Spooky Hannah & Graphic Design, LLC

Ghosts, goblins, and spooks OH MY! It’s that wonderful time of year when you hope cooler weather arrives soon, football is back, pumpkins are out on the porches, and kids everywhere are getting excited about their Halloween costume and even more importantly, what candy they are going to get.

For Alpha Testing’s Hannah McAdams, Halloween is her favorite holiday. She also has a love of making t-shirts, paintings, and party decorations for friends and family. With a little hocus pocus, Spooky Hannah and Graphic Design was sprung, placing an enchanting spell on all.

Be sure to fly on over to Hannah’s Instagram @spooky.hannah and check out her wizardly crafts, including seasonal apparel, baby onesies, pet bandanas, tote bags, and signs. If you magically appear in the Houston area over the next few weekends, stop by Spooky Hannah’s booth at the All Hallows’ Eve Market and Fall Bootique Small Business Market.

All Hallows’ Eve Market – October 16th and 17th

12460 FM 2854 Rd, Conroe, TX

Fall Bootique Small Business Market – October 30th

507 E Cedar Bayou Lynchburg, Baytown, TX

Don’t forget, Thanksgiving and Christmas are around the corner! Spooky Hannah & Graphic Design will be brewing up new items for the upcoming holidays. Custom orders are available as well for parties or any occasion.

Looking to the Future

It takes every single team member to make a firm work to the success of our client’s projects, and to maintain a healthy Alpha Testing. At nearly 400 team members strong, leadership plays a key role in the overall success of Alpha’s operations and plans for the future.

Alpha’s Board of Directors established the new Associate Principal position for selected senior positions, to recognize leadership both in past achievement and in defining future expectations. Mark McKay, PE and Joe Culley SET have been promoted to, and are the first, Associate Principals of Alpha Testing, Inc.

Since joining Alpha, both have embodied the Alpha Mission – “to embrace and solve challenges”. Mark McKay, PE has advanced to Director of Geotechnical Engineering. Joe Culley, SET has advanced to Houston Region Manager.

Join me in extending congratulations to Mark and Joe!

Alpha Testing

Trinity Street Coffee Bar

Since the beginning of the work from home, we’ve been sneaking out for 2 to 4 hour rides on the weekend. Initially these were non-stop round trips due to required precautions.

As Texas has opened, our stops have increased. Now that the weather has cooled a bit, hot coffee has appeal again, and the Trinity Street Coffee Bar was a great find in Decatur. Beautiful wood work, good pastries and a family run atmosphere made the brew of the day a great experience for us. On the square, the view from the window seats is one that is found in many coffee table books.

Farm to market (FM) roads can get you there and back on beautiful two lane black tops. Extend a little to the north on the long way home and it gets even better.

Setting Up for (Virtual) Success

Our Alpha Testing kiddos are heading back to school, with many navigating the world of virtual learning to start the year. If you’re feeling overwhelmed with how to best set your students up for success, we’ve rounded up some great resources for you.

Click the links below for tips on everything from setting up their “Work from Home” space to getting them back on schedule after an extended time away from the classroom!

How to Set Up a Virtual or Homeschool Learning Space for Kids
22 Remote Learning Tips For Parents Helping At Home
101 Back to School Tips for Kids and Parents

In Alpha tradition, we want to celebrate our Alpha kids as they start this new year, so send those first day of school pictures to Marianne at mstanton@alphatesting.com by September 15th to be featured right here on our blog!

Alpha Testing Back to School

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Happy Mother’s Day!

Alpha Testing® wishes all our moms a Happy Mother’s Day! We know that our celebrations will look a little different this year, but we’ve found some resources to help you celebrate Mom, even if you can’t leave the house!

33 Things to Do with Mom on Mother’s Day

DIY Mother’s Day Cards That Kids Can Make

10 Ideas for a Quarantine-Style Mother’s Day

Alpha Testing Mother's Day

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Celebrating Spring

As warmer spring temperatures turn into our infamous Texas summer heat, Alpha Testing® is blessed to continue to serve our clients across Texas. We are thankful, now more than ever, for our team members and their commitment to our Alpha family.

A few weeks ago, we asked our team to share their Easter celebrations with us, and we got Easter eggs, coloring pages, family photos, and even a visit from the Easter bunny! Take a look at a few we photos we received.

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Alpha at Home

Social distancing has kept much of the Alpha Testing® team apart. While we anxiously anticipate when we can all be back together, we have enjoyed spending more time with our loved ones and furry friends. Here is a look at some our team members and their new Work from Home (WFH) office mates!

Alpha from Home 2020

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Supporting Local Businesses

For the past few years, the Alpha Testing® team has enjoyed the adventure of finding unique, local coffee shops and restaurants and posting our experiences here on our blog. As our daily life continues to change, we can still be community-minded and support these businesses!

Here are a few ways to help some North Texas businesses we love, both those we’ve already shared with you and some we’re excited to try!

  • Take a break from home and pick up some coffee to go!
  • Support businesses by purchasing online gift cards to use later:
    • Dude, Sweet Chocolate – click here
    • Fat Straws Bubble Tea, Co. – click here
  • These restaurants and shops are offering pickup and delivery!

We look forward to sharing businesses from around Texas in the coming weeks!

Support Local Businesses

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Chili Cook-Off 2.0!

After the success of our Fort Worth office’s Chili Cook-Off, last week was our Dallas office’s turn! While the chili purists of the group argued there’s only one true chili recipe, our entrants made it interesting with a myriad of creative – and delicious – varieties. All were outstanding, but after the votes were counted the awards went to:

1st Place – Brennan Scala

2nd Place– John Moreland

3rd Place– Dee Kubicki

Thanks to the Sunshine Committee for their hard work in the planning of the event, and we’re looking forward to next year!

Alpha Testing

Taco Lingo

As Texans, we’re always looking for the best new places to find great Tex-Mex food. If you’re in the Dallas Uptown area, then add Taco Lingo to your list! Taco Lingo opened in 2019, bringing hand-pressed tortillas, made in house of course, filled with high quality ingredients.

We tried a little bit of everything, including the chicken & waffles taco, steak and eggs,  and huevos rancheros, but the big surprise on the menu is definitely their cinnamon rolls! Make sure to order at least two, because one definitely won’t be enough for your group.

Check out Taco Lingo at https://www.tacolingo.com/!

Alpha Testing