The Front Porch

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Our Emotional Support

Dog Vader

Last month brought us some crazy rain and weather, but spring is finally in the air! Spring break is on the minds of many as well. Did you know that we live less than four hours from one of the most beautiful ocean beaches in the world? Puerto Peñasco, better known as Rocky Point, has been a favorite spring break destination for Arizonans for decades. Previously known as a place to camp out on the beach and party till the sun comes up, the early 2000s bought a development boom in the area that included beautiful resort-style properties that are now a favorite for families and those seeking a quieter, more relaxed vacation without the hassle and expense of international flights.

My husband and I first visited Rocky Point together in 2005 and it has been an annual getaway for us every year since. We love being able to hop in the car and be at the beach in just three hours and forty minutes, our record time! We always say that the ocean is the only thing Arizona lacks, but having it so close really makes our state one that has it all!

If you’ve never been to Rocky Point, but are thinking about going, you’re welcome to reach out for some tips and pointers. After more than 18 years of traveling there, we’ve come to learn all the ins and outs, dos and don’ts of making the trip smooth and stress-free. And, although we’ve never had a problem getting a strong signal within the resorts, the saying “Go where the wifi is weak and the sun is strong” certainly applies to the beach!

Wishing you a beautiful March. See you on The Front Porch… or maybe at the beach!

Christie Giannetto | Assistant Editor | The Front Porch Magazine

Welcome to the March edition of The Front Porch magazine!

On Our Cover

As the music teacher at Marley Park Elementary School, creating extra-curricular choirs for the school’s third through eighth grade students is something I’m very passionate about. “Sound Sensations” is the competitive show choir for grades 5-8. Students in this choir perform at school, district, and city events. For the past few years, students have worked to raise money to attend the Disney Imagination Experience in Anaheim, CA. The road to performing at the Disneyland Resort is quite challenging. Students must first try out at the end of the school year prior to when they plan to participate. Students attend a three-day practice session where they learn an audition song and its choreography. Putting the two parts together, students perform to show their singing and dancing abilities. After seeing all participants, a group is chosen. This year there are forty students performing.

After the group is formed, students attend a summer camp to get started on their musical set which consists of singing and dancing for a minimum of twenty minutes but can be up

to thirty minutes. Students must now prepare an audition for Disney coordinators to view. Sound Sensations passed this year on its first audition review. When school begins, students sell lollipops, chocolate bars, and get sponsors to help raise funds to pay for their hotel stay, charter bus, park hopper ticket, and performance fees. The more students that attend, the higher the cost. This year’s fees are just under $25,000. Students also practice twice a week from August through December to learn all the choreography. From January to April students practice once a week to retain learned material and make the set as perfect as possible. Students also must wear a costume consisting of a yellow shirt, black pants with black shoes, and green bandanas to support our Maverick colors.

Students love working with one another and learning how to work together to be a team. Everything must be done together. Students who participate in this group are fun to work with and love performing.

To support the Marley Park Elementary School Choir and its fundraising goals, contact the Marley Park PTA at MarleyParkPTA@gmail.com.

Submitted by Laurel Ruff| Music Teacher | Marley Park Elementary School

Yum Yum

Stuffed Peppers

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground turkey

1/4 pound lean ground deli ham

1 cup of white or brown rice, cooked

6 large bell peppers (any color)

3/4 cup of onion, diced

3 teaspoons of garlic, minced

1 cup of cooked white rice

1 teaspoon of salt

14 ounces canned diced tomatoes

4 ounces of tomato sauce, divided

1/4 cup of golden raisins

1/4 cup of toasted slivered almonds

1 teaspoon of salt to taste

1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon of dried leaf oregano

Chopped cilantro for garnish

Instructions:

* Preheat oven to 350 degrees

* Bring a large pot of water to a boil

* Cut the tops off your peppers and set aside. Carefully pull out the seeds and membranes, creating a cavity inside

* Dip the peppers into the boiling water, letting them cook for just 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, and drain on a paper towel

* Meanwhile, saute the onion and garlic in 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet for 5 to 7 minutes until translucent

* Toss in the cooked rice, half of the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, raisins, toasted almonds, seasonings, salt and pepper

* Stir to combine and cook until just heated through

* Grease a casserole dish by using a paper towel and a tablespoon of oil to prevent sticking

* Place the peppers in the casserole dish and spoon the meat and vegetable mixture into each of the prepared peppers

* Top each pepper with about a tablespoon of the tomato sauce

* Sprinkle with a little oregano and chopped cilantro, and cover the dish with foil

* Bake for 10 minutes, remove foil and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes

* Carefully remove from oven, let cool and enjoy!

Announcements

Anthony Terrell was born at 3:11 a.m. on January 21st to Marley Park residents Ashley Sanchez and Matthew Gill.

He weighed in at 7 pounds 3 oz and was 19 3/4 inches long.

Anthony joins siblings Matthew Jr. (age 12), Lynnaea (age 10), Malik (age 9), Azarah (age 5), and Nahomi (age 2).

Welcome to Marley Park, Anthony!

Blessed AND Depressed

Many people feel so blessed in their lives, so fortunate, yet they also feel depressed and they don’t know why. Some feel guilty about it, others are confused. Guess what? Gratitude and depression are NOT mutually exclusive. Here’s why:

1. Just like our parents can pass on their eye color or their predisposition for diabetes, they can pass on depression and other mental health conditions. Your life may be great, but you still have to contend with genetics that aren’t within your control.

2. Just because there are many good things in your life doesn’t mean there aren’t also bad things, too. Maybe you live well, but you’re lonely. Maybe you have a happy marriage and healthy kids, but you also have an incurable illness. Maybe you have a good life and support system, but you just lost your spouse of many years.

3. Even though you are very blessed now, it doesn’t mean that you haven’t had a rough childhood or life before now that’s left an indelible impact on your mental health.

4. We face a very real enemy. Satan’s job is to keep us away from God. He tries to make us doubt God and the plan He has for us, including putting thoughts in our heads that are dark or depressive.

5. Human nature is to focus on the negative. The brain processes negative emotions more thoroughly than positive ones. For every negative comment we hear, it takes at least five positive comments to counteract it.

6. Things aren’t always as they seem. Just because someone has a good life on the outside doesn’t mean that things are good behind close

doors. Maybe they secretly live with an addict, maybe they’re being abused, maybe they’re in so much debt they can’t see straight. The cover of the book may be beautiful, but the content really sucks.

Next month, we’ll discuss six things you can do to combat feeling blessed and depressed.

DISCLAIMER: Material is for informational purposes and not intended to be a substitute for evaluation or treatment by a licensed professional. Material is copyrighted and may only be reproduced with written permission of Dr. Bellingrodt.

Submitted by Jennifer Bellingrodt, Psy.D., Licensed Clinical Psychologist.

Legal Advice

NON-STRESS PAY ON DEATH DESIGNATIONS

To avoid probate, beneficiary designations work well for accounts and real estate, if you are leaving assets to a few people or charities.

Without a beneficiary designation or trust, you can avoid probate only if the assets do not exceed $100,000 of real property, $75,000 in personal property (cash, accounts and tangible personal property), or you do not expect more than $5,000 in wages in the year after your death.

For accounts, there several terms used: pay on death pay on death (or “POD”) or transfer on death (or “TOD”). For IRAs and 401ks, the terms “designated beneficiary” is used.

Financial institutions do not use the terms POD and TOD interchangeably. If you use one of the terms and are told that the bank does not have that type of designation, then ask for the other type of designation, or even ask whether any beneficiary designation is available.

Remember never to list a minor on a designation for POD, TOD or IRA type account. A minor cannot receive more than $10,000 in a year without a court conservatorship; which is more costly than a probate and distributes the funds when the child reaches 18. In such cases, a revocable trust and Will are more effective and less expensive.

Sharon Ravenscroft, Esq., The Cavanagh Law Firm, PA, Sun City and Phoenix offices, (623) 815-7451 or Sravenscroft@CavanaghLaw. com. Sharon’s practice focuses on Wills, trusts, probate and trust administration. For more information www.sharonravenscroft.com.

Home Sweet Home

If you’ve been following the housing market over the last couple of years, you’ve likely heard about growing affordability challenges. According to experts, the key factors that determine housing affordability are projected to improve this year. The three measures used to establish home affordability are home prices, mortgage rates, and wages.

Mortgage rates shot up to over 7% last year, causing many buyers to put their plans on hold, but things are looking different today as rates are starting to come down. George Ratiu, Senior Economist at realtor.com, explains, “With inflation showing a tangible slowdown, I do expect mortgage rates to follow suit in the months ahead.” Even a small change in rates can impact your purchasing power. If 7% rates paused your homebuying plans last year, this could be the opportunity you need to get back in the game.

The second factor at play is home prices. Home prices have made headlines over the past few years because they skyrocketed during the pandemic. While prices will likely be flat this

year in some markets, the Phoenix area is expected to see slight declines.

The final component in the affordability equation is wages. When you think about affordability, remember the full picture includes more than just mortgage rates and prices. Wages need to be factored in as well. Because wages have been rising, many buyers have renewed opportunity in the market.

While affordability hurdles are not completely going away this year, based on current trends and projections, 2023 should bring some sense of relief to homebuyers who have faced growing challenges. As Mike Fratantoni, Chief Economist at the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), says, “Rates are expected to move lower for the year, and home price growth is expected to cool, both of which will help affordability challenges.”

If you have questions, contact your local real estate expert. You’ll also want to make sure you have a trusted lender so you can explore your financing options. You may be closer to owning a home than you think.

Submitted by Christie Giannetto | REALTOR® | REAL Broker

Colorectal Cancer

Every year the month of March is recognized as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. It’s your annual reminder that screenings that can detect polyps or early cancers in the colon can be lifesaving. Colon cancer is one of the most common cancers in the Unites States, and the 3rd leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S. During the pandemic, many put off their annual screenings, and now is a great time to get back on track.

Nearly all colorectal cancers start with a polyp, which is small area of unchecked growths on the inner lining of the colon. Polyps and colon cancers rarely create symptoms such as pain or bleeding. Early detection and treatment, even before symptoms appear, results in improved survival rates, according to doctors at Abrazo West Campus.

“The colon is the lowest part of the intestine, also called the large intestine. Its inside lining where growths called polyps can appear, and some polyps can grow into colon cancer. Through colonoscopy, doctors can inspect the inside lining of the colon and remove polyps

which helps prevent cancers from forming,” explained Dr. Sushil Pandey, a colorectal Surgeon on the medical staff at Abrazo West.

It’s important to find cancers early or find them as polyps and have them removed, he said. The incidence of colon cancer is increasing among younger people, and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that screenings begin at age 45.

“The risk of developing colon polyps and cancer increases as one ages. The majority of colon cancer is found in patients without any symptoms or a family history of colon cancer. We all need a colonoscopy starting at 45 years old unless you have a first-degree relative with colon cancer or polyps, where one should consider being tested earlier than age 45,” said Dr. Carlos A. Esparza, a colorectal surgeon on medical staff at Abrazo West Campus.

If you think you are at increased risk for colorectal cancer, speak with your doctor about when to begin screening, which test is right for you and how often to get tested.

Submitted by Abrazo Health

Gymtimidation

Exercise is part of a healthy lifestyle at every age, but it is particularly important for seniors. Why? Sharlyn Green, a national trainer with SilverSneakers, says it goes beyond physical wellness. “Regular exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight, boost your memory and decrease the risk for some diseases such as Type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease,” she said. “It can help you stay independent and able to keep doing the things you enjoy. It’s time to bust the misconception that gyms are only for younger people and fitness enthusiasts. Gyms are for everyone, no matter their age or abilities.”

The problem is, a gym can be intimidating!

To help everyone feel comfortable and confident Green recommends these steps:

Step 1: Get a tour

Have someone who works for the gym show you where everything is. Don’t expect to understand immediately what it all does or how to use it. You’re simply establishing baseline knowledge so you can build your experience from there. Remember, don’t be afraid to ask questions during or after your tour. Employees at a good gym will take an inclusive approach and be happy to help you by clarifying information or guiding you appropriately.

Step 2: Request a training program

People new to gyms typically get the best results from a personalized program created by a trainer. Print out the program for reference and to record what you do - which machines, how much weight, how many times you lift, etc.

Step 3: Know the exercises in your program

It’s important to know where the equipment you need is and how to use it. Understanding the equipment and gym etiquette is important for your safety and others’. For example, you

don’t want to unintentionally walk into someone’s workout space and cause them to trip, fall or drop heavy weights.

Step 4: Learn how to adjust machines

Understanding the purpose of a machine is the first step, then you need to know how to adjust it to fit your needs. Depending on your height, weight, fitness level and goals, you may need to adjust certain machines every time you use them. When in doubt, ask. It’s better to pause and use a machine correctly than go forward and risk hurting yourself or others. A trainer or gym employee can help you, so don’t be shy.

Step 5: Know how much weight or resistance to use

A good trainer will guide you in finding the appropriate weight or resistance for each exercise and share that information in your program. Use this as a foundation and adjust as needed, keeping in mind that as you progress, you’ll likely make changes to continue your health journey.

Again, if something isn’t clear, ask!

Samurai Sudoku

This samurai sudoku puzzle is a great way to engage the brain and help develop logic skills. 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. Good Luck!

Solutions are on our website www.EstrellaPublishing.com