In the upcoming month, many parents will be taking their son or daughter to college to start their freshman year. For many of these kids, they will be headed out-of-state and will move into large college dorms loaded with students and 10x10 foot rooms. Dorm life is compact, and planning for the transition from a solo room to a smaller room with a roommate can be difficult for any first time college student.
However, there are a few ways that both you and your college student can make the move to college easier. A few of those include:
Properly Prepare and Research
There are hundreds of lists online that suggest great items for your future college student to take to college; however, try to look at the one that is specific to the college your son or daughter will be attending. This list will not only have recommended items, but will also list prohibited items. Having this list will let you know what all your child needs to pack, and how much hauling room you can expect to need.
Phone the New Roomie
There is no reason for both roommates to bring mini fridges and coffee makers. Prior to departure, have your child call their future roommate. Between the two of them, they should be able to determine who will bring what into the dorm allowing you to ditch the unnecessary TV or room fan when loading up.
Rent a Trailer in Advance
The weekend your son or daughter will be moving to college will most likely be the same weekend that everyone else’s sons or daughters move to college. Don’t wait last minute to get the equipment you need to make your move more successful. While your child shouldn’t be packing enough to fill a large moving van, you may not have a car big enough to fit more than two people and may need to rent a trailer or small moving vehicle.
Consider a Storage Unit
Have plans for your child’s vacant room once they are gone? You may want to rent a self storage unit ahead of time. Transitioning into college can be hard, but coming home and finding that all of your possessions have been crammed into boxes and stored elsewhere can be even more difficult. If you plan on redecorating your child’s room upon their departure, have them pack up everything they can’t take to college with you. Not only will this alleviate the burden of you packing up their room by yourself, but it will also make their transition easier.
College is a fun and exciting time, and to make it as stress free as possible, parents should begin planning for the big move at least 3 weeks prior. Doing so will make moving day seamless, and will allow you to enjoy the last few hours spent with your child instead of worrying about last minute packing and hauling.
Monday, August 01, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011
This is My Son
Cory and several of his friends went to the midnight showing of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 on his birthday – July 15th. I let him take my small camera so he could get some pictures of all the fun, and then he left it with one of his friends. Good, because he made sure the camera didn’t get lost by having her put it in her purse. Bad, because he didn’t see her again until this past Saturday night.
Anyway, I just copied all the pictures off the camera onto my computer, and I just had to share a couple. This is my son:
There were quite a few more. It looks like they had fun. They enjoyed the movie, too. I haven’t seen it yet. Hopefully soon. I don’t think I’ll be posing in front of any movie posters, though.
Refinancing to Save Money
OK, we've actually got some paperwork here so we can go ahead and refinance our mortgage. The interest rate dropped a couple times to 3.6something%, but it's pretty much settled at 3.75% for a 15-year fixed rate mortgage. It would be nice to catch it at the lower rate, but the 3.75% is significantly lower than what we're paying now, and the required monthly payment will only go up about $20. Like I said before, with the lower interest rate, if we continue to pay what we've been paying each month - required payment plus a bit extra - we will save thousands of dollars.
We have been thinking about doing this for a while, but at the same time we were thinking that we might have to call a Realtor and put the house on the market. We weren't sure if we'd actually come out ahead, even with the lower rate, because there are a few fees to pay when refinancing - so we'd have to be able to recoup that cost before we'd actually start saving money. But, we're still here, and FHA Refinance Rates are good, so we've decided to go ahead with it. It should be pretty simple, since we're refinancing with the same bank and everything - just a matter of going over the paperwork and signing, so hopefully we'll get it all taken care of and locked in at a good rate before too long. So we can start saving those thousands of dollars.
Now would be the perfect time for active duty military personnel and veterans to look into VA Refinancing to see if the lower interest rates can help save them some money. They say a 1% reduction can save $100 to $600 per month, which can come in very handy for paying the rest of the bills. Or, like us, plan to continue paying the same amount every month but reduce the length of the loan and the total amount of interest paid. Either way, it's definitely worth looking into, but of course everyone has to make the best decision for their families.
We have been thinking about doing this for a while, but at the same time we were thinking that we might have to call a Realtor and put the house on the market. We weren't sure if we'd actually come out ahead, even with the lower rate, because there are a few fees to pay when refinancing - so we'd have to be able to recoup that cost before we'd actually start saving money. But, we're still here, and FHA Refinance Rates are good, so we've decided to go ahead with it. It should be pretty simple, since we're refinancing with the same bank and everything - just a matter of going over the paperwork and signing, so hopefully we'll get it all taken care of and locked in at a good rate before too long. So we can start saving those thousands of dollars.
Now would be the perfect time for active duty military personnel and veterans to look into VA Refinancing to see if the lower interest rates can help save them some money. They say a 1% reduction can save $100 to $600 per month, which can come in very handy for paying the rest of the bills. Or, like us, plan to continue paying the same amount every month but reduce the length of the loan and the total amount of interest paid. Either way, it's definitely worth looking into, but of course everyone has to make the best decision for their families.
Soreness
Image via WikipediaCome to find out, a lot! I tried one workout last Friday after I got back from walking. Usually I do some crunches, lift a few weights, and stretch after getting back from my walk, so I figured why not choose one of these workouts instead? I did one for buns and thighs, and it felt pretty good, but, really - 10 minutes? But boy was I sore the next morning!
Yesterday I did three different workouts, and today I'm really sore. Of course, it's a good sore which tells me I actually did something, and it also tells me that I need to mix my workouts up a bit more and work different muscles. I guess I'm just going to have to try out all the different workouts!
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
The Stuff I Forgot
After I published my 'Tuesday Tidbits' post yesterday, I kept thinking about the things I forgot to include. While I was enjoying the wonderful weather yesterday and soaking up some sunshine, I had all kinds of things going through my head that I was going to include. Except that I was reading while I was out on the deck, so it must have been while I was working in the kitchen...
Oh well, whenever it was, I really need to figure out how to hold onto all the stuff that goes through my head before it's gone forever. Blogging is supposed to help, but I have to actually get it posted for that to help. Maybe I could get some kind of voice recorder to carry around with me? Or I could just start a new weekly post called "What I Forgot Wednesday" and include all the stuff I forget to post Tuesday? I bet there's no such thing as blogger's disability insurance that I could start collecting because I'm just not able to keep up, is there?
Oh well, whenever it was, I really need to figure out how to hold onto all the stuff that goes through my head before it's gone forever. Blogging is supposed to help, but I have to actually get it posted for that to help. Maybe I could get some kind of voice recorder to carry around with me? Or I could just start a new weekly post called "What I Forgot Wednesday" and include all the stuff I forget to post Tuesday? I bet there's no such thing as blogger's disability insurance that I could start collecting because I'm just not able to keep up, is there?
Rain!
We woke up this morning to the sound of rumbling thunder. As Jeffrey was leaving for work he told me I needed to come see the clouds. So I grabbed my camera. They were pretty cool – storm clouds moving in.
I wish I could have caught some of the lightning that flashed through them, but I’m not that lucky. I watched the clouds for a bit, until I started getting wet and then retreated inside the house. Since then we’ve had, not continual rain, but periodic downpours. The yard and the garden can definitely use it, but I catch myself wondering if I really want to go out today. Not that I think I’ll melt if I get wet, but it’s more the kind of day for curling up with a good book.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Tuesday Tidbits
It's Tuesday again!
I'm loving this Cranberry Daiquiri Slush recipe so much that I made another batch today. Only I used some Cranberry Apple juice instead of the cranberry juice cocktail, and I used some Mojito Mix I had - which is basically lime juice, sugar, and mint - because I don't have any limes. I'm not sure how the mint is going to be in it, but it smelled good, and I'm just loving the slushy tartness of the whole thing.
I opened the windows this morning. I wasn't going to because it's just supposed to get hot again, but it was so nice that I just couldn't help myself. But then, of course, today was the day they decided to do some work on the street. They went by once with something that stirred up a ton of dust, so I had to hurry and shut all the windows to keep it from coming in. Then, about the time I'd opened the windows again, they came through again - once again time to close the windows. The rest of the day was pretty good, until they came through again doing something dust-free but smelly. Really? They couldn't do this on a day when my windows are all closed? I think it's a conspiracy.
Cory doesn't have to work tomorrow so I'm thinking of running to the grocery store. After all, I need limes! And bananas, and... Well, if I'm going to the store, I better get busy and make a list.
I'm re-reading the Harry Potter books. I've been wanting to for a long time, but I always end up reading something else. Finally, I decided to just do it. I'm a little over half-way through the second one - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
- and I'm just going to read them straight through. I've only read them once, and seen all the movies, of course - so it's about time. Cory has read them countless times, but he's a really fast reader. I wish I could read as fast as he does, and remember everything too.
I've been putting horizontal lines between all these tidbits. I can't remember if they'll actually be visible with this blog template. I'm thinking I need to come up with some kind of special divider/graphic for Tuesday Tidbits - just because.
Oh, the weekend? We were pretty much bums and didn't do anything. Well, church on Saturday, but then we came home early because Cory had a thing at the library. And then Sunday Cory had to work, and Jeffrey and I just stayed home and did stuff around the house. I finished the first Harry Potter book and started the second. Well, I didn't actually start. I just pulled it off the shelf and put my bookmark in the front - ready to start.
I think that's enough for this edition. Tune in next week for a random list of stuff happening in my life and going through my head.
I'm loving this Cranberry Daiquiri Slush recipe so much that I made another batch today. Only I used some Cranberry Apple juice instead of the cranberry juice cocktail, and I used some Mojito Mix I had - which is basically lime juice, sugar, and mint - because I don't have any limes. I'm not sure how the mint is going to be in it, but it smelled good, and I'm just loving the slushy tartness of the whole thing.
I opened the windows this morning. I wasn't going to because it's just supposed to get hot again, but it was so nice that I just couldn't help myself. But then, of course, today was the day they decided to do some work on the street. They went by once with something that stirred up a ton of dust, so I had to hurry and shut all the windows to keep it from coming in. Then, about the time I'd opened the windows again, they came through again - once again time to close the windows. The rest of the day was pretty good, until they came through again doing something dust-free but smelly. Really? They couldn't do this on a day when my windows are all closed? I think it's a conspiracy.
Cory doesn't have to work tomorrow so I'm thinking of running to the grocery store. After all, I need limes! And bananas, and... Well, if I'm going to the store, I better get busy and make a list.
I'm re-reading the Harry Potter books. I've been wanting to for a long time, but I always end up reading something else. Finally, I decided to just do it. I'm a little over half-way through the second one - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
- and I'm just going to read them straight through. I've only read them once, and seen all the movies, of course - so it's about time. Cory has read them countless times, but he's a really fast reader. I wish I could read as fast as he does, and remember everything too.I've been putting horizontal lines between all these tidbits. I can't remember if they'll actually be visible with this blog template. I'm thinking I need to come up with some kind of special divider/graphic for Tuesday Tidbits - just because.
Oh, the weekend? We were pretty much bums and didn't do anything. Well, church on Saturday, but then we came home early because Cory had a thing at the library. And then Sunday Cory had to work, and Jeffrey and I just stayed home and did stuff around the house. I finished the first Harry Potter book and started the second. Well, I didn't actually start. I just pulled it off the shelf and put my bookmark in the front - ready to start.
I think that's enough for this edition. Tune in next week for a random list of stuff happening in my life and going through my head.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Does Anyone Really Write Checks Anymore?
I remember when we had to actually write checks and stick them in the mail to pay our bills. Nowadays I go months between writing checks. A book of checks can last me years. I have all the bills either set up to pay automatically every month, like the car payment, internet, phone, and DirecTV, or I pay them online through my bank's website or the individual creditor's site. There are a few places that aren't actually set up to take electronic payments, but I still don't have to write a check for those. I can have my bank do it. And, since I can do that, why would I want to write a check out by hand, stick it in an envelope, put a stamp on it, and actually mail it?
That's why I can't figure out why the Wisconsin Department of Transportation actually expects me to do just that. When it's time to pay the car registration for the year, I actually have to mail the card they send back to them - in an envelope with a check. Oh, I could pay online, but they'd charge me an additional fee, which I refuse to pay. Why should it cost more to pay online? It seems to me that they'd rather have people pay online because it would save them some time messing with paper checks, but what do I know? Tomorrow I'll write a check and mail it off to renew Jeffrey's license plate sticker. But I don't have to like it...
I know there are people who don't feel comfortable with it, but I think all banking, bill paying, etc. should be done online - or the option should at least be available. I know our bank encourages it. They say the electronic transactions are safer than handwritten checks - besides being more convenient for me. It's even possible to email money to anyone with an email address and a US bank account, though I've never tried it. (No, I'm not taking volunteers!)
I have been checking our bank's website recently to keep an eye on mortgage rates, because we want to catch it as low as possible when we refinance. It's also a good way to check CD interest rates and compare a Roth IRA with a traditional IRA. Now that Jeffrey is 50, he can contribute an additional $1000 per year to either one of them. (Just had to mention it) The information is updated every day and all available without actually having to talk to a person, and that I like a lot. When it's time to actually lock something in and sign papers, we'll have to talk to a real person, but until then I'm doing it all online.
Except for that check I have to write...
That's why I can't figure out why the Wisconsin Department of Transportation actually expects me to do just that. When it's time to pay the car registration for the year, I actually have to mail the card they send back to them - in an envelope with a check. Oh, I could pay online, but they'd charge me an additional fee, which I refuse to pay. Why should it cost more to pay online? It seems to me that they'd rather have people pay online because it would save them some time messing with paper checks, but what do I know? Tomorrow I'll write a check and mail it off to renew Jeffrey's license plate sticker. But I don't have to like it...
I know there are people who don't feel comfortable with it, but I think all banking, bill paying, etc. should be done online - or the option should at least be available. I know our bank encourages it. They say the electronic transactions are safer than handwritten checks - besides being more convenient for me. It's even possible to email money to anyone with an email address and a US bank account, though I've never tried it. (No, I'm not taking volunteers!)
I have been checking our bank's website recently to keep an eye on mortgage rates, because we want to catch it as low as possible when we refinance. It's also a good way to check CD interest rates and compare a Roth IRA with a traditional IRA. Now that Jeffrey is 50, he can contribute an additional $1000 per year to either one of them. (Just had to mention it) The information is updated every day and all available without actually having to talk to a person, and that I like a lot. When it's time to actually lock something in and sign papers, we'll have to talk to a real person, but until then I'm doing it all online.
Except for that check I have to write...
Can I Open the Windows Yet?
When Jeffrey came home from work tonight, he asked if I was feeling all right. I didn't know what he was talking about, and then he said that he thought I would have turned the air conditioning off and opened the house up.
I was wanting to, but the forecast this morning looked like it was going to be relatively nice today and then heat right back up tomorrow and stay hot for the rest of the week. (I use the word 'hot' loosely because my idea of hot and everyone else's idea of hot seem to be different) So, to avoid complaints from my guys, I just decided to leave the air conditioning on. But then, this evening, the forecast had changed a bit - and tomorrow looks really nice, too - so maybe I should have opened the house up.
We've had the AC on since last Saturday, and it will probably be on all this week, too - which is a really long stretch for a Wisconsin summer. Tomorrow looks really nice, though.
I was wanting to, but the forecast this morning looked like it was going to be relatively nice today and then heat right back up tomorrow and stay hot for the rest of the week. (I use the word 'hot' loosely because my idea of hot and everyone else's idea of hot seem to be different) So, to avoid complaints from my guys, I just decided to leave the air conditioning on. But then, this evening, the forecast had changed a bit - and tomorrow looks really nice, too - so maybe I should have opened the house up.
We've had the AC on since last Saturday, and it will probably be on all this week, too - which is a really long stretch for a Wisconsin summer. Tomorrow looks really nice, though.
Homemade Bread Sans Gluten is Now Easy and Delicious
Moms with kids who suffer celiac disease know the hardships of having to live a life gluten-free. They watch their kids go through life unable to consume such staples as cereal, bread, pasta, and oatmeal. They themselves have to be ever-vigilant of the ingredients in the foods their child eats. Usually this results in a family-wide forgoing of foods with gluten in them. This is perhaps for the best because it rules out a lot of highly processed baked goods we'd otherwise stock the house with. But honestly, a home without bread is just not a home.
Gluten-free bread and other typically gluten-laden foodstuffs can be made with alternative ingredients from scratch, but tracking down the necessary ingredients is a pain. Then there's the dealing with the messes of making baked bread from scratch. After all of that, there's still the anxiety that comes with worrying about whether or not the right ingredients were used and the proper steps taken. It's a lot to ask for in the struggle to make bread an available edible for the family.
Luckily, for families with a member or members who suffer from celiac disease or have gluten sensitivity, there's a homemade gluten-free baking option that's non-messy and delicious. Bready is a bread baking machine that supplies those who purchase their machine with prepackaged gluten-free bread ingredients. You simply follow the easy steps that take you from a package of dry ingredients to fluffy, warm fresh bread that's gluten-free but flavor-packed.
Bready's gluten free bread machine can also be used to make gluten-free cakes. Talk about an awesome birthday present for somebody who can't consume gluten. There's no way a family used to tip-toeing around gluten foods isn't going to be happy about this product. Your next concern is going to be how to control your collective carb intake now that you can have as much bread as you want.
Gluten-free bread and other typically gluten-laden foodstuffs can be made with alternative ingredients from scratch, but tracking down the necessary ingredients is a pain. Then there's the dealing with the messes of making baked bread from scratch. After all of that, there's still the anxiety that comes with worrying about whether or not the right ingredients were used and the proper steps taken. It's a lot to ask for in the struggle to make bread an available edible for the family.
Luckily, for families with a member or members who suffer from celiac disease or have gluten sensitivity, there's a homemade gluten-free baking option that's non-messy and delicious. Bready is a bread baking machine that supplies those who purchase their machine with prepackaged gluten-free bread ingredients. You simply follow the easy steps that take you from a package of dry ingredients to fluffy, warm fresh bread that's gluten-free but flavor-packed.
Bready's gluten free bread machine can also be used to make gluten-free cakes. Talk about an awesome birthday present for somebody who can't consume gluten. There's no way a family used to tip-toeing around gluten foods isn't going to be happy about this product. Your next concern is going to be how to control your collective carb intake now that you can have as much bread as you want.
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