For Conference Weekend we got to go play in Benton City. We did egg hunts, egg coloring, flying kites, and had the Easter bunny came to visit early. Best of all, time with the Button clan.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Early Easter in Benton City
For Conference Weekend we got to go play in Benton City. We did egg hunts, egg coloring, flying kites, and had the Easter bunny came to visit early. Best of all, time with the Button clan.
The Greats and the Grands
Josh, Great Grandpa Floyd Button, Danny, Grandpa Dan, Faith
Grandma Betty, she doesn't know who she is holding, but he is oh so cute!
A Great and a Grand
Playing with Faith
The tender moments with our little ones are the best. If you flip from one photo in this sequence to the next, you can tell that Faith and I are singing a duet to coreographed pony tail grooming. I am pretty sure the song went something like this;
You are my Pooony
oh so preeetiee
All my lovely hair is being made so beautiful
beautiful poooony hair!
Ahhhhhhhhh, pretty.
When I sing so preeeetiee
to my Pooony
Then all the lovely hair just looks so beautiful
beautiful lovely shineeeee
Ahhhhhhhhh, I luvvv you!
Friday, April 10, 2009
Words of Faith
Yesterday, as I was getting shower ready, Faith looked at me a bit more perceptively than normal. She pointed, got my attention, and said very clearly, "You have a bum!"
"Yes, I have a bum." I replied smirking. She paused slightly with a thoughtful expression and then smiled brightly while patting her backside, "I have a bum!" she reported with glee.
"Yes, you have a bum too." I agreed. "I have bum too." she agreed nodding. She then got down on hands and knees next to Danny's play saucer and said, half questioning, "Danny have bum."
"Yes, Danny has a bum, he is just sitting on it." She was satisfied. We giggled a little together and then I took my shower. The bum epiphany had passed.
"Yes, I have a bum." I replied smirking. She paused slightly with a thoughtful expression and then smiled brightly while patting her backside, "I have a bum!" she reported with glee.
"Yes, you have a bum too." I agreed. "I have bum too." she agreed nodding. She then got down on hands and knees next to Danny's play saucer and said, half questioning, "Danny have bum."
"Yes, Danny has a bum, he is just sitting on it." She was satisfied. We giggled a little together and then I took my shower. The bum epiphany had passed.
Self Smarted Myself: Budgeting and Finance
1Here's a little I learned that has already helped (one week -wahoo!)
Pay your tithing and be generous in your service to others in all areas as well as monetarily. The scriptures are repleat with pronunciations from the Lord about the absolute neccessity of paying our tithes and offerings. I was studying today in the Doctrine and Covenants about the law of consecration.....there are so many blessings that the Lord is willing to give us if we just remember Him in all things, including balancing our checkbook.
-2 There is always room to cut back. Of course you have fixed expense (things you have to pay so they don't cut off power or send you to jail), then there are variable expenses. Variable expenses are generally the cut back area. I found, thanks to a quick browse of "Rick on Any Income" that within variable expenses there are also discretionary spendings. Those are monies spent basically to satisfy some sort of emotional need, not a 'real' need.
After sub-dividing our already wonderful excel budget sheet (Josh made one for us soon after we were married for an IS class), we found that within our variable expenses, we only had two categories that were not discretionary: Gas and Food. We then stole and idea from Dave Ramsey's system of having everything in cash and alloted a very small, but reasonable, amount for ALL the discretionary categories. We cash my work check that I get once a month and divy out the cash, and that is all for the month. Having cash makes one more stingy. Seeing the money go away makes it more real, especially for me who is really good at justifying and I always have a good idea of where our monthly budget stands. Hopefully, the roll-over cash will be rewarding too.
We do use our credit card as much as possible for big purchases so that we continue to earn rewards, which become our Christmas spending money at the end of the year. BUT you have to pay off the credit card every month! Otherwise it becomes part of the debt category.
3 Debt is BAD!! There is no such thing as good debt. Cheryl Carson had an amazing story about the freedoms of getting out of debt and some straightforward talk about how debt is of the devil, simply put. I loved the clear counsel of the prophets regarding getting out of debt as on the newly updated part of Provident Living. Debt is BAD! avoid it if possible. when in it, get out. This is basically the guiding principle of every book that I open on finances and becoming a millionare and such.
4 Make your money work for you. One books suggested putting away 10% of your monthly income away in savings. I grew up being trained to put 15% into savings. Right now Josh and I have an auto withdrawl of $75 into savings just so we know that something is always going there. I good point I learned is while alloting monies to saving, put the largest chunk in your retirement and then the rest into kids funds for college/missions and all other activities. Someone said that kids can always find a way to get through college, but try and find loans for retirement, doesn't work. I hadn't thought of that. Build up your savings so you have at least 3 months supply of living expenses and then for longer term of at least a year. We will be opening additional savings accounts with our kids names and having auto withdrawl to them as well, starting now!
Other good ideas I gleaned from peoples: Allot a set amount for all variable expenses for a weekly or bimonthly period and then you can use it where you need it knowing that some months you will need to spend more on car repairs and others on clothes. Have separate checking accounts for his and hers either for spending or for alloted bills that each is responsible for. Make sure that you are checking your budget regularly, at least twice a month. Some systems make you balance it out with every purchase, others weekly, whereas most people just balance it all out at the end of the month. I try to balance everything on Monday nights after FHE, seems to work.
There it is for us self smarters, a weeks worth of re-looking at our budget. If, with all my italized changes, we follow our new goals we will be saving at least $400 a month, which about one fith of our monthly budget! We are fast on the road to millionare! (if only our budget came from something besides student loans)
Pay your tithing and be generous in your service to others in all areas as well as monetarily. The scriptures are repleat with pronunciations from the Lord about the absolute neccessity of paying our tithes and offerings. I was studying today in the Doctrine and Covenants about the law of consecration.....there are so many blessings that the Lord is willing to give us if we just remember Him in all things, including balancing our checkbook.
-2 There is always room to cut back. Of course you have fixed expense (things you have to pay so they don't cut off power or send you to jail), then there are variable expenses. Variable expenses are generally the cut back area. I found, thanks to a quick browse of "Rick on Any Income" that within variable expenses there are also discretionary spendings. Those are monies spent basically to satisfy some sort of emotional need, not a 'real' need.
After sub-dividing our already wonderful excel budget sheet (Josh made one for us soon after we were married for an IS class), we found that within our variable expenses, we only had two categories that were not discretionary: Gas and Food. We then stole and idea from Dave Ramsey's system of having everything in cash and alloted a very small, but reasonable, amount for ALL the discretionary categories. We cash my work check that I get once a month and divy out the cash, and that is all for the month. Having cash makes one more stingy. Seeing the money go away makes it more real, especially for me who is really good at justifying and I always have a good idea of where our monthly budget stands. Hopefully, the roll-over cash will be rewarding too.
We do use our credit card as much as possible for big purchases so that we continue to earn rewards, which become our Christmas spending money at the end of the year. BUT you have to pay off the credit card every month! Otherwise it becomes part of the debt category.
3 Debt is BAD!! There is no such thing as good debt. Cheryl Carson had an amazing story about the freedoms of getting out of debt and some straightforward talk about how debt is of the devil, simply put. I loved the clear counsel of the prophets regarding getting out of debt as on the newly updated part of Provident Living. Debt is BAD! avoid it if possible. when in it, get out. This is basically the guiding principle of every book that I open on finances and becoming a millionare and such.
4 Make your money work for you. One books suggested putting away 10% of your monthly income away in savings. I grew up being trained to put 15% into savings. Right now Josh and I have an auto withdrawl of $75 into savings just so we know that something is always going there. I good point I learned is while alloting monies to saving, put the largest chunk in your retirement and then the rest into kids funds for college/missions and all other activities. Someone said that kids can always find a way to get through college, but try and find loans for retirement, doesn't work. I hadn't thought of that. Build up your savings so you have at least 3 months supply of living expenses and then for longer term of at least a year. We will be opening additional savings accounts with our kids names and having auto withdrawl to them as well, starting now!
Other good ideas I gleaned from peoples: Allot a set amount for all variable expenses for a weekly or bimonthly period and then you can use it where you need it knowing that some months you will need to spend more on car repairs and others on clothes. Have separate checking accounts for his and hers either for spending or for alloted bills that each is responsible for. Make sure that you are checking your budget regularly, at least twice a month. Some systems make you balance it out with every purchase, others weekly, whereas most people just balance it all out at the end of the month. I try to balance everything on Monday nights after FHE, seems to work.
There it is for us self smarters, a weeks worth of re-looking at our budget. If, with all my italized changes, we follow our new goals we will be saving at least $400 a month, which about one fith of our monthly budget! We are fast on the road to millionare! (if only our budget came from something besides student loans)
Monday, April 6, 2009
Holy Week: Anointed One
I occurred to me that not only is today a special day, the revealed date of the actual birth of Jesus Christ, but this whole week ought to be one of special remembrances. Pity that we don't reflect on the daily actions of our Savior in our daily actions, but at least one week of the year, the Christian world is trying to make a chronology of one week that changed the eternities.
Yesterday was "Palm Sunday" - the recorded day that Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem and the people "took branches of palm tress, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel That cometh in the name of the Lord." (John 12:12-15)
However, I would like to remember also something that happened previous to the Triumphal Entry. It is recorded that prior to that day, Christ dined with his apostles at a banquet prepared by Mary and Martha. Meticulous Martha served a special dinner for Christ, some of his apostles, and her recently raised from the dead brother Lazarus (I rarely think beyond Christ raising him from the dead, but the fact is, he lived after he was no longer dead, and he had dinner). Ever sensitive Mary anointed the feat of the Savior during the course of the meal. Judas Iscariot rebuked her for such an action, but Jesus loved her for her devotion and the sweet symbolism of her action. (Matthew 26:6-13 and Mark 14:3-9) He said "she hath come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying" fulfilling the translated meanings of his name Messiah and Christ meaning "the anointed one."
On this day I pray that I will be both a Martha and a Mary; preparing the necessary situations than allow the Savior to be with me, and recognizing those moments in my life that I can give what I have to He who has given all.
Yesterday was "Palm Sunday" - the recorded day that Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem and the people "took branches of palm tress, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel That cometh in the name of the Lord." (John 12:12-15)
However, I would like to remember also something that happened previous to the Triumphal Entry. It is recorded that prior to that day, Christ dined with his apostles at a banquet prepared by Mary and Martha. Meticulous Martha served a special dinner for Christ, some of his apostles, and her recently raised from the dead brother Lazarus (I rarely think beyond Christ raising him from the dead, but the fact is, he lived after he was no longer dead, and he had dinner). Ever sensitive Mary anointed the feat of the Savior during the course of the meal. Judas Iscariot rebuked her for such an action, but Jesus loved her for her devotion and the sweet symbolism of her action. (Matthew 26:6-13 and Mark 14:3-9) He said "she hath come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying" fulfilling the translated meanings of his name Messiah and Christ meaning "the anointed one."
On this day I pray that I will be both a Martha and a Mary; preparing the necessary situations than allow the Savior to be with me, and recognizing those moments in my life that I can give what I have to He who has given all.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Coupons 102 for Self Smarters
Here is the Coupons For Self Smarters 102:
1-Never go to the store without a list that you have checked at home previously to see if there are coupons available for everything on the list - most of the time there is a coupon for everything (or at least a brand on sale).
2-When checking your list, check for the best deals; compare the stores that you normally go to (honestly, if a store has the best deal that is more than 10 miles out of your way, are you really saving money?).
3-Never end a transaction at a store without asking if they have any coupons or deals available. Josh does this all the time and it surprises me how often they will knock off a 10% just because you asked.
4-Never checkout anything when buying online before opening a second window in your internet browser and searching for promotional codes. You can get a deal almost always, even for the really obscure companies.
5-If you know a store is going to have a sale, even if you have walked in the doors and see the sign advertising for it tomorrow, wait! You are more likely to save money and less likely to buy on impulse if you have already stopped yourself and rationally waited for a sale.
6-Buying at 2nd hand stores is cheap and not a dent to your pride (not to mention it can give you that 'thrill of the hunt' endorphine, especially at quarter sales when it is really crazed women.
7- Get Red Box movies on Monday night and save yourself a dollar, otherwise, rent them from the library.
8- Ask anyone and everyone you know if they have recently gotten a good deal at the store.
9- Spend time planning out how you will use the coupons so you don't look like a gomer at the check out stand.
10- USE COUPONS.
There are the top 10 lessons I learned after one week of self smarting myself. They are super general, but still the same, they are the basic things that I needed to revamp in my shopping so that I save more money. Maybe another week I will get more specific and hit Coupons 201, but for now, even if I do the top 5 on the list, I will probably save myself hundreds, if not a dollar.
1-Never go to the store without a list that you have checked at home previously to see if there are coupons available for everything on the list - most of the time there is a coupon for everything (or at least a brand on sale).
2-When checking your list, check for the best deals; compare the stores that you normally go to (honestly, if a store has the best deal that is more than 10 miles out of your way, are you really saving money?).
3-Never end a transaction at a store without asking if they have any coupons or deals available. Josh does this all the time and it surprises me how often they will knock off a 10% just because you asked.
4-Never checkout anything when buying online before opening a second window in your internet browser and searching for promotional codes. You can get a deal almost always, even for the really obscure companies.
5-If you know a store is going to have a sale, even if you have walked in the doors and see the sign advertising for it tomorrow, wait! You are more likely to save money and less likely to buy on impulse if you have already stopped yourself and rationally waited for a sale.
6-Buying at 2nd hand stores is cheap and not a dent to your pride (not to mention it can give you that 'thrill of the hunt' endorphine, especially at quarter sales when it is really crazed women.
7- Get Red Box movies on Monday night and save yourself a dollar, otherwise, rent them from the library.
8- Ask anyone and everyone you know if they have recently gotten a good deal at the store.
9- Spend time planning out how you will use the coupons so you don't look like a gomer at the check out stand.
10- USE COUPONS.
There are the top 10 lessons I learned after one week of self smarting myself. They are super general, but still the same, they are the basic things that I needed to revamp in my shopping so that I save more money. Maybe another week I will get more specific and hit Coupons 201, but for now, even if I do the top 5 on the list, I will probably save myself hundreds, if not a dollar.
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