Search Results for: blog its the small things that sometimes mean the most

6 Steps to a Simple, Nonmaterialistic Life

Six easy steps you can take, starting today, to live a more simple and debt-free life  Live Below Your Means Did you know that the average American spends $1.25 for each dollar he or she actually earns? Scary isn’ it? We live in a culture where living above your means is so normal, so casual, that we don’t even realize it. Create a budget and aim to live below your means, not above. Value Usefulness Over Status The clothes we choose, the cars we drive, the homes we live in and the electronics we carry sometimes are often purchased for … Continue reading →

Dump the Storage Unit and Get Out of Debt

According to the New York Times, the number of self-storage units in the United States is on the rise. Unfortunately, most people really don’t need self-storage units. They are usually a waste of money and can contribute to debt. Dumping the storage unit can offer you instant savings. There are very few smart reasons to have a storage unit, and the majority of these require only temporary storage. For example, if a family is moving to a new home and is temporarily renting a furnished apartment while they wait to close on the new house. Renting a self-storage unit year … Continue reading →

Someone To Be Proud Of

Sometimes I tell my husband I’m proud of him. I do it when he’s accomplished something really cool, like finishing grad school or laying down hardwood floor in our house. Other times I tell him when I feel that warm ache in my chest when looking at him. He’s a great person, the best in my opinion, and I am so proud of him. It feels a little strange to say sometimes, because it’s not the sort of thing we’re used to saying to our spouses. We expect to hear it from our parents, or tell it to our kids: … Continue reading →

Choosing to Love

Is it really possible to fall out of love? While most would probably say yes, I tend to have a different philosophy on this. Love comes in one of two ways. One is naturally, such as the love a mother feels when she holds her child in her arms for the first time. Despite the fact she has known this person for a few seconds, there is a natural love that flows out. Then there is love that develops over time. When I first met my husband I didn’t feel instant love for him. But it did begin to form … Continue reading →

The Perfect Ward

Posted on by

I have lived in several different wards in my 33 years of life. Every ward has its hidden gems and every ward is far from perfect. But, loving your ward is hard to come by. I mean truly loving it. I tell people all the time that the people in the church are not perfect, but the church is. It’s true. But, sometimes, it’s hard to swallow when the people that you go to church with every week are not who you expect them to be. Sometimes, this can lead to heartbreak, loss of friends, and in the worse case … Continue reading →

No Expectations for Me on Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. Are you already setting yourself up with certain expectations? Perhaps you have dropped some hints to your spouse or come right out and said what you would like. The thing with Valentine’s Day is that it can actually become very “me” focused when it is supposed to be about the one you love. When we think about this day where we celebrate love, we should be putting effort into how we can express it toward our spouse…not what they can do for us. Personally, I don’t make a very big deal about Valentine’s … Continue reading →

Everyone Needs A Time Out Chair

All too often we hear stories in the news where a parent has lost control and hurt their child. This is devastating to everyone involved and maybe it hits a little too close to home sometimes. I think we have all had a time when we were absolutely at the end of our rope and if our child did ________ just one more time……….. I remember when Hailey was an infant and was crying inconsolably, After trying everything and walking and bouncing and singing I just couldn’t take one more minute. So I did the only thing I could think … Continue reading →

Got Snow? You Could Start a Snow Removal Business

In many places, a change of seasons can bring a change in business opportunities. For example, here in Vermont, winter means snow and usually plenty of it. Of course I must add that as I say this, the remnants of the second snowstorm of the year are melting so fast that you can almost see it happening before your eyes. The snowman that I built with my son yesterday is now just a little lump. The first snow of the year was in late October, and while it made quite a mess of things south of here, less than an … Continue reading →

Life Doesn’t Always Come in Neat Little Packages

Life doesn’t always come in neat little packages. That has certainly been something my husband and I have discovered over the past couple of weeks. In fact, our packages have consisted of things such as problems with our teens (some minor and some not), an unexpected medical emergency ($751), family drama during Thanksgiving, a job change for my husband, a vehicle dying on us, and now trying to figure out how three drivers can share two vehicles. All of this in just two weeks…and meanwhile, I am trying to enjoy what is supposed to be the best time of the … Continue reading →

Fall Science: Combing Through Compost

It’s almost fall, which means that the season of quiet recycling is upon us. Why do I get so excited about this season? I love the fact that there is a time when plants and animals start to go to sleep and when plants prepare for the winter by sending many of their parts for recycling. When the deciduous trees drop their leaves, that’s a boon for many soil-dwelling animals that rely on leaves for food and homes. You can explore the plants’ recycling process at any time of the year by combing through finished or almost-finished compost. Gross! Yuck! … Continue reading →