Musings of a Michigan Mom

I have a “friend” ( guess you could say an acquaintance since we have never met and have only talked online) who owns a vacation rentaldown in the Orlando area.   On facebook he asked a question and I just thought I would ask my loyal readers as well.

When you are looking for a vacation rental (House with a garage), what would mean the most to you?  Having the garage be a real garage where you could park your vehicle inside instead of just parking it in the driveway?  OR would you rather have the garage made into a game room?  Have some garage flooring work done so it doesn’t look like a normal garage floor along with a pool table, Foosball table and whatever else games they would put in a game room?

I know for me I personally would rather use the garage as a garage, but maybe that’s because my kids are to young to play pool & foosball? 

So what would you rather have?  The garage or the game room?

I can’t believe we leave for our 2 week vacation tomorrow!   It’s funny, usually when we go I start packing weeks in advance.  This time I started this past weekend and everything is packed from our swimsuits to our battery chargers.  The only thing I have to pack yet is the last minute things like toothbrushes, toothpaste, that sort of thing.

The only bummer thing is Katie has gotten ill and tomorrow morning while I’m getting Kevin ready for school, Paul will be calling the doctors office hoping to get an appointment before we leave tomorrow afternoon.  All I know is I hope she starts feeling better soon.  Right now it’s a nasty cold, but starting tonight she refused to eat because her throat hurt too.  So between the sore throat and her rattly cough I can say she’s had better days and won’t be going to school tomorrow. 

So wish me luck tomorrow!  Finish packing, hopefully have an AM doctors appointment for Katie, pick up our van rental, pack the van, pick Kevin up from school and then start our 20 hr drive!  Sounds like fun doesn’t it?

They always say that diamonds are a girls best friend.  While I’m sure to some women diamonds are as they would love to have a satchel filled with loose diamonds, but I can say not all women feel that way. 

The reason why I can say that is because I’m one of those women who trulyonly wanted one diamond in my life and that was my engagement ring.  I didn’t care what size it was.  Honestly if I had to choose between a smaller diamond or a huge diamond like you see the movie stars get.. I would of chosen the small diamond in a heartbeat as to me wearing a huge one like they do would scare me.  Plus I would always be worrying about getting it dirty so every time I would do the dishes, work out in the yard, do anything I would be taking it off.  With the diamond I have, I can do it all and not worry.

All I can say is my husband did a wonderful job when picking out my diamond and I know he’s thinking how glad he is that he doesn’t have to choose anymore.

Join Texas Roadhouse in Grandville every Tuesday in February for Kids’ Night! Kids eat free* when mom or dad purchase an entree so don’t miss out. Mom and dad can enjoy a Hand-Cut Steak or our Fall-Off-The-Bone Ribs while the kids enjoy all the fun! Come on out for Legendary Food, Legendary Service and Legendary Fun for the whole family.

I just received this flyer Thursday at my sons Karate class and thought I would share for those that would like to go compete or watch.

Great Lakes All Star Open
Martial Arts Championships
“Competition at it Finest for ALL Ages!!”

Creston High School
1720 Plainfield Ave NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49505
Mapquest

Hosted by Grand Rapids Karate Academy
Directed by Gene Wudkewych (6th Dan)

Registration: 9:00-10:00AM   
Rules:  9:45 AM
Elimination:  10:00AM

Competitors:  One event ~ $20   or $25 for 2 or 3 events.
Spectators:   Adults ~ $5.00   Childres under 12 ~ $3.00   Pre-School ~ Free~

Notice  All competitors (all ages) must register to compete at their current rank/level.  To insure good competition and a good experience tournament promoter reserves the right to split or combine divisions as needed.   Kids fighting ~ by rank, age & size!

Required Safety Equipment ~ Dipped Foam (Hand & Food Gear), Mouthpiece, Groin Protector (Males) & Headgear.

Certificates of Participation to all Competitors

For More information call (616) 447-2292 or email Genew13601@msn.com, or on the Tournament Day call (616) 520-5678

Yesterday I ended up going to one of the local libraries so I could get some movies for Paul and I to watch since he had the night off last night and there really wasn’t anything on tv.  While I was there I noticed the sign they had up, which bummed me out.  The sign read…

Due to state budget cuts, beginning March 15, we will no longer be able to transport books belonging to other libraries through our delivery service.   PLEASE return any books you pick up at another library to that library.

I can honestly say that was one thing I LOVED about the library.  (Besides being able to check out books & DVD’s for free)    I would say 95% of the time I would return the books/movies from the library I had checked them out from, but there were some days I wasn’t going to be going in the direction of the library I rented them from, but was going to be going past another library so I would just drop them off there.   Plus it was nice to be able to put a hold on a book (which I have done plenty of times) and have them deliver it to the library I like and go to the most.  Now it sounds like that won’t be happening anymore either.  So if I want a book and the only library that has it is 45 minutes away.. it looks as if I will have to drive that far now to get it and will also have to return it there.   I’m not sure now if I would do that or not as it might be cheaper to look for the book online, but it and have it shipped directly to my house. 

Part’s of me would love to ask the library to see how much it costs to run that program as I wonder how many other library users wouldn’t mind chipping in to keep that program.  Somehow though I have a feeling I would be shocked to find out the cost.

By the sounds of things more and more people are having a hard time making ends meet due to prices going up and people loosing their jobs.  I feel fortunate that for us the only thing that’s changed is prices going up, but who knows what will happen the next time Paul has to vote on his new contract.  Every time they change their contract it keeps getting worse and worse. 

The thing I don’t understand though is people who are having a hard time finding ends meet, but yet they still will go out to eat, out to the movies, still buying stuff they don’t NEED, but WANT.   That’s when I can’t feel sorry for them. 

Some of you might be thinking, but how are we to save?  Especially when things like Valentines day is around the corner.  I HAVE to do something for my significant other. 

To tell you the truth… what Paul and I usually end up doing for Valentines day is we find a babysitter for the kids (which is usually my parents.. so therefor free) and going out for a dinner.  We don’t go to the nicest place around, just as long as we are together.    But a cheaper way could be for once again have my parents watch the kids, but we could make a nice dinner at home together and then rent some movies from the library (which is FREE) and just spend a nice romantic night at home.  Now if we lived somewhere warmer and close to the beach another thing would be to take a drive to the beach and take a nice romantic moon lit walk while listening to the waves crash.

There are so many “cheap” things you can do for Valentines day, you don’t need to go to the expensive jewelery store to show your love or keep looking online for the daily deal hoping to score there.   At least for me.. just spending quality time together means the most.

What do you do for Valentines day?  Do you usually go all out?   Or are you like us and like to have the more laid back Valentines night?

Do you have life insurance?  If so, how did you choose where to go?  There are plenty of differnt places where you can get life insurance.  You can look in the yellow pages, ask friends where they got theirs or even look for online life insurance.

I’ll admit when we started shopping for ours we did look online some as we were wondering where Dave Ramsey would recommend and ended up getting an online quote with them.  Then Paul called a local place that shops around for the best place and they also had recommended the same place Dave Ramsey’s place recommended.  Since they were the same price we did end up going with the local person as in case we actually had to use it, we would have someone close by to help us.  I just pray we don’t have to use it anytime soon, but at least if we had to we can deal with someone close.

Oh how I wish I could of won more than $100 when I went to Vegas.    Had I of won $2000 I would love to of said I would of spent it on myself by buying me a nordictrack or some sort of exercise equipment.  I keep thinking I should join a gym, but I know I wouldn’t find the time to go to it, but I would like to think if I had something in my basement I just might use it and get the excercise I should every day.

But instead of doing something like that for me, I know I would of just put it in our savings as we are in the process of building our nest egg back up.

So what would you of done if you had won $2000 in Las Vegas?  Would you of saved it, spent it on yourself or spent it on someone else?