This is why I love Dave...

Some of you know that Bryan and I recently completed Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. If you don't know about it, find out more at: http://www.daveramsey.com/fpu/home/

All I have to say is that it has completely changed the way we look at money. We are getting out of debt, building wealth, giving like crazy, and CHANGING OUR FAMILY'S FINANCIAL TREE.

I saw this on Dave's page today and felt he'd hit it on the head:

Dave's Thoughts on Obama's Plans

Well, we the people have a new president. It’s an exciting time for Americans, whether or not you agree with President Barack Obama’s plans. My hope is that our new president will instill some confidence in people, not necessarily set out to fix everybody and everything.

There are some bogus government strategies floating around to stimulate the economy and "save us from ourselves." Just because they’re all everyone talks about doesn’t make them true! Here are a few of the big issues:

Tax Breaks
These aren’t bad, and I would never turn them down. But to think that tax breaks single-handedly stimulate the economy is laughable. Remember last fall? Those stimulus checks didn’t fix the problem, so what makes us think it’s going to fix everything this time? Did you know it was your money to start with? They’re just giving it back to you and making you feel good about it. If you’re looking for $1,000 to change your life this year, you obviously don’t have a life to start with!

It may help you today or this month, but $1,000 will do very little for you in the long run. To win with money, you've got to think long term.

Patriotic Duty
The government wants you to spend, spend, spend—and many Americans are taking this advice while still in debt! No matter what the talking heads say, it is not your patriotic duty to spend money you don’t have. Your duty is to take care of yourself and your household with the money you earn from an honest day’s work.

If you have your full emergency fund and are in a position to buy something, now is the perfect time! You can get some fabulous deals, but don’t let the deals entice you if you haven’t planned ahead and don’t have the cash!

National Deficit
The dog is still chasing its tail.

Debt started the problem, so what is the current plan to fix the problem? More debt!
What really drives the economy? Is it D.C.'s programs or small-business people scattered throughout the country? This down economic time will begin to heal itself. Do we have to go $1 trillion in debt to do that? No way!

The good news is that our future as an economy isn’t coming out of Washington. Our future prosperity is coming out of the hopes, dreams and individual freedoms of the American people. When left alone, we have a tendency to prosper.

The healing of the economy will begin and end with you. Yes, you, the person you see in the mirror! You have to make your decision as to whether or not you’re going to take part in the recession.

As for our new president, if you’re not a fan, pray for him. He’s your president. If you are a fan, pray for him. He’s your president, not your savior. Your hope will be crushed if you wait for him and his administration—or anyone else—to fix your life and give you money.

Remote Control Car

It's been a while since I've blogged, I know. However, it seems when I find something that is blog worthy, that then I can't find the time to actually sit down and blog it.

But, this one is easy: a couple clips of M driving his new RC Jeep that he received from Daddy for Christmas. Still working on his steering skills, but enjoying it none the less!

The first clip is Matthew driving -- and then being chased by his jeep, and the second isn't really anything special -- just the pure joy in a child's giggle when he's entertained!

Mold Attack

Okay, so while my husband is away there are many things I am required to do myself: parenting, yard work, laundry, house cleaning and repairs, meals, shopping, car repairs, put up/take down Christmas decor, etc., etc.

You can see the list is quite extensive, and definitely not exhaustive. So sometimes, a few things might manage to slip through the cracks. Like remembering to start your husband's car regularly so the battery doesn't go completely dead.

Or, maybe, EVEN OPENING THE DOORS ONCE IN A WHILE TO AIR IT OUT WOULD BE NICE...

Might prevent this problem...





Yep, that's MOLD -- all over the front part of the car -- LOVELY!

I think the picture of the "haz-mat" gear I donned to clean the car would have been hilarious, but I didn't want to find someone to take my picture and humiliate myself any further.

We won't even go into the story of how the wife who is SEVERELY allergic to mold copes through the clean up migraine aftermath. After all, I am a Greyhaired Momma -- HEAR ME ROOOOOOAAAAARRRRR!