NEWS FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY
October 2017
www.cookremodeling.com   •   Licensed/Bonded/ROC #178018    •   (480) 491-3077
Welcome to our October Newsletter.

In This Issue:

Top 5 Trends in Kitchen & Bathroom Remodeling

Good Habit Builders

Television Viewing Options

It's Pumpkin Time!

Read on and don't forget to share with your friends and family.
October is National Kitchen & Bath Month , a popular time to redesign and update the two most used rooms in the home. Not only can one gain greater enjoyment of their home by customizing it to fit a family’s lifestyle, a beautifully designed kitchen and bath increases the value of the home when it is time to sell. The current drivers for remodeling the kitchen tends to be desiring an open concept current design, with updated and sufficiently sized efficient appliances and more storage. People want to remodel their bathroom to make it more user friendly and easier to maintain.

Knowing what are the current trends can help gauge if it is time to update, and also what to consider to include in the design to make a kitchen or bathroom be in style for many years to come. Each year the National Kitchen & Bath Association surveys its members, including vendors (e.g. cabinet manufacturers, etc.) as to what products, materials, and colors are being specified. In conjunction with local selections, these are the top five most popular trends of 2017 .

Kitchen

  • Transitional style kitchen with clean lines and simple door styles with under cabinet LED lighting and built-in energy efficient appliances (refrigerator, dishwasher). Contemporary style kitchens are in second place, edging out Traditional style kitchens into third.
  • Two-toned kitchens with painted whites and wood stain, followed by growing in popularity gray with black or blue painted cabinets for accent.
  • Furniture-look pieces with rollouts and pull outs for ease of accessibility.
  • Quartz is the most popular countertop material, with granite in second place and trending down.
  • Induction cooktops, convention ovens are the most popular selections, with steam ovens trending higher as more people are into healthier eating.

Bathroom

  • Contemporary and Transitional style bathrooms are more desired than Traditional.
  • Floating vanities and under-mount sinks.
  • Including a linen cabinet and open shelving for added storage.
  • No threshold shower with bench and separate free standing tub
  • Ceramic tile with in-floor radiant heating

Popular preferences gradually change over time. What is important if you plan on staying in your home for a few years, is to design your home to be a reflection of you. The design should facilitate your lifestyle, e.g. multiple cooks in the kitchen, while keeping in mind what future buyers will want as well.


The One who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” Revelations 21: 5
KITCHENS:
An energizing kitchen where you gather and nourish the body and spirit.
BATHROOMS:
A luxurious bath where you begin and end the day.
GUEST HOUSES/OUTDOOR LIVING:
A space for retreat and enjoying the great outdoors.
ADDITIONS:
Add value to your home and improve the quality of your life.
Thank YOU for
your referrals:

William & Barbara Bade

Paul & Cynthia Badger

Dale & Leslie Pettis 
At the beginning of the year people make resolutions, but within a few weeks, they’ve given up. Why? It is too much at one time. It is better to make simple changes one at a time until it becomes a habit, then choose the next one. Whether you have a bad habit you want to kick, or want to make positive changes in order to lead a healthier, more productive life, building good habits is essential to success. We are never too old for personal growth! Here are a few tips to help get you started on the road to a better lifestyle.

Start small. People who get pumped up and excited about making a change in their life can be impatient. Everyone wants to see results right away, but realize it takes time. Changes require confidence, commitment and willpower to do it when it isn’t easy. A goal might be to lose weight, so decide what small habits you need to gain to reach that goal. You might decide the first change is eating a fresh fruit with lunch every day. Once this new standard has become a daily living habit, you can congratulate yourself on your success, and take on the next step.

Be intentional. Building a new habit requires focus, determination and belief in ability. Clearly define what you want to do, and the long term benefits you will enjoy with that habit, why you are worth it, and that you can do it! Make it a positive one. If you have a habit you want to get rid of, choose a habit you want to replace it with. For example, let’s say you want to cut out junky snack choices. Acknowledge that they are harmful to health, and why you have done it (low blood sugar, emotional eating), but now you will smartly choose better. Make a plan to eat more raw whole foods for snacks. Write a positive statement of what you will choose for nutritious snacks and read it frequently.

Get a buddy. Enlist someone to be coach and cheerleader to be accountable to. Tell them how they can help, and give them permission to challenge you to keep to your commitment. Finding someone who also wants to make simple changes to improve their self-care, time management, discipline would be ideal. You can reciprocate checking in on each other’s progress. Use your calendar or putting a reminder in your phone to also help.

Chart your progress. One simple technique that to help stay on track with your goal is to make a physical reminder of how well you are doing each day. If you have a goal to take a daily walk, put a mark on the calendar each day you follow through. Once you can see lengthening succession of achievements, that can be motivating to keep going and building a record! Focus on the successes to build yourself up!


"I will strengthen your feet like deer so you can reach great heights." Habakkuk 3:19
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If you’re like most people with cable or satellite TV, you watch only a fraction of the channels you pay for every month. But why spend money on something you’re not using? If you want to cut back on costs while still being able to watch your favorite TV shows, check out these alternate options for television viewing.

Hulu Plus. Not only does this video streaming service allow access to your favorite current TV shows, it also carries a wide variety of older shows and movies that you would be hard-pressed to find elsewhere. There’s a small monthly fee of $7.99 and you will have to deal with advertisements, but there’s also the option to go ad-free for just four more dollars a month.

Amazon Prime Instant Video. If you enjoy the convenience of Amazon Prime (who doesn’t love free two-day shipping?), make sure that you’re taking advantage of their streaming service. Amazon Prime Instant Video doesn’t offer as many current TV shows as some other streaming services, but it still has a good selection and you don’t have to suffer through irritating commercials. Plus, the service comes free with your $99 annual Amazon Prime membership, or you can pay $8.99 for standalone service.

Sling TV. If you are more a fan of live TV and on-demand channels, Sling TV is a great option for you. Content is delivered over the Internet, allowing you to view it on computers and mobile devices as well as the TV. There are three packages available, the cheapest costing $20 per month for 30 channels. For an additional $5 a month, you can also get 50 hours of Cloud DVR service. Like regular TV, there are commercials, but Sling TV is still good alternative if you don’t like the high price of satellite and cable. Best of all, no contracts are required!


"But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray." Luke 5:16
"Our designer was GREAT, telling us of everything to expect beforehand. The carpenters were so courteous and knowledgeable, just excellent in their behavior and skills. Everyone was respectful and easy to work with. Our Project Manager was attentive to the progress. Our home looks much better than before. Everything was completed in a timely manner. Cook Remodeling does great work and has great workers, we couldn’t be happier. If you want a quality job done by great people, Cook Remodeling is the company to use. We couldn’t be more pleased."

Ray & Bonnie P. Patio/Outdoor Remodeling in Sun Lakes
It’s Pumpkin Time!

Instant Pot Pumpkin Soup Recipe
Author: The Foodie Eats

Ingredients:
  • 1 small yellow onion - diced
  • 2 Tbsp. grape seed oil
  • 1 medium head cauliflower - florets only
  • 3 tsp. sea salt - divided
  • ½ tsp. black pepper
  • 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 15oz can pumpkin
  • ¼ tsp. cardamom
  • ½ tsp. nutmeg
  • ¼ cup molasses

Instructions:
  1. Using the sauté setting - add oil and cook onions until soft and translucent (about 3 - 4 minutes), stirring constantly to prevent burning/browning. Then add cauliflower florets, 1 tsp. of salt, and black pepper and continue cooking for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Next add vinegar and cook for another minute or two, until mostly evaporated.
  2. Add broth, pumpkin, cardamom, nutmeg, molasses, and 2 tsp. of salt to IP. Mix well. Lock lid and switch to manual setting for 5 minutes.
  3. Once cook time is complete, rapid-release pressure. Then remove lid.
  4. Using and immersion blender - blend soup until completely smooth. Or transfer to a high-powered blender (in batches). Remove the round insert from top of the blender and cover the hole with a towel. Blend slowly at first, increasing speed incrementally to avoid mess. Blend until incredibly smooth.
  5. Serve and enjoy!

Notes/Options:
If you do not have molasses, you can substitute maple syrup. Try adding ¼ cup peanut butter and 1 Tbsp. Red Curry Paste for a different taste.
Top with your condiments of choice, like pumpkin seeds or dried cranberries. If you do not have cashew cream, use coconut cream. Pictured with sautéed mushrooms, cashew cream, and green onions.


"For He satisfied the thirsty, and filled the hungry with good things." Psalms 107: 9
The members of my wife's bridge club were exchanging stories of their days camping with their then young families in the 1950's. Each related how they remembered the primitive conditions like gathering wood, pumping well water and carrying it to the campsite, using an outhouse, and so forth.

Finally one woman asked my wife, who was raised in rural Montana, if she had ever done any camping.

"Oh, no, we didn't bother," she replied. "We had all those inconveniences at home."
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