I have been working on these curtains for MONTHS! What a relief to finally finish them. I had planned them to be valances in our old apartment, but they fit perfectly as curtains in DD1's room! Check out the craftiness!
My faith
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Why we aren't buying a home.
Ever since we finished college, many people who love us (and some who don't) have told us that buying a house is our next step in life. While I know they mean well, I'd like to combat some myths about home-ownership, as well as explain why buying a home isn't right for us just yet.
Myth #1: You buy a house now to get tax credits.
That's kind of like saying "I'll give you $3000 if you give me $10000." (To steal from Dave Ramsey). What we would be paying in interest would never make up for what we would save on our taxes.
Myth #2: Don't waste your money renting!
A little math for you: If you take out a $165,000 loan for a home at 4.75% on a 30 yr fixed mortgage (rates are low now!), your monthly payments would be about $860, and you would pay about $145,000 in interest. Now, let's say we live cheaply and pay $800/mo for rent for 5 years. During that time I would be paying about 45,000 on rent. But I would have been paying $37,000 in interest on a home. If, during that time, I save for a sizable down payment, I will save $$$ later on mortgage insurance and interest.
Rent isn't wasting money! You are exchanging money on a place to live. And you don't have to be responsible for routine maintenence.
Myth #3: You are building equity, which is good.
Really? What if my property value decreases? A home is not an investment, or, at least, it's a risky one. A home is a place to live.
Reason to wait #1: no money!
We want to have a large down payment. Like 100%. That may be unattainable (imagine saving $1000/month for 15 years!), but we will have at least 20% down before we buy a home, so that we won't have to pay mortgage insurance. We want to own at least a little bit of our home when we buy it. If we do finance our home, we'd like to do it with a 15 year mortgage.
We also have a student loan that takes a few hundred a month away from our income!
Reason to wait #2: Uncertainty
We are not sure where the next 2-5 years of our lives will take us. With this economy, who knows how secure anyone's job is? The last thing we want to do is buy a house and then be stuck with it should we move/lose a job! It just isn't the right time for us.
Reason to wait #3: No crappy house for us
Why would we rush such an important decision? When we DO buy a house, and we will, we want it to be a home we enjoy. A place we want to stay. And we don't want to fix stuff up!
Reason #4 to wait: We're not worried.
Interest rates are incredibly low right now. (But banks are not really lending either!) Home prices are also dropping. Who knows, the prices may double by the time we look into buying. But oh well. If it's not right, it's not right!
Buying a home is a great opportunity, and for those of you who have already done so, that is great. We can't wait to buy a home, but there are reasons why we aren't even looking into it yet...
Myth #1: You buy a house now to get tax credits.
That's kind of like saying "I'll give you $3000 if you give me $10000." (To steal from Dave Ramsey). What we would be paying in interest would never make up for what we would save on our taxes.
Myth #2: Don't waste your money renting!
A little math for you: If you take out a $165,000 loan for a home at 4.75% on a 30 yr fixed mortgage (rates are low now!), your monthly payments would be about $860, and you would pay about $145,000 in interest. Now, let's say we live cheaply and pay $800/mo for rent for 5 years. During that time I would be paying about 45,000 on rent. But I would have been paying $37,000 in interest on a home. If, during that time, I save for a sizable down payment, I will save $$$ later on mortgage insurance and interest.
Rent isn't wasting money! You are exchanging money on a place to live. And you don't have to be responsible for routine maintenence.
Myth #3: You are building equity, which is good.
Really? What if my property value decreases? A home is not an investment, or, at least, it's a risky one. A home is a place to live.
Reason to wait #1: no money!
We want to have a large down payment. Like 100%. That may be unattainable (imagine saving $1000/month for 15 years!), but we will have at least 20% down before we buy a home, so that we won't have to pay mortgage insurance. We want to own at least a little bit of our home when we buy it. If we do finance our home, we'd like to do it with a 15 year mortgage.
We also have a student loan that takes a few hundred a month away from our income!
Reason to wait #2: Uncertainty
We are not sure where the next 2-5 years of our lives will take us. With this economy, who knows how secure anyone's job is? The last thing we want to do is buy a house and then be stuck with it should we move/lose a job! It just isn't the right time for us.
Reason to wait #3: No crappy house for us
Why would we rush such an important decision? When we DO buy a house, and we will, we want it to be a home we enjoy. A place we want to stay. And we don't want to fix stuff up!
Reason #4 to wait: We're not worried.
Interest rates are incredibly low right now. (But banks are not really lending either!) Home prices are also dropping. Who knows, the prices may double by the time we look into buying. But oh well. If it's not right, it's not right!
Buying a home is a great opportunity, and for those of you who have already done so, that is great. We can't wait to buy a home, but there are reasons why we aren't even looking into it yet...
Things to cook Tuesday
Here is a recipe I can't wait to try, courtesy one of my favorite cooking blogs, Our Best Bites:
Sweet and Spicy Cucumber Slices
1-1/2 lbs cucumber (about 3 medium), peeled, halved lengthwise & thinly sliced
2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 c rice vinegar, seasoned or regular
1/2 c water
3 Tbs sugar*
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 Tbs minced red onion
Place cucumber slices in a colander sitting over a bowl, sprinkle with salt and toss well. Let sit for 1 hour refrigerated. It doesn't hurt to toss the cukes a few times while they drain as well. While cucumber slices are draining, prepare marinade below.
Combine vinegar, water, sugar and red pepper in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cook until reduced to a 1/3 cup (about 10 minutes). If for some reason you boil for too long, just add a little water until you have 1/3 C. Remove reduction from heat and add onion. Let mixture cool to room temp.
When cucumbers are done resting, combine with the vinegar reduction. This can be served immediately, but for best results refrigerate until well chilled.
Sweet and Spicy Cucumber Slices
1-1/2 lbs cucumber (about 3 medium), peeled, halved lengthwise & thinly sliced
2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 c rice vinegar, seasoned or regular
1/2 c water
3 Tbs sugar*
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 Tbs minced red onion
Place cucumber slices in a colander sitting over a bowl, sprinkle with salt and toss well. Let sit for 1 hour refrigerated. It doesn't hurt to toss the cukes a few times while they drain as well. While cucumber slices are draining, prepare marinade below.
Combine vinegar, water, sugar and red pepper in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cook until reduced to a 1/3 cup (about 10 minutes). If for some reason you boil for too long, just add a little water until you have 1/3 C. Remove reduction from heat and add onion. Let mixture cool to room temp.
When cucumbers are done resting, combine with the vinegar reduction. This can be served immediately, but for best results refrigerate until well chilled.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Confidence in Youth
Sometimes it can be discouraging to think of all the things our children will face. How will they come out on top? How can I possibly teach these little people all they need to know to successfully overcome temptation? Then I read things like this:
Of all the help we can give these young people, the greatest will be to let them feel our confidence that they are on the path home to God and that they can make it. And we do that best by going with them. Because the path is steep and sometimes rocky, they will at times feel discouraged and even stumble. They may at times become confused about their destination and wander after less eternally important goals. These inspired [youth] programs make that less likely because they will lead the young person to invite and receive the companionship of the Holy Ghost.
The best counsel for us to give young people is that they can arrive back to Heavenly Father only as they are guided and corrected by the Spirit of God. So if we are wise, we will encourage, praise, and exemplify everything which invites the companionship of the Holy Ghost. When they share with us what they are doing and feeling, we must ourselves have qualified for the Spirit. Then they will feel in our praise and our smiles the approval of God. And should we feel the need to give corrective counsel, they will feel our love and the love of God in it, not rebuke and rejection, which can permit Satan to lead them further away.
...and I know it will be ok.
Of all the help we can give these young people, the greatest will be to let them feel our confidence that they are on the path home to God and that they can make it. And we do that best by going with them. Because the path is steep and sometimes rocky, they will at times feel discouraged and even stumble. They may at times become confused about their destination and wander after less eternally important goals. These inspired [youth] programs make that less likely because they will lead the young person to invite and receive the companionship of the Holy Ghost.
The best counsel for us to give young people is that they can arrive back to Heavenly Father only as they are guided and corrected by the Spirit of God. So if we are wise, we will encourage, praise, and exemplify everything which invites the companionship of the Holy Ghost. When they share with us what they are doing and feeling, we must ourselves have qualified for the Spirit. Then they will feel in our praise and our smiles the approval of God. And should we feel the need to give corrective counsel, they will feel our love and the love of God in it, not rebuke and rejection, which can permit Satan to lead them further away.
...and I know it will be ok.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Mother's Day gifts
I just made these.
It was very easy. Here are the steps. I apologize for not taking pics of each step, but like I said, it was EASY!
1. Go to Home Depot and get a 2X6 piece of wood. Have them cut it into 6 inch pieces.
2. Get scrapbook paper, paint, sandpaper, ribbon.
3. Sand and paint your wood.
4. Print out what you want to have on the wood.
5. Glue paper on to wood using Mod Podge.
6. Add embellishments. These flowers are SUPER easy! Cut out circular shapes from coordinating scrabook paper (4 circles of different sizes.) Use an ink pad or marker to darken the edges of the circle. Crinkle, layer, and stick together with a fastener.
7. Add ribbon.
As you can see, there are lots of ways to add variety to this project. And they cost less than $2 each, and take about an hour. Well, it took me about 6 hours to make 8!
It was very easy. Here are the steps. I apologize for not taking pics of each step, but like I said, it was EASY!
1. Go to Home Depot and get a 2X6 piece of wood. Have them cut it into 6 inch pieces.
2. Get scrapbook paper, paint, sandpaper, ribbon.
3. Sand and paint your wood.
4. Print out what you want to have on the wood.
5. Glue paper on to wood using Mod Podge.
6. Add embellishments. These flowers are SUPER easy! Cut out circular shapes from coordinating scrabook paper (4 circles of different sizes.) Use an ink pad or marker to darken the edges of the circle. Crinkle, layer, and stick together with a fastener.
7. Add ribbon.
As you can see, there are lots of ways to add variety to this project. And they cost less than $2 each, and take about an hour. Well, it took me about 6 hours to make 8!
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Short 'n Sweet Bowtique
Check out this blog. An old childhood friend, who is amazingly creative, started this blog. Her husband is in med school and she has a darling little girl! If you're looking for cute bows for your little girl/niece/sister/cousin/etc, this is a great place to look!
Monday, April 19, 2010
Choices...
You know that point in your day as a mother of young children when you can either curl up in a ball and cry, or eat an exhorbitant amount of chocolate? Been there. Done that. I go for the chocolate (almost) every time.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
On sleep
Have you ever googled "Cry It out?" It's interesting. I did so today, hoping to find some solution to my 7 month old's sleep problems. OK, I should mention she is a happy baby who has been sick a lot the last month. She used to sleep 4-6 hours straight consistently, and now she never sleeps more than 2 hours straight at night...I'm am BEYOND exhausted!
Back to the point: Cry it out. With DD1, we finally let her cry it out at 9 months. It took 3 nights of crying for several hours. After that, she mostly slept through the night. She is a wonderful sleeper now, but even 6 months ago she would often wake up at 4 am wanting to watch a movie and freaking out at me when I said no. I don't really like letting my babies cry.
Therefore, I googled "cry it out" hoping for someone to tell me that it won't traumatize my baby. That's not what I found. The first 5 hits were sites that put forth reasons NOT to let your baby cry. Then I stumbled across this site and found this:
Begin today by contemplating these questions:
•Am I content with the way things are, or am I becoming resentful, angry, or frustrated?
•Is my baby’s nighttime routine negatively affecting my marriage, my job, or my relationships with my other children?
•Is my baby happy, healthy, and seemingly well rested?
•Am I happy, healthy, and well rested?
•What is a reasonable expectation for my baby at his/her age?
•What naptime and bedtime situation would I consider “acceptable”?
•What naptime and bedtime situation would I consider “pure bliss”?
•Why do I want to change my baby’s sleep patterns? Is it truly what’s best for me and my baby, or am I doing this to meet someone else’s expectations?
•Am I willing to be patient and make a gradual, gentle change for my baby if that means no crying?
Once you answer these questions, you will have a better understanding of not only what is happening with regard to your baby’s sleep, but what approach you will feel most comfortable using to help your baby sleep better.
I guess we'll deal with lack of sleep for a little while longer. In the meantime, here is what EVERY sleep book has in common (from Babywise to No Cry Sleep Solutions)
1. Have a consistent bedtime routine. (Done. Hasn't worked)
2. Put your baby down awake but drowsy. (How do I do this? She's either awake and crying because she's ready for sleep, or asleep. I guess we'll work on this one.)
That's it for common motifs in sleep books, but a couple of other things I intend to try are:
1. Observing my baby closely for any signs of sleepiness and putting her in bed RIGHT then.
2. Comforting her when she cries, but not bringing her to bed with me anymore.
3. Giving her simethicone drops (gas relief, she often wakes up crying, and then releases lots of gas 30 minutes later and goes back to sleep. I don't know why she's so gassy.)
4. Going to bed at night as soon as she does. That's the only way I'm going to get more sleep at this point.
5. Keep a perspective...someday she'll be a good sleeper like her big sister.
6. Ignore all those people that are incredulous that my baby doesn't sleep and think it must be because I'm "caving in" or am not a good mom. I am a good mom.
Back to the point: Cry it out. With DD1, we finally let her cry it out at 9 months. It took 3 nights of crying for several hours. After that, she mostly slept through the night. She is a wonderful sleeper now, but even 6 months ago she would often wake up at 4 am wanting to watch a movie and freaking out at me when I said no. I don't really like letting my babies cry.
Therefore, I googled "cry it out" hoping for someone to tell me that it won't traumatize my baby. That's not what I found. The first 5 hits were sites that put forth reasons NOT to let your baby cry. Then I stumbled across this site and found this:
Begin today by contemplating these questions:
•Am I content with the way things are, or am I becoming resentful, angry, or frustrated?
•Is my baby’s nighttime routine negatively affecting my marriage, my job, or my relationships with my other children?
•Is my baby happy, healthy, and seemingly well rested?
•Am I happy, healthy, and well rested?
•What is a reasonable expectation for my baby at his/her age?
•What naptime and bedtime situation would I consider “acceptable”?
•What naptime and bedtime situation would I consider “pure bliss”?
•Why do I want to change my baby’s sleep patterns? Is it truly what’s best for me and my baby, or am I doing this to meet someone else’s expectations?
•Am I willing to be patient and make a gradual, gentle change for my baby if that means no crying?
Once you answer these questions, you will have a better understanding of not only what is happening with regard to your baby’s sleep, but what approach you will feel most comfortable using to help your baby sleep better.
I guess we'll deal with lack of sleep for a little while longer. In the meantime, here is what EVERY sleep book has in common (from Babywise to No Cry Sleep Solutions)
1. Have a consistent bedtime routine. (Done. Hasn't worked)
2. Put your baby down awake but drowsy. (How do I do this? She's either awake and crying because she's ready for sleep, or asleep. I guess we'll work on this one.)
That's it for common motifs in sleep books, but a couple of other things I intend to try are:
1. Observing my baby closely for any signs of sleepiness and putting her in bed RIGHT then.
2. Comforting her when she cries, but not bringing her to bed with me anymore.
3. Giving her simethicone drops (gas relief, she often wakes up crying, and then releases lots of gas 30 minutes later and goes back to sleep. I don't know why she's so gassy.)
4. Going to bed at night as soon as she does. That's the only way I'm going to get more sleep at this point.
5. Keep a perspective...someday she'll be a good sleeper like her big sister.
6. Ignore all those people that are incredulous that my baby doesn't sleep and think it must be because I'm "caving in" or am not a good mom. I am a good mom.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Ambition!
On Monday, I will begin tending my friend's two little boys while she student teaches, for about 10 weeks. Her boys are the same ages as my girls, so it will be like having 2 sets of twins. I can't say I'm not a little nervous, but I worked up a schedule so that I can cope and try not to lose my mind. (Don't worry Alyssa, I'm pretty sure we'll all be fine!) ;)
Do you have a schedule, or is complete flexibility your rule? How do you get everything done? I'd love to hear ideas!
*All the preschool activities are from here.
Do you have a schedule, or is complete flexibility your rule? How do you get everything done? I'd love to hear ideas!
*All the preschool activities are from here.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Two for one!
Here is a super easy recipe for 2 quick meals:
Day one: Easy Parmesan Chicken, rice, and steamed veggies.
Make twice as much as you need to feed your family. (for me and DD1, it was 1 piece of chicken and 1 cup of rice)
Chicken:
Coat boneless skinless breasts in parmesan cheese, and saute over medium high heat in 2 TBSP Olive Oil. about 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. You don't need to cook it all the way through. Place chicken in 9X13 pan and cover with foil. Cook on 375 for 15 min or until juices are clear: DON'T overcook. Let sit 5 minutes before serving. (This lets the juices redistribute so the chicken is tender and juicy!)
Rice: I used brown rice. It's healthier.
Serve your chicken, rice, and veggies however you like! Cut up your leftover chicken into cubes, and store with the leftover rice.
Day Two: Easy chicken fried rice
Heat 3TBSP oil in pan. Dump in your leftovers with some onion powder (or onions) and a little garlic powder. Saute. Add in 1-2 cups frozen peas and carrots (defrosted). Stir fry for 2 minutes. Push to side and cook a scrambled egg. Add 1-2 TBSP soy sauce and 1 tsp sesame oil.
Mix, and serve. (You can add green onions, or spice this up any way you like! Very versatile!)
Day one: Easy Parmesan Chicken, rice, and steamed veggies.
Make twice as much as you need to feed your family. (for me and DD1, it was 1 piece of chicken and 1 cup of rice)
Chicken:
Coat boneless skinless breasts in parmesan cheese, and saute over medium high heat in 2 TBSP Olive Oil. about 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. You don't need to cook it all the way through. Place chicken in 9X13 pan and cover with foil. Cook on 375 for 15 min or until juices are clear: DON'T overcook. Let sit 5 minutes before serving. (This lets the juices redistribute so the chicken is tender and juicy!)
Rice: I used brown rice. It's healthier.
Serve your chicken, rice, and veggies however you like! Cut up your leftover chicken into cubes, and store with the leftover rice.
Day Two: Easy chicken fried rice
Heat 3TBSP oil in pan. Dump in your leftovers with some onion powder (or onions) and a little garlic powder. Saute. Add in 1-2 cups frozen peas and carrots (defrosted). Stir fry for 2 minutes. Push to side and cook a scrambled egg. Add 1-2 TBSP soy sauce and 1 tsp sesame oil.
Mix, and serve. (You can add green onions, or spice this up any way you like! Very versatile!)
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Hiatus
I didn't mean to completely abandon this blog. But life happens. I plan to start posting more regularly at some point. In the meantime, enjoy this thought from Julie Beck, General Relief Society President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints:
A good woman knows that she does not have enough time, energy, or opportunity to take care of all of the people or do all of the worthy things her heart yearns to do. Life is not calm for most women, and each day seems to require the accomplishment of a million things, most of which are important. A good woman must constantly resist alluring and deceptive messages from many sources telling her that she is entitled to more time away from her responsibilities and that she deserves a life of greater ease and independence. But with personal revelation, she can prioritize correctly and navigate this life confidently.
Good women always have a desire to know if they are succeeding. In a world where the measures of success are often distorted, it is important to seek appreciation and affirmation from proper sources. To paraphrase a list found in Preach My Gospel, we are doing well when we develop attributes of Christ and strive to obey His gospel with exactness. We are doing well when we seek to improve ourselves and do our best. We are doing well when we increase faith and personal righteousness, strengthen families and homes, and seek out and help others who are in need. We know we are successful if we live so that we qualify for, receive, and know how to follow the Spirit. When we have done our very best, we may still experience disappointments, but we will not be disappointed in ourselves. We can feel certain that the Lord is pleased when we feel the Spirit working through us.9 Peace, joy, and hope are available to those who measure success properly.
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