Our New House

It has been a crazy few weeks. Apparently, I haven't been updating people on the house very well. Sorry Shere.

The process seemed to be going really smoothly until we got the inspection back. The Realtor didn't think we should get one, but I'm glad we didnt listen to her. The inspection said the furnace was bad and several other things like the electrical panel and roof have problems.
We got several different quotes from different companies on the furnace and the electrical panel. Steve's dad, who is does electrical work, said that the electrical panel is fine and that the inspector may have been wrong.

Steve and I sent a counter-offer to the bank with a request that they put in a new furnace before closing. They refused and said they only sell foreclosures "as is." Needless to say, I was pretty upset with that. We almost walked away from the deal because we dont really have the money for a new furnace. We could probably scrape it together out of our emergency fund, but i dont really want to do that. My dad has offered to pay for our new furnace and have it installed before closing. I am so greatful for that. I wish we didnt have to do that though. I hate borrowing money from my parents.

Our originally closing date was November 21st, but the bank changed it to December 3rd. I guess this is sort of a good thing for us because now we wont have a mortgage payment until February. It does make things busy for us during the Holidays though.

We are trying to plan our budget right now around all the work that needs to be done. Most of the work is cosmetic, except for the furnace. The previous owner left the place a big mess, tore all the light fixtures out of the ceiling and even stole the air conditioner. The biggest challenge right now is finding the time to get in the new house and clean up before we move in. With the original closing date, we would have had 2 weeks with both the house and the current apartment, but now we will only have a few days. The bank did say that we could get in and clean before closing but we wont have the utilities turned on yet.

Our budget is going to pretty tight for the next few months but we can survive. We have done this before. When Steve and I had our hours cut last summer, we lost almost $500 of monthly income and we managed to survive. It sure wasn't easy. Last month, Steve got a raise and they put him back to 40 hours. Thank God for that. I told Steve this is the last time I want to move during the Holidays. It just way to busy during the Holidays. I have this afternoon off from Sears, so I plan is to start cleaning and packing a bit. Anyone that's bored and wants to come over and visit, give me a call.

I'm still a little nervous about the whole process but I think we can get this done. Once we get started on the process I think I'll start to feel better. I do look forward to going to Lowes and picking out the light fixtures and sinks and stuff.
WWDRS? What would Dave Ramsey say? If we play our cards right and don't get to off tract, this should be a great thing for us in the long run.

Extreme Savings Plan

Extreme savings plan

Extreme Savings Plan
Nov. 12: From unplugging appliances before going to work, to bringing their own lunch each day, WRC's Jim Handly profiles one couple's mission to save their cash.

Can You Survive Without a Credit Card?

Source

3 Steps Back to the Sanity of Cash

Waiting until you have the money in your pocket has its disadvantages (we're hand-washing our dishes) but it will buy security later. Call it "real-income living."
By MP Dunleavey

"While many Americans can and do handle borrowed funds responsibly (taking out what they need, repaying what they owe), millions more have slipped into a fantasy world, thanks to credit -- a fantasy that you could buy now and pay later. And that somehow, somewhere, when you least expected it, you'd pay it all back. "

Thanks to all that easy money, a fog descended: Credit made us all believe we were richer than we were.

Step 1: Get out of the fog Here's a giant reality check question:

If every ounce of credit now available to you, in the form of cards or home equity or whatever, if all of it dried up, what would your life be like?

The fact that that's hard to imagine is a sign of how deeply entrenched credit-think has become.
Studies by behavioral economists show that credit divorces you from the "ouch" of spending actual money -- and thus it not only changes how much you spend (people typically spend more when they use plastic), it also creates fuzzy thinking around your finances.

One study showed that shoppers who paid with plastic didn't remember what they'd spent, whereas those who used cash did. (If you've ever been to a mall, this isn't news.)
Credit creates a fog. Cash will snap you out of it.

Step 2: Think of Grandma

The second step is switching to a cash-based mindset. That doesn't mean giving up all forms of plastic. It means learning to think and spend based on how much money you actually have.
That's how your grandma did it, and my grandma, and anyone's grandma who lived back in the 1930s, '40s or '50s -- before you could borrow yourself into oblivion.

Grandma (and Grandpa) somehow managed to furnish a house, raise and feed a family, procure a car and save for emergencies -- all with cash. Why? Because credit as we know it today did not exist. Actual credit cards became common in the 1970s. When you bought something, you paid for it and then got the item, not the reverse.

What was it like, living on cash -- and why is it so powerful that it can turn your financial life around, even now?

Step 3: Find your means

Alas, "living within your means" is just a giant personal finance cliché at this point. People have lost track of what it signifies. LWYM has come to mean that you're fine if you spend every dime you make.

If you have to use plastic to cover a few gaps here and there -- your vacation, the holidays, some groceries -- that still counts as "living within your means" because you eventually pay it all back. Probably.
So it's really about spending a small portion of your income to live, and saving a large chunk of it -- for emergencies big and small, for the unexpected and for a warm, cozy, secure and happy future.

You're not going to turn Tupperware containers into shoes. And I'm not suggesting you grow a bailout garden and can green beans (unless you're so inclined). As scary a time as this is, we as a country are unbelievably wealthy compared to those who survived the 1930s.

But we all need to come down to earth, to a more solid and sensible way of living, with cash as the anchor.

Published Nov. 5, 2008

The Election is Over

The election is finally over. This is the longest election cycle that we have ever had. I voted for McCain. McCain had his faults, but I liked his stance on social issues. McCain also has the experience that this country needs. We are in 2 wars and in the middle of a perceived financial crisis. This is the not the time for eloquent speeches and fancy ads. We need change, but I don’t think it’s the change that Obama wants to bring. My vote for McCain was more of a vote against Obama then a vote for McCain. I am nervous about the direction this country is heading. I believe most American people want less government interaction in their lives, not more.

I understand that everyone has to pay taxes, but I do not believe it is “patriotic” to pay more taxes, so people who don’t pay taxes can get more free money from the government. I do not agree with Obama’s stance of "spreading the wealth around." I already pay a bunch of taxes so lazy, high school dropouts can keep having kids out of wedlock paid for by my taxes. I pay for Medicaid, food stamps, welfare, WIC, TANF, and some people that qualify for those aren't even American citizens, so they don’t pay taxes either. Why do they feel entitled to more of my money? Maybe they should get an education, go out and get a job, and better themselves, so they don't have to rely on the government for money. I'm glad I don't have to rely on the government to be successful. Welfare was originally designed to be a temporary help to the poor, not an excuse to be dependant on the government. It has become a “hand-out”, instead of the “hand-up” it was intended to be. If Obama said he wants to cut taxes for 95% of Americans. Does he not realize that 30% of Americans don't pay any income tax? You can't give someone a tax-refund when they didn't pay any taxes. What you giving them is a government welfare check?

I have to say that I am very disappointed in the results. I had a least thought that my state of Indiana would think with their head and not blindly follow the media. Indiana did look like it was going to go for McCain until the very end. I guess more money still trumps substance. I don't think that it's fair or right that we elect a President because he has more money and can give better speeches. This year people didn't know or care about the issues. I heard so many people say that they were voting for Obama because he made them feel good, or he got young people to the polls, or he is historic because he can be the first black president, or he was energizing, etc. Those are not reasons to vote for someone. What does he stand for? What is he going to do as President? They don't know or care and that scares me.

I hope NBC and Hollywood are happy their candidate won. It is a sad, scary place we have gotten in this country when news stations can actively campaign for a particular candidate. What happened to objective journalism? What happened to when journalists would fully tell both sides of the story and let the audience decide their opinions.

I pray for this country. I can only hope that Obama can bring action to his "inspiring speeches."
I hope that I am better off in 4 years then I am today, but if I am it will not be because of who the President is. It will because I worked hard, got out of debt, spent less then I made, and strived everyday to better myself.

"You will be the same person in five years as you are today except for the people you meet and the books you read."
- attributed to Charles Jones

The 10 Cannots

The 10 Cannots

By William J. H. Boetcker
(misattributed to Abraham Lincoln)

1. You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.

2. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.

3. You cannot help the poor man by destroying the rich.

4. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.

5. You cannot build character and courage by taking away man's initiative and independence.

6. You cannot help small men by tearing down big men.

7. You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.

8. You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income.

9. You cannot establish security on borrowed money.

10. You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they will not do for themselves.

William J. H. Boetcker (1873 – 1962) was an American religious leader and influential public speaker. An outspoken political conservative, Rev. Boetcker is perhaps best remembered for his authorship of a pamphlet entitled The Ten Cannots. Originally published in 1916, it is often misattributed to Abraham Lincoln.

Source

An American Creed

I Do Not Choose to Be a Common Man

It is my right to be uncommon—if I can.

I seek opportunity—not security. I do not wish to be a kept citizen, humbled and dulled by having the state look after me.

I want to take the calculated risk; to dream and to build, to fail and to succeed.

I refuse to barter incentive for a dole. I prefer the challenges of life to the guaranteed existence; the thrill of fulfillment to the stale calm of utopia.

I will not trade freedom for beneficence nor my dignity for a handout. I will never cower before any master nor bend to any threat.

It is my heritage to stand erect, proud and unafraid; to think and act for myself, enjoy the benefit of my creations and to face the world boldly and say, “This I have done.”

By Dean Alfange

*Originally published in This Week Magazine.Later printed in The Reader’s Digest, October 1952 and January 1954.

The Honorable Dean Alfange was an American statesman born December 2, 1899, in Constantinople (now Istanbul). He was raised in upstate New York. He served in the U.S. Army during World War I and attended Hamilton College, graduating in the class of 1922.

Source

Secrets to Raising Healthy Boys

Part 1


Part 2

A Baby's Prayer

Jeremiah 1:5 (New International Version)
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew [a] you,
before you were born I set you apart;
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."

Jeremiah 29:11 (New International Version)
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

How They Voted?

Check out here how your Senators and Representatives voted on the bailout. I think it's time we sent these people who like to spend our money home.
Source

Now You Can Vote Out the Bozos

Lest you forget...At the polls, remember to vote out those bozos who ignored our opinions and voted for the $700 billion bailout! See how your representatives and Senators voted.

INDIANA
Democrats — Carson, Y; Donnelly, Y; Ellsworth, Y; Hill, N; Visclosky, N.
Republicans — Burton, N; Buyer, N; Pence, N; Souder, Y.

Bayh (D-IN), Yea
Lugar (R-IN), Yea

Don't forget to vote on November 4th.

Moving Again

I can't believe Steve and I are going to be moving at Thanksgiving again this year. I have decided that this is the last time we are going to move during the Holidays.

My dad's bank foreclosed on a house and he suggested that we buy it. After much thinking and praying and looking at our budget numbers, we decided to go for it. I know crazy, huh? The mortgage payment is will only be about $100 more than our current rent payment. Steve's theory is that when we are ready to move to Texas, we can sell it and make a killing in Equity. It is a 3 bedroom, 1 bath, with an attached garage. It has a nice big back yard too. The house was appraised before it was foreclosed on for $60,000 and we are buying is for $40,000 with a 20% down payment. My parents offered to gift us the down payment because their parents did that for them when they first started out. I love my parents.

I can't help but here Dave Ramsey in the back of my head. He says never buy a house until you have an Emergency Fund, you are out of debt, and have a good down payment. We have our Emergency Fund and are working on getting out of debt, and thanks to my parents we have a down payment.

The house is all electric, so unfortunetly we need to buy a new dryer and a new stove since they are gas. We are going to try and sell them. The house needs a little work, mostly cosmetic. Steve is excited because he gets to use his tools. Anyone surprised? It is going to be a busy couple months. Please keep us in your prayers, as we try get all the money together we need to make the move and to fix the new house. We also need to keep our heads together and prepare Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Christian Families Targeted

Voice of the Martyrs

Please pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are suffering around the world.

Romans 8:34-36
Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:
"For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."

2 Corinthians 12:9-10
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

1 Thessalonians 3:6-8
But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you. Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord.

Consumers addicted to plastic?

Consumers addicted to plastic?
Families carry average credit card debt of $8,000.

TOUGH TIMES

By YaVONDA SMALLS
Tribune Staff Writer

$8,000.

That's how much the average American family is said to carry in credit card debt.

If they pay the minimum on this balance every month, it could take more than 20 years to get out of the red. That means two decades from today, you could still be paying off that DVD player, laptop computer and shirt you bought in the heat of the moment last Christmas.

It's an overwhelming reality for the many consumers who have fallen victim to a buy-now, pay-later society, where people take out loans and carry multiple credit cards without giving it a second thought.

"It piles up so quickly, I think, especially when you're young," said South Bend resident Kelly Sanford, who said she learned her lesson after tasting her own share of credit card debt in the past.

"You get one of those credit cards that have a low introductory rate and, before you know it, it's up to 27 percent."

Throw in the nation's mortgage crisis, rising oil and food prices and the stock market's volatility, and it's no wonder consumers are sinking deeper into a sea of red.

Fortunately, whether you're a few thousand dollars or half a million dollars in the red, you can take steps to rise above it, experts say:

-Set up a budget. First, don't wait until 2009 to start setting up a household financial plan that is accurate, comprehensive and reflective of all your debt, says Amanda Walker, manager of GreenPath Debt Solutions, which has offices in Mishawaka and Elkhart.

Add every individual debt together to determine your total debt, and mentally commit to changing your past or current spending patterns by adhering to your budget. For many consumers, budgets are vital because they provide a good reality check of what's happening right now and ways to best prepare for the future, Walker said.

Granted, budgets aren't always fun, but neither is foreclosure, she said.

-Track your cash. Take your monthly income minus expenses to see how much extra money is left at the end of the month and whether a surplus can be used to pay additional credit card payments. If you see a deficit, decide what expenses you can realistically cut, such as daily coffees and eating out. Also don't hesitate to drive your car an extra year, said Sanford, the South Bend resident.

-Say "no" to credit. Don't borrow more credit to pay off a credit bill, and consider a credit card hiatus while you're trying to climb out of the red. Lock your cards away, or cut them up, until your debt is more manageable.

That's because surveys done by Consolidated Credit Counseling Services indicate consumers are likely to spend more using a credit card than when paying in cash.

"I don't have a credit card — I just have a debit card," said Saint Mary's College nursing student Caitlin Fitzpatrick. "I do know people my age with credit cards who are in tremendous amounts of debt. I just think it's kind of dangerous."

-Chip away at old debt. Make your biggest payments on debts with the highest interest first, and pay more than the minimum on your loans, says LendingTree. Also be sure to earmark end-of-year bonuses, raises and income tax returns for paying off debt, too.

-Prioritize payments. Set aside money first for debt repayment and then budget for things such as saving for college or retirement, before spending on discretionary items.

-Be realistic. Remember that while your goal is to fully pay all of your bills on time, it isn't always feasible. So if you must make a choice when it comes to bills and credit cards, pay on loans secured by collateral first, such as mortgage and vehicle loans. Then pay off utility bills, insurance, loan payments and household expenses such as groceries and gasoline. Pay off unsecured credit card accounts and medical bills last.

-Lower your interest. If your credit score is good, and you're receiving a variety of low-rate offers, consider transferring your balance to a lower-interest card while you work to pay off the debt.

Also, don't hesitate to negotiate a better deal with your lenders, who often would rather you get back on track than see you file for bankruptcy.

-Weigh the pros and cons of debt consolidation. Consolidating many debts into a single loan can reduce your number of payments and creditors, making managing your money and financial planning much easier.

But it can cost more in the long run. Most consumers end up paying for the debt over 10 to 30 years, spending more than they would have had they kept each individual loan.

-Check your credit reports. This report tells you about any outstanding debt you owe, according to Debt Reduction Lessons. You can typically request a credit report for free every year from the three major credit bureaus — Experian, Equifax and TransUnion.

Staff writer YaVonda Smalls:
yavsmalls@sbtinfo.com
(574) 235-6248

Can the Bible help you budget?

I thought this was insightful.

McCain the comedian

Sen. John McCain pokes fun at himself, his rival, and others at the Al Smith Memorial Fund Charity Dinner.

"Staying Alive" with CPR

I am not a big fan of this song. In fact, I find it kind of annoying. The only part of the song I actually understand is "Staying alive." I am posting it because of the story that goes with it. I thought it was a funny story. I want to know who had the time to figure this out. Someone had way too much time on their hands.



Study: Bee Gees' 'Stayin' Alive' Has Perfect Beat for CPR
Thursday, October 16, 2008

Sounds like the Bee Gees knew what they were talking about — and were years ahead of medical research.

The band's iconic 1977 disco anthem "Stayin' Alive" provides an ideal beat to follow while performing chest compressions as part of CPR on a heart attack victim, U.S. doctors have found.

The American Heart Association calls for chest compressions to be administered at a rate of 100 per minute during cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR. Ironically, "Stayin' Alive" chimes in with 103 beats per minute, Reuters reports.

In a small study headed by Dr. David Matlock of the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria, listening to "Stayin' Alive" helped 15 doctors and medical students to perform chest compressions on dummies at the proper speed, according to the Reuters report.

"The theme 'Stayin' Alive' is very appropriate for the situation," Matlock told Reuters. "Everybody's heard it at some point in their life. People know the song and can keep it in their head."

The findings will be presented this month at a meeting of the American College of Emergency Physicians in Chicago.

Source

Banking Crisis Foretold???

This article was in the New York times almost 9 years ago. It sounds like this guy could see the future. Maybe giving people loans when they couldn't afford wasn't such a good idea after all.

September 30, 1999

Fannie Mae Eases Credit To Aid Mortgage Lending
By STEVEN A. HOLMES

In a move that could help increase home ownership rates among minorities and low-income consumers, the Fannie Mae Corporation is easing the credit requirements on loans that it will purchase from banks and other lenders.

The action, which will begin as a pilot program involving 24 banks in 15 markets -- including the New York metropolitan region -- will encourage those banks to extend home mortgages to individuals whose credit is generally not good enough to qualify for conventional loans. Fannie Mae officials say they hope to make it a nationwide program by next spring.

Fannie Mae, the nation's biggest underwriter of home mortgages, has been under increasing pressure from the Clinton Administration to expand mortgage loans among low and moderate income people and felt pressure from stock holders to maintain its phenomenal growth in profits.

In addition, banks, thrift institutions and mortgage companies have been pressing Fannie Mae to help them make more loans to so-called subprime borrowers. These borrowers whose incomes, credit ratings and savings are not good enough to qualify for conventional loans, can only get loans from finance companies that charge much higher interest rates -- anywhere from three to four percentage points higher than conventional loans.

''Fannie Mae has expanded home ownership for millions of families in the 1990's by reducing down payment requirements,'' said Franklin D. Raines, Fannie Mae's chairman and chief executive officer. ''Yet there remain too many borrowers whose credit is just a notch below what our underwriting has required who have been relegated to paying significantly higher mortgage rates in the so-called subprime market.''

Demographic information on these borrowers is sketchy. But at least one study indicates that 18 percent of the loans in the subprime market went to black borrowers, compared to 5 per cent of loans in the conventional loan market.

In moving, even tentatively, into this new area of lending, Fannie Mae is taking on significantly more risk, which may not pose any difficulties during flush economic times. But the government-subsidized corporation may run into trouble in an economic downturn, prompting a government rescue similar to that of the savings and loan industry in the 1980's.
...
Fannie Mae, the nation's biggest underwriter of home mortgages, does not lend money directly to consumers. Instead, it purchases loans that banks make on what is called the secondary market. By expanding the type of loans that it will buy, Fannie Mae is hoping to spur banks to make more loans to people with less-than-stellar credit ratings.
...
Continue reading here

Wow...psychic? I may not be a smart economist, but I can't see how no one saw this coming. Oh wait, someone, this author saw it coming almost a decade ago. If someone with no income and no job tries to apply for a home mortage, they should be denied...everytime because they don't have a job or any income to pay for the mortage. Rocket Science??? No, I don't think so.
I don't the government and big banks should all take Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University, then maybe they would stop wasting our tax dollars to fix their mistakes.

EMERGENCY ECONOMIC STABILIZATION ACT OF 2008

SUMMARY OF THE “EMERGENCY ECONOMIC STABILIZATION ACT OF 2008”

I. Stabilizing the Economy
The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (EESA) provides up to $700 billion
to the Secretary of the Treasury to buy mortgages and other assets that are clogging the
balance sheets of financial institutions and making it difficult for working families, small
businesses, and other companies to access credit, which is vital to a strong and stable
economy. EESA also establishes a program that would allow companies to insure their
troubled assets.

II. Homeownership Preservation
EESA requires the Treasury to modify troubled loans – many the result of predatory
lending practices – wherever possible to help American families keep their homes. It
also directs other federal agencies to modify loans that they own or control. Finally, it
improves the HOPE for Homeowners program by expanding eligibility and increasing
the tools available to the Department of Housing and Urban Development to help more
families keep their homes.

III. Taxpayer Protection
Taxpayers should not be expected to pay for Wall Street’s mistakes. The legislation
requires companies that sell some of their bad assets to the government to provide
warrants so that taxpayers will benefit from any future growth these companies may
experience as a result of participation in this program. The legislation also requires the
President to submit legislation that would cover any losses to taxpayers resulting from
this program from financial institutions.

IV. No Windfalls for Executives
Executives who made bad decisions should not be allowed to dump their bad assets on
the government, and then walk away with millions of dollars in bonuses. In order to
participate in this program, companies will lose certain tax benefits and, in some cases,
must limit executive pay. In addition, the bill limits “golden parachutes” and requires
that unearned bonuses be returned.

V. Strong Oversight
Rather than giving the Treasury all the funds at once, the legislation gives the Treasury
$250 billion immediately, then requires the President to certify that additional funds are
needed ($100 billion, then $350 billion subject to Congressional disapproval). The
Treasury must report on the use of the funds and the progress in addressing the crisis.
EESA also establishes an Oversight Board so that the Treasury cannot act in an arbitrary
manner. It also establishes a special inspector general to protect against waste, fraud and
abuse

Source

Update: The Bill did not pass the Senate

Christian???

I really wish people would stop referring to these nutjobs as pastors or Christian. They may read the bible and may think they are serving God, but they are far from Christian.

Bush Economic Address

PETA Craziness

I am all for the fair and gently treatment of animals, but I think this is going a bit to far.

Read This Story

PETA has called on Ben and Jerry's to start using human milk in their ice cream, instead of cow's milk. Their claim is that cow's milk is only intended for baby cows and is not designed for humans. The also say that using human milk will lessen the suffering of cows and their babies.

Ok, as I said, I am all for the fair treatment of animals, but come on. We may be lessening the suffering of cows, but aren't we now adding to the suffering of new mothers and their babies. Who or What is more important, cows or humans? Apparently for PETA, the answer is cows.

Read PETA's letter to Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield
September 23, 2008
Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, Cofounders
Ben & Jerry's Homemade Inc.

Dear Mr. Cohen and Mr. Greenfield,

On behalf of PETA and our more than 2 million members and supporters, I'd like to bring your attention to an innovative new idea from Switzerland that would bring a unique twist to Ben and Jerry's.

Storchen restaurant is set to unveil a menu that includes soups, stews, and sauces made with at least 75 percent breast milk procured from human donors who are paid in exchange for their milk. If Ben and Jerry's replaced the cow's milk in its ice cream with breast milk, your customers-and cows-would reap the benefits.

Using cow's milk for your ice cream is a hazard to your customer's health. Dairy products have been linked to juvenile diabetes, allergies, constipation, obesity, and prostate and ovarian cancer. The late Dr. Benjamin Spock, America's leading authority on child care, spoke out against feeding cow's milk to children, saying it may play a role in anemia, allergies, and juvenile diabetes and in the long term, will set kids up for obesity and heart disease-America's number one cause of death.

Animals will also benefit from the switch to breast milk. Like all mammals, cows only produce milk during and after pregnancy, so to be able to constantly milk them, cows are forcefully impregnated every nine months. After several years of living in filthy conditions and being forced to produce 10 times more milk than they would naturally, their exhausted bodies are turned into hamburgers or ground up for soup.

And of course, the veal industry could not survive without the dairy industry. Because male calves can't produce milk, dairy farmers take them from their mothers immediately after birth and sell them to veal farms, where they endure 14 to17 weeks of torment chained inside a crate so small that they can't even turn around.

The breast is best! Won't you give cows and their babies a break and our health a boost by switching from cow's milk to breast milk in Ben and Jerry's ice cream? Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
Tracy Reiman
Executive Vice President

The Truth about Teen Girls

I borrowed this from my pal, DC.

It is an article from Time Magazine about the negative effects of media on our teen girls. Every parent and youth leader needs to read this article.

Here are some excerpts:

* "Unless you're an adolescent male, you have already asked yourself this question, perhaps in the past few days: Is there something wrong with teen girls? Specifically, are they getting too sexy? Barely a week passes without a flash bulletin blinding us with news of another prominent preadult who is in the family way or showing off her underthings. Miley Cyrus, 15, seminaked! Jamie Lynn Spears, 16, pregnant! A bunch of Massachusetts high schoolers all having babies together! It's an epidemic!"

* "Girlhood sexiness seems to be everywhere: on TV shows and in movies, in advertising, in teen magazines and all over the Internet. Most disturbingly, it seems to be coming from the girls themselves: the way they dress, the way they text, the way they present themselves on Facebook and, oh, mercy, what they get up to at parties."

* "In one generation, girls seem to have moved from Easy-Bake to easy virtue."

* "In the past four months, there have been four weighty books published on the subject, with titles like Hooked: New Science on How Casual Sex Is Affecting Our Children and So Sexy So Soon. Most of these treatises have a similar thesis: young girls are sexually loose because they're aping behavior they see on TV or read about in magazines. And as if on cue, the media deliver a new 90210 with an oral-sex scene in the first episode; Gossip Girl comes back with billboards promoting it as MIND-BLOWINGLY INAPPROPRIATE ... and your daughter starts singing that alarmingly suggestive song about licking a lollipop."

* "Middle school counselor Julia Taylor of North Carolina had a conversation with her sixth-graders last year that worried her. "A lot of them were watching The O.C.," she says. "I just remember the show's multiple sexual partners, the cocaine use, and then at the end, they drink, they drive, they set fires, but all is well! There are never any consequences."

* "What has complicated things recently is that girls are literally getting older younger. Their bodies are hitting physical maturity sooner, often before they are ready to deal with the issues of sexuality that go along with it. According to Jane Brown, a journalism professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, "Twelve-to-14-year-old girls who start puberty earlier are more interested in sexual content in the media." Brown's studies found that adolescents whose media diet was rich in sexual content were more than twice as likely as others to have had sex by the time they were 16."

* "Should girls fear that they don't have the requisite hotness, there's a surefire way to overcome that: find a boy to sleep with. "They're subconsciously looking for love," says Amanda Ireland, another Gloucester teen. "They think, If I have a baby, I'll be someone. It gives them an identity." How can Ireland be so sure? She gave birth to daughter Haley, now 3, when she was 15."

Read More Here

What do you think we can do to stop this epidemic of teen girls giving themselves away. They are looking for love in all the wrong places. They want so bad just to hear someone say, "I love you," and the guys have figured this out.

"Staycation": The Weekend

On Friday, Steve said we were acting like an old married couple because we went out to lunch at 4pm, then at around 8:30 we went to Menards and Walmart, not because we needed anything, just to get out of the house and go for a walk. Friday was pretty uneventful. Steve did finish his Ohio State room.

Saturday was a bit of a rainy day. I got up and worked on some of my postcard scrapbooking. I haven't done much with them for awhile because I didn't have the space to spread out or the time. Saturday afternoon was football time. We watched most of the Notre Dame game and laughed to ourselves at all the people getting wet. We were a bit disapointed that they won, but it was a good game. The smell of all the barbeques outside made me want some, so Steve grilled barbeque chicken. We ended up making it on our George Foremen grill since it was raining pretty hard still.

Saturday evening was the Ohio State and USC game. Poor Ohio State did not do so well. We are hoping for a better game next week.

On Sunday, we got up for church. It was raining again. We had originally planned to join my parents at the B100 Birthday Bash after church, but it was canceled due to weather. I did have to go out and brave the rain though. I had to do some grocery shopping so Steve and I would have some food to eat. That is pretty important because Steve likes to eat. Aldi wasn't to flooded but I still got pretty wet running in and out. Martins was a whole nother story though. I pulled into the parking lot and felt like I was driving through a small lake. I named it Lake Martins. I picked a spot to park and started to get out of my car and realized when I opened the door that water was almost up to the door. So I decided to park somewhere else. I finally found a somewhat dry place to park that wasn't to far away. I got out of my car only to realize that in order to get to the Martins door I would have to walk through "Lake Martins." It was ankle deep and deeper in most places. I went in and quickly got the few things we needs and threaded back through the lake to get to my car. I was very happy when I finally got home. Once I got home, we stayed inside until it stopped raining. We got almost 11 inches of rain both Saturday and Sunday.
To end our vacation, we went for a nice walk and then went to bed.
All and all it was a relaxing "staycation."

"Staycation" Day 2

Yesterday, we got up a bit earlier than we did Wednesday. I had some left-over pancakes from the Pancake House for Breakfast. Steve went upstairs to finish up his "Ohio State Room." It looks really nice. Ill post pictures soon. While he was doing that I cleaned the bathroom, the kitchen, and did some laundry. Yesterday was mostly a cleaning day but it was still relaxing. It is nice to have a nice clean apartment, well mostly. My sis came over around dinner time and hung out with us for awhile. That was fun. We didn't really leave the house much.
We wanted to go for a walk after dinner but I fell asleep while he was watching some old Superman TV show, so that didnt happen. We finally went to bed around midnight.

I just got up. Steve is still asleep. We dont really have any plans for today. We have a coupon for the Home Plate Resturant so we might go there for lunch. I want to get the rest of the living room put together and hopefully get some more pictures on the wall. Damian was upset the last time he was over that there was a picture of the me and the Bridesmaids on our wall, but no picture of Steve and the Groomsmen, so I have to find one and put it up.

"Staycation" Day 1

Steve and I took a week off from both jobs this week for a vacation. We aren't actually going anyway. We just wanted some days to relax. Our "Staycation", as the media has been calling it, was pretty uneventful yesterday. Which is just the way we wanted it. We woke up at around 10:30-11ish and went out for Breakfast/Lunch at the Pancake House, which was very good. Then we went back home and took a nap until around 4. We then got up and I made some chili for us to eat tommorrow and Steve made some Hamburgers on the grill for us to eat for dinner. Steve then went to work on painting our spare room. He is painting the room in Ohio State colors. After dinner, we sat around and watched some TV and then Steve decided he wanted to make some Chocolate Chip cookies, so he did. They were really good.
Steve finished up the "O" in the spare room and I went to bed at around midnight.

Today, Steve is going to try and finish up the room and hopefully finish the living room too. Yesterday was a great relaxing day to start the vacation. I'm not sure what we will do today. We are sorta going to play it by ear.

Have Parents Completely Lost it?

Parental control crashing the cell phone party

I'm sorry but there is no reason that I can see that an 8 year old needs a cell phone. The Verizon guy said it could be helpful if your child is alone alot.
Do parents of 8 years olds regularly leave their child places alone...and I bet they will so surprised when their child is an alcoholic and pregnant before middle school. Maybe I'm crazy, but Steve and I both agree that we would never get our children a cell phone...because they don't need one while they are still living under our roof. Once they get a job and may be driving at night...then maybe, but they will be paying for it themselves. I and most people my age survived just fine through high school without cell phones. We used house phone, pay phones, friend's parent's phones...and we were just fine. My parents were always able to get ahold of me because they knew why I was. I didnt get a cell phone until after college and I got it for the free long distance mainly.

Perfect Christmas Present for Steve???

Ohio State Buckeyes Big Daddy Recliner from Baseline

Anyone need a Christmas present idea? I know it's a little pricey, but he's worth it, right? Doesn't it look so comfy?

haha...actually I found this while looking for new furniture. Steve and I decided that is the next big purchase we are saving up for. We have one couch that used to be my grandparents and it is falling apart and our other couch is small and I also got it used during college. We don't want expensive furniture, just something comfortable. We may buy "gently used" again instead of new to save money. We will just have to see how much money we get saved up.

There is a matching sofa too --->>>

Labor Day Weekend

It has been a pretty busy week. I bought Steve's Christmas present already. I put up pictures once I give it to him. Every since our roommate moved out, Steve has been working hard getting our spare room made up. He painted the walls. He talked me into letting him paint them in OSU colors. It actually looks really nice. He wants to paint a big 'O' on the wall with a Buckeye next. The apartment looks and feels alot better than it did before. It is not nearly as cramped. We have been moving boxes around and Steve rearranged the living room.

I had to work all weekend but i had a few big sale days, so it wasn't so bad. Saturday evening my mentor, Judy Gregory, was in town from Atlanta so Chris Infalt threw a party at her house. It was good to see everyone. Some of the people there I hadnt seen all summer. I love my Oasis family. On Labor Day, we had our Biggest Loser picnic. Even though Steve tried all weekend to leave a few extra pounds, Greg won first place by 2.8 pounds. Everyone did a great job. We are so proud of Greg. I think we do this contest again, because it was really fun.
Steve made ribs and bread for the picnic and they were really good. I unfortunetly had to leave the party early because I had to work at 6. We were so dead at work.

Confessions of a News Junkie

I love to watch the news. The news is on almost the whole day when I'm at work. I'm not biased either. I watch MSNBC, CNN, and Fox News, and Fox Business (Dave Ramsey Show!) and of course I read the South Bend Tribune online.
It's sometimes fun to see the obvious biases of the news channels. MSNBC is clearly Democratic and has wanted Obama to win since the beginning of the Primaries. CNN is Republican and a big fan of McCain. Fox seems to be the most unbiased, most of the time, even though they do tend to favor McCain over Obama.

Here are a few news stories that I found today: I report, You decide. :0)

Wis. Couple Wins Lottery Four Times, Claims Formula

Woman Arrested For Failing To Return Library Books

12-year-old suspended for hair

Mom's birthday robbery

New Washing Machine

We picked up our new washing maching last week. I love it. After we put it together Steve wanted to do some laundry to test all the settings. It was not a cheap washing machine, but we did get a pretty good deal on it with the Friends and Family Night discount this weekend and our associate discount.

Website

When it Rains it Pours

Last night was a new experience for me. I was sitting on the couch getting ready to take a nap and watch some mindless TV. Steve had just left to help a friend/Sears Co-Worker fix his washing machine, when all of a sudden I heard what sounded like a shower coming from our laundry room. I first thought maybe Beth was in the shower and the shower was leaking through the floor. Nope that wasn't it.
Our waterheater had sprung leak and was spraying water all over the place. Luckilly, the waterheater is behind a small door, so most of the water was contained inside the room. The door has slits in it though, so the water was coming through the slits and under the door. Beth came down stairs because she wondered what was going on and we started putting towels on the floor so we could keep the water from spreading all over the apartment. I called Southmore After-Hours Service and they said they would send someone over. Then I called Steve and he came home quickly to help me figure out how to turn off the waterheater. Apparently the nipple on the waterheater had broke, so Southmore fixed it when they finally got there. Southmore brought a ShopVac with them and vacuumed up most of the water.

Semi Carrying Bananas Collides With Buffalo

This is one of my favorite songs when i was younger. It's a great song. It's a bit long but so worth it. Steve told me about this story and I immediately thought about this song. Watch the video then read the news story.

Semi Carrying Bananas Collides With Buffalo
Iowa Troopers Investigate Crash
POSTED: 1:49 pm MST August 7, 2008
UPDATED: 2:38 pm MST August 7, 2008

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- Authorities said they're buffaloed by the crash of a banana truck in eastern Iowa. The semitrailer loaded with bananas hit a buffalo on Interstate 380 near Brandon about 2:30 a.m. Wednesday. Crates of bananas ended up on the road. The shipment of bananas was traveling from from Mississippi to Fargo, N.D.

Benton County Sheriff Randy Forsyth said there were two buffaloes on the road. He said one was sideswiped by a car while the other was hit by the tractor-trailer.
The accidents happened at about the same time.

Forsyth said the buffalo hit by the car apparently survived and ran off. The one hit by the truck was killed. No people were injured.

Forsyth said officials don't know where the buffaloes came from, or what happened to the one that took off.

Distributed by Internet Broadcasting Systems, Inc. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
http://www.kpho.com/news/17124254/detail.html?rss=pho&psp=nationalnews#

Week 4 Recipes: Barbecue Ranch Chicken Salad

Prep Time:25 min
Total Time:25 min
Makes:6 servings

1-3/4 cups each
2 pkg. (6 oz. each) OSCAR MAYER Grilled Chicken Breast Strips
1/2 cup KRAFT Original Barbecue Sauce
1 pkg. (10 oz.) mixed salad greens
1 large tomato, cut into wedges
1/2 cup sliced red onions
1/2 cup KRAFT Ranch Dressing
1/2 cup KRAFT Natural Sharp Cheddar Cheese Crumbles
COOK chicken and barbecue sauce in large skillet on medium-high heat until heated through, stirring occasionally.
TOSS greens with chicken, tomatoes and onions in large bowl.
TOP with dressing and cheese.

Kitchen Tips

Healthy Living
Trim 40 calories and 6 grams of fat per serving by preparing with KRAFT Light Ranch Reduced Fat Dressing and KRAFT Natural 2% Milk Reduced Fat Colby & Monterey Jack Crumbles.

Use Your Grill
Substitute 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts for the OSCAR MAYER Grilled Chicken Breast Strips. Heat greased grill on high heat. Grill chicken until cooked through (165ºF), turning and brushing frequently with barbecue sauce for the last few minutes. Cut chicken into strips, then use as directed.

Variation
Substitute 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips, for the OSCAR MAYER Grilled Chicken Breast Strips. Cook chicken in barbecue sauce in large skillet on medium-high heat until chicken is cooked through, stirring occasionally. Continue as directed.





Calories 230
Total fat 13 g
Saturated fat 3.5 g
Cholesterol 50 mg
Sodium 920 mg
Carbohydrate 13 g
Dietary fiber 2 g
Sugars 9 g
Protein 16 g
Vitamin A 20%
Vitamin C 15%
Calcium 10%
Iron 8 %
Source <<--this page out for more great healthy dinner. Yum!!!

Death to Our Washing Machine

Life has been pretty busy and crazy with me lately. I just havent been able to sleep and this lack of sleep has been making me really stressed. I find myself getting angry about things that I should not be getting angry about. Last night I almost broke my phone because I was angry that it wouldn't turn on.

I decided to go to sleep early after working out and got to thinking. I have an amazing husband that loves me, a great job with a great boss, great friends that care about me, and we are really close to financial peace, so I have no reason to be so stressed out.

Our washing machine decided to start dieing this week. Steve and I are going to go out tonight and find a new one. Steve thinks it might survive a little bit longer but he doesnt want to wait until it completely dies. He called me today while I was at work (He took a vacation day today) so I checked online what our savings balance is so we know how much we can spend.
We have enough in savings that we could get a pretty decent washing machine, which makes me happy. We also have an extra check in August. For the non-Dave Ramsey grads out there, that means we get paid every other week so there are 2 months during the year when we have 3 paychecks in one month. I love when I see God provide. He planned to have our washing machine die in the month where we have an extra check, so we have the money to pay for it. We originally planned to use the extra check to pay off the final balance of the credit card and Steve wanted a new phone, but we managed to pay off Providian with some extra money last month from Sears. I guess we will just have to see how much money is left from the 3rd check to see whether he gets his new phone or not. :)
Now we can use the third check for the washer and thanks to the 3rd check, we may be able to buy our new washer without touching savings at all, which will be nice.

On the bright side, Steve and I sent in our last payment for our last credit card this week. So now Steve just has to cancel it and cut it up. Now all we have left is Student Loans and my car payment. Let the Debt Snowball roll on.

Frustrated

I'm so glad i had today off work. I didnt get nearly as much done as I wanted to though. I just feel like laying down and sleeping for days. I don't have any energy and I feel so stressed out. I'm tired of living in a cramped apartment with stuff everywhere. I'm tired of always running into stuff because we have no where to store stuff because there is someone in our spare room still. It's been a year and I'm just tired.

Am am I being selfish? Probably but I think I'm entitled to a little selfishness after a year of cleaning up after her and her not paying rent like her agreed to when she moved in.

I'm tired of having to work 50+ hours a week just to make ends meet because our utilities and other bills are going up every month. I'm tired of having to pay an extra $50 a month in rent to Southmore because we brought a roommate with us that wasnt on the original lease application.

The stress is causing me to not sleep well and not sleeping well is making me more stressed. It's a vicious cycle. I have tommorrow off too so maybe tommorrow will be better than today.

Week 2 Recipes: Bistro Chicken Pasta Salad

Prep Time:25 min
Total Time:25 min
Makes:4 main-dish servings

2 cups cooked penne pasta
1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
1 pkg. (4 oz.) ATHENOS Traditional Crumbled Feta Cheese
1/2 cup prepared GOOD SEASONS Italian Salad Dressing & Recipe Mix for Fat Free Dressing
1/3 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves, cut into strips
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (not oil packed)
2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, grilled or broiled, cut into 1/4-inch slices
TOSS all ingredients except chicken.
TOP pasta mixture with chicken. Serve warm or chilled.

Calories 290
Total fat 9 g
Saturated fat 4.5 g
Cholesterol 55 mg
Sodium 660 mg
Carbohydrate 31 g
Dietary fiber 4 g
Sugars 7 g

Protein 24 g
Vitamin A 15 %DV
Vitamin C 20 %DV
Calcium 10 %DV
Iron 10 %DV

Healthy Living Information
Good source of vitamin A or C

Nutrition Bonus
This pasta dish is great as a meal or a side dish. The fresh and sun-dried tomatoes provide an excellent source of vitamin C.

Source->> Check this page out for more great healthy dinner. Yum!!!

Fitness Club vs Financial Peace

It has been a fun adventure with this fitness club. Steve is really determined to win the contest. It has been trying to buy healthy foods and stick to our budget at the same time. Healthy foods are really expensive. I'm trying to find some good healthy recipes that are inexpensive to make. I know Dave Ramsey would be mad at us but we applied for the Mypoints Credit Card for our gas card. We have vowed to pay it off every month and to only us it for gas. We still budge for gas the same, but now we are getting points at mypoints for each dollar of each we buy. We are really close to paying off the last of our credit cards, so that should help our budget a bit. We need our friends to help hold us accountable in this though. If we start to get into trouble and start using it for non-gas we are going to cut it up and cancel it.

Our food and gas budgets have almost doubled in the last few months. Steve has been bring salads everyday for lunch, but the fresh fruits and veggies that we buy for them are expensive. It is frustrating because we want to be eating healthy but we can't keep spending so much on food.

Steve won this week in the Biggest Loser contest. I'm so proud of him. I didn't do as good this week. I dont think I was as motivated this week. I figured out a good way to gain or not lose weight is to get really frustrated and stressed out. This month has been really busy and I have working alot at Sears too, so the apartment was really messy and I felt I was always washing dishes. Laundry was piling up too. I also was at my wits with our roommate. I'm so tired her not washing her dishes, not paying rent, "borrowing" our food, etc. I'm trying to let it bother me though because I know she is trying to find a better job and an apartment. We are trying to be supportive and encouraging, but it's been a year. The reason she moved in with us was because she was going to be homeless and we were giving her the opportunity to save up for her wedding. She was also going to pay rent and help us with expenses because we had just lost those hours at the YWCA which equated to $500 in monthly income lost. Well, a year later she still has no money in the bank and she owes us almost $1000 in rent. It's frustrating. Don't get me wrong, I like helping people but I'm tired of supporting her and cleaning up after her.

Fitness Update

Life has been pretty busy this week. July is always the busiest month of the year for me at work since our Fiscal Year ends on June 30th. I have to get all the last fiscal year's data reports done and get ready for the next Fiscal Year.

Our fitness group is going well so far. Greg won the first week with a loss of 10 pounds. Way to go, Greg!!! Tabby said Greg is determined to win, so now we have to be more determined. Our group lost a total of 33 pounds with an average of 3.4 pounds each. I wonder if we should give our group a name. hmm? I'll have to run that by the group.

I have been trying to make a point to go to Fitness USA at least twice a week. On Monday, my training changed my workout routine. She changed me from using the machines to using free weights. I actually feel like I have been making progress on my shoulder's physical therapy. My shoulders dont hurt on a constant basis as often as they used to. I feel a bit stronger too.

Steve said yesterday that he wants to grill ribs and make some fresh bread for the party on Labor Day. The Labor is suppossed to celebrate the successes of the group, so I guess we should make sure someone brings some veggies and fruit to go with the ribs and bread. YUM!!!

Biggest Loser and Healthy Snacks: Banana Bread

My friends and I have started a Biggest Loser Contest. It should be a fun competition. I'm usually pretty competitive. :0) Steve and I have been getting up early morning since we started and walking around the block before work. Well, except for yesterday, I stayed in bed and he walked by himself because I didnt feel good. I did walk today though. I got a Workout Video called Sweating in the Spirit from the Library on Tuesday. It's like Sweating to the Oldies but to Gospel Music. It was really hard. I didnt realize what bad shape I was in and apparently I'm not very coordinated. I had trouble keeping up with the moves. Maybe if I do it enough I'll get better.

Our group has decided it would be to create a cookbook or collection of healthy recipes.
Here is the first installment. I found this website when I was searching online.
http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Healthy-Snacks-Banana-Bread/Detail.aspx <--Here is where I found it

Healthy Snacks: Banana Bread
By: Mackenzie Schieck
Just like the bananas themselves, kids come in bunches when the smell of banana bread is in the air. No monkeyin' around--banana bread is a healthy snack that's sweet, just the way kids like it--but it won't have them swinging from the trees (just the way parents like it).

Need a Snack?
This quick bread packs a healthy potassium punch and is easy to make. Just a handful of simple items to mix together, and talk about a last-minute treat--what other baked good is actually better when the main ingredient has been sitting around for awhile?
Ways to serve it up:
* Bake a loaf fresh for the week, then slice as you go.
* Bake several loaves and freeze, pulling them out as needed. (Muffins and quick breads can be frozen for up to three months.)
* Slice loaves and freeze servings individually (wrap each in cellophane, then in a resealable plastic bag). Kids can grab one from the freezer in the morning for a snack if they are going straight from school to an after-school activity.

Lower Fat Banana Bread II
Submitted by: KatieRated: 4 out of 5 by 149 members
Prep Time: 15 MinutesCook Time: 1 Hour
Ready In: 1 Hour 15 MinutesYields: 12 servings
"Tender and flavorful banana bread with a minimum of fat."

INGREDIENTS:
2 eggs
2/3 cup white sugar
2 very ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 cup applesauce
1/3 cup nonfat milk
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Spray a bread pan with non-stick cooking spray, and lightly dust with flour.
2. In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in bananas, applesauce, milk, oil and vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir flour mixture into banana mixture, mixing just until blended. Fold in walnuts. Pour batter into prepared pan.
4. Bake in preheated pan until golden and a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean, about 1 hour. Turn bread out onto a wire rack and let cool.

I Love These Girls!

I had the privilege of babysitting these 2 adorable girls a few weeks ago. Kariana was a little shutter bug that day. She kept wanting to the video her doing funny things, so I did. I am posting these so her mom can see how adorable her girls are. She already knows but now you all can know too.

4th of July Fun

I went to see a Silver Hawks game this Thursday and see some Fireworks with my parents for the 4th of July. The game was pretty good. I hadnt been to a game yet this season.

For the 4th of July, Steve and I both had the day off from the YWCA but we had to work at Sears.

After work, Steve and I went to my parents for a cookout and we shot some fireworks off on the driveway. Every year it amazes me how many people shoot off fireworks in my parent's neighborhood which is full of trees and there is never a fire.

I took a video of fireworks that were after the game because Steve wasnt able to be there. He had to work. :0(

4th of July 2008

Waiting to See What God Does Next

God has really been providing for Steve and this month. Every time I turn around there is some kind of sign that He is still there. Not that I thought He went anywhere, but sometimes it's nice to be reminded.
This weekend was one of those times. I was working through our budget for the month of June when I realized that we made $650 more from Sears together than we budget to come from Sears. Sears was good to us this month. Most of it came from Steve though. He had some good weeks in the Appliance Department this month. On a side note, thank you Tabby for recommending that your parents buy their washer and dryer from Steve. You are an amazing friend. You rock!!!

Anyway, back to the topic of God being awesome. My Ford's power locks went out a few weeks ago and I was prevented from even opening the back doors. I brought it into the shop on Friday night. They said they had to replace a part on the rear passenger door and that would fix the problem. There original price quote was $675 , but the final price was only $516. That's still alot but I liked the second number better than the first. So with my check from Sears and birthday money, I was able to pay for the car without going into our Emergency Fund or Savings. That felt pretty good.

Unfortunetly, the story is not over. I picked up the car on Saturday afternoon and when i got home I realized that the power locks only work for the back passenger side door. They only fixed part of the problem. I brought the car back to the shop this morning so they could finish the job. I got a call not to long ago telling me that it could cost over $1000 more to fix the other 3 doors, so i will have to live with no power locks for a little while. At least I can get in the back seat now.
We still haven't got our Stimulus Check but that money is already earmarked for paying off debt.

College Personal Finance 101

Are you a Doll Collector?

I have some precious procelian dolls for sale. They each are 18 inches tall and gorgeous. All proceeds from the sale will be donated to the YWCA of St. Joseph County in South Bend.

The pictures don't do justice to just how beautiful these dolls are.



Please send me an offer to me via email @ Bethelgal42@yahoo.com or BPitney@ywcasjc.org.

This Video Makes Me Sad and Angry.

Memorial Day

Hi.

I know it's been awhile since I've posted anything. It's been a busy week or so. Memorial Day weekend Steve and I helped some friends move. Along with getting to hang out with their two adorable children and them sharing their toys with me, their youngest decided to share her cold with me too. I ran around after her most of the day with a kleenex wiping her face off. I came home from their new house on Saturday with a stuffy nose and a minor cold. Fun times for me.

Memorial was a paid Holiday for both me and Steve so it was nice to have the day off. We spent the afternoon at his brother's in Bourbon, Indiana. Then we ran home to clean up our apartment and get it all straightened up for a cookout we were having in the evening.

The evening cookout was great. We had about 10 people hanging around our smal apartment. It was great. It didnt feel cramped at all, probably we were surrounded by good friends. Steve and I were talking later and thought it was funny that almost half our Bridal party was over for Memorial day.

After the Memorial day fun was over, I realized my thought hurt ALOT. I could barely swallow. I took Tuesday off work hoping it was just a cold and would go away but I was still sick Tuesday night. So i stayed home again Wednesday and went to the doctor. The doctor told me i might have Strep Throat so I'm on Anti-biotics now.

I was really sad because I had to miss the Oasis Graduation. In 8 years, I have never missed a Graduation.
I am feeling better today but I still am not sleeping very well.

Today's Thoughts

2 Thessalonians 3

6 In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone's food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. 9 We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow.

13 And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right.

16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.

The Coolest Gift Ever!

I received the coolest gift I have ever received last week. My Aunt sent me the Harlow Family Bible. She said that on her first wedding Anniversary, her father (my Grandfather) gave it to her. She said it is to be given to the first daughter on her first Anniversary. She said since she doesn't think she will ever have kids, she decided to give it me as the oldest Granddaughter to get married. That would be me.

Not to mention that it looks old and antique, it has the geneology of my family back to the 1800's. My dad said it was probably given to my Grandfather because his 2 sisters died, otherwise one of them would have it and be passing it through there family.

In the front of the Bible is a signature from 1888. It says "To My Dear Mother. From Lizzie 1888."

If I wasn't afraid that the cover would fall off, I would start doing my devotions with this Bible.

The geneology tracks my dad's side of the family. Since I don't know really know my dad's side of the family that well, now I feel like I have some kind of connection to them. My Aunt wrote our names in it so when we have kids we will have to add them to the geneology page and then pass it on some day to them.

My Dad's New Toy

My dad turned 50 in April and decided it was time to go out an buy a Mustang. Steve and I bought his truck from him, so now Steve has his truck that he has always wanted.

My dad needed to use the truck a few weekends ago to bring my sister home from College, so he traded us the Mustang. We went on some special errands that weekend. I think Steve was taking the the long way to everything so he could drive it longer. Steve was having a blast driving the Mustang around town.

It was a pretty sweet car.

My Family Tree - Harlow Side

Here is the other side of my family. This is my dad's side. My family is pretty small but I like it. I don't know this side of the family as well as the other side. The entire Couture side of the family gets together at Christmas and Thanksgiving every year at the Grandma C's house. I haven't seen most of the people on the Harlow side in about 10-15 years.

My entire family on both sides is less than Steve's immediate family so my family grew by alot when I got married.

My Family Tree - Couture Side

Steve and I were talking about family the other day and I thought it would be fun to map out my family tree. This is my family on my Maternal Grandparents side.

There is nothing you can do to make God love you Less

This is a video from last nights Oasis. It is pretty powerful.