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From Me To You...

that seem so high and low compared to the ‘normal range’ presented to you.

I was scrolling on the internet recently and a headline jumped out at me, “3 Scary Noises Your Furnace Shouldn’t Make.” So I immediately thought, “I should read this so I know if my furnace is making any unusual or dangerous noises!” Now I should note that my furnace is not making any odd noises that I am aware of, and if it was I wouldn’t hear them anyway because it is in the garage. But that did not stop me from scrolling to learn all I could - from the font of all wisdom, the internet. So you do what we all do. Google it. This, my friends, is the rabbit hole of information that always ends with you convinced that you have at the least a serious, if not terminal, diagnosis. Once an actual doctor was consulted there was nothing unusual in the tests, but the temporary terror we experienced was not good for our health. In this world of law suits and commercials claiming that everyone has been exposed to some terrifying chemical or other, it can be hard to reign in the terror that a medical report instills.

Did you ever think that there would be too much information? That having access to all the knowledge out there would cause more problems than it would fix? Let me give you another example. Someone in our family recently had regular blood work done. “Not a problem!” You say. Well, have you visited a doctor recently? Gone for any blood tests or scans? Then you too are a victim of the ‘knows too much’ family. Those incomprehensible lists of names you almost know from all those hours of watching Grey’s Anatomy, the scary numbers A little knowledge is apparently a dangerous thing, and I will try to reduce my internet based research in the future. Now excuse me while I check out my furnace, I swear I heard it making a noise just now... Catherine Uretsky Editor, White Tanks View Magazine info@estrellapublishing.com 623.398.5541

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Yum Yum

Texas Sheet Cake Cookies (for Santa!)

It’s the most wonderful time of the year for COOKIE EXCHANGES! Many of us have been to one or hosted ~ depending on the number of guests, instructions are given for how many cookies to bring so that everyone goes home with a bountiful variety. The recipe I’m sharing this month comes from a neighbor, Kelly, who brought these to last year’s event ~ and they were one of the hits of the party! And what are the origins of Texas Sheet Cake, you ask? A reference for a large chocolate sheet cake published in the Galveston Daily News back in 1936 as well as a 1967 recipe for another chocolate sheet cake with pecans in the frosting that was published in the Huntsville Heritage Cookbook. Yes, Huntsville as in Alabama, not Texas!

Helpful Hint: Purchase a bakery box for each guest for ease in transport home.

Cookie Ingredients: 1 box Devil’s Food Cake Mix 2 Eggs, whisked 1/3 C Vegetable or Canola Oil Frosting: ½ C unsalted Butter 2 T unsweetened Cocoa Powder 3 T whole Milk 2-1/2 C Powdered Sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine cookie ingredients in a large bowl until mixed thoroughly. Dough will be thick. Using a medium cookie scoop, place dough on parchment-lined cookie sheets.

Bake for 7-8 minutes; remove from oven then let cool on the cookie sheets for 4-5 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack.

Combine first (3) frosting ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat and whisk until melted. Remove from heat and add powdered sugar ~ whisk until smooth. Using a small spatula, spread frosting over cookies.

Let frosting set; cookies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature up to (3) days. Optional: Place a Pecan Half on each cookie after frosting is spread.

Submitted by Maureen Woods

Legal Advice

NON-STRESS IRA DESIGNATION

For 401ks, IRAs and other qualified retirement accounts, the designated beneficiary form directs how the funds will be paid on your death. Common problems that arise with beneficiary designations are:

• The “Estate” or no beneficiary is listed, so a probate is needed and the IRA will lose the ability to be stretched beyond 5 years, increasing the income tax. • A beneficiary dies before you, and if the trust was not the IRA’s designee, then the financial company rules apply to who gets the deceased beneficiary’s share. • The designated beneficiary is a minor, not a trust for the minor, and so a costly court conservatorship is need and much of the deferred tax benefit is lost. • Your spouse, who is not your children’s parent, did not sign a spousal waiver, so your spouse is entitled to at least if not all of funds, not your children.

Remember, currently, an inherited IRA must be paid in 10 years, if the beneficiary is not a spouse. Leaving a portion or all of your qualified retirement account to charity makes sense. The charity does not pay income taxes and will receive more funds than a family member. Other assets which are not taxable then can be left to family or friends.

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.

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Well Visits

Annual well-child visits are doctor appointments for preventive health services which are essential for ensuring a child’s growth and tracking developmental milestones. The visit is also the time for routine immunizations to prevent diseases like measles, polio, hepatitis B, chickenpox, whooping cough and others.

“Like vaccines, which prevent physical health conditions, speaking with your child’s primary care physician regularly about mental health concerns is also an essential part of overall preventive care,” said Rhonda L. Randall, D.O. and chief medical officer at UnitedHealthcare. “Your annual well-child visit is also an opportunity to have a conversation with your child’s physician. It’s best to have these conversations when problems or warning signs first appear, so your physician can take the appropriate steps to best treat them.” If you’re not sure what questions to ask your child’s primary care physician during an annual well-child visit, consider the following:

1) Ask what vaccines are appropriate for your child’s age - and how to make up any that have been missed. If you are concerned about childhood vaccines, ask the pediatrician about common side effects, which are typically very mild, such as pain or swelling at the injection site, and can include low-grade fever or rash.

2) Discuss changes in your child’s behavior. Some common warning signs that your child’s mental well-being isn’t where it needs to be include persistent sadness, withdrawing from or avoiding social interactions, displaying outbursts of irritability, drastic changes in mood, behavior or personality, changes in eating habits, difficulty sleeping, frequent headaches or stomach aches, difficulty concentrating, changes in academic performance or avoiding or missing school.

3) Ask for guidance on how best to support your child. Whether you have concerns about your child’s nutrition, exercise, sleeping patterns or behavioral changes, your child’s primary care physician is a great place to start.

4) Don’t forget to bring your sports physical forms. It’s great if your child participates in school sports. The wellness visit is an opportune time to make sure your physician is aware that your child is a student-athlete and address any concerns like nutrition, prior injuries and family history. 5) Ask for recommendations for other health care professionals, if needed. For example, if your child hasn’t seen the dentist in a while, if their vision screening indicated that they need to see an eye doctor, or their mental health screening has raised concerns, ask which health care professionals they would recommend.

If you haven’t already, now is the time to schedule an appointment with their pediatrician, to give your child a healthy start to the new year.