Market Shares Tumbling Down

I know most of you won't care about this post, because you are probably going to say, "yes, so what, I lost big on the stock market too". However, I just had to share this moment of realization which has been hitting me on the head since the first week of 2009, but now I am really listening and concerned.

Today, in the mail, I received statements for both of my kids education funds. Not a happy sign. I have held myself back from peaking at my funds, but opened these packets, and pretty much came to the conclusion there just will not be any hope of college unless my kids get financial aide.

I have heard of how the economy has hit so many individuals around us either through job losses or budget cuts, but now this has hit my kid's futures. When will the insanity stop?

Eat Your Vegetables!

At dinner this evening, I decided to create a new rule for my kids at the last minute, which went over not all too well. So I added a bit of incentive. Starting Jan. 1st, I implemented chore schedules and an allowance plan for both kids. You see, I am really bad at keeping track of this stuff, and even worse at allowing anyone to do anything that I know I can do much better. So basically, I have created a lesson for my kids, and therapy for myself. To help convince my kids they really do need to start trying their vegetables, I told them each night at dinner they have to taste at least one vegetable, and that this is also part of earning their allowance. Tonight we had green beans. My kids are like most other kids, if it is green, then it does not taste good.

My son decided he might want to take advantage of the new rule and negotiate a deal with me. In a calm, and very lawyer-like fashion, my son said, "if I eat all the beans do I get a raise?" Without hesitation, I stated, "If you eat ALL the beans on your plate, I will double your allowance this week." Do you think he ate them, you betcha. My daughter, however, is not convinced anything green is worth any money and chose to eat one.

I might at least have a 50/50 chance to change one child's eating habits, but I might go broke in the process.

Marley and Me

If you haven't seen the movie Marley and Me, you have to see it! I went with my daughter on New Year's Day and we loved every minute of the movie. In fact, the last ten minutes of the movie there was not a dry eye in the theater. The movie was funny, entertaining, cute, realistic, and sad....just a great movie to go with a date, friends, or your family. And since we have a naughty, yellow lab of our own, we could completely relate. I have seen Phoenix go through all the same phases Marley went through in the movie. In another four days, Phoenix will be fourteen years old, and we are pretty sure this may be the last year we have to enjoy the old guy.

A Sign

This past Sunday evening, when returning home from Mequon, two deer ran out in front of my vehicle while driving down a country highway at about 45 mph. Thank goodness for new brakes! For those that know me, I absolutely love deer, and although I am thankful I did not hit the two deer....I am a bit mad at the deer population right now.

As if Sunday evening were not enough to elevate my blood pressure a bit, Monday morning after dropping my kids off at school, my vehicle had a bit of a war with a metal pipe. Again, up went the blood pressure, and my nerves are completely fried.

After two incidents in a matter of two days, I am sitting back and taking a breath. In fact, I might even take two breaths...their free.

New Year's Eve Menu

Appetizers and Drinks:
Juice of a Few Flowers (Barefoot Contessa Bake to Basics Cookbook)
Vegetables and Ranch Dip
Buffalo Chicken Dip with Ranch Crackers

First Course:
Baked French Onion Soup
Italian Salad (Paul Newman's Italian dressing, shaved Parmesan cheese, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, proscuitto, gourmet cherry tomatoes, and croutons)
Butter Flake Dinner Rolls

Main Course:
Pan Seared Red Peppers and Asparagus
Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower
Bacon Wrapped Filets and Portabello Mushrooms
Steamed King Crab Legs
Boiled Lobster Tails
Twice Baked Potatoes
2001 Stone's Throw Sonoma Reserve Merlot
2004 Rudolf Miller Eiswein

Dessert:
Flourless Chocolate Cake with Haagen Dazs Amazon Valley Chocolate Ice Cream

Celebrating the New Year

My husband and I have celebrated New Year's Eve in so many different ways over the years. Once kids came along it became a bit more of a challenge to really celebrate all that much, but we have always managed to keep the entrance of a new year interesting. Early in our marriage we would enjoy a prime rib dinner. When kids came along we continued that tradition, but didn't stay up to see midnight. The 4th of July and New Year's Eve are my two very favorite holidays. I am terrible at creating traditions for my children since I am such a creature of change and keeping life interesting. BUT, these two holidays are definitely about tradition for me, and I have found ways to keep New Year's Eve interesting all while keeping with my traditions.

Although my favorite New Year's Eves have included parties with friends either at their home or my home, the last couple years have brought us back to early traditions of food and family. For the past two years, we have decided to stay in and just relax with our kids, and make a fantastic surf and turf dinner. And last evening, this is what we did....relaxed and had a grand dinner. As my husband stated, "dear, you out did yourself this year", and I must say, I did.

My husband works extremely hard, harder than anyone I know, even harder than my father did. And New Year's Eve, and even today, he is working. And he will be working all weekend too. So I decided I needed to give him a great meal, better than anything we have ever done before, and a way to celebrate a year of hard work -- for our whole family. I guess we kind of celebrated the fact he is also one of few employees that can say they actually are still working in our difficult economy, and although we are blessed to be able to celebrate, we are definitely without struggles like any other middle-class family today.

Ringing in a New Year has always been a spiritual experience for me in that I reflect on the year behind me and then refresh myself for the journey into the year ahead. Happy New Year!