payable by checks only. All children under the age of 3 will be admitted free, and discounted school group tickets are available for $3.00 a person upon reservation. Bring the family out and come learn about a tradition so special to the heart of all Auburn fans.

Please make checks out to the Southeastern Raptor Center and call (334) 844-6943 for more information.

Auburn vs Miss State

War Eagle!

It's time for tiger football again as the Auburn Tigers gear up to take on Mississippi State this Saturday, September 12, at 6:00 pm at Jordan Hare Stadium. Last week, the tigers came out on top at the opening game againt Louisiana Tech and gave the season a great start. Be sure to bring the family out to celebrate the tradition of Auburn football and enjoy the excitement of all the game day activities. Tickets can be purchased at the second floor of the Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum from 8 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday. See you on gameday!

For more ticket information, please call (334) 844-4040

Woofstock 2009!

Be sure to bring your pup and come out to Kiesel Park in Auburn this Saturday, August 22nd, from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm for the annual Woofstock event hosted by the Lee County Humane Society. The day will be packed with fun activities from an agility course, a wash-n-wag dog wash tent, and demonstrations from local law enforcement officers and Lee County Humane Society staff. Local music, food, and a child play area will also be included and pet merchandise vendors will be on site. The famous Woofstock t-shirt will be avaible and Goree's furniture will be on site to wrap up their donation drive. All event comers are encouraged to bring a donation of cat or dog food, cat litter, bleach, or laundry detergent to benefit the Humane Society of Lee County. Please be sure all pets are up to date with rabies vaccinations and be sure to keep all pets on a leash for the event. This is a fun event you do not want to miss!

For more information, please call Stacee Strength at 334-821-3222 or stacee@leecountyhumane.org.

16th Annual Auburn Chamber Golf Classic

Attention all golf fans! The Auburn Chamber of Commerce will be hosting their 16th Annual Auburn Chamber Golf Classic this Sunday, August 16th, at 7:oo am at Moore's Mill Golf Club. Individuals must be on a team in order to participate and team and event sponsorships are available. Please contact Stephanie Calhoun at stephanie@auburnchamber.com for more information. This is a fun time that you don't want to miss!

Tuesday Talk

The Auburn Chamber of Commerce will be holding their monthly "Tuesday Talk" next Tuesday, August 11, beginning at 7:45 am with coffee and networking. The presentation will begin at 8:00 am with Liesl Schutt, President of Lee County's Association of Realtors, speaking about the state of real estate in Lee County.

For more information, please visit:

www.auburnchamber.com

Aqualpalooza 2009

We hope everyone had a great weekend this weekend, especially if you attended the 2009 Sea Ray Aquapalooza. The signature event took place July 24th - July 25th and featured a live performance from Alan Jackson and the Carter twins. The event was only accessible from the lake, which allowed spectators of all ages to jump in an inter tube and grab a front row seat to one of country music's finest. The weather was great and spirits were high throughout the day which led to a very successful event. For more information about future Sea Ray events or pictures from Lake Martin, visit http://www.aquapalooza.com .

Get Creative!

Nothing to do this weekend? Well, come on out to the Julie Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art this Saturday, July 25th, from 10 am to 1 pm for their weekly Saturday Art Club. Each week, museum educators work with each student to create a piece of art for that week's project idea. Students of all ages are invited and the event is free of charge! This week's project idea is sculpture with stone carvings and clay models. Next week's activities include furniture design and ergonomics with decorative ideas! This is a fun time for the family that you do not want to miss!

A quiet week here at Michael Allen Homes!

After quite a busy week last week with the closing of the beautiful home at White Oaks, this week seems to be a quiet one! We are breaking ground on another soon to be gorgeous house and ready to get things started! We hope everyone has a great Monday!

Summer Celebration

Opelika Main Street will be hosting a Summer Celebration tomorrow night, July 17th, from 6:00-9:00 p.m. Events include a bike parade beginning at 6:30 at Avenue A and 8th Street, sidewalk sales, an inflatable obstacle course, music, and much more. This is an event sure to please the whole family so be sure to come on out!

for more information visit:

www.opelikadailynews.com

Opelika Independence Day Celebration

Eager to begin your July 4th festivities? Well, you are in luck. The city of Opelika will host their annual Independence Day celebration this Thursday, July 2, 2009 at 6:30 pm. The even will take place at Opelika High School's practice football field, and is sure to be a good time for the entire family. From inflatable play areas and activities, to music and even skydivers, this is an even you will not want to miss! Bring the family, a blanket, and get ready for a great time followed by a fireworks show sure to please the crowd!
a93tdhxp87

OA News here we come...

Michael Allen Homes is currently working with V3 Media Group to complete an ad to be featured in the Opelika Auburn news. The full page color ad is scheduled to run either this Sunday, or next Sunday, July 5th. The advertisement will thanks all of the contractors involved with the award winning home at White Oaks and will also include testimonial pictures. Be sure to keep an eye out for the ad!

Meeting with V3 Media Group

Today we are meeting with V3 Media Group's Dale Vaughn to make sure that we are doing all that we can to make it easier for our potential clients to find us. Here at Michael Allen Homes, we are all about doing everything we can to make you, the homeowner, at ease during the time of designing and constructing your own custom home in Auburn, Alabama. We hope for this time to be an enjoyable and a time to remember.

If you haven't already, please check us out on twitter, at twitter.com/mmonk1

Or

on wordpress at michaelmonk.wordpress.com

Auburn: 2nd Best Place to live in the US

Recently, we discovered that our little hometown of Auburn, Alabama was named the "2nd Best Place to Live" according to a release by US News on June 8, 2009. The article includes the top 10 cities, and Auburn placed second, after Albuquerque, New Mexico. As proud members of the Auburn community, we love everything Auburn has to offer, from the beautiful Chewacla State Park, to the sea of orange and blue fans that come through Auburn University each Saturday in the fall. The city truly is a place to call home. Whether you are born and raised here, or just discovering Auburn for the first time, it is a large town with a very small town feel. Auburn offers the convience of a large city with the Tiger Town shopping center and Colonial Mall, and also keeps a small town feel with family friendly parks and a cozy downtown with festivals and events year round.

To find out more about Auburn, Alabama or other cities on the list, visit http://www.usnews.com/listings/best-places-to-live/2.

Or

To find out how we can assist you in making Auburn your future home, check us out at http://www.michaelallenhomes.com

Truly a team effort...

We are proud to announce that Michael Allen Homes was awarded the Grand Prize for the 2009 Lee County Tour of Homes! The home at White Oaks came together beautifully and everyone who stepped inside the home could see how our hard work had payed off. In the last few days before the tour, with the home still not completed, our contractors pulled together as a team and created a gorgeous home. In addition, our interior designer, Stacey Jordan, did a magnificent job staging the home with furniture and pops of color sure to please our guests. Each visitor who stepped through the front door was wowed by the handsome dark wood floors and lofty ceilings creating an inviting atmosphere from the beginning. Other key features include a state of the art audio visual system, luxurious outdoor patio complete with a LCD television featured above the opulent stone fireplace, expansive master bath complete with shower body sprayers, and bedrooms throughout the house featuring a wonderful view of the charming back yard.

We would like to thank each vendor that participated in creating this amazing home and for contributing to our success in being awarded the grand prize. This is a time to celebrate!

Have my cake and eat it too...

As much as I love the beach, the sun, and everything that vacations have to offer, you can never avoid that load of work waiting for you as soon as you step off that plane. I have been busy out on work sites getting ready for the Tour of Homes that I have written so much about, and in the office taking care of invoices and the never ending emails. But, I have to love it!

I would have worked through the night, but yesterday was my beautiful wife's birthday, which is always a time to celebrate. So, I managed to pack it up and head to the house to be with her and the kids on this special day. I guess you could say I can have my cake and eat it too....

Happy to be home!

I recently returned home from a well deserved vacation with my family and we had a great time together in paradise! The kids enjoyed snorkling and swimming in the ocean and we all made memories that will last a lifetime. The weather was absolutely beautiful and the islands gave us the vacation of our lives. Luckily, the kids managed to not get too sunburned, and we all made it home safe and sound.

However, now that we are back home in Auburn, Alabama, its time to hit the ground running. With a race against the clock, we are finishing up the last minute items in the White Oaks home and are gearing up to impress the judges in the Lee County Tour of Homes 2009. Its so exciting to see all of our hard work come together in these final days. Be sure to check us out at http://www.michaelallenhomes.com and please comment with any questions regarding our projects or the Tour of Homes!

It's raining on Thursday...

It may be raining here in Auburn, Alabama, but we are still working hard! We are now on the home stretch to finish the White Oaks home for the 2009 Lee County Tour of Homes. We have completed the painting, and are now on to putting the final touches in the floors and installing the mantles and appliances. Our designer, Stacy Jordan, is ready to stage the house, and we are very excited to see what she brings us this time. It's so exciting to finally see it all come together after 6 months of hard work an dedication. It's all about to pay off!

Learning Step...

A few weeks ago Michael Allen Homes welcomed the newest member to our team, Laney Payne. Laney will be taking over Sarah's place as our office manager now that Sarah has graduated from Auburn University (warrrrr eagle!) and is pursuing her career in interior design. We all wish her the best and Laney has some large shoes to fill!

Yesterday, our past project manager, Dallas Bunkley, showed Laney all of our past and current homes. Laney asked question after question, and it proved to be a very educational afternoon for her. As an architecture major, Laney hopes to learn as much as possible in the field of construction during her time with us in order to help produce better and more efficient home designs in her future career.

The afternoon proved to be a success and a learning step that Laney greatly appreciated and allowed her to better understand our company as Michael Allen Homes.

Cayman Islands

This week, I am taking the summer vacation of a lifetime with my family in the Cayman Islands. I am so excited to finally have my toes in the sand, snorkle in the crystal clear water, and make some memories with my wife and kids. There is nothing like a perfect summer vacation!

After leaving paradise, however, its only a matter of time before I will hit the ground running gearing up for the 2009 Tour of Homes yet again. There is nothing like blue ribbons to complete my summer spent beneath the blue sky and in the beautiful blue water...

Lee County Tour of Homes 2009

It's that time of year again! The Lee County Tour of homes kicks off soon, June 13-14 & June 20-21. This is the 2nd year for the Tour of Homes, sponsored by the Women's Council of Realtors East Alabama Division. The tour serves as a means of fund raising and real estate promotion and continues to be a sucess. This year, we at Michael Allen Homes, are proud to feature a home at 301 Bentley Court at White Oaks subdivision in Auburn, Alabama. This beautiful 4 bedroom/ 4 bath home includes a study, spacious play/bonus room above the 3 car garage, and much more. The home at White Oaks features top of the line products, such as a hot water re-circulating system, advanced audio system with touch screen controls, and also offers a relaxing covered rear porch with stone fireplace and outdoor lcd tv perfect for any outdoor get together.

Last year, Michael Allen Homes had the honor of recieving the best overall exterior, interior, kitchen, and bathroom workmanship and design award for the 2500-3000 square foot homes. This year we hope to continue our success through our hard work and dedication at the home at White Oaks.

For questions regarding the Tour of Homes or the featured home, please comment or check us out at http://www.michaelallenhomes.com!

Welcome Home

Welcome Home...

As a home builder, I hope to design not only a quality house for you and your family, but a home to fill with the memories to come. As a husband and father myself, I hope to make each step of this crucial process a pleasant one and as stree-free as possible. It is my job to aid you in the best way possible and I pride myself in exceeding your expectations. Please feel free to contact me or drop by my website and check us out!

Hey everyone!

Hello bloggers!

I'm Michael Monk from Auburn, Alabama. My wife and I began our own custom home business in 2001 and have been constructing homes ever since....come check us out at http://www.michaelallenhomes.com !

We are new to blogspot, so please leave us a comment and let us know what you think!

Have a great afternoon!