Emergency Preparedness

Last year events like hurricane Ike and the earthquake in China reminded how ill prepared I am for an emergency. Once upon a time I had a 72 hour kit for everyone in my family. That was back when we were a family of 3. We have since doubled our numbers and have all outgrown the clothing. It is time for me to update my family's emergency kits and plan. Here is what you can do to make sure your family is prepared.

• Create an emergency plan for your family. The US Department of Homeland Security has created a downloadable one here.
• It may be hard to make local phone calls so have an out of state emergency contact. Know the emergency plans for your schools and work places.
  
• Create a 72-hour kit for each member of your family. To view a list of items to include go here.
  
• Make copies of drivers licenses, passports, insurance policies, birth certificates, marriage certificate, any important documents you need to help facilitate getting things back in order. Keep these copies in your kit. (I want to keep a CD with photos I don't want to lose in my kit)
  
• Make sure your kit can be transported easily inc as you have to walk. Back Packs are excellent containers. Once you have your kit together be sure to store it in a location that is easy to access with short notice.

Creating a Personal Budget

For some the word “budget” is a dirty word that evokes negative feelings. Those who understand budgeting know that it is a word that can equal financial freedom. So, if you don’t already have a personal budget, here is what you need to do.

Figure out what your entire monthly income is. Include paychecks, bonus, tips, and any interest you may make. From this figure out what your yearly income is. Now you know what you have to work with. Creating a budget is much more enjoyable if you have a goal in mind. Maybe you want to save money for a down payment on a house, or a family vacation, or maybe it is just to eliminate some debt. So, create a goal and think of it as you work through your budget.

Now you need to make a list of all of your fixed expenses, anything that gets paid monthly. These are things like rent/mortgage, car payment, church/charity contributions, medical insurance, dental insurance, garbage, gas, electricity, natural gas, phone, water, etc.

Make a list of all your occasional expenses. Occasional expenses are the things that come less frequently than monthly but are paid on a regular basis. Examples are: car insurance, car registration, home insurance, life insurance, magazines, property taxes, vehicle inspections, etc. Don’t forget to include money for b-day presents, vacations, and Christmas. Then there are those wonderful variable expenses: Car maintenance/repair, dry cleaning, Home repairs, school fees, pictures, prescriptions, stamps, tires, yard supplies, etc.

Once you have all of these things listed, create a practice budget. Write down how much you propose to spend on each item. At the end of the month record how much you actually spent and compare the two. Did you spend more or less in certain areas? Was it feasible? Adjust your budget accordingly and now you are ready to start saving for your goal.

You can view a budget worksheet here. You can also download budget templates of all kinds from here.

Keeping the Romance Alive

I think keeping the romance alive is something every couple struggles with at one point or another in their relationship. There comes a point where we just go through the routine of life, get up, go to work, take care of children, do the things around the house, and go to bed just to start it all over again. We get so caught up in our own lives and needs that we forget about our partners. If you find that you are at a point where you are not getting the romance you need stop and ask yourself if you are giving the romance your partner needs. Romance is reciprocal, you get what you give. When you get to a "dull" point try doing this:

Make a list of 10 things that your partner can do to show he/she loves you. Have your partner make a list too, of the things you can do for him/her. You will find that men and women feel loved in different ways. Men tend to feel love with physical expressions like a kiss, or embrace. Women tend to feel love by words like actually saying "I love you" and by actions like notes or a phone call.

Share your lists with each other and discuss why you put what you put on your list.
Make it a point everyday to pick at least one thing from your partner's list and fulfill it. Do not repeat the same thing more than once a week.

I promise you that as you do something every day for your spouse that shows them your love, you will receive the same and the romance in your life will increase. I have experienced it in my own relationship as well as seen it in those around me.

What are some of the ways you and your partner keep the romance alive?

Baked Ziti Recipe

This is one of my family’s favorite dinner dishes. My Aunt shared it with us almost 2 years ago and I’ve made it at least once a month ever since. It is perfect for when you have company because it makes 12 servings. It is super simple to make as well. We love it for the leftovers. I hope you will try it and enjoy it as much as we do.

Baked Ziti

1 lb. pasta- I use rigatoni
1 large red bell pepper chopped
1 large green bell pepper chopped
8 oz shredded white cheese (Monterey jack)
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp salt
28 oz. Canned diced tomatoes mostly drained
1 tsp. pepper

Add Later:
1 cup milk
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350. Cook pasta in large amount of salted water according to package directions. Drain and rinse in cold water. Place pasta in large mixing bowl, and add remaining ingredients and stir well. Pour into large casserole dish that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Pour 1 cup milk over entire mixture. Cover and bake at 350 for 30 min. Remove and sprinkle with 1/2 C. bread crumbs and return to oven and bake for 30 minutes more uncovered. You can make it the night before; just add the milk right before baking.
Makes 12 servings.

Texting While Driving

It wasn't too long ago when I was driving to a store and received a text from someone. I retrieved it and then began to text a response when it dawned on me that I'm doing exactly what I gave my niece a hard time for doing. How easy it was to just start texting back. I immediately put my phone down and paid attention to my driving. Texting while driving is becoming more prevalent and so are the accidents caused by texting while driving. Many cities are now are trying to implement laws banning cell phone use/texting in cars. The following clip is what happened when a VIA bus driver in San Antonio, Texas decided to text while driving.