A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER & GUIDE FOR YOUR HOME

GB Group sends...The happy homeowner

JAN / FEB 2013 PHONE: 479.464.7336 www.BuildWithGBGroup.com

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+ Secret Tips To Use When Build-ing Your Custom Home

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+ The Easiest Way to Win an Ipad

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+ Q & A+ Vocabulary Word of the Month+ Starbucks Riddle Contest+ Heidi’s Healthy Home Tip

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+ Superstar Client of the Month+ Quote of the Month+ Book of the Month+ Talk with Tank

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+ Fun at the Tankersleys+ Happy Birthday To Me + Useless Trivial Tidbits

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+ Comic+ Word Search+ Community Happenings+ Recipe of the Month+ Riddle Contest Winner

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+ Feature Story: Amazing Animal Instincts

IN ThIs Issue:

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+ Employee Spotlight+ Business Spotlight

Amazing Animal Instincts We were eating at Flying Burrito the other night, Jacob, the kids and I. On the television at our booth played a show following the lives of a pack of wolves, which Andrew and Joely were enthralled with. Actually, we were all intrigued.

We got to watching, and half-way through our meal, something really interesting happened with the wolves.

The wolf-pack was out hunting for buffalo and was chasing down a herd, trying to find a calf to attack. The young wolf pups were hungry. Many wolf-pups die of starvation in their first year of life. They needed food. It didn’t look like there were many calves in the herd of buffalo that these wolves could attack.

Then, suddenly, the alpha male pulled completely out of the hunt and started sprinting in an opposite direction.

The cameraman didn’t understand what was going on. Soon, the rest of the pack was following. There was no sign of food in the direction the alpha male had headed, and it looked like he had abandoned their only hope of a meal.

Finally, an extreme distance away from their original hunt, the alpha male slowed to a stop. The cameraman saw what the wolf had been running toward. It was two lone bulls, an older and a younger, both of them full-grown buffalo.

The wolf pack slowed, trotting around the two bulls, looking calm and not at all in a rush. The wolves seemed to be waiting for something. They took drinks from a nearby stream and lay down in the sun. It appeared the wolves had lost out on a meal, as taking on two full-grown male buffalo would have been a futile.

The cameraman was confused by the wolves’ actions. It started getting dark, so he said he would have to return in the morning to see what had happened.

In the morning, the wolves were eating at the carcass of the larger bull. It didn’t look like there had been any sign of a struggle. The older bull had simply lay down to die and then passed away.

I was shocked. How on earth had the alpha male known this was coming? His actions showed that in the middle of a hunt, he had sensed a large male buffalo on death’s doorstep miles away. The whole thing seemed incredible to me. The cameraman summed up the experience by saying there’s much about the animal kingdom we still can’t fully comprehend.

What an amazing illustration of the intricacies of the animal kingdom. What a perfect picture of the wolf species’ keen sense of awareness. I wonder what would happen if we as humans slowed down long enough to tap into our similar animalistic senses. Would we notice someone walking by who needed a smile? Would we realize the phone call that needs to be made to a friend? Could we feel when someone nearby needed us to reach out and give them a hug? My belief is, the answer is yes.

Take a moment today to slow down, take a deep breath, and look at what is happening around you. Does your child need a day alone with you for some extra attention? Does your mom, dad, or friend need to invitation to lunch?

We all have built in senses, like the wolves. Maybe our radars aren’t wired to know exactly when a male buffalo is going to pass along, but we can certainly sense the needs of those around us. Today, look at those in your circle of influence and see who needs some special attention. Then give it.

Written by Heidi Tankersley

Congratulations to Josh Dick of Bentonville! He is is the winner of December’s Riddle Contest and the Starbuck’s Giftcard. Josh was the first to respond with the correct answer to the Newsletter riddle. For those of you who were stumped here is the answer: Last Month’s Riddle: Decipher this clue: YYYMEN

And The Answer Is: Three Wise Men. Are you sorry you didn’t win? Then better play this month’s game! Look on page 6 for the riddle. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be the first to respond with the correct answer!

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Last Month’s Riddle Contest Winner!

FEB 26 - Studio Studies Series / Watercolor Painting. Crystal Bridges, Bentonville.

MAR 01 - First Friday Midway to St. Patrick’s Day. Down-town, Bentonville.

MAR 01 - Gallery Walk. Historic Downtown , Hot Springs.

MAR 01 - DanceBrazil. Baum Walker Hall at Walton Arts Center, Fayetteville

MAR 09 - Symphony of Northwest Arkansas (SoNA). Wal-ton Arts Center, Fayetteville.

MAR 09 - 2013 ADA Kiss a Pig Gala. John Q. Hammons Convention Center, Rogers. MAR 23 - Kite Festival, Eureka Springs.

APR 02 - 20th Annual Washington Regional Gala & Eagle Awards. Walton Arts Center, Fayetteville.

APR 04 - Naturals Vs. Midland Baseball Opening Days. Arvest Ball Park, Springdale.

CommunityHappenings

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DIRECTIONS Spread the tomato sauce over the two pizza crusts. Add cheese. Top with cooked buffalo meat that has been seasoned with any or all of the following: oregano, rosemary, parsley, cilantro, thyme, sage. Add chopped red and yellow bell pepper, sliced black olives, and sliced cherry tomatoes. Sauté the mushroom and onion in 1 tbsp. coconut oil until onion is golden brown. Add mushroom/onion mixture to top of pizza. Cook 425 degrees for 18 minutes. So delicious! Have fun!

Healthy Homemade PizzaRecipe

INGREDIENTS - 2 Rustic Crust Brand Pizza Crusts- 2 Packages 6 oz Horizon - Organ-ic Shredded Mozzarella Cheese- 1 lb. ground buffalo meat- Any/all of these spices: oregano, rosemary, parsley, cilantro, thyme, sage- 1 10 oz. Can Muir Glen Organic Tomato Sauce

- ½ Organic Red Bell Pepper- ½ Organic Yellow Bell Pepper- 1 6 oz. can Black olives- 1 small carton organic cherry tomatoes - ½ small/medium organic yellow onion- ½ 8 oz. package of fresh organic mushrooms- 1 tbsp. Coconut oil

This is a meal we love to make together as a family on Friday nights and then enjoy with popcorn and a game of Monopoly or Cashflow. Last time we made it, we watched Lion King II as well. Feel free to add the ingredients you love. Here’s what we used a few weeks ago:

• Blarney Stone• Clover• Emerald• Green• Ireland• Leprechaun• Luck• March• Pot of Gold• Rainbow• Shamrock• Shillelagh• Snakes• St. Patrick

St. Patrick's Day Word Search

USELESS TRIVIAL TIDBITS

1. It is physically impossible for pigs to look up into the sky.

2. A dime has 118 ridges around the edge.

3. The state of Florida is bigger than England!!

4. If you are afraid you might die laughing, you are suffering from cherophobia.

5. In Monopoly, the character that’s behind bars is named Jake the Jailbird.

6. The average American drinks about 600 sodas a year. 7. When the Titanic departed from port it was documented to have carried approximately 1000 loaves of bread, 86,000 pounds of meat, 40,000 eggs and 36,000 apples to feed the passengers and crew on the 7 day voyage.

8. 85,000,000 tons of paper are used each year in the U.S. Wow!9. A hippo can open its mouth wide enough to fit a 4 foot tall child inside.

10. Lots of fishermen use gummi worms as bait.

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Happy Birthday to Me (A Special Note from the Tankersley Family Dog.)

Well, another year has gone by. I’m a year older. Or, seven years older in some people’s eyes. I turned eight years old this year. January 28th. Whoo hoo. That makes me 56 in dog years. That’s me there in the snow.

I tend to agree with the people who recognize me as 56. A dog can learn a lot from his view closer to the ground. You see things everyone else doesn’t. I sense things other’s can’t—house guests who are comfortable with me, and those who aren’t, when someone’s having a bad day and needs to stroke my head to feel better. I can read body language like a book. Not very many people are so observant, ya know?

In dog years, I’m the oldest in the house. I ask myself daily why I don’t get the respect of an elder. Not that I mind too much, but the kids always jump on me. Little Joely tries to ride on my back like a horse. People around here steal my rope and I have to earn it back in a game of tug of war—which I’ll admit I can get pretty involved in.And then, there’s the orders. “Drake, sit. Lay down. Stay. Okay, go! Drake, here! Fetch it! Drop it Drake, drop it. Draake…. Down off the bed. Outside, Drake.”

Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to talk back, to bark. But I never do it. That doesn’t mean I don’t feel the spark of it. The spark of something in my heart. A seed of a rebellion. A hint of the dog I might be in my next life. For now, I just listen, relax, lay down, and play cool. There’s power in obedience, you know. My master just doesn’t realize it. I can get what I want that way. Work the system—you know how it is. You move to the top like that.

Life is good. 2013 looks like it will be a fine year for me. Hunting, playing, sleeping, eating, stretching, what more is there? I’m still not allowed up on the bed, but I’ve worked my way into just about anywhere else in the house I want to be. One step at a time…. My hopes are high. Who knows where I’ll be next January, when I turn 63. I’ve heard good things about living the decade of one’s 60’s.We’ll see what I think.

Stay warm. Be cool. Remember, obedience is power. Woof.

Fun at the Tankersley’s

TO GUN AND KNIFE SHOW WITH DAD: Andrew had a blast walking around the Springdale Convention Center with Jacob at the Gun and Knife Show.

CHEERLEADING FOR JOELY:Joely’s had her first experience in the world of cheerleading. We’re not sure if it’s going to stick, but she did LOVE her outfit. That was fun enough in and of itself, and she got to cheer on Andrew during his basketball games, too, which was lots of fun.

FIRST DUCK HUNTING EXPERIENCE: At seven years old, Andrew went out hunting “for real” with Jacob for the first time a few weeks ago. The boys didn’t get any ducks to land close enough, but they shot at a few anyway, had a good time of it, and saw four coyotes to boot! Plenty of adventure for one cold, Saturday winter morning.

We hope you had a Happy Valentine’s Day! Happy St. Patrick’s Day coming March 17th!

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These tips are only a secret in that we have found many homeowners looking to build that have actually never thought about them. So, alas, we reveal them in this month’s newsletter for your enjoyment and use. Special things to think about as you begin to build:

1) PLAN ENOUGH PLUG-IN SPOTS FOR YOUR T.V. If you think you will EVER want to rearrange fur-niture in one of your rooms, discuss placement options of multiple coax cables for your T.V. This will save a LOT of hassle, time, and money later.

2) STACK CLOSETS. This leaves room for a potential elevator for you later down the road, or for the next homeowner. It costs nothing extra, just takes planning. If you don’t

end up putting in an elevator, fine, but at least the option is there if you or a future homeowner wants/needs it.

3) THINK ABOUT YOUR BACKYARD. Do you want a pool house, built-in grille, mother-in-law suite with kitchen? Stub for plumbing, water, gas, sewer while your home is being built. Leave room in the electrical box for these items. Plumb out to the future site of a pool house or mother-in-law suite and mark it. Doing this while initial construction is going on will save you time, money, and, later on, will keep you from having to dig up half your yard.

4) KEEP SHOWER ACCESS EASY. Walk-in showers with no lip and a wide entrance are best for accessibility later on, and are a resale feature as well.

5) THINK ADD-ON. If you believe you will want to extend your living space in the future, position your home on your lot/land where an addition will be easy. Proper calcu-lation of exterior walls is important in this case. Place certain windows where they could easily transition to a door that leads to more space.

6) PREPARE YOUR UNFINISHED SPACE. Unfinished bonus rooms or unfinished attic or crawl-spaces can be prepared for finish-out later by bringing in the drywall and laying it down in the room in advance. Oth-erwise, if you have tight corners or narrow stairs, you might be forced to take out a window or cut into a wall in order to get materials into the space and finish out that area. $500 dollars of sheetrock that was brought in during home construction and is now sitting there waiting for you can make all the difference in the world.

7) CLOSETS IN OFFICE OR BONUS ROOM. Add them. It can later be used as a bedroom for a growing family, or at the very least, listed as such on the MLS if you end up selling later.

8) PLAN FOR GROWN-UP TOYS. If you think you’re going to want more garage space for extra cars or toys, now is the time to plan. Make sure you situate your home

on your property in a way that extra garage stalls added on later will fit and will not interfere with or decrease the curb-appeal of your home.

9) TREES. Don’t plant them by main sewer or septic lines, or too close to your home. Plan ahead for the full-grown size of the tree and how deep its roots will go. Position accordingly in relation to your home.

10) HAVE FUN. Building your home is an exciting endeavor. Work with your con-tractor to explore future wants and needs so that you can plan for them now. Smile, enjoy! Good luck!

Written by Jacob Tankersley

S ec r et t i pS to U S e W h en B U i ld i n g Yo U r c U Sto m h o m e

Positive Quote of the Month

“It is our duty as men and women to proceed as though limits to our abilities do not exist. We are collaborators in creation.” - Teilhard de Chardin

Must Read Book of the Month

Do you have problems getting done what needs to be done by the time you need to do it? Read on.

We love Brian Tracy at our house, because, well, he’s so effective. Eat That Frog: 21 Days to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time is one of his latest books. It’s no wonder it’s turned into an international best-seller. Who doesn’t want a little more time to do a lot more?

When you read this book and use the principles Tracy shares, you will be able to set goals, make a plan, and accomplish more than you ever thought possible over the course of an hour, a day, a year, or a lifetime.

The book is a short, easy read, but it shouldn’t stop there. You should use the book to actually help you apply the principles. That’s when they make a difference in your life, after all. We’ve used the principles, and they’ve made a difference for us.

We loved this book. If you have some goals you would like to reach, or if you want more organization and structure to your life so you can accomplish the tasks that you want, you will enjoy this book as well. Happy reading!

Hello happy clients and friends! Most of you know me, but if not, I’m Jacob Tankersley, homebuilder, husband, father, business owner &

entrepreneur, and avid hunter. My family consists of 2.4 children and a Golden Retriever, Drake. And now for your Talk With Tank...

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Talk wiTh Tank (He’s a tank full of information)

FUTURIzE YOUR HOME

Many times when I talk with someone who is getting ready to build a custom home, the client cannot de-cide where to install TV outlets, security sensors, central vac outlets, extra electrical plugs, computer wires, speaker wires, or even possible future plumbing locations. Sometimes the confusion lies in not being able to pinpoint the actual location that will be the most effective once the home is complete. Other times, a client is looking to cut building costs and doesn’t want to add too many extras, especially if they will not be used. From a contractor’s perspective, I believe it is a solid option to go ahead and futureize a home. We can run extra pipe or wire very easily during construction and save a huge head ache and a substantial amount of money that would come later. Usually

the main costs with items mentioned above come from actual devices or fixtures. By capping lines off in the wall, for example, you have the option in the future to move the TV or to go ahead and hook up the speak-ers that you were holding off buying until a later time. Because of proper planning, it becomes a simple, easy hook-up.Everything costs dollars and maybe not everything fits into the budget. But if you don’t furturize your new home, it will be more work to achieve your ultimate goal of your dream house if every time you want to add something extra you’re forced to tear into the walls. All things to think about during the planning stages.

Superstar Client of the Month

Congratulations to Donny and Robyn Hubbard of Springdale!

Donny and Robyn have earned Super Star Cli-ent Status this month! Donny and Robyn were exceptionally easy to work with during their home renovation and

are absolutely wonderful people. Their communication was great and their project went very smoothly. Thank you guys for being so fantastic!

Here’s what Donny has to say about our company, “GB Group was fast, efficient, and did a great job on our home. Thanks, Jacob!”

Thank YOU GUYS for your business! We ap-preciate you and your family!

P.S. If you are in need of high-end suits or men’s dress attire, you absolutely must go see Donny Hubbard at his shop, The Independent, in Rogers, AR. You will find the finest men’s clothing available in the area. The phone number is 479.271.2455.

Q: I’m looking to fix up my kitchen cabinets but don’t know if I should replace them or just refin-ish them. Can you give me any advice?

A: Read this chart below. It can help you better distinguish what route would most likely be best for you to take and how long to expect the process to be.

Do you have a question? Submit your Q to contact@BuildWithGBGroup.com to have it answered.

Questions & AnswersYou ask the Q, We give you the A

RIDDLE CONTEST! BE THE FRIST TO ANSWER THIS RIDDLE & WIN A $5 Starbucks Gift Card

THE RIDDLE:Alexander is a great magician, skilled in many things. He

weighs exactly 199 pounds and is about to cross a bridge with a strict weight limit of 200 pounds. The problem is, Alexander is

carrying three pieces of gold, each weighting 8 ounces. The gold puts him 8 ounces over the strict weight limit. He cannot cross the bridge more than once. What did Alexander do to cross the

bridge safely with all three pieces of gold?

TO PLAY: Call or email now with the answer to the above riddle. Whoever responds first with the correct answer, wins! Call 479.464.7336 or email contact@BuildWithGBGroup.com (If calling after hours, leave a message. We will honor whoever contacts us first.) All ages can play!!!6

Heidi’s Healthy HomeTip of The Month

The following is a very important list that you might want to cut out and keep. Below you will find the fruits and vegetables that are most heavily sprayed with pesticides and the least heavily sprayed. If your organic selection is limited, or if you’re simply wanting to pick the best options amongst non-organic produce, this list will be very helpful. Remember, eating any fruits and vegetables—organic or not—is better than eating none at all, so keep that in mind as you shop.

Also note, the two crops at bottom left—green beans and leafy greens like kale and collard greens—didn’t fall under parameters to get them on the Dirty Dozen™ but were commonly contaminated with highly toxic organophosphate insecticides. These insecticides are toxic to the nervous system and have been largely removed from agriculture over the past decade, but they are not banned and still show up on some food crops.

(This list is provided by the Environmental Working Group and can be found at EWG.org)

Stay healthy!

irrefrangible

ir·re·fran·gi·ble[ir-i-fran-juh-buhl] adjective

1) not to be broken or violated; inviolable: an irrefrangible rule of etiquette. 2) incapable of being refracted.

Sentence example: Friday afternoon tea with my grandmother was an irrefrangible appointment that I knew I could not miss.

Word of THE monthVOCABULARY

Employee Spotlight: Joe Nothum

Business Spotlight: Accent Blinds and Shutters

We attend church with Gary and Pat Scott. They are a wonderful family with a great business. We recently worked with Gary, Pat, and their son, Kyle, to get shutters for an outdoor pool space for one of our clients. The finished product looked absolutely beautiful. These guys do custom blinds and shutters for homes, and also provide window coverings to commercial businesses in the area. Their shade screens can be seen in many of the Starbucks around Northwest Arkansas. They’ve been doing business in NWA for 12 years.

They also provide BLIND CLEANING SERVICES to home owners in Northwest Arkansas. Their ultra-sonic blind cleaning process doesn’t just clean the slats, it cleans the cords, wands, ladders and also lubricates the head rails for a longer life. They actually remove your blinds and take them outside for cleaning inside their come-to-you ultra-sonic cleaning shop.

If you have troubles with allergies or other health problems, this cleaning process is perfect, be-cause it destroys bacteria, removes pollen, dust, and other particles. Your blinds look and operate like new.

If you’ve lived in your house for a few years and have never had your blinds deep-cleaned, it’s time to get this done before you host company or throw a party. It’s EASY. Someone comes to your home and does it for you. And this is the company you can trust to do a great job and take care of your blinds in the process.

Call the Scott’s at Accent Blinds and Shutters for new window coverings or blind cleaning. PHONE: (479) 957-4100. www.AccentBlindsandShutters.com

Thank you for reading this month’s newsletter! Don’t forget to take advantage of our 2013 REFERRAL PROGRAM! Win a free IPAD! Win FREE DIN-NER and MOVIE FOR TWO! (See Page 8 for details.) Call us for all your Custom Home Building and Home Renovation Needs. Phone: 479.464.7336. GB Group Construction, PO Box 7734, Springdale AR 72766

We welcomed Joe Nothum to our team last summer as foreman on our jobsites. He has been a great addition to our team, is a hard worker, and fantastic with clients. Here a little bit more about him:

What is your favorite food?My favorite food would have to be a nice home-grilled steak dinner.

What is your favorite hobby?I would have to say my favorite hobby is hunting. Fishing is a very, very close second.

What animal do you enjoy hunting more than anything else? Why?I really enjoy hunting deer especially trophy animals, I enjoy the challenge of harvesting specific animals that I can watch and learn about.

What is your all-time favorite movie?My favorite movie is a tough one. I like comedies a lot so I’d have to say “Joe Dirt” is my favorite.

What did you do for Valentine’s Day?For Valentines Day I made sushi! My wife Jessica and I always enjoy going out and eating sushi, so I thought it would be a fun challenge to make some at home.

What do you listen to on the radio when you drive?When I driving, the radio will literally be on any station from national public radio to country to rock, but if I had to choose one it would probably be country stations.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?New Zealand! I’ve heard they have amazing trout fishing there and that the scenery is amazing.

How did you become interested in the construction industry?You could say construction is in my blood. My grandfather, my father, three uncles and an aunt all own some type of residential construction or development business. Dad kicked me out on the job sites when I was 12 years old and over the years he exposed me to every aspect of building homes from swinging the hammer to zoning meetings. I’ve always enjoyed it and love seeing homes go up!

If you were an animal, what would you be and why? If I were an animal I’d probably be a elephant just because they live so long.

What is one thing that most people wouldn’t guess about you?One thing you would never guess is that I was born and raised in the city. Our home was only 20 minutes from downtown St. Louis! The cowboy boots and camo probably throw people off a little when they ask where I’m from.

Thanks for your answers, Joe! We are so grateful for you!

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GB Group ConsTruCTionP.O. Box 7734

Springdale, AR 72766

Hi friends! It’s 2013 and we’re rolling out an amazing new referral program. You will have many chances to win Dinner and Movie for Two as well as an Apple IPAD!!

This is the easiest game you’ll ever play. All you have to do is tell people about our company. Every time you do, your name will be entered into a quarterly drawing for DINNER AND MOVIE FOR TWO!

After you’re entered, your name stays in the hat all year long. One entry for each referral. At the end of the year, we will be drawing from all the names in the hat to award an Apple IPAD to a big-time winner!

Your referral does not have to use our services in order for you to be entered into the drawing. (Don’t worry, when someone calls, we always ask them how they found us.) Even better, you are welcome to email, call or text us and let us know who you’ve referred. Then you’re guaranteed to automatically be entered into the drawing!

We’ve already had a dozen referrals in the first six weeks of 2013 alone. Get YOUR name entered with the rest of them! At the end of March, you might just have yourself a FREE DATE—Dinner and Movie for TWO!

The number of times you can enter yourself into the drawing is unlimited!

Get started immediately! Refer our company, GB GROUP CONSTRUCTION, TODAY!

GB Group Construction | P.O. Box 7734 Springdale, AR 72766479-464-7336 | www.buildwithgbgroup.com

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THE EAsiEsT WAY EVEr To GET A FrEE ipAD!