NEWS FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY
February 2018
www.cookremodeling.com   •   Licensed/Bonded/ROC #178018    •   (480) 491-3077
In This Issue:

Factors In Choosing A General Contractor / February is Heart Healthy Month
Vacation the Way You Want / Roasted Salmon Green Beans & Tomatoes

Read on and remember to share with your friends and family.
It’s a new year and Spring is around the corner, and thoughts of making home improvements can come to mind. It isn’t practical to be able to see before and finished projects for a sense if a particular General Contractor is the one that will do the job well. But one can get a better understanding of their ability to deliver by doing some checking into these six factors.
 
  • Professionalism Do they have a website? Do they offer community education and resources with a blog and social media? Do they have office staff?

  • Longevity A company that has weathered a few economic cycles can be a good indicator that they will be in business in the future. How experienced will the person be working at your home?

  • Having core set of employees It may be less expensive for a General Contractor to sub out all the work, but harder to deliver consistent quality. You will want a company that has their own front line employees, and long term relationships with trade professionals for your job.

  • Good Reviews and Recommendations Read through a sampling of online reviews, and if you are wanting more assurance, ask for recently completed project references to talk to the customers yourself.

  • Personality and communication style  There may be a rare occasion that the person they’ve sent to look at your project may not mesh with your personality style or expectations. If you don’t feel understood, ask if they have another representative to look at your project.

  • Design ideas and solutions and support The person should impress you that they have experience and offer options or feedback that you had not thought of before. They should be able to recommend quality products that offer good value, or connect you with a knowledgeable person to help you make selections.
 
 These tips can help you get an end result better than you expected!   


All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.
Pov. 14:23
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Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. and the world. It is not just a men’s problem, more women will die from heart disease than from all cancers combined. A study found that 9 out of 10 women have measurable markers for heart disease, and 1 in 3 woman have been diagnosed with heart disease. The good news the disease is highly preventable. What should be done (or not done), for good self-health care?

  •  Do not smoke or use tobacco, it is a significant risk factor which is further increased if a woman takes birth control pills because of the risk of blood clots.

  • Maintain a healthy weight and be physically active for 30 minutes a day at a moderate level, e.g. taking a brisk walk.
 
  • Get plenty of sleep and manage stress. People who are tired or stressed tend to eat more and gain weight.
 
  • Eat a healthy diet with more whole plant foods. Avoid processed foods with hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, or junky foods that are void of inherent nutrition.
 
Did you know that experts say 70-80% of our health results have to do with what we eat? We need to eat a minimum of 9-11 servings of a variety of whole fruits and vegetables of all colors every day, and more if there is a suspected, known, or a genetic health issue. Considering most Americans average 1-3 servings of fruits and vegetables a day, most look to supplement their diet. Unfortunately many believe advertising that suggest vitamins can help, but they are not food and research shows taking a multi-vitamin does not help and can be harmful. To help supplement one’s diet, choose a 3 rd  party certified encapsulated whole food supplement to help get more servings of whole fruits and vegetables in one’s daily diet. A third party certified plant based protein mix is also helpful in avoiding the saturated fat in animal products which raise cholesterol and blood pressure which also contributes to heart disease. A long term research study found that women who ate the most dark red & purple berries (blueberries, blackberry, black currants, strawberries) had a 32% reduction in risk of a heart attack. For more information on research on a supplement that improves cardiovascular health, lowers systemic inflammation, send an email requesting heart health info.


Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price.
Therefore honor God with your bodies.
1 Cor. 6:19-20

"We loved how knowledgeable our remodeling salesperson and Project Manager were. We were always able to contact them and get ideas or solutions. We found all employees were very courteous and helpful. They kept to construction site very clean, taking extra steps at the end of each day to tidy up. We knew they were doing an excellent job, which is great to have that peace of mind. We are so glad we hired Cook Remodeling and recommend them."
 
Charles & Elaine L., Room Addition, Chandler
On-time, On-budget Wow results for 39 years.
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(480) 491-3077
Do you find yourself stumbling along or stuck in a rut? Your creativity is stale? Or you go to bed and can’t turn off your mind? Are you not sleeping well, not popping out of bed ready for a new day? It may be time for an overdue vacation! Americans are known for not taking vacations. Perhaps the lack of practice of planning and reaping the rewards of the experience perpetuates the problem! Designing a perfect vacation for you doesn’t necessarily have to cost a lot of money, but can create priceless memories for you and your family.
 
Think about what would energize you or attracts your interest. Is it being in nature? Experiencing a different culture or the arts? Doing a volunteer vacations project? Is there something you’ve always wanted to do? Here is a list to get the ideas flowing of all the possibilities and start planning so you always have something to look forward to.
 
Themes
  • Museums: Historical, Art, Music, Culture, Cars, Aeronautical, President, Civil Rights…
  • Foodie: the best restaurants of your favorite, find a festival of your favorite food
  • National Parks, Botanical Gardens, Forts, Stadiums, Castles
  • Habitats: ocean, forest, lake, river/waterfalls, prairie, and there’s the world’s largest indoor rainforest in Omaha, NE
  • Band Music or music festivals (e.g., New Orleans, Austin, Nashville)
  • Theater, Dance, Opera or Orchestra performances
  • Best Bed & Breakfasts, tree house vacation rental, boat house rental, log cabin, glass igloo, overwater bungalow
  • A particular state or country and what are famous for
  • Architectural Wonders
  • Destination Conferences or Marathons
  • Pilgrimages, famous Churches
  • Volunteer Vacations:  Me to We
  • Unique Experience, e.g. Kentucky Derby Horse Race, Pike’s Place in Seattle (they throw fish in the market), Lambert’s Café (they throw your rolls), Western Rodeo, butterfly swarm, northern lights, bioluminescence (glowing flashing lights from ocean waves in San Diego, CA), staying at Icehotel to name a few
  • Holiday theme, places famous for 4th of July, Christmas…
  • National Competitions: snow and ice sculptures to sand sculptures, gymnastics to figure skating
  • Scenic Road or train trips, river boat trip, white river rafting trip
  • Western cowboy or cowgirl vacation
 
If you want to just get in your car and go, a computer program came up with an ideal road trip to hit all 48 states, making stops at nationally recognized sites, check this out ! Others would rather leave the planning and transportation to a tour group, or cruise line, so check out their offerings and reviews. You can always tell a travel agent what kind of trip you want, and let them do the planning and booking.
 
If your life is out of balance and you are feeling stressed, schedule time to get away. Vacations are a chance to break from routine to rest and rejuvenate. Plan to give yourself time to get home, do laundry, etc. so you can maintain being relaxed and ease back into your routine.

 
Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28
In a department store, I overheard a difficult customer and a very patient clerk having a hard time getting on the same page. Nothing the clerk provided was right by this unhappy person.
Finally, the finicky shopper said in annoyance, "Can't you find a smarter clerk to serve me?"
"No," said the saleswoman. "The smarter clerk saw you coming and disappeared."

This Delish.com by Women's Day Kitchen's salmon dish, inspired by simple Mediterranean flavors, tastes divine and is good for you, too!
(http://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a22165/roasted-salmon-green-beans-tomatoes-recipe-wdy1013/)

Ingredients
  • 6 clove garlic
  • 1 lb. green beans
  • 1 pt. grape tomatoes
  • ½ c. pitted kalamata olives
  • 3 anchovy fillets
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • kosher salt
  • Pepper
  • 1 skinless salmon fillet

Directions
  1. Heat oven to 425 degrees F. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss together the garlic, beans, tomatoes, olives, and anchovies (if using) with 1 tablespoon oil and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Roast until the vegetables are tender and beginning to brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the salmon with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook until golden brown and opaque throughout, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Serve with the vegetables.


 
Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.
3 John 1:2

Home offices are being included in more home remodeling projects. No matter the stage of family life, a home office can help facilitate the family’s lifestyle. Home offices are growing in popularity for varying reasons such as: The dual career couple or single working parent who really needs their own space to stay organized.....