Loving Life

  • Don’t Leave Home Without: Your Glasses

    Last week was really busy with a lot of activities going on throughout the week, most of them planned.  A sick kid home from school, rearranging work schedule, running errands, Halloween celebrations, Date Night, church, and so forth. By the time Friday rolled around we were tired but excited to be heading into the weekend….

    We were halfway to school Karlie announced that she forgot her glasses at home.  There are several reasons why she should wear her glasses for the seven hours she is at school.

    • The glasses allow her to see properly
    • Headaches can occur if  you do not wear the glasses
    • Your eyesight does not decrease as rapidly when wearing the appropriate glasses.
    • Hand-eye coordination is more accurate when wearing glasses
    • Doctor ordered her to wear the glasses daily
    • Better learning if you can see the homework and chalk board
    • More precise writing and reading

    Although my first instinct was to tell her that she could go a day without her glasses but after thinking about it for several minutes I decided that I would go home and pick them up for her.  It was an interruption in my schedule but my girls are worth it.  She was sad that she forgot her glasses and it was great seeing her smile when I brought them in to her.

    Leaving the house without your glasses is never a good idea.  If you plan on driving and you need them go back to get them.  The roads are crazy enough without having people that cannot see driving on them.  Thankfully my daughter is only 5 so she wasn’t a road hazard.  A good way to help you remember to put on your glasses is always put them in the same spot.  If you only wear them for driving put them near your purse.  Double check before heading out the door and if you cannot find them make sure you’re not already wearing them!

    I am a firm believer that you are only as organized as you need to be. Don’t Leave Home Without……is a mini-series of items that you really shouldn’t leave home without in today’s society. Most days I am organized which saves time and energy for the entire family, however, there are times that life gets crazy and items somehow manage to find another location in my home. If something is not in it’s place (even though the spot it is in makes perfect sense) it can cause additional drama, scurried moments, and in the end laughter. Hope you enjoy the humor as I have (later in the day or in some cases later in the week).

  • Book: “The Total Money Makeover” by Dave Ramsey

    Seven years ago my husband and I read through The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness by Dave Ramsey with a group of young couples from our church.  It was a great time in our marriage to review our spending habits and find ways to get our finances in order.  In just a few years we paid off all our debt (with the exception of our mortgage) college loans, cars, credit cards, and saved up enough money for emergencies, 12 months of expenses, and to start our own business.

    It was freeing for us as a couple to have structure with our money including doing a budget together and being smarter when spending.  It took some sacrifices to meet our goals but reading this book and going through it with friends helped us stay on track.  We are still learning and adapting as we adjust to what life brings are way (including some financial setbacks, 12 weeks of bed-rest and beautiful twin daughters who spent time in NICU).  The neat part about the setbacks is you now have guidelines already in place to help you get back on track.

    Dave Ramsey’s has a lot of great financial tools for your family.  I encourage you to start by reading or listening to this book.  He has a Workbook that goes along with the book and a CD if you prefer listening over reading.

    Workbook – The Total Money Makeover Workbook.

    Audio Cd – The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness

    I wish you the best as you find ways that work for your family!  Going through this with friends provides an additional support structure while you learn together.  We have given our book out to family and friends numerous times!