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Re-Evaluating your Family Media Boundaries this Summer

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While driving on a trip or around town do you find yourself yelling, “Look up! Baby cows, or bald eagle!” or pointing out some other exciting view out the window? The goal is for your kids to disengage and not miss the world passing them by. Take time this week to sit down and make a plan for your family digital diet.  For everyone.  In 2015 we struggle with all the media options we have starting at a very young age.  Take the time to set boundaries for this diet to keep your life balanced. Look for our upcoming series … Continue reading →

Exercise and Diet Together Help Weight Loss

Thinking about losing some weight? You’ve probably found tons of advice that suggests how to do that. Some of it might contradict the other pieces of advice. Those of you who are confused about what the best plan for weight loss is may want to consider what a recent study found. It turns out you need to focus on both exercise and diet together. A Stanford study about weight gain and obesity was making the rounds on the internet recently. The lead author of the study was Dr. Uri Ladabaum, a Stanford gastroenterologist. In short, he describes the results as … Continue reading →

Leftovers: Good Idea or Bad?

Growing up I hate leftovers and would do everything I could to avoid them. Now, as a mom of three, I’ve made my peace with leftovers and try to use them in creative ways. (Here are some ideas for Unconventional Leftovers.) But, are leftovers really a good idea? Let us take a look. Leftovers Can Make your Sick (BAD) Since I hate wasting money, I’m reluctant to toss out food. Taken too far, this could make me sick, when leftovers are too old or haven’t been stored properly. Getting leftovers refrigerated or frozen immediately, labeling leftovers with a date, and … Continue reading →

Peer Pressure and Debt

Whew, is it getting hot in here? For some reason, the past two days was a huge day for financial peer pressure. It just seemed like everywhere I went, there was some example about how our family isn’t/wouldn’t/won’t fit in because of some of the financial choices that we are making. Our biggest long-term goal is to completely get out of debt, including our house and to start to build wealth so we can give generously. At the moment, we are far from this goal, but making progress. We have no debt, other than our house, although that debt is … Continue reading →

Bad News for Reusable Shopping Bags

For a couple of years now, we have been pushed to say goodbye to both plastic and paper bags at the store.  Instead, it has been suggested we use reusable bags.  This means less waste and less plastic in landfills. But now, there is bad news for reusable shopping bag fans and it may have everyone rethinking the whole bag thing again. One thing that appears to be important with the reusable bags that wasn’t with paper or plastic bags is washing.  Yes, your reusable bag may be a haven for germs which can make your family sick. In fact, … Continue reading →

Eliminate Food Waste: Chocolate Waffles and Pancake Mix

I’m making it a goal to check my fridge and pantry at the end of each week for ingredients that need to be used soon. This way, I can eliminate the food waste. Sometimes even this effort isn’t enough. For example, I pulled out some chicken that had a sell by date of a few days into the future, however, it had already gone bad. I won’t be shopping for chicken in that store again. I bought it at the beginning of the week. Today’s hunt through the pantry yielded a carton of buttermilk and some organic cocoa powder, so … Continue reading →

Unhealthy Behaviors and Emotions

Does psychology play a role in the ability to lose weight?  For some people, the battle to shed extra pounds requires more than a good diet and exercise plan.  There could be something much deeper going on. In fact, some experts believe that in the majority of cases where people struggle with their weight, there are unhealthy behaviors and emotions involved.  If that’s true, then the best plan in the world won’t be able to conquer the problem. So it comes down to the heart of the issue.  It may go beyond the lack of willpower to stop eating when … Continue reading →

Analyze This

You know that dream where everyone in the world hates you, but somehow you gain an invitation to compete on Iron Chef America where the secret ingredient is barley and one of the guest judges is Anderson “I love me some Crack Pie” Cooper, and you burn fish so badly that it looks like chicken until you pull back the skin and a sea of pin bones are revealed, and suddenly the entire kitchen goes up in flames… What do you mean you don’t remember that one? I get that one all the time, which probably explains why my 8-year-old … Continue reading →

The Worst Genealogy Blog of the Year

Many genealogists take time out of their research to work on their very own, personal, genealogy blog. While some of these blogs are entertaining, informative, and inspirational, others are a chore to try and read. Here are some tips to keep your blog from being deemed “the worst genealogy blog of the year”. Anyone can make a blog. There are several websites that will let you sign up and instantly start creating a blog about whatever topic you like for free. This is both good and bad. It allows every genealogist who desires to make a family history blog the … Continue reading →

Good Habits to Develop

In my last marriage blog, I talked about bad habits we should break.  Today we are going to consider some good habits to develop. The first is encouragement.  It seems the longer a couple is married, the less often this happens. In most cases it’s probably a result of just living life and not really thinking about the importance of offering encouragement.  We are busy working, taking care of the family, running a household, and taking on many other responsibilities. But taking time each and everyday to encourage your spouse is a good habit to develop.  It can be something … Continue reading →