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From Me To You...

I have been watching our robotic vacuum cleaner a lot recently, we named him Gary after the snail in SpongeBob SquarePants. Now that the kids are away at college I moved him upstairs to give my carpets a regular cleaning without worrying about it. (Also there is much less chance that he will get caught on the detritus of teenage life now that the kids are away.)

The vacuum is supposed to clean on a somewhat random pattern and send himself home when he needs to recharge or empty his bin. The thing is, Gary seems to spend most of his time trying to get home, circling the same area over and over, bumping into walls and furniture. The more he circles, the more I am tempted to pick Gary up and place him on his base to cut out the hours of mindless meandering. It wont help though, if I return Gary to his base without letting him find his own way there then he will not learn how to get home next time.

The parallels to raising children are remarkable. You watch them grow and make mistakes, trying to find their way in life, turning on the same

axis over and over again. As tempting as it is to just tell them how to achieve their goals, or even worse, find the solution for them, that teaches them nothing. I take that back, it teaches them that someone will always be there to pick up the slack and solve their problems. The trick to successful parenting, in my mind, is to allow your children to find their own solutions. I am not saying that you can’t help them or guide them, but the value lies in learning that things can be done by yourself, and the pride in knowing you can do things for yourself is immeasurable.

Having said that, I just found my vacuum in the master closet, he ran out of power trying to get back to his base by himself. Just like kids, if they really fail, we will always place them gently back on their base with a reassuring pat and some encouraging words. “You’ll get it next time, kid.”

Catherine Uretsky Editor, Main Street magazine info@estrellapublishing.com 623-398-5541

Home Reno

Balancing beauty with practicality is a common challenge when renovating and upgrading a home. This desire to marry personal style with purpose was evident at the 2023 Kitchen & Bath Industry Show. Popular trends especially cater to tech-savvy homeowners looking for innovative products that can make their home lives more convenient. If you want to create a home that combines personal style with practicality, check out five top home trends for 2023 and beyond.

1. Wide open spaces

Homeowners are looking for ways to create more space in their homes to increase their square footage and functionality. According to the NKBA, 74 percent of homeowners want to tear down walls to open up the kitchen to other areas of the home.

2. Design and function

There’s no need to choose between beauty and practicality. Today’s modern appliance brands are finding the intersection of design and function for homeowners who want the best of both worlds. The latest counter depth refrigerators

are great examples of how you don’t have to sacrifice space for design or vice versa.

3. Sustainability matters

Like many other industries, sustainability is a popular trend for kitchens. From LED lights to water-efficient fixtures and Energy Star certified appliances, homeowners are looking for ways to make more environmentally friendly choices in their homes.

4. Steam power

Many appliances showcased at KBIS 2023 harness the power of steam. From steam ovens to steam closets, companies are innovating appliances to make a homeowner’s day-to-day life cleaner and tidier with minimal fuss.

5. Space and versatility

Space and versatility are top of mind to homeowners. According to a recent survey, homeowners 50 percent of respondents saying they were specifically looking for an extra-large refrigerator.

Are you ready to start on your kitchen upgrades?

You’ll be ahead of the curve in style and functionality by incorporating a couple of these trends into your home renovations.

Summertime Essentials

The weather is getting warmer, and summer is rapidly approaching. Since summer is the season for fun in the sun, a few essential items can help your children through the hot summer months.

• Sunscreen is necessary because protecting your child’s skin from the sun is extremely important;

• Children may also need sunglasses to shield their eyes from the UVA and UVB rays in sunlight. This awesome accessory allows a child to protect their eyes while looking fashionably cute doing it! Be sure to consider a hat as well;

• Once your children are protected from the sun, it is time to get outside and play.

Consider:

– Using chalk for creative drawings and games like hopscotch with friends and family members;

– Using spray bottles for watering plants and for cooling off with exciting water games;

– Capturing and examining bugs with a net and an insect container. Children love venturing outside to look for butterflies and other insects. When your child captures an insect, talk with them about what they have caught, and then release the creature back into its natural surroundings.

How does your family enjoy playtime outdoors?

Submitted by Nicole Bigham, On-site Owner, The Goddard School in Buckeye-Verrado

Combatting Depressive Feelings

As promised in last month’s article, Blessed AND Depressed, I’m back with 6 ways to combat depressive feelings:

1. Start a gratitude journal by writing down 3 things each day for which you are grateful. It’s all about perspective! If you want a more structured approach, visit ThePsychoeducationAcademy. Thinkific.com for a free GLAD exercise.

2. When negativity comes in, redirect your attention to the positives in your life. Look back at your gratitude journal for reminders. Take some deep breaths and picture the positives in your life or some other scene that makes you happy.

3. If you’re a person of faith, you can pray for positive thoughts, redirection or some other relief and tell the devil to get behind you.

4. Ensure that you’re physically doing what you can to fight depression. Make sure you’re getting the right number and type of calories, drinking plenty of water, exercising and getting adequate sleep.

5. Talk to someone about how you’re feeling. Maybe a different perspective or a more objective look at the situation can help you reframe things in a more positive–or at least less negative–way.

6. Get out of yourself by helping someone else, like going on a mission trip or volunteering at a soup kitchen, disabled veterans’ association, homeless shelter or other agency that helps people who are struggling. This can also serve as a reality check, reminding you of the good in your own life.

For more ideas, search “depression antidotes” on www.doctorbellingrodt.com. If you’re depression has you thinking you don’t want to be alive anymore, seek immediate medical attention by dialing 911 or dial 988 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Hotline 24/7/365.

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.

A Lethal Experiment

Experimenting with drugs is more dangerous than ever. With 6 out of 10 counterfeit pills in 2022 containing enough fentanyl to potentially kill your child (just 2 mg), as found by the DEA, there is a 60% chance of one pill destroying your child’s life.

ONE pill can kill. And—it is not just pills; fentanyl is being found in other street drugs such as marijuana, heroin, cocaine, Percocet, Adderall, and Xanax.

Parents like Rebecca Kiessling did not realize the threat our nation is truly facing until her two boys died of fentanyl poisoning. In an interview with Tucker Carlson, she said, “People didn’t use to die from experimenting with drugs.” Before Congress, she stated, “…law enforcement made it clear to me that this fentanyl came from Mexico. It came from our southern border. I didn’t know what fentanyl was. I didn’t know what Narcan was. …I didn’t know people were dying.”

Parents, your kids need you. Your son or

daughter is not immune—talk to your children. It is not your father’s Percocet or your grandmother’s weed. Prevention starts at home; keep communication open and build those relationships. Kids often do not want to disappoint mom and dad; this can lead to hiding from you or running toward you in times of trouble. Which will it be?

Ms. Kiessling mentioned Narcan earlier; this is a vital tool in saving lives from opioid overdose deaths. Narcan is a nasal spray version of naloxone, an opioid antagonist, used to temporarily push opioids off opioid receptors in the brain, blocking their effects. Without a prescription, you can get Narcan from a pharmacy or find a local distributor on NaloxoneAZ.com, free-of-charge! Having Narcan on hand is vital in today’s world, and you can find out how to use it among many other free resources at wayoutwestcoalition.org/resources

We exist to serve you and our community. Please spread this information to everyone; we want to see more lives saved from fentanyl poisoning and accidental overdose.The WOW Coalition is a prevention association that promotes safe and healthy choices and responds to problems caused by marijuana, nicotine, and opioid use by implementing strategies to prevent and reduce youth substance use. For additional information, visit wowcoalition.org, call us at (623) 208-3230 or email: info@ wowcoalition.org.

Submitted by Larry Tracey, Youth4Youth,WOW Coalition Program Director.

For additional information, visit www.Youth4Youth.org or http:// www.wowcoalition.org

Spring Cleaning

As you’re doing your spring cleaning, how about taking inventory of your family’s prescription medications: Do you have expired prescriptions you no longer need? Many fire and police stations will accept medications for safe disposal. It’s also a good time to organize a list of the medications in your family’s medicine cabinet, in case there’s a medical emergency, according to Danelle Readinger, Emergency Services Director at Abrazo West Campus in Goodyear.

“What if you or a family member were rushed to the hospital, would a loved one be able to provide a current list of your medications to first responders or the Emergency Department? What if it was your child or parent? Would you know the names and dosages of their prescriptions? How about any non-prescription medications?” she asks. “It’s important to know, because not having this information may cause a delay in care, as paramedics or hospital staff try to confirm current medications before providing that information to the physician.”

Health care professionals from Abrazo hospitals throughout the Valley say that keeping your list of medications and health history up to date can help patients avoid adverse effects from dosing errors, omissions, duplications and drug interactions. Some of the important things to keep track of include:

• Medications, including name, dosage and whether it was completed or is ongoing.

• Medical history. This may include chronic conditions or recent illnesses.

• Allergies to medications and foods and the type of reaction.

• Vitamins, supplements, and other over-thecounter items, and dosage.

• Other pertinent health information, including immunizations.

There are some common sense ways to help keep this information: Each time you make a change, note the date. Ask your pharmacy (or pharmacies) to print out a list of medications filled in the last year. And make sure someone in your family or circle of friends knows where you keep your medications list.

Submitted by Abrazo Health

Reading Readiness

When parents instill a love of reading in their children from an early age, it increases their oral language skills and vocabulary knowledge, which helps to build a solid foundation for later reading ability. In addition, focusing on key early literacy skills during the preschool years can help parents and teachers identify potential indicators of learning challenges so early intervention can be provided. Beyond developing early language and literacy skills, reading may also increase a child’s ability to understand the emotions of others - a critical life skill that leads to empathy and compassion.

Dr. Maria Shaheen, senior director of early childhood education at Primrose Schools, provides five tips to help parents encourage a lasting love of reading in their children:

1) Introduce language as early as possible - even before birth. Speaking and reading to your baby during pregnancy establishes voice recognition and promotes cognitive development.

2) Make reading a regular part of bedtime routine. Reading books should be a favorite

bedtime activity. With daily “tuck-in” stories and snuggling together at bedtime, infants and young children begin to associate reading with comfort, warmth and security.

3) Offer a wide variety of stories. This can include nursery rhymes, poetry, nonfiction and fiction from many genres, as well as books that celebrate a wide range of cultures and diverse characters.

4) Help children discover the magic of books for themselves. Books can help young children understand their own feelings when characters face similar life events, so parents should pick topics their children may be curious about.

5) Make reading a fun learning experience. Preschool children can create books with their own stories about things they do with their families. Parents can also play silly word games that help children play with sounds, such as rhyming games or tongue twisters.

Starting a reading routine throughout daily life models for children the importance of reading as a way to gain information and valuable life skills, explore new worlds, encourage imagination and have fun.

SPRING EVENTS in Verrado V V V

APRIL 1 | 3PM - 7PM

$10 ADMISSION

Come celebrate the start of spring and visit the extravagant backyards here in Verrado. There will be music, food, and auctions happening at the Village Green — all proceeds go to The White Tank Mountains Conservancy.

Tickets can be purchased online or with cash on April 1 from noon to 3 p.m. at the Village Green. Wristbands can be picked up at The Center On Main, March 28 through March 31, from 5 to 9 p.m. due to closure or at the Village Green during Music on Main.

EVERY SUNDAY 9AM-1PM The

Village Green

SATURDAY, APRIL 8TH

Hosted by: TK Luxury Group, Tara McKenna and Anne King Golden eggs will be hidden throughout Verrado with gift certificates and more to local Verrado shops and restaurants!

For details follow each of our social posts @tkluxurygroup @brennenjkent @tararowemckenna @annekingrealtor

Teen Lifeline

Staff and volunteers at suicide prevention nonprofit Teen Lifeline are urging anyone who knows a teen to Connect with Care on National Telephone Day, Tuesday, April 25. Research indicates that suicides by people of all ages, including teens, tend to increase during the spring months. Each year, the free, confidential Teen Lifeline crisis hotline, which is staffed by volunteer teen peer counselors, experiences an average 10% increase in calls during the months between Spring Break and the end of the school year.

“Connection, family support and community support are all preventive factors that decrease the risk of suicide for our youth,” says Nikki Kontz, clinical director at Teen Lifeline. “There’s no better way to celebrate National Telephone Day than to use your phone for its best possible purpose – to connect with the teens you know and possibly save a life. Any teen death by suicide is one too many. The reality is that the entire community needs to get involved if we’re going to stop teen suicide in Arizona.”

According to Kontz, reaching out on National Telephone Day can be as simple as sending a message like this:

•Just checking in. How are you doing?

•Thinking about you today – how’s it going?

•Doing OK at school? Feeling good about finals or do you need some support?

•Haven’t talked in a while and wanted to say hi!

•I hope you’re having a great week!

Adults who suspect a teen may be considering suicide should ask the teen about it directly. Asking the question will not plant the idea of suicide in a teenager’s head and can give them permission to open up, says Kontz. If a teen replies that they have been thinking about suicide, Kontz recommends thanking them for their honesty and then asking questions about how they’ve been feeling and why. Experts recommend validating the teen’s feelings while being careful not to be dismissive, pass judgement or act like the teen is being dramatic. If a teen is in immediate danger of self-inflicted harm or of acting on suicidal thoughts, call 911 or take the child to an emergency room. If the teen is not in immediate danger, create a plan to get help by calling Teen Lifeline or seeking a referral to mental health services or counseling. While waiting for services, be sure to minimize suicide risks by locking up all medications, sharp objects and poisonous chemicals and securing

For more information, visit TeenLifeline.org.

The Bug Guy

Termites are every homeowner’s nightmare. They not only eat through the wood in walls, they are difficult to detect. Here are just a few fascinating facts about these saw-toothed, silent property destroyers.

• Insatiable Hunger

It is not recommended to follow the typical diet of a termite colony. They consume wood, flooring, and even wallpaper non-stop, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To better put this in perspective, it is estimated that an established subterranean termite colony, here in the valley, needs approximately a board foot of 2X12 wood to survive for a year. Just imagine the damage that could be done over time if left undetected.

• Mob Mentality

Termites do not work alone, they are social insects, and the activity of a colony is dictated by swarm intelligence. With this system, colonies can take advantage of resources one termite couldn’t by itself. It helps termite colonies be very efficient at establishing themselves in a house they have infested.

• Colony Cliques

Termites have specialized jobs within the colony. These different groups have specific features that help them perform their job so the colony can grow. A typical termite colony consists of workers, soldiers, nymphs, and reproductive individuals.

Workers make up most of the colony. They are responsible for foraging as well as maintaining the nest and the colony’s eggs. Worker termites are most likely to be found in infested wood. Other individuals serve as soldiers who protect the rest of the colony. These soldiers have enlarged jaws that can block tunnels in case of an attack by ants. Interestingly, many soldiers have jaws so large that they cannot feed themselves. Nymphs are young termites and, in some species, take on the duties of worker termites. One way in which termites differ from other social insects is that a colony has a primary queen and king who mate for life. However, a colony will also have a class of winged reproductive individuals that can leave to start other colonies.

If you think you have a termite infestation be sure to contact a licensed pest professional.

Submitted by Larry Cash, of Estrella Mountain Pest Control

Yum Yum

To help ring in spring and celebrate the possibilities of citrus, try this standout Lemon Loaf starring Sunkist lemon juice and zest, ideal for brunch, dessert or an afternoon treat.

Ingredients

Loaf

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs, room temperature

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups cake flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Zest from 2 Sunkist lemons

Glaze

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Zest from 1 Sunkist lemon

Directions

* Preheat oven to 350F and line your 8 x 4” loaf pan with parchment paper.

* Cream butter and sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add in your eggs one at a time and vanilla extract. Into a smaller bowl mix together your flour, salt and baking soda. Alternate adding your dry ingredients with your sour cream. Fold in fresh lemon juice and zest and mix until well combined. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan.

* Bake in oven about 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Meanwhile, prepare glaze by mixing powdered sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest together until smooth.

* Remove loaf from oven and let cool completely before topping with glaze.

Money Matters

Becoming part of a blended family can certainly be rewarding. Of course, as is the case in all families, there will be challenges, one of which is financial. A blended family must deal with some specific financial issues, so it’s a good idea to become familiar with them.

In particular, consider these areas:

• Separate or joint accounts? – Should your two family units combine all your finances or maintain separate accounts? There’s no one correct answer for everyone, because this issue has emotional and psychological components to it, as well as financial considerations. But the nature of your new, blended family might guide you to a choice that makes sense for your situation. So, for example, if you are remarrying at a later stage in life, and you and your new spouse have adult children, you might think the best move is to keep separate accounts. But if you are joining households with a spouse or partner with younger children, you may want to merge accounts to pay for household expenses and work toward your new, shared financial objectives. And it doesn’t have to be an “eitheror” approach — you might decide to blend some accounts and keep others separate.

• Debts and credit ratings – It’s likely that you and your new spouse or partner, and perhaps even some children, will bring debts into your blended family. As these debts can affect your family’s finances in several ways, including your ability to borrow and your credit ratings, you will want to know what everyone owes, and the amount of monthly payments needed to meet these obligations. After that, you may be able to find ways to consolidate debts or find other ways to reduce or eliminate them.

• Legal issues – When you establish a blended family, you may want to review, and possibly update, the beneficiary designations on your life insurance policy and retirement accounts, such as your IRA and 401(k). These designations can supersede instructions you may have left in

your estate planning documents — including your last will and testament — so it’s important to ensure they reflect your current wishes. And speaking of your estate plans, you may well need to revise them, too, in consultation with your attorney.

• Attitudes toward money – Attitudes toward money — yours and those of your new spouse or partner — should be addressed when starting a blended family. Is one of you more of a saver while the other spends more freely? As investors, does one of you favor taking more risk while the other is more conservative? It’s important to reconcile these differences as best you can, especially if you plan on merging your finances. This means that you both may need to compromise somewhat, but you should strive to avoid having either of you feeling uncomfortable in your choices. In any case, open and honest communication is the first step in achieving a harmonious financial strategy.

These aren’t the only financial considerations involved with blended families, but they should give you some things to think about — and the earlier you start thinking about them, the better.

Submitted by Wayne Polk, AAMS, Financial Advisor, of Edward Jones, Verrado resident

Furry Friends

My husband and I have had a succession of pure-bred Brittanys over the 40 years we have been together. Each has been a phenomenal companion with a unique personality and varying levels of skill and empathy. We have loved every one of them and have been heartbroken each time one left us. In fact, when the last one passed three years ago, we vowed we’d take a break. You may have said the same thing and are not ready to take on a new furry companion. So let me tell you my story.

When we lost our precious Ms. Ellie in August of 2021, we met Sarah Taylor, the founder of Community Paws, when we dropped off some donations. She introduced us to a Mercedes, found under an abandoned house with her seven puppies. All skin and bones, loaded with fleas, ticks and worms, she had precious little milk left to feed her babies.

Mercedes had great potential. She was beautiful, mellow and so eager for attention. We returned a few days later to take her for a walk to see how

she did on a leash. Then we started bringing her home for a couple of hours, and it wasn’t long before we finalized her adoption. Sadi (short for Mercedes) has been with us for nearly three years, and we have never regretted our decision.

Rescued animals have so much love to give, and they do so unconditionally. Deciding to adopt is a big decision for anyone, but consider the joy of knowing that you have given an abandoned pet a chance at a better life. Trust me, that fourlegged companion will end up rescuing you. You can view the animals looking for forever homes on our website at www.CommunityPaws. org. Any pet you adopt will be spayed/neutered, vaccinated, dewormed and microchipped by a veterinarian. Community Paws provides this service to help with some of the upfront costs of adding a new four-legged member to your family.

All these pets need is you to change their world forever. Not only that, you’ll get a new best friend out of the deal. Seriously, what could be better than that?

Submitted for Community Paws by Lyndie Mason Warner, Verrado resident.

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!

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Daniel’s Total Car Care

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EDUCATION

The Goddard School

FINANCIAL/ LEGAL SERVICES

Edward Jones - W Polk

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Johnson Wealth Management

Mahoney Law Office

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HEALTHCARE & BEAUTY

Bailey Orthodontics

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Elite Senior Services

Good Night Pediatrics

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Natural Essence Studio

HOUSEHOLD

Al’s Plumbing

Arizona Sun Control

Century Glass and Mirror

Consider It Finished Painting

Creative Surface Solutions

Estrella Mountain Pest Control

J & H Appliance Repair

JBS Roofing

Screen Mobile

State 48 Roofing

West Valley Rock

Younger Brothers Exterminating

PET CARE

Gentle Hearts Animal Hospital

REAL ESTATE

HomeSmart Realty - The Lang Group

Keller Williams - A King

Keller Williams - TK Luxury Group

Main Street Property Mgmt - K Pellerin

Realty One Group - A Herman

Realty One Group - E Chionchio

Robson Reserve at PebbleCreek

RETAIL

Arie Layne Boutique

Off The Hook Meat Shop

Pure Patio

Sound Leader Seafoods