NEWS FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY
January 2018
www.cookremodeling.com   •   Licensed/Bonded/ROC #178018    •   (480) 491-3077
In This Issue:

2018 Predicted Home Trends / Using Apps to Manage Your Resolutions
Where There's a Will There's a Way / Quinoa-Mushroom Frittata

Read on and remember to share with your friends and family.
For home improvement and interior design, 2017 was the year of adding greenery indoors, more natural materials, patterned tiles, matte finishes and copper accents. The 2018 predictions are in, and home design trends are about to get a little more exciting. Here’s what you may see this year:
 
Big and bolder design : Instead of keeping it simple and using décor to create their look, this year you will see more homeowners taking risks with mixing colors and materials. Instead of bright, minimalistic white and gray colors, homeowners are going for darker, rich colors for their walls and doors to personalize their home. This creates a warmer, cozier feel. Gaining in popularity are low maintenance terrazzo flooring, statement ceilings, vintage lighting, and stone or granite composite sinks are being sought to replace stainless steel.
 
Smarter home: People adopted the smart thermostat for improved energy efficiency and comfort.   The next smarter home phase was security with video cameras activated by motion and doorbells that one can see and speak through, and locks that can be opened wirelessly. Appliances are getting smart and can be turned on through Amazon’s Alexa or Google Plus . Now when you are on your way home you can set your home’s temperature you want it to be, and turn the oven on to preheat!
 
Outdoor living spaces : Whether it be a space to read, journal, relax and pray with native vegetation and a water feature, or strategic design to extend the home, utilizing the outdoors will be bigger this year. Not only will outdoor design help bring more use and enjoyment of one’s property, there is a growing trend of edible landscapes and home gardening spaces which can help the bee population while providing the nutrient rich and flavorful food from just picked produce. It’s no surprise that homeowners are catching on in 2018 to outdoor rooms being a “low cost addition.” Extended patios (without columns), outdoor kitchens and dining, entertainment, a man cave…. it can be quite versatile.


You who sows bountifully, will also reap bountifully.
2 Cor. 9:6
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Setting New Year’s resolutions to be healthier and improve finances is popular. It is also notoriously known for their being tossed aside within the first few weeks of the year. Don’t become a statistic of those who give them up! Think in terms of simple changes that will help pace you for a marathon of 365 days, rather than trying to do it all from the start.

Thankfully, today’s technology makes it easier for us to keep track of our resolutions, no matter how big they are! Here are a few ways that apps can help you maintain your New Year’s resolutions:

Health & wellness:  There are apps for every aspect of health and wellness to keep you energized and fit in 2018. There are exercise tracker apps like Charity Miles (for indoor or outdoor walkers, runners, cyclists who give to your favorite charities with donations for distance logged), and Strava (for cyclists and runners who enjoy competitive recognition). For diet, you can download an app like Cronometer, which allows you to create goals and easily keep track of the macro and micro nutrition, proteins and calories you consume daily. You can even find apps that will help reduce stress such as Breathe2Relax, and Free Relaxing Nature Sounds and Spa Music.
 
Money:  If saving money is one of your resolutions, there are all kinds of apps that can help make automatic deposits! Some, like Mint, allow you to make spending goals and set money aside. Others, like Qapital, will send you reminders to set aside money and even automatically sends money to your savings when you shop specific stores to motivate you to spend less. A simpler app that allows desktop log-in is Digit. It analyzes your income and bills and saves accordingly. When your income and spending changes, it adjusts.
 
Learning : If your goal is to read more, you can download the Kindle app and have eBooks right on your phone. If you want to exercise your brain to improve attention, processing speed and memory these are three top rated apps: Elevate (also has math and speaking), Lumosity (also has flexibility and problem solving), Peak (also has language and problem solving). Keep up with language-learning using fun apps like Duolingo, which gives you daily activities and goals for 20 different languages


Being with God, God will cause all things to prosper.
Gen 39:3
We heard from several people that Cook Remodeling is the company to call, and we agree! The project designer’s suggestions and ideas covered everything we could want. The lead carpenter did outstanding work, and the team worked quickly. We are well pleased with the quality of work.
 
I want to thank all connected with our addition. The wife loves the new room! We can now offer a suite experience to those visiting.


Cliff & Karen T.
Master Bedroom Addition, Sun Lakes

On-time, On-budget Wow results for 39 years.
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(480) 491-3077
Seven out of ten people don’t have a will, which means state law governs how their estate is administered. You don’t want strangers making the decisions how your assets will be distributed in probate, nor 50% of the estate going to taxes rather than beneficiaries! Consult an estate planning attorney to see if a Trust would be more appropriate to avoid the expense and public forum of probate.
 
The first step is to write up the details of what is to be done if you are incapacitated. Consider that by accident or illness, you may not be able to make your own medical decisions. Develop your personal advance medical care directive of the kind of treatment you wish to respect your dignity and right to life, so someone else doesn’t decide to deny you what you want and need to live. NOTE: If you have a child who has turned 18 and is single, have them legally designate you or another trusted adult to make medical care decisions if they are unable to make them, or it will be left up to the hospital staff and you will not be able to make the decisions. Keep the directive with your other important papers.

The next step is to decide what you want done upon your death. Here are some things to consider.
  • Do you want tissue or organs to be donated? Eighteen people die a day waiting for transplants. One donor can help as many as 50 people, and save as many as 8 lives. You can register to be a donor here.
  • Write out your funeral and burial wishes. What friends, business colleagues, and organizations do you want notified?  Do you want to set up an account to help family with travel and lodging to attend?
  • What readings do you want at your memorial service/Church service? What songs? Do you have a charity you would like people to donate to in lieu of flowers?
  • Preplan and pay for your final arrangements.
  • Record for your spouse all your financial accounts, insurance policies, location of important papers, your online passwords and directions on how to set up an email auto response. They may know them now, but grief is a significant stress that can hamper memory recall. Here is a Survivor Guide to help organize the pertinent information.
  • What do you want done with your social media accounts?
 
Make sure you only have one — a will, that is

Decide in advance how your assets should be divided. Each spouse needs to have a separate will. Decide who will inherit your property, what people, trusts, charities. Designate contingent beneficiaries too, should they precede you in death. Designate a guardian for dependents if needed.

Choose a trusted executor to handle your estate and carry out the terms of your will.

After your lawyer has written your medical directives and will, communicate your wishes. Have a meeting with your spouse and executor to go over everything to make sure it is clear. Give the executor a copy of the will and let them know where the original is kept. You may want a meeting with your financial advisor and your spouse too. Have that conversation with your spouse to not make any significant changes the first year while grieving (e.g. selling your home and moving). Then have a family meeting to share the details of what you want done so your children can support the surviving spouse and each other. It will make it easier on them to know what you desire and to have had that conversation with you while you are living.

If you created a will in one state and moved, it may not be valid under the new state’s regulations. Consult an attorney to ensure paperwork is in order and legally binding where you live. Regulations are constantly changing too, so it is a good idea to review the plan every five years, especially with changes in these circumstances:

Family Status: a birth, disability, marriage, divorce or death should prompt you to re-examine how you wish your estate assets to be divided. You may have a child who developed an addiction, and a sudden influx of cash could be detrimental for them.

Financial Situation : Financial success or reversal may call for changes. The purchase or sale of property may also necessitate an update of your will. If you own property in two different states, your will must conform to the laws of both states.

Change in Executor: If they are unable to serve, or you wish to designate a new executor, a codicil may be sufficient for this purpose. It is also less costly than writing a new will.

It will be a legacy of love to have your final arrangements well planned, recorded, and communicated. It will be a source of comfort and consolation for your loved ones to know they are carrying out your wishes.

 
To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
Ps. 25:1
I was working in the souvenir shop at the Canterbury Cathedral in Kent, England. One afternoon I was talking with another attendant who worked in the cathedral itself when we were approached by two tourists.

"Are you a monk?" one of the women asked.

"No," the attendant explained,
"I wear this robe as part of my job, but I'm not a member of any religious order."

"Then where are the monks?" asked the woman.

The man replied, "Oh there haven't been any monks here since 1215."

Hearing this, the women looked at her watch, then announced to her friend,
"Betty, we missed the monks!"

This is an easily made crowd pleaser.
Serves 6.

Serve with a tomato salsa and a side dish of pear & arugula salad topped with coconut sugar candied walnuts, and a cluster of grapes.
 
Dairy Free option: Vegan Parma-Cheese , 5 minutes prep.
  •  1 cup unsalted cashews
  • 4 TBSP nutritional yeast or debittered brewer’s yeast
  • 1 tsp sea salt (or omit salt if using salted cashews)
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp dried Italian herbs
 
Pulse ingredients in a food processor until nuts are a fine texture, do not over process.
 
In a small bowl mix the ½ cup with the zest of a half of lemon, then lightly drizzle some olive oil and stir and it will clump. The rest can be stored for later use in a jar in the refrigerator for up to a month.
 
Quinoa-Mushroom Frittata Ingredients
  • ¾ uncooked quinoa (or 1 ½ cups cooked)
  •  1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
  • 4 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves finely chopped garlic
  • 6 large eggs
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
  • 2 TBSP chopped fresh chives
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  •  ½ cup Parma-Cheese
  • ¼ cup pitted olives, chopped
  •  olive oil
 
Directions
Rinse the quinoa well and cook according to directions.
 
While quinoa is cooking, sauté mushrooms, garlic, and white part of green onion in olive oil. When quinoa has cooked, remove from heat, drain any excess water, stir in the mushroom mixture, the rest of the green onion, herbs, pepper and mix well.
 
In a large bowl whisk the eggs, stir in the quinoa mixture. When it is combined, stir in the parma-cheese.
 
Preheat the broiler with the rack on the second level from the top.
 
Coat a medium ovenproof skillet with a thick layer of olive oil. Place on medium high heat on the stove. Pour in the egg mixture, and sprinkle with olives. Cook for 2-3 minutes without stirring.
 
Place under the broiler, and cook for 3-4 minutes until the top is lightly browned and the eggs have firmed up in the center. Remove from the oven, and let it rest for 3 minutes. Loosen the edges with a spatula, cut into serve wedges, and serve immediately.

 
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.
John 14:27

When doing home remodeling, it is easy to design what changes you want now, but it is also important to keep the future in mind. Utility costs could increase greater than income, and new homes will be more green and eco-friendly. You want to make yours an attractive choice when it is time to sell....