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Estrella Publishing - The Front Porch magazine
October 2020
1
Catherine Uretsky Publisher & Editor
Christie Giannetto Associate Editor
Al Uretsky Publisher & Sales Exec
Published by Estrella Publishing LLC, PO Box 6962, Goodyear AZ 85338. Additional copies and article reproductions can be obtained for a fee by contacting info@EstrellaPublishing.com Catherine Uretsky, Publisher and Editor 623.594.9283 info@EstrellaPublishing.com Al Uretsky, Publisher and Sales Executive 623.594.9283 info@EstrellaPublishing.com All contents © 2010-present day Estrella Publishing LLC. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in any form, in whole or part, without written permission from Estrella Publishing LLC is prohibited. Estrella Publishing accepts freelance contributions, there is no guarantee that materials will be used or returned. Some content is provided by Brandpointe. Estrella Publishing is not responsible for the views of contributing writers and assumes no responsibility for errors appearing within. Opinions expressed are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the Publisher or Advertisers. Estrella Publishing reserves the right to restrict all advertisement to their proper classification and to edit or reject any copy at its sole discretion. Neither this publication nor Estrella Publishing is an agent of or in any way affiliated with the associated Developer nor Homeowners Association, or any of their respective affiliates. This publication has not been approved by, sponsored by, or endorsed by the associated Developer nor Homeowners Association in any way.
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October 2020
Welcome to your October edition! October seems to be everyone’s favorite month in Marley Park. Over the years, I’ve heard countless people say they’ve never seen another neighborhood do Halloween the way Marley Park does Halloween. From the elaborately decorated homes to the full-on block parties that take place along with trick-or-treating, it’s a pretty exciting holiday around here! This year, Halloween is on a Saturday which, somehow, makes it even more exciting. As a kid, growing up in Northern Michigan, you had a fifty/fifty shot of needing to don a snowsuit under your Halloween costume. At the very least, a light jacket was always required, and it was so frustrating to have the jacket “ruin” the costume. Arizona has the BEST climate for Halloween. It’s almost always the perfect temperature for trick-or-treating or hanging out in your driveway passing out treats. In the rural area where I grew up, the houses were spaced far apart… sometimes miles apart. It wasn’t possible to walk between homes, so our parents had to drive us. We would pile out of the car, run up long driveways, knock, yell “trick-or-treat,” collect our
goods, then run back to the car and pile back in. It was exhausting. The only upside was that many of the homes we visited got only a handful of trick-or-treaters every year, so they would load us up with huge handfuls of candy at every stop. None of the one-piece-per-kid business required in a busy neighborhood like Marley Park. Pros and cons, I guess! Despite the challenges of a cold climate and rural community, I have many fond memories of Halloween as a kid, and I love the memories that our kids have made since moving to Marley Park in 2013. I know they’ll look back with nostalgia on the neighborhood parties, the pawstumeparades, and the pumpkin carving events. Whether you’re new to Marley Park this year or adding to a long collection of memories here, remember, in the words of Robert Brault, “There is a child in every one of us who is still a trick-ortreater looking for a brightly lit front porch.” See you there!
Christie Giannetto | Assistant Editor | The Front Porch Magazine
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October 2020
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On Our Cover
Cody and Jessica were born and raised in Flagstaff and were high school sweethearts before marrying in 2003. They moved to Marley Park in 2017 after driving through the neighborhood for years and dreaming about living here. Jessica had started homeschooling their children the year before, so the transition was relatively easy with their six kids: Kylie, Kacie, Ellie, Cason, Everlie, and Crue. Since then, they have added Cade to their family and are also expecting their eighth baby, a girl, in December.
Homeschooling their five oldest kids, ranging in age from 5-15, while simultaneously caring for two toddlers “can certainly feel like running a circus some days,” Jessica says, laughing, as she relays a story about finding the youngest climbing into the refrigerator earlier that morning. Having both come from single parent households with just two siblings each, Jessica and Cody love having a big family. Although Halloween will be a little different this year, Jessica plans to try to make it as normal as possible. Halloween is her favorite holiday and, while she admits that Cody mostly just goes along with her costume concoctions to make her happy, the kids all love it.
The family rented a house in Marley Park before putting down roots and buying a home of their own here. They love the neighborhood for its family focus and neighborly atmosphere. They have enjoyed all the annual holiday events over the years, but their favorite, by far, has been the Halloween Boo Bash. Jessica always plans elaborate costumes for the event. She typically starts planning sometime in January, making many of the costumes herself as well as collecting items from local thrift stores. You may remember their family from last year’s Boo Bash…it was quite a circus!
If you are out and about on Halloween this month, be sure to keep an eye out for a big family with seven kids and one on the way. I won’t divulge what they are going to be, but I will share a hint and a piece of advice that will help you make the most of the festivities this year…“Even though you want to try to, never grow up.” ~JM Barrie.
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October 2020
Submitted by Christie Giannetto | Marley Park Resident
Decorator’s Corner The laundry room is sometimes the most loathed room in the house, but I loved transforming it into a space I adore! This was my third time wallpapering a room, and I had just enough left over for the little nook above our washer and dryer. The wallpaper print is called “Olive Branch” in charcoal by Magnolia Homes from Home Depot. I found the laundry signs at Michaels, the cloth bins from the $5 dollar spot at Target, the vintage clothespins and jar from Amazon, the weave basket from target, and the Moroccan blanket from Anthropologie. Doing chores does not have to be boring! Submitted by Amanda Ratkovich | Marley Park Resident
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October 2020
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Perspectives of a Teacher Mom Rock stars, heroes, angels, saints...these are a few words that I’ve seen used to describe teachers, when someone is feeling especially thankful for them. It’s nice. I mean, who doesn’t like it when someone sings your praises? Believe it or not though, hearing someone use these monikers to describe teachers, actually hits a nerve for me.
It’s too much pressure to have a word like ‘hero’ placed upon the shoulders of the person who teaches children to read and do multiplication. Most educators do more for their students than simply teach the academic standards. A true teacher has a bond with their students. For me, every student that ends up on my roster, becomes my kid for life. I am aware that I have to step up and be available for more than just the academic needs for many of them, but...if I really let myself ponder the limits of what I can do for my students, that is too much to bear. Some students have the weight of the world on their shoulders, as they enter my classroom, each day. I can listen, I can make our classroom a safe
place, and I can help them with their academics. I can (and will) call the proper authorities, if I become privy to information that I know needs more than just a teacher’s ear.
I cannot fix their homes. I cannot save them from messed up situations. I cannot make sure they are okay when they aren’t with me. I cannot be more than their teacher, as much as I sure wish I could. That makes me a teacher with limits. It doesn’t make me a hero. I’m not fishing for anyone to read this and believe that I’m being self-deprecating about my career choice. Instead, I hope your take away from this, is to thank a teacher for what we collectively strive for, while recognizing our limits, and then be sure to commit, however you can, to work towards bettering the lives of the children in your own community. It does take a village, and we don’t really need heroes...we just need everyone to do their own part. Submitted by Theresa DeLong | Marley Park Resident
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October 2020
Happiness Matters “Let’s stop waiting for a better world, let’s start working on it. Together.” ~Unknown
As I say every month, the last month has been crazy. I have gotten so much busier in the last month than I have been in the past six months. Despite this, I have tried to love myself, according to last month’s challenge. I’ll be the first to admit that I still have a long way to go until I am as confident and self-loving as I want to be, but there have been improvements, so don’t give up! Now onto this month’s challenge. I know that the world seems impossible to live in at the moment, but I promise it is not. It has gotten increasingly difficult day by day. However, when the world outside gets louder, that is when we must focus on our surroundings. I think sometimes it is hard to look outward into the world, instead of looking at ourselves. We fall prey to thinking that we are all alone and in our own little world. However, as we look outside ourselves and do things to help make the world a better place, we become happier ourselves.
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This is seen time, and time again, when people dedicate effort toward help others. In my religion, service is one of the most important things to us. We believe that it is what makes us genuinely happy. If we give time to help others and to not focus on our needs, we see that our problems don’t seem as huge. I think that to become happier, we need to better the world around us. One last point before I give the challenge; I recently was writing an essay for school about this exact topic, what community service does for us and why it is important. I thought of JFK who taught us that we need to focus on what we can do for our country, and that is what will make us happy in the long run. So, this month, I want you to try every day to focus on someone else for five minutes. We WILL be happier as individuals and as a community if we do this. “It is in your hands to create a better world for all who live in it.” ~Nelson Mandela Submitted by Olivia Black | Age 15 | Marley Park Resident
October 2020
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Home Sweet Home How long have you lived in your current home? If it has been a while, you may be thinking about moving. According to the latest Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), in 2019, homeowners were living in their homes for an average of 10 years. That is a long time to be in one place, considering the average length of time homeowners used to stay put hovered closer to 6 years. With today’s changing homebuyer needs, especially given how the current health crisis has altered our daily lifestyles, many homeowners are thinking about moving to a home with more space for their families. Here is why it might be a great time to make that happen. The real estate market has changed in many ways over the past 10 years, and if you are considering selling your house right now, you may have accumulated more equity to put toward a move than you realize. Dialing back 10 years, in 2010, the average mortgage rate was only 4.09%. This motivated homeowners to stay in their houses longer than usual to keep their rate low, rather than moving. Just last month, however, average mortgage
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rates hit a new historic low at 2.86%. Sam Khater, Chief Economist at Freddie Mac explains: “Mortgage rates have hit another record low due to a late summer slowdown in the economic recovery…These low rates have ignited robust purchase demand activity, which is up twenty-five percent from a year ago and has been growing at double digit rates for four consecutive months.” Ten years ago, we could not have imagined a mortgage rate under 3%. Looking at the math today, making a move into a new home and locking in a significantly lower rate could save you greatly on a monthly basis, and over the life of your loan. As a homeowner, you have a huge opportunity to move up right now. Whether you want to save more each month or get more home for your money based on your family’s changing needs, it is a great time to connect with a local REALTOR to discuss the market in our area. Buyers are actively looking for more homes to buy, and you can win big by making a move if the time is right for you. Submitted by Christie Giannetto | REALTOR® | Arizona Lifestyle Team | HomeSmart
October 2020
Grandparents Grandparents play a variety of roles in their grandchildren’s lives. For many, a grandfather or grandmother is an additional loving adult who provides positive, nurturing support early in life. For other young children, grandparents have taken their grandchild into their home and have taken on the responsibility of raising them. First Things First (FTF), Arizona’s early childhood agency, knows that families can look different, but they can all help babies, toddlers and preschoolers feel safe and secure. FTF provides funding for programs that are having positive impacts on grandparents and Arizona’s children, including a statewide resource that can provide advice and support to grandparents raising their grandkids. The Birth to 5 Helpline (1-877-705-KIDS) is available to all Arizona families with infants, toddlers and preschoolers. This free program fields questions from families looking for advice and the latest child development information from early childhood experts.
The family friend and neighbor strategy focuses on increasing the caregiver’s knowledge and understanding of early childhood development, health and nutrition, language and literacy, and safety and injury prevention, including first aid and CPR certification as well as crib safety. This type of training is critical in Arizona, which mirrors the rest of the country, where one-third to one-half of all children under age 5 are cared for by informal family, friends and neighbors, and in many cases, those caregivers are grandparents, who are taking care of young ones during the day. For a comprehensive list of what programs are available at no cost for children birth to age 5 in your area, visit: www.firstthingsfirst.org/ resources/find-programs/. The relationship between a child and a grandparent is a special bond and supporting grandparents in their special role will help young kids learn, grow and succeed. Brett Benninghoff | Community Outreach Coordinator | First Things First
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October 2020
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Announcements Carter Lee was born on September 9th at 7:46am to Marley Park Residents, Christopher and Whitney Marez. He weighed in at 8 pounds, 3 ounces, and was 19 inches long. He joins big brother, Cason, age 4, and big sister, Adaley, age 2. Welcome to Marley Park, Carter!
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October 2020
Spiritual Thoughts
Normally I am very tranquil and contemplative when I sit in my favorite chair in the morning and sip my coffee. Yet this morning my anxiety was getting wilder by the minute. I had started a new job and was still in the first week of orientation. The job itself was great and the new team I joined was incredibly supportive. However, everything was still very new. I desperately wanted to show the management that they made a good decision hiring me. The pressure I was putting on myself to excel was frazzling my nerves.
Leafing through the pages of my devotional, I hoped that focusing on the message for the day would help me relax a little. My hopes were fulfilled more than I ever expected. The message described that we are not promised any specific number of days on this beautiful earth. Every breath has the potential to be our last. Every breeze that blows may be the last one that kisses our cheek. Every “I love you� may be the final parting words with a loved one. We must
Estrella Publishing - The Front Porch magazine
always remember to number our days, so we embrace each moment as if it were our last. I closed the devotional and took another deep breath. What if this were my last day on earth? Do I want to spend it swimming in worry and apprehension? My anxiety shrank into nothing at the thought that this very day might be my final one. Work no longer seemed important anymore. Impressing the management was no longer on my agenda. Now, giving my husband a hug and letting him know how cherished he was seemed a much more urgent matter. Speaking love into the hearts of my children was a vital task that needed to be performed to the best of my ability. Savoring the cup of coffee in my hands and praising God for such a gift was a high priority. Free from the pressure I put on myself, I began to diligently perform my most important work of the day right there at home before my shift even began. Submitted by Josie Flancbaum | Marley Park Resident
October 2020
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Teen Time
“Patience is not the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting.” -Anonymous October 1st marks the 202nd day since March 13th, which is the unofficial day that everything changed. That’s about six and a half months. No one expected it. We all went into 2020 with bright ideas and shiny new hopes for the year. That quickly changed, and everyone is still trying to adjust to the new normal that is emerging. Interestingly enough, when I went to Google how long it’s been since March 13th, I only got in the words “How long has it been since…” and the first suggestion was “since March 13 2020”. Clearly, I am not the only one wondering. For me, it feels like several years have passed since we went into quarantine the first time. Days seem to be passing both slowly and quickly all at the same time. I have been increasingly impatient, wanting to know more and have a plan in place for the next couple of months, even though I know that it’s anyone’s guess at this
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moment. I hope that together we can explore some ways to build up our ability to be patient. According to Mindful Minutes, one thing we can do to help us with impatience is to not resist or react negatively when we face an unplanned or challenging situation, but rather to face it with a good attitude and take things one step at a time. The author writes that “it is not external circumstances that make you upset, it is your reaction to those external circumstances that causes the greater dose of stress in life.” I recommend checking out the article. It’s called “7 Strategies to Build Your Patience Muscles”. For October, look into the article and maybe try to implement some of the suggestions into your life. Let’s make an effort to face our challenges with patience and improve our overall quality of life. Submitted by Emily Poling | Age 16 | Marley Park Resident
October 2020
Purchase A Paver Would you like to honor a military veteran? Now is the time to purchase your paver for the Veterans Commemorative Plaza (VCP) which is located in Surprise, AZ.
VCP is open to the public-at-large to purchase a paver. An engraved paver for the Veterans Commemorative Plaza (VCP) is a perfect gift for any occasion.
Veteran pavers can be purchased for any person who served in any branch of the U.S. military at any time. The cost is $75, and they can be inscribed with the veteran’s name, branch of service and dates of service. Sponsor pavers can be purchased for any person, family or business who would like to support the VCP. The cost is $200, and they can be inscribed with the name of the family, company, organization, or person purchasing the paver.
For more information, contact Bill Adams, billandespy@cox.net, 623-444-9877.
The pavers will be engraved on October 15th, 2020 and emplaced into the VCP before Veterans Day, November 11th, 2020. Request your paver as soon as possible to ensure you meet the engraving deadline. The
Estrella Publishing - The Front Porch magazine
October 2020
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Puzzles & Games
Name ______________________________
A crpytolist is similar to a cryptogram, except that it is a list of coded words, and not a quote or sentence. The text below has been written in code. Use the hints in the decoder at the top of the page to help break the code (the letters on top are the correct answers, the letters on the bottom are the code). Then fill-in the correct letter in the blank space above each code letter in the text.
A B C D E F G H I
Y Q L O K
J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Z O L R A
Y Q X A O Y R A L V K Y M U L V K S P A Y V I P K I M A Q Z R L R Y P A R K R A O R L Y Q K K O R X O P Q K Q U O W W Q A O V K K P A X P L K
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October 2020
Samurai Sudoku for October Samurai sudoku puzzles consist of five overlapping sudoku grids. The standard sudoku rules apply to each 9 x 9 grid. Place digits from 1 to 9 in each empty cell. Every row, every column, and every 3 x 3 box should contain one of each digit. This samurai sudoku puzzle is Luck! a greatSolutions way to engage and help develop logic skills. There are 5 overlapping grids with Good are the on brain our website www.EstrellaPublishing.com
Samurai Sudoku Puzzle #11
one unique solution. Each of 4 corners are shaded. To solve this Samurai puzzle use standard sudoku rules for every 9x9 grid: each digit from 1 to 9 can only appear once in every row, column and 3x3 box.
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Samurai sudoku grid, symmetric, beginner No 11 Created: https://www.sudoku-puzzles-online.com Estrella Publishing - The Front Porch magazine
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October 2020
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SOLD IN MARLEY PARK
by
Christie Giannetto
You are invited to contact me today for a FREE home value analysis 602.740.2313
More homes sold in Marley Park than any other agent since October 2013!* SOLD FOR FULL PRICE
UNDER CONTRACT
SOLD IN 2 DAYS
SOLD IN 2 DAYS
SOLD
14797 W Pershing St
14133 W Valentine St
14878 W Georgia Dr
15127 W Dahlia Dr
15249 W Georgia Dr
Sold Price ..................$350,000 Sq Ft ...............................2,619 Lot Sq Ft..........................7,341 Amenities .............. 3 Car Garage
Sq Ft ...............................2,027 Lot Sq Ft..........................5,175
Sold Price ..................$315,000 Sq Ft ...............................2,104 Lot Sq Ft........................12,270 Amenities ............... Quarter Acre
Sold Price ..................$415,000 Sq Ft ...............................3,328 Lot Sq Ft..........................8,160 Amenities........................... Pool
Sold Price ..................$363,000 Sq Ft ...............................2,773 Lot Sq Ft..........................7,800 Amenities ...... Pool, 3 Car Garage
SOLD
SOLD
SOLD
SOLD
SOLD
13152 N 147th Ln
15432 W Corrine Dr
12653 N 143rd Ln
14924 W Voltaire St
15368 W Dahlia Dr
Sold Price ..................$412,000 Sq Ft ...............................3,695 Lot Sq Ft........................10,377 Amenities ......Casita, 6 Bedrooms
Sold Price ..................$330,000 Sq Ft ...............................1,907 Lot Sq Ft..........................6,600 Amenities.. Former Builder Model
Sold Price ..................$372,000 Sq Ft ...............................2,486 Lot Sq Ft..........................7,800 Amenities ...............3 Car Garage
Sold Price ..................$236,700 Sq Ft ...............................1,353 Lot Sq Ft..........................5,613 Amenities.................3 Bedrooms
Sold Price ..................$255,500 Sq Ft ...............................2,182 Lot Sq Ft..........................3,850 Amenities................ 4 Bedrooms
Buyer represented by Christie Giannetto.
SOLD
SOLD
SOLD
SOLD
SOLD
14881 W Georgia Dr
15221 W Bloomfield Rd
15115 W Alexandria Way
14555 W Wethersfield Rd
14329 W Voltaire St
Sold Price ..................$305,000 Sq Ft ...............................2,104 Lot Sq Ft..........................5,640 Amenities .........4 Bedrooms, Loft
Sold Price ..................$298,600 Sq Ft ...............................2,455 Lot Sq Ft..........................7,680 Price Sq Ft ........................$122
Sold Price ..................$300,000 Sq Ft ...............................2,076 Lot Sq Ft..........................5,044 Price Sq Ft ........................$145
Sold Price ..................$399,706 Lot Sq Ft..........................7,256
Sold Price ..................$382,790 Sq Ft ...............................3,303 Lot Sq Ft..........................6,360 Price Sq Ft ........................$115
Buyer represented by Christie Giannetto.
Buyer represented by Christie Giannetto.
Your Marley Park Neighbor and Real Estate Specialist *Information obtained from Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service. Excludes new construction. As of 1/1/19.
Christie Giannetto | REALTOR® Arizona Lifestyle Team HomeSmart 602.740.2313 15543 N Reems Rd | Ste 139 Surprise AZ 85374 Christie@AZLifestyleTeam.com AZLifestyleTeam.com
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