Encouragement scripture

My friend sent this in my email today, and what a great message!!!

"In the gospel of Jesus Christ you have help from both sides of the veil and you must never forget that. When disappointment and discouragement strike – and they will – you remember and never forget that if our eyes could be opened we would see horses and chariots of fire (2 Kgs. 6:16-17) as far as the eye can see riding at reckless speed to come to our protection. They will always be there, these armies of heaven, in defense of Abraham's seed."

– Jeffrey R. Holland, For Times of Trouble, BYU Devotional,
March 18, 1980

Biggest Loser Competition

Anyone wanna join in our competition??

Here are the details:
My friend G. just concluded a competition where 11 couples, not all living in town, but some out of town, too, competed to lose weight. Studies show that when there is money on the line, people stick to their diet. Here's an article on it: http://news.softpedia.com/news/People-Lose-Weight-If-There-Is-Something-to-Be-Gained-99761.shtml

Have you tried to lose weight and given up in 2 weeks?? I HAVE MANY TIMES. I try something and it works, and then I quit. Why? I have no idea, but this contest kept me on track and I lost 11% of my body weight in 10 weeks.

I have a long way to go and I am starting up another round.

Are you, your spouse, or good friend interested in joining me in another round of The Biggest Loser, at-home edition? READ THE ATTACHMENT and email me back.



I need to know who is interested so that we can start our game.

Please email me as soon as possible. You can do this by posting a comment, since they all go to my email first.

All weights are recorded and sent in on a weekly basis and is on the honor system.


R.



PS If you don't have a partner, I can hook you up with one for the game. You don't have to work out together or anything, your weights get put together each week.

PS2 No one knows your weight but me. I post percentages only.

Happy Birthday T.!!!!

We love you so much.
Thank you for your love for us.
Happy Birthday T.!

Ready for the BIG one Californians?

Article about earthquakes this week on the San Andreas Fault

http://quake.usgs.gov/recenteqs/latestfault.htm

Will there be a major earthquake in our near future on the San Andreas Fault? Pretty Crazy. Make sure you are prepared!! Here are some Earthquake readiness sites:

http://www.fema.gov/hazard/earthquake/eq_before.shtm




http://www.cal-quake.com/readiness.htm



http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/natural-disasters/earthquake-safety-tips.html

The fight.

So, when we were at Disneyland on New Year's Day, H. took a photo with Darth Vader. We never opened that photopass, so we never got to see the picture. Well, when we went in Feb. with my sister D., he wanted to get that photo again, so we did. Well, since the photo was about to expire, and it isn't one that we could get on our own camera, since it is super-imposed, I broke down and paid for the digital download. So cute, though!!

Yosemite Video Clip

Yosemite is my childhood dream vacation. We used to go there every summer and sometimes in the winter. I think that that is where my parents honeymooned, is that right Dad?? When I was too little to go on the day or 1/2 day mule rides with my siblings, I would get to ride a pony or ride in the hiking backpack while hanging out with my parents. I loved the "indian caves", the waterfall, dipping in the Merced River, early morning ranger hikes, bird walks with my Dad, late night card games, firepit popcorn, s'mores, hot chocolate, breakfast at the lodge or at our table at the camping site, skiing at badger pass (where I first learned to ski), movies at the lodge, the open-air tram...I LOVE YOSEMITE. As a new adult, I camped and climbed half-dome (the normal way, not the face) and loved Yosemite more. I decided that I'd never put myself through hiking that mtn again, but I think I'd love to hike it with T. now that I've had time to recover---15 yrs. hehe :-)

I want you to view the video of Yosemite. Post your memories. We get to go this year and I am elated to share it with my husband and children and hope it becomes one of our traditions, too.

"focus on the important and forgo the frivolous" - Beck

So, I gave my talk at church today. It went well thanks to Heavenly Father who answers our prayers! I was to speak last, and was originally told to speak for 20 minutes, so I thought that it might be a litter more, so I had extras to add on just in case. After the youth talk by a 16 yr old young man on integrity, who set the tone with the Spirit, an older sister spoke on the history of Relief Society. I loved how she gave the theme that each of the past presidents used. She got to Sister Beck, our current Gen Relief Society President, and that is where my talk began. I spoke on what Relief Society does to help us do what we need to do to get back to Heavenly Father. I had 10 minutes to speak, so I prayerfully, and quickly, chose the most important things from Sister Beck's interview to share with the congregation. I shared about remembering all the members in Relief Society and how Relief Society works. But, I posted my whole talk here so that I can remember it. I hope that it helps you learn what you can do to better yourself and your family, too:

Good Morning Brothers and Sisters. I am excited to stand before you and be able to speak to you on how the Relief Society focuses on The Lord’s Work of Salvation. Most of what I will share today comes from a recent interview with Julie B. Beck, the Gen Relief Society President, printed in this month’s issue of the Ensign. From this talk, I want you learn what the Relief Society is and how it helps you to accomplish God’s goal for us in our life. This is found in Moses 1:39 : “For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” Immortality is Christ’s gift, eternal life is life with Heavenly Father. God wants us to return to live with Him, and the principles and ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ are what get us there. These are: Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, Repentance, baptism by immersion by someone having the proper authority from God, receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the end through keeping our temple covenants.

What is Relief Society? And, why do we have it?
When I was little, I never really thought about what Relief Society was. I just knew that my mom was a member of it. She attended her meetings, visit taught, went to her homemaking meetings, always had her manuals and scriptures with her for church, and frequented the temple with my Dad. I learned more about the Relief Society when I would go with my mom to the Super Saturdays the Stake would put together, and I even attended a few of the Gen RS Broadcasts with her. I have come to learn much more about the roles of Relief Society through serving as a visiting teacher, a teacher, a pianist, and a counselor in Relief Society. As a missionary, I got to help establish some of the first visiting teaching routes and Relief Society assignments and meetings in Romania, as the gospel was so new there. The sweet sisters there would look to us to lead them in their roles as Relief Society President. I remember being apprehensive at first as to how to go about setting up visiting teaching as a 21 year old. I had never done that before. I had barely been a visiting teacher before, and now I was in a position that deemed it necessary to put visiting teaching into action. I testify that the Lord heads this Church, that the Holy Spirit is present in meetings, and that through His guidance, all the goals of Relief Society fit together and are accomplished.

When asked what role the Relief Society fulfills in furthering the work of the Savior, Sister Beck replied, “As Relief Society sisters, we are united first and foremost because of our faith in Jesus Christ.” So, our faith in Christ is what bonds us and stands as a basis for all we do. Faith in Christ, we learn, is an action. “When Joseph Smith organized the Relief Society, he said that the women were not only to look after the poor but also to save souls.” “This”, sister Beck says, “is still our purpose.” So, what our faith in Jesus Christ leads us to do is to help others physically and spiritually.

The RS helps provide defense in these perilous times. We need to remember that there is opposition in all things, as taught in 2 Nephi 2:11, 15. 11 For it must needs be, that there is an aopposition in all things. If not so, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. 15 And to bring about his eternal apurposes in the end of man, after he had bcreated our first parents, and the beasts of the field and the cfowls of the air, and in fine, all things which are created, it must needs be that there was an opposition; even the dforbidden efruit in fopposition to the gtree of life; the one being sweet and the other bitter. In our time, “we are confronted with issues such as divorce, disobedience, debt, depression, apathy, and addiction…we also live in a day when the Lord’s Spirit is poured out upon us. This is a day when the gospel is being preached throughout the world, when the children of Israel are being gathered, when temples are upon the earth, and when we have the protection of priesthood covenants and ordinances.” Relief Society teaches us how “we can be successful against a deceitful and determined enemy. Our homes can and should become places of refuge.” In Relief Society we learn how to make our homes peaceful like the temple as read in Doctrine and Covenants 88:119-126, of which I will read verse 119:
Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God;
And verse 124:
Cease to be idle; cease to be unclean; cease to find fault
one with another; cease to sleep longer than is needful; retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated.
We learn these things in Relief Society.

We have different meetings in Relief Society, the Sunday lessons and weekday activities. The Sunday lessons are where we “study the doctrines of the gospel together”. The messages of the Sunday lessons are so important that all the opening announcements that lead up to the lesson are to be short and dignified so as to allow the Spirit to “be in attendance.” “Our curriculum is so important.” Sister Beck reminds us that, “We are studying the words of the Prophet Joseph Smith from the best compilation of his works ever produced. This manual is the result of years of research and careful review. While the scriptures and Church magazines can enrich a discussion, we do not need to supplement the words of prophets with other sources, especially non-Church sources. “Our teachers [are to] ask insightful questions and encourage open sharing. The Spirit is the teacher, and we must prepare in such a way that He will be in attendance at every Sunday lesson.” That includes the students. She tells us: “The words of the prophets are clear and inspired. We cannot—we must not—be passive and nonchalant in our study of them.” Sisters who are in other classes during the RS hour, Sister Beck spoke to you, too. She says, “Women who are called to serve in Primary, Young Women, and other areas also learn doctrines of the gospel in their callings.” So sisters, although you may not be with us during the Sunday lesson due to your calling that takes to you to another class, you are still learning the gospel as you study and prepare for those lessons.

In response to a question regarding the weekday meetings’ role, Sister Beck reiterated a statement she gave at the Gen RS Broadcast 2 yrs ago, that “our unity and sisterhood will come naturally as a result of working together.” She continues by saying that weekday meetings allow us to “learn skills for sharing the gospel and preparing missionaries. We can learn about each other through family history. As we improve our homemaking skills such as cleaning, organizing, cooking, sewing, and gardening, we learn to create a climate of nurturing and spiritual growth in our homes. We must also learn to be self-reliant in temporal things such as education, career development, and keeping up with technology. We should be storing up a supply of food, and we should know how to budget our money. We should also be working to improve physical and mental health.” One thing that we must remember “when planning these meetings and activities,” she says, “we need to assess our precious resources of time, energy, and consecrated funds. [We] use them only to help us live the gospel in our homes and further the Lord’s work.” Through “focusing RS activities on the Lord’s work of salvation, we become unified and can call down the blessings of heaven.” What a promise to be able to call down the blessings of heaven! She continues, “I believe that when we focus on the important and forgo the frivolous, we gain confidence and our spirits are lifted. We cope better and feel less burdened. We will, of course still be busy, but we will be doing the work of salvation.”

So, who is in this great organization? All women 18 years and older, and younger if a mother, are in the Relief Society. This jump to Relief Society from Young Women’s should not be a huge jump, it is a natural transition, just as was going from Primary to Young Women’s. I remember my transition from Primary to YW. I remember not knowing what was going to happen in YW, but my leaders and classmates brought me in and immediately I felt at home there. My transition from YW to RS was fine, too. My Mom was there. I sat with her each week until going away to school. Sister Beck says that, “our talented young women are crossing the bridge from youth to adulthood, and Relief Society sisters have the charge to see that not one of them is lost.” Did you hear that??? RELIEF SOCIETY SISTERS, not the RS Pres, or the VTs, but the sisters, that is all of the sisters. We all have the responsibility to help these sisters succeed in Relief Society. They “have been taught to keep their baptismal covenants, and in RS we help them prepare to make temple covenants.” Thus, “18-yr-old RS sisters can chair committees, teach skills, help with missionary work, serve as visiting teachers, participate in family history and temple projects, and be full participants in the work of saving souls.” Just as Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are one in purpose, all sisters are one in purpose in the Relief Society. Our faith bonds us and allows us to do the work of the Lord, no matter what our age.

Visiting Teachers have an important role in the work of the Lord. Sister Beck reminds us that “our hands are [the Savior’s] hands, our love is His love, and our service is His service.” We are to “know the sisters that we visit teach, love them, serve them, and help them (1) learn the gospel by the Spirit, and (2) focus on fortifying their homes and lives.” Visiting teaching “is truly the business of salvation.”

Just as I first learned to appreciate Relief Society from my mother’s example, Sister Beck learned the importance of RS from her mother’s example. She tells that as a young girl her father was the mission president of what at the time was the only mission in Brazil. It had less than 4,000 members and only some of the branches had Relief Societies. She relates the story as follows: “My mother was called to organize Relief Societies in the mission. She spoke no Portuguese and had no manuals. What she did have was a testimony of the gospel and of Relief Society. She and her counselors began by helping sisters learn how to be visiting teachers.” At their first training meeting in the Sao Paulo, “seven humble women attended the meeting. My mother’s counselor, a Brazilian, greeted the sisters. After the prayer, she stood with trembling hands and read a message explaining visiting teaching. Then my mother stood. She knew four sentences in Portuguese: ‘I know that God lives. I know that Jesus is the Christ. I know that we have a living prophet. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.’ Then the meeting ended. She hugged the women and bade them good-bye. “What a humble beginning to such a great work! Eventually, a Relief Society was established in every branch in Brazil. The sisters worked to prepare for a stake and the first temple in South America. They learned about ordinances and covenants and how to save souls.”

Recently, Sister Beck met with a group of women cabinet members from West Africa. Upon their question of how the Church helps African women, she “explained that in their countries we have many organized groups of women, called Relief Societies. We send the Church Handbook of Instructions to the president of each group. The women gather together often to study the gospel and to learn how to care for their families. The president divides the Relief Society women into pairs that visit the women in their homes, where they assess needs. Is anyone sick? Do they have enough food and clothing? Do they have the education they need? After the visits the women report what they found. Someone needs shoes, someone is having a baby, and one of them needs work. They ask if within their group they have the needed resources. Most of the time they do. That is what we do for our women in Africa. As [she] talked, these women nodded their heads and smiled. One said to [her], “That model would work for our women.”

Sister Beck says, and I agree, “that Relief Society is a model that works throughout the world and that our sisters are the finest, most capable, greatest force for good on the earth today.”

So, let’s get back to the beginning. Have you a better idea of what happens in the Relief Society? Did you learn how the Relief Society’s role can help you? What can you do? Sister Beck said, “We can start by strengthening ourselves spiritually through prayer and becoming self-reliant in scripture knowledge. We embrace the ordinances, covenants, and commandments the Lord has provided us.
We can then help gather scattered Israel. We have a duty to help prepare missionaries, to share the gospel, and to help retain those who are baptized. We have a responsibility to get ourselves and family members prepared for the temple. We can collect our family history and help the Lord’s children to be sealed in eternal families.
Step by step, in Relief Society we can help each other come unto Christ by doing the work we were organized to do.”

I love Sister Beck’s recap of her story of the sisters in Brazil. Her words encourage me to do all I can in Relief Society to better our ward and stake, and I hope that it can encourage you, too! She says, “In part, because the Relief Society sisters helped further the Lord’s work, the Church in Brazil now numbers over one million members. Like these sisters in Brazil, we must do our part. No one can do it for us. We cannot delegate our responsibility for building the kingdom to anyone else. It is our work. Let us embrace it and excel in building faith, strengthening families, and giving relief.”

I want to bear to you my testimony again that we are about the Lord’s work. As we prepare ourselves through scripture study and prayer, attend our meetings, keep ourselves healthy, make our homes a refuge against the evils of our day, as we visit the sick and the needy, as we keep our covenants, as we teach the gospel to each other and to our families, we are doing what our Heavenly Father wants. We will have His Spirit with us. He will guide us to know what to say and how to say it so we need not wonder if there is a way to accomplish what we are called to do! In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

18 and counting :-)

Okay, so my friend and I are in a Biggest Loser group. I have lost 18 lbs in the past 9 weeks. I am so excited to say that my wedding ring fits again. (size 4 3/4) :-) WooHoo.

I. asked me, "Did you get a new ring Mommy?" Pitifully, she has never seen it before. I got my fat prego ring (size 6) right before she was born and I never got out of it until now...another baby later.

Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.

"Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without." I don't know where it originally comes from, but Elder Hansen used it in Conference in 1998: W. Eugene Hansen, “Children and the Family,” Ensign, May 1998, 58 (My sister-in-law found that quote for me to use in my talk last year).

I got this list from a frugal yahoo group and wanted to preserve it, and hopefully follow it. :-) Here it is:

1. Go with one car. Many families have two or more cars. Besides your
house, your car is probably your most expensive item. If you can do with one,
you should. My wife and I both work, and we have six kids, and yet we have
learned to manage with one car.
2. Go with a smaller house. Just because you can afford a larger house,
doesn´t mean you should live in one. Live in as small a house as you can and
still be comfortable. I don´t mean you should live in a one-room apartment
with a family of four ... you know what I mean. You can save thousands a year
with a smaller house. Many times, if you get rid of a lot of clutter, you don´t
need a large house.
3. Go with a smaller car. Again, you can save thousands by going with a
smaller car. A car instead of an SUV, for example, is a big savings. Be
comfortable, but don´t overdo it. You´ll save a lot on gas this way too.
4. Rent rather than own. This will probably spark a huge debate, as it
always does. The thing is, just don´t assume that buying is the better
investment. If you calculate the interest you pay on a mortgage, the cost of
insurance and maintenance, buying is often much more costly than renting ... and if
you rent, save money, and then invest the difference, you can actually end up
well ahead in the long run. Now, it´s not a given, so do a comparison,
factoring in all expenses. Here´s a _more in-depth article_
(http://www.getrichs lowly.org/ blog/2007/ 07/16/renting- vs-buying- the-realities- of-home-buying/) .
5. Look for used first. If you need something - I mean really need it,
not just want it - see if someone you know has one that they don´t use or
need anymore. Send out an email to family or friends, or just ask around. You
might be surprised. I was about to buy a printer, and then found out my mom
just bought a laser printer and didn´t need her old inkjet ... saving me close
to 100 smackeroos. If no one you know owns one, try freecycle.org or
craigslist.org. Then look to buy used, at garage sales or thrift shops. You can find a
bargain if you look around.
6. Eat out less. One of the biggest expenses in our daily lives is
eating out - the average person spends well over $2,000 a year on eating out.
Restaurants are expensive, including fast-food (not to mention the health
hazards). It´s much cheaper to cook your own food. Our family creates a weekly
menu, then we buy the groceries, and cook dinner (and lunch) each evening. Lately
I´ve even been prepping it in the morning, so it´s a snap when we get home.

7. Eat out frugally. If you do eat out, check out _these money-saving
tips_
(http://www.bargaini st.com/deals/ 2007/07/ideas- for-saving- money-on- eating-out/) .
8. Brown bag it to work. Instead of eating out for lunch, bring your
lunch. _More here_
(http://zenhabits. net/2007/ 04/simple- way-to-save- 3000-a-year- brown-bag- it/) .
9. Adopt a minimalist wardrobe. This tip won´t be for everybody, but I
try for a minimalist wardrobe. I generally wear jeans or casual pants, a
T-shirt or Polo-type shirt, and sandals or shoes. Plain, solid colors are my
favorite. Everything goes with everything else, and I don´t have too many
clothes. This saves me the stress of picking out an outfit, and I don´t need as many
clothes.
10. Stop online impulse buys. This was a problem for me before I
canceled my credit card. I used to buy online a couple of times a week. Now I buy
maybe once every couple of months, using PayPal or someone else´s credit card. I
´m not saying you have to go to this extreme, but realize that online buying
can be way too easy (you don´t even have to go to a store) and therefore, we
make too many impulse buys. Buy online if you really need something and it´
ll save you money, but beware the impulse buy. See 30-day list tip below.
11. Don´t shop. Don´t go to the mall or other shopping area or
department store to look around and shop. Go to a store if you know what you need,
and then get out. Many times people go shopping, with a vague idea of what they
want, and get caught up buying much more. Or they go just for fun, as a form
of entertainment. That ends up costing a lot. It can really add up. Instead,
stay away from shopping areas and find other ways to have fun (more below).
12. Use a 30-day list. To curb impulse buys, create a 30-day list. When
you want to buy something, other than a true necessity (medicine or food, for
example), put it on this list, with the date you added it to the list. And
make it a rule that you can´t buy anything for at least 30 days after you put
it on the list. And stick to it. You´ll find that you buy a lot less with
this system.
13. Cut out cable. I´ve _talked about_
(http://zenhabits. net/2007/ 08/10-odd- little-minimalis t-things- i-do/) how I cut out cable before. It saves me
money every month (in my area, about $60, or more than $700 a year), and also
forces me to do things like read and have conversations and go outside. Win
win.
14. Use the library. Instead of buying books, check them out. The
library often also has a great selection of DVDs (depending on your area), saving
you even more. Now who needs cable?
15. Find free entertainment. Find cheap ways to have fun. Entertainment
often ends up costing a lot of money, if you go to the movies, buy
concessions, or go out at night, go to the bar, etc. The average person spends about
$1,800 a year on entertainment (not including eating out). Now, I´m not saying
you shouldn´t have fun ... but there are cheaper ways to do it. _Here are a
few ideas_
(http://zenhabits. net/2007/ 02/100-ways- to-have-fun- with-your- kids-for/) . Here´s a frugal family´s _fun and cheap weekend_
(http://www.thesimpl edollar.com/ 2007/08/25/ a-glimpse- at-how-a- frugal-family- spends-their- weekend/) .
16. Frugal exercise. Exercise is important, but it doesn´t have to cost
a lot of money. _Here are some tips_
(http://www.bargaini st.com/deals/ 2007/08/12- frugal-exercise- ideas/) .
17. Stay healthy. Easier said than done, I know, but staying healthy can
save you tons of money on doctor´s visits, hospital bills, and medicine over
the long run. An ounce of prevention, and all that. Eat healthily, and
exercise. Simple and effective.
18. Commute by bike. Even if you own a car, commuting by bike will save
you gas, and get you in shape at the same time. I highly recommend it. _Here
are my tips_
(http://zenhabits. net/2007/ 01/6-tips- for-commuting- to-work-by- bike/) .
19. Carpool or ride the bus. OK, you don´t want to bike it. So find a
friend or neighbor who works near you, and arrange a carpool. Or take public
transportation. Simple advice, but something a lot of people ignore.
20. Walk. Often we drive to the corner store, or to a school that´s less
than a mile away. Leave a few minutes early, walk, burn some calories, and
save gas.
21. Sell your clutter. This is not so much saving money as making it,
but the frugal, simplifying cheapskate, like myself, will want to declutter and
make a few bucks doing it. Hold a garage sale or sell it on eBay. It´s
amazing what some people will buy. See the _Simple Dollar´s post on this_
(http://www.thesimpl edollar.com/ 2007/08/24/ an-interesting- voluntary- simplicity- exercise-
that-can-really- improve-your- financial- situation/ ) .
22. Frugal gifting. Gifts can cost a lot of money over the course of a
year. Look for ways to do it cheaply. Make a gift, or give a consummable. My
family enjoys getting and giving cookies, for example. _Here are some ideas_
(http://www.betterbu dgeting.com/ articles/ money/63giftsund er10dollars. htm) .
23. Quit smoking. Not the easiest way to save, I know. It´s hard. But I
did it, and so have many, many others. Not only will you save on cigarettes
(which are expensive over the long run), but also associated costs (I used to
buy a soda or beer to go with my cigarettes) ... and of course the huge,
long-term medical costs. In less than 2 years of not smoking, I´ve saved well more
than $3,000. _Here are my tips for quitting_
(http://zenhabits. net/2007/ 01/10-tips- for-quitting- smoking/) .
24. Alcohol in moderation. If you drink one beer or a few beers a day,
that adds up to big money each month. Some drink even more than that. It´s
expensive. If you can cut your drinking to the occasional party, and once in
awhile with friends (not all the time), you´ll save tons.
25. Sweets in moderation. Desserts and sweet snacks give us lots of
calories with no nutrition. And we pay a premium price for that, in dollars and
in our deteriorating health. Cut back on sweets (don´t eliminate them entirely
of course) to save money and cut calories.
26. Drink water. Often we drink lots of calories through sodas, coffee,
alcohol, juices, tea, etc. And that costs a lot too. Drink water, save money,
save calories. _Here are some tips for forming the water habit_
(http://www.dumblitt leman.com/ 2007/07/9- great-reasons- to-drink- water-and- how.html) .
27. Batch your errands. Instead of running an errand or two every day,
batch them into one errand day, and plan your most efficient route, to save
gas and time. Also do as much bill-paying online as possible, to eliminate some
errands.
28. Stay home. Becoming a homebody might not sound like a lot of fun,
but it really can be. I love staying home with my family. We can do all kinds
of fun things at home. Or I can spend a day alone, if the family is at school,
and really enjoy it. It´s quiet and peaceful, I can read or watch a good
movie or respond to comments on my blog or write. Staying home can save tons, in
eating out expenses, shopping expenses, gas, and incidentals.
29. Stop using credit cards. Credit cards are not evil. And before you
flame me, once again, I realize that they can be used to good purpose. If that´
s how you use them, then that´s good, skip this tip. For others, credit
cards make buying too easy, and end up making them buy too much.Not only that,
but if you don´t pay your bill in full each month, they will cost you a lot in
interest. The average American with at least 1 credit card has more than
$8,500 in credit card debt. Don´t make that mistake. _Here´s my story_
(http://zenhabits. net/2007/ 02/how-i- ended-my- love-affair- with-credit/) .
30. Cancel subscriptions. With the wealth of information and
entertainment online, do you really need magazine subscriptions? With all the news
online, do you really need a newspaper subscription? If you can get _DVDs for free
or cheap_ (http://www.bargaini st.com/deals/ 2007/07/10- ways-to-buy- cheap-dvds/)
, do you really need a Netflix subscription? Don´t flame me if you think you
do need any of these - I´m just asking you to consider whether they´re
really essential - the answer might be yes. Also consider other subscriptions you
might be paying for - I´m not saying you should cancel everything, but
seriously consider whether they can be canceled without much loss of value. _Read
more_
(http://www.thesimpl edollar.com/ 2007/08/22/ evaluating- my-magazine- subscriptions- which-ones- are-worth- it-and-which- ones-arent/) .
31. Make your own. I won´t go into all the possibilities here, but many
times we buy things when really, we could make them ourselves for much
cheaper if we get a little creative. Now, this might take a little more time and
effort, but it can be fun, especially if you make it a family project. We
recently made our own (very simple) bookshelves with only a couple of pieces of
lumber, instead of buying them. If you don´t know how to make something, search
for it online. You´ll most likely find some instructions.
32. Do it yourself. Instead of hiring someone to do something, try doing
it yourself. Sure, it takes some time and effort, but it´s satisfying, and
of course cheaper. It´s also educational, if you don´t know how to do it -
again, do an online search, read up on it, and give it a go. Frugality freaks
are DIYers.
33. Stop paying interest. I mentioned the interest of credit cards, and
auto loans, and mortgages. I consider them a waste of money. I´ve talked
about _how to live without credit before_
(http://zenhabits. net/2007/ 08/10-ideas- for-living- a-life-without- credit-or- debt/) , and I recommend it for a frugal
lifestyle. Consider any other accounts or loans where you pay interest, and
see if you can eventually eliminate as much of these as possible.
34. Reduce convenience foods. Frozen foods, microwaveable stuff, junk
food ... anything that´s packaged and prepared for our convenience is not only
more expensive than something you cook yourself, but also most likely less
healthy. I´m not saying to eliminate these completely, but reduce consumption.
35. Travel frugally. I actually don´t travel (or haven´t for years),
but if you do have to travel, some advance planning can save you money. Airfare
is most expensive, usually, so look to buy your ticket in advance, and look
for deals. Also consider train travel. Shop around for car rental rates, as
they can vary greatly (or use public transportation) . Look for cheaper
accommodations, or stay with a friend or relative. Just a note: I do plan to travel,
but not until I finally eliminate all of my debt.
36. Cut the cell phone. This will not be a popular suggestion either. If
you don´t like it, move on to the next one. It´s not for everybody. But
think about this: 20 years ago, most people didn´t have cell phones. And
miraculously, they survived. A cell phone is not a necessity. It´s a convenience.
When people needed to make a call, 20 years ago, they either waited until they
got to a destination (wait to make a phone call?! omg!), or pulled over and
used a pay phone or a phone in a business establishment.
37. Cut your own hair. Again, this one isn´t for everybody. Personally,
I use electric clippers to shave my head. It´s easy, it´s cheap, it´s
minimalist, it´s care-free. I don´t worry about my hair getting messed up, or
having to fix it in the morning. However, I´m not saying you should shave your
head. Many people cut their own hair, in many simple but nice hairstyles, long
or short. Saves money, and time.
38. Maintain stuff. This is a no-brainer, but we don´t often think about
it: if you take care of what you have, it will last longer. You´ll then
spend less on buying new stuff. When you buy something worth maintaining, take a
few minutes to read the maintenance manual, and create a maintenance
checklist that you can attach to the item. For important things like your car´s oil
changes or tune-ups, put them in your calendar.
39. Save energy. There are little things we can do to lower our power
bill. I don´t use a dryer or hot water heater, although those are a little
extreme. Try _these tips_
(http://www.bargaini st.com/deals/ 2007/06/12- ways-to-lower- your-electric- bill/) .
40. Save gas. With the rising price of gas (and no end in sight), fuel
has become a major monthly expense for many people. Small things can add up to
big savings. Try _these tips_
(http://www.bargaini st.com/deals/ 2007/08/20- tips-to-save- money-on- gas/) .
41. Only buy bargain clothing (when you need clothes). OK, so you´re a
cheapskate like me who only buys clothes when the old clothes have too many
arm or leg holes. But now you need new clothing. I mean really need it. So
instead of buying new, look for thrift shops with good clothes. Or buy new, but
only buy the stuff that´s 50% off. Look for the bargains, and you´ll save a
ton.
42. Telecommute. Telecommuting doesn´t necessarily give you your dream
job, but it´s definitely a step in the right direction. But in addition to
allowing you to work in your underwear (and who doesn´t have that dream?),
telecommuting saves money on gas, on eating out (if you eat lunch at a
restaurant), and on buying expensive work clothes (all you need to buy is underwear,
right? And no, don´t buy used underwear).
43. Plan ahead. Sure, easy to say, hard to implement. But if you make it
a habit to think ahead to things that are coming up in your life, you can
save a lot of money. For example, if you think about where you´re going to get
your meals when you go out to do errands, you can pack a lunch or dinner
instead of eating out. If you pack a big container of iced water, you don´t need
to buy expensive bottled water. If you know that a birthday is coming up, you
can buy a gift on sale instead of spending more at the last minute.
44. Cook ahead. If you have one free day a week (or even a month), cook
food in big batches and freeze in dinner-sized portions. I don´t do this all
the time, but I have done it and it saves money (buying big can often save)
as well as time. You have to plan it out a bit, coming up with a menu and
shopping, cooking enough meals for a week or a month. But once you´re done, your
meals each night (and for lunch if you like) are quick and easy. This saves
you from eating out or eating convenience food when you´re hungry but too
tired to cook.
45. Wash clothes less. Some people wear clothes and then wash them, but I
´ve gotten into the habit of wearing my clothes more than once if they´re
not really dirty. I use my nose as a test - I don´t want to wear clothes that
smell, but most times the clothes are still perfectly clean. This saves on
washing.
46. Sun-dry clothes. When my parents were young, everyone used a
clothesline to dry clothes. Now dryers are ubiquitous, because they´re fast. But if
you don´t wash a ton of clothes, it´s not that hard to take a few minutes to
hang them up. You´ll save a lot in electricity, plus your clothes last
longer.
47. Eat less meat. I´m not saying you have to become a vegetarian
(although you could always _give it a try_
(http://zenhabits. net/2007/ 08/how-to- become-a- vegetarian- the-easy- way/) ), but once in awhile, eat meatless dishes.
Pasta, vegetarian chili (see my recipe halfway down _this article_
(http://zenhabits. net/2007/ 02/health- tip-try-eating- vegetarian/) ), vegetarian Indian or
Thai dishes, falafels with hummus and pitas and tomatoes and lettuce ... there
are plenty of tasty dishes without meat. And as meat is expensive (well, the
fresh kind is ... Spam is cheap), you´ll save money on meatless dishes. Again, I´
m assuming you cook with fresh meat, not canned.
48. Save on groceries. For my family of eight, groceries is a major
expense. With some simple habits, we´ve been able to save a lot of money. See
_more here_ (http://zenhabits. net/2007/ 04/50-tips- for-grocery- shopping/) .
49. Frugal Christmas. Christmas is expensive, especially in America (if
you live in an area that doesn´t celebrate Christmas with a huge amount of
buying, or doesn´t celebrate it at all, skip this tip). People go on crazy
shopping gorges. It´s insane. While it makes the retailers and manufacturers
happy, it doesn´t make our bank accounts happy. Break out of the cycle and find
cheaper ways to celebrate Christmas. Here are _some great ways to do that_
(http://www.getrichs lowly.org/ blog/2006/ 12/11/five- fantastic- frugal-tips- for-christ
mas/) , and here are _some more_ (http://www.betterbu dgeting
.com/articles/ holidays/ saveatchristmas. htm) .
50. Eat a cheap breakfast.Here are _some great ones_
(http://www.thesimpl edollar.com/ 2007/08/21/ tackling- breakfast- healthy-inexpens ive-and-easy- meals-to
-get-me-started- in-the-morning/ ) .

web address logo

http://www.tech-recipes.com/rx/1215/html-adding-a-website-address-bar-icon-or-favicon/

At the table.

Luckily our computer is in the kitchen. It has been 45 minutes, so dinner is officially over. My children, however have yet to finish their food.

So you ask me, "Why do you make them eat all their food?"
I answer, "All of their food? I would just like for them to eat enough of their food. I make things they think taste good, but they are so darn slow at eating that their brains think they're full even though they haven't eaten enough t o really be full. Bedtime is in thirty minutes. Exactly after reading their books (45 minutes from now) they say, and it never fails, that they are 'hungry to the floor'". They won't fall asleep until they've eaten something. So, we drudgingly come back out to the kitchen and eat something. It makes me mad that they just nibble nibble nibble and then they're hungry again.

Now, I have absolutely no problem with a bedtime snack, in fact, right after scriptures and prayer it is on the menu to have some yogurt and toast. If I take that away, they really don't fall asleep.

So, if you have a better solution for me, then by all means comment some suggestions.

Hallelujah!!!

Okay, I just finished editing some piano accompaniment recordings for a local middle school. I am so happy that those are the last ones. It has been SO hard this year trying to get everything in. Those songs have been wearing on me and I have not been able to get other things done without feeling guilty that I haven't finished them.

Anyways, today was the choir's festival, so they will be starting their new songs tomorrow. So as usual, for any of you that know me, deadlines are what motivate me.

So, if you need something finished, then give me a deadline, and by that day, it will be done (within reason, of course). hehe

So, off to my next deadline. I am making some tag-blankies for a fundraising auction. They are due Wednesday.

R.

It's about time...

...we are studying time in math, so I found directions for a sundial. Pretty fun in our great weather, so before the heat of summer gets you, make a fun springtime sundial. :-) Did I say spring? Well, it is 65 degrees outside today. :-) You were wrong little ground hog!

Here's the website: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/kids/roofus/sundial.html

Here are the directions if you don't want to go to the link:

U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Roofus' Solar and Efficient Home

Build a Sundial

Sundials are the oldest way to tell time. The position of the sun changes during the day. The sun doesn't move; the Earth rotates around the sun, making it seem like the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. As the sun goes across the sky, the post in the center of the sundial casts a shadow on a circular plate. Marks on the plate tell you what time it is. It's just like reading a clock!

To make your own sundial, you need:

• A large styrofoam or paper drinking cup with a plastic lid and straw,
• A wristwatch
• A permanent marker
• A pencil
• Tape
• Some small pebbles (enough to fill the cup about half full)
• A compass

Now you are ready to build:

1. Use the pencil to poke a hole in the side of the cup approximately 2 inches below the top.
2. Put the pebbles in the cup so it doesn't tip over.
3. Put the lid on the cup.
4. Put the straw through the hole in the cover and the hole in the side of the cup. Let it stick out about half an inch from the side and tape the straw to the cup.

Finished building—Let's give it a try!

Start using your sundial on the morning of a sunny day when you'll be home all day. Find a spot out in the open that is sunny from 10 in the morning until 3 in the afternoon. Look for a good, open view to the South with no trees or buildings in the way. Place the sundial on level ground or on a level table.

Use the compass to find North, and point the straw to the North. Now be careful not to move the sundial. Just in case, you might want to make a mark near the bottom of the cup and on the ground or the table, so you can line them up again if they get moved. Or you can just line up the sundial to the North again using the compass.

At 10 a.m., use the marker to mark where the shadow from the straw falls on the lid of the cup. Repeat this every hour until 3 p.m. Make sure your marks are neat and straight. If you have to leave or if it clouds over, you can always finish doing this a few days later—you don't have to do it all in one day. Once you have marks for all the times, you're ready to use the sundial. Wait until the next day and try reading the time by comparing the shadow to the marks you made. How well can you tell what time it is?