So cute.....I almost wish I had a baby....

In honor of Halloween.....

I love Joss Whedon's work. I think Nathon Fillion is fantastic. Neil Patrick Harris is pretty funny too!

So get ready for Halloween by watching a show about a mad scientist...

Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-long blog.



***Edit***
I just watch it again and laughed all over again...hillarious! For the conservative....There is a slightly adult part in scene 2. Captain Hammer is not very good at innuendo.

Clutter thoughts part 2 (hijacked but good!)

Wow…that was fun. So, I guess it’s more of a law than a theory—other people’s clutter in our home really is way more annoying than our own.

So now that we know this, what do we do about it?

Well, first off, we need to recognize how universally true this concept is. Virtually everyone agreed with it.

So guess what this means: Your clutter is way more annoying to those you share your home with than it is to you! Ouch.

Now, I realize your kids may not care, but your spouse probably does. And even if he isn’t bothered by your clutter (or wouldn’t admit it), by making our own clutter acceptable, we set the rules of engagement for our entire family. Our actions say “piles are OK” or “shoes in the middle of the floor is how we do it around here” or “clothes almost hitting the hamper is the way to go” and so on.

But that really isn’t what we want, is it? So if we don’t want clutter, we have to start with ourselves and fix our own clutter. Our biggest point of control (possibly our only point of true control, actually) is ourselves. So we have to start with our own clutter first.

In the original blog post, I said that if my own shoes are out it doesn't bother me; but if my kids are out it does. This was true to an extent. When I find my kids' shoes are out, I look around and say...what clues are in place from me, right now, that give my kids the idea that this is acceptable? Are my own shoes out? Is there other stuff out and about that makes it seem as if clutter is the status quo around here? If I look around and see no clutter except for their shoes, then I call them on it and ask them to put their shoes away. They do it and often even say "sorry."

By shifting your focus to yourself and your own clutter, you do a number of things. First, you are now focusing on something you can control—you! And this is very empowering. Second, by clearing up your own clutter you lead by example. You create the rules of engagement for your household and your family.

Once you have your own clutter under control, it is very valid to then ask your family members to get in on the game and follow suit. And if your stuff is all in its designated spot, how can they say no? You've taken away their best excuse.

FAIRYTALE

FAIRYTALE
Originally uploaded by Life Happens

My daughter wanted to wear her flowergirl dress yesterday (for a wedding-but not as THE flowergirl) and we took a few minutes to get a picture of her with her Little Red Riding Hood cape for halloween. SHe actually let me take pictures for a whole 2 minutes!

Thanks to my mother in law for the amazing sewing on both projects!

STORE OPENING NOVEMBER 6!!!!

GROSGRAIN MINI STORE OPENING NOVEMBER 6!!!! AND BIG PREVIEW GIVEAWAY!!!!


Once again, she has created something really cute and fantastic. (I figure if I keep entering, I'll win something one day!)

7 am

7 am. That's all I ask for. I just want to sleep in till 7 am.

PLEASE!

But once again, on the one morning that I even have a chance of reaching that distant goal....I'm woken up.

It's always something new.

Today a little girl stood at my bed at 6 am...."Mommy, I threw up on the couch."

Can I please get a break? Please?


At least she isn't "really" sick. She did this last year too. She gets a runny nose when the weather changes...refuses dinner one night and then spends all night sniffling....perfect recipie for upset stomach. I think she threw up on the couch that time too. Sigh.

Got Bling?

I have a GREAT idea for a contest (see below)....but I need some BLING. I'm offering a free print as a thank you to whomever volunteers to let me photograph their wedding/engagement ring AND their husband's dog tags (I have a simple band if you only have one ring). I will take 2 pictures; one with your husband's dog tags for your print and one with a generic name and social to protect your identity.

Anyone interested? I'd have to shoot this picture next week sometime.


CONTEST 1: THE RING SHOT- PHOTO CHALLENGE

First step is to re-invent the Ring Shot. We've all seen the cliche shot, now is a chance to do something different! There is no restrictions on this, the only thing that you must have in the shot is 2 rings!

Unexpected Consequenses.

Use it up.
Use it out.
Make do.
Do without.

Something to consider.

In our quest to buy less (cause we are broke) or live simpler lives, we (as a consumer driven nation) have been purchasing less. That' s a good thing, right? We create less waste and live more frugal lives.

Apparently due to the decreased demand, 1/2 of the companies in China that make US toys, such as Barbies, Blocks etc. That means 7000 Chinese workers have been laid off in the past month or so.

Maybe we should buy more toys.

Sometimes I wish I was rich.

I saw these shoes on a blog....I LOVE them!  Aren't they cute?

So i went to the Fluevog website and looked them up. The "Zaza" shoes are my food budget....

plus some.

I wish I was rich enough that I didn't almost have a heart attack when I saw the price tag!

Online Journaling Class-Want to join?

Jessica Sprague is starting a cool new FREE class.  Want to join me?

Fess up.

I read this on a great blog and it really hit home!  Maybe I should be more sympethetic about my families' clutter.


When it comes to clutter in our own home, every one else's clutter is way more annoying than our own.
If my shoes, for example, aren't exactly in my closet, it doesn't really bother me. After all, I know I'll get them back to where they belong...when I get around to it.
BUT, if my kid's shoes are our out, that’s a whole other story! That’s pretty darn annoying. I mean, the shoe bin is RIGHT there. ;)


EEEEK!  I guess I'm so guilty of this!  How about you?

Marie-Therese Gown GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

Marie-Therese Gown GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

OH MY GOSH! So so cute! I have admired her stuff for a long time...and this one takes the cake!

Hide your Teenage boys before reading this.....

So consider yourself warned. I DID say hide the boys. (That's for all my friends with boys who do NOT need to stare at her-see? I love you!)

Yup. That bra is the 2008 Victoria's Secret Diamond Bra.

Boys will only stare at her chest. (Even though it's a tiny image.)

Girls may wish they had cleavage or hair or a figure like her.

Smart Girls will point out that someone is going to pay 5 MILLION dollars for a USED bra.

Now how about that?

GratiTuesday

In an effort to maintain my blogging and organizing steam....May I present:
GratiTuesday



It's a simple idea and I only saw the graphic and I loved the idea. So I'm going to try and post something that I'm grateful for. Kind of a public statement of appreciation for the blessings in my life.

1-I'm grateful for my kids love of learning....even if it involves dissecting burglars and reading the same story 6 times.

2-I'm grateful for a computer and the internet.

3-I'm grateful for the numerous patient family and friends who answer my stupid computer questions and reexplain them the next time I call. Shopping for a computer is stressful, but with my friends and family confusing me even more, I feel confident that I have no clue....but that it will probably work out just fine.


So what are 3 things that you are grateful for this instant? Right now? (Not big huge stuff that we constantly express gratitude for, but little things that may not seem "important") Why don't you go blog them! (or comment here!)

The Reader

I keep catching her reading. She is really grooving on the fact she can figure out what the words say!

Makeover Monday.

The challenge: Makeover one (small) area of your home that needs a little TLC.

My goal: The bathroom drawer! My makeup is a disaster and needs some organizing! It looks more like a junk drawer than a place for girly stuff.

Join me! Post what your Mini-Makeover is. (No fair reorganizing the attic or garage! Keep it simple!)

Pictures to follow!

How can it look so easy?

I have been accused of being a little bit crazy sometimes. I confess, it's true.

But when I saw this picture I was hooked. What a crazy fun idea!

Imagine opening your lunchbox and seeing your lunch staring back at you?! How fun is that?
The pictures on the site make it look oh so easy. She has perfectly lined up little candy eyeballs and says, "A whole month of fun for LESS than an hour of work."


So of course, I HAVE to try it. But I'm not a frosting/decorating type of person. I don't have a frosting decorator thingy-I just use a plastic bag with the corner cut out. I did want to do this "right" so I bought a cheap one (mistake #1) and some merengue powder.

It is tricky. If it's too thick, your hands get tired really fast. If it's too thick, your cheap decorating bag thing will split and break....getting quick drying frosting all over your hands.

I followed the directions, but 3 cups of frosting is a LOT. I finally quit and said that I had enough. If you try it....and you are like me, a non-cake decorating type of person....beware.

My lumpy eyeballs are not nearly as cool looking but I'm sure the kids won't mind.

For Crying Out Loud

I know many of those who actually read this blog saw my insane son at the Birthday party. He was running around and crazy as can be expected....the sugar hit him hard and he was running around.

He came home happy and tired. After prayer, I gave him a hug and could not believe how hot he was. 103.5! I checked in both ears several times to be sure. For CRYING OUT LOUD. I am so sick of this fever.

It's not strep. It's not an ear infection. He says he feels fine. So why the heck won't this fever go away? Every time I think he is better.....it comes back.

Sigh.

Productive Me.

Last night I finally overcame my prediliction for procrastination and fixed the electrical problems. There has been no power to the attic, master bath, kids bath OR the garage for a MONTH. I am such a procrastinator. The freezer has been connected to an extention cord that's plugged into the laundry room. So pathetic.

So I had to replace the GFCI outlet that was bad so the rest of the outlets on the same circut would work again. That meant moving the freezer and replacing that outlet.

After a few stressful moments I realized the GFCI outlet I bought was defective! Grrrr. A quick trip to the store and a new outlet solved the problem. I only broke one wire, so I only had to mess with stripping one.

The hardest part was getting all the heavy duty wires back into the box. I really had to work for that! But now I have power...Horray!

Yesterday I made muffins and chicken stock, now my house smells so yummy that I want to bake all day! But this morning, Maddy and I were very productive. We planted flowers, cleaned her room, made Cranberry-Pumpkin Muffins together,

washed the dishes together, worked on pictures. I edited a photo of Matt to make a Daddy Doll for Super Saturday. I'll run to Target to return a blender that just didn't cut it and today will be full. Maddy is currently writing letters to her Dad. Every few minutes I hear.."How do you spell LOVE? I can spell cake "K-A-K"!"

Micro loans in Action

I've always wanted to start a perpetual education fund or participate in micro loans. So I found a group called Kiva. The stats and ratings are well documented so if you want to warn me that I might get ripped off...well, I'll take that chance, but I doubt it.

I already made my first micro loan and my goal is to loan at least one time a month.

My first loan was to Rukhsana Meeran Baksh Group. It's a group of women that are requesting money for buisness ventures in Pakistan.

The cool part is that they are all supportive of each other and will not only help repay the loan, but help make each buisness successful.

Rukhsana baji is a wife of Meeran Baksh and lives in the Bund Road area of Lahore, Pakistan. She has lived in this city for the last 32 years and is the mother of two sons, the older of which is in kindergarten. Rukhsana baji's husband makes a living selling cloth, and has been in this business for the last four years. Rukhsana baji is a housewife who prefers to do household work and take care of her family. She successfully repaid her first loan from Asasah (a microfinance institute in Pakistan). She is applying for this loan to buy more clothes for her husband's cloth selling business.

She is joined in her loan group by several members. Kosar baji wants a loan to buy materials for her business selling bangles. Rabia baji wants a loan to buy supplies for her grocery shop. Shazia baji wants a loan to buy material (such as beads, colored thread and sketches) for her embroidery business. Suraiya baji, Shama baji and Asmat baji each want a loan to buy more clothes to resell.

This is a group loan. The loan funds will be distributed among the members, each of whom will invest in her own business. The members mutually guarantee each other's loans. If one member does not repay, the other members are responsible.

This loan is through a field partner, "Assah". They coordinate the loans etc. They have successfully loaned over a million dollars to women in Pakistan. Out of the 4000+ loans...every single entrepreneur has paid back 100% of the loan. This program is making a REAL difference in the lives of women.

Asasah is one of the fastest growing microfinance institutions in Pakistan working to provide financial services to households of micro-entrepreneurs. The word “Asasah” literally translates to assets from the Urdu language and the vision for this MFI is “to enhance micro-productivity and eradicate poverty.” Professionals committed to providing financial services to poor, an organization pending nonprofit status that is led by Ms. Jaffery, started Asasah in March 2003. Ms. Jaffery, is a qualified chartered accountant with 11 years of prior experience in microfinance.

Asasah employs group lending methodology and believes that female empowerment is a powerful catalyst for positive social change. Hence, for this reason 100% of Asasah’s clients are women. Asasah’s methodology provides women with flexibility to invest in their business or their family business. While safeguarding support of the entire family, Asasah makes the woman the primary point of contact for delivery of financial services, which elevates her position in the household and community.

DO YOU WANT TO JOIN ME?

MicroLoans!

This is something that I've dreamed of doing for a long time and I'd love to see others take part in this!

I want to recruit you to my lending team on Kiva, a non-profit website that allows you to lend as little as $25 to a specific low-income entrepreneur in the developing world. You choose who to lend to - whether a baker in Afghanistan, a goat herder in Uganda, a farmer in Peru, a restaurateur in Cambodia, or a tailor in Iraq - and as they repay the loan, you get your money back.

If you join my lending team, we can work together to alleviate poverty. Once you're a part of the team, you can choose to have a future loan on Kiva "count" towards our team's impact. The loan is still yours, and repayments still come to you - but you can also choose to have the loan show up in our team's collective portfolio, so our team's overall impact will grow!

Check out the US Army Wives lending team, and learn more about lending teams on Kiva in general, by clicking here: http://www.kiva.org/community/viewTeam?team_id=2034&_isc=576569be-ed2a-102b-9b86-b71337deb4ea.

Thanks,
Dana Stone

Relook at your stuff...

I read this today and I like how he points out that we often want the "idea" of things rather than the things themselves...

Read on....


My mother has been out of the hospital for two weeks now. She’s home and recovering well. The past two Sundays, Kris and I have driven down to see her, and the three of us have spent part of the afternoon sorting through mom’s Stuff.

“Do you still want this?” I asked mom again and again, holding up an old computer printer, a plaque with a pithy saying, or a calendar from 1998.

“No,” she’d say, and sometimes we’d laugh. Who still needs their calendar from 1998? But not everything was funny. “It seems a shame to get rid of some of this,” she said as she sorted through her clothes. “They’re all still good.”

We’ve thrown away some of the Stuff (calendars from 1998, for example), but last Sunday Kris and I hauled a lot of it to Goodwill. We dropped off nine large garbage bags filled with clothing and a couple more containing books and gadgets.

The idea of having
When we got home, I spent some time alone, thinking. I sat in my office and looked at the bookshelves. I looked at the rows and rows of comics. It occurred to met that although I’ve gained control of my current and future spending, I still struggle with the past.

“Will I ever read these?” I wondered. “Or are they just clutter?” I remembered a conversation Kris and I had last week.

“You know why you can’t get rid of Stuff, don’t you?” Kris had asked.

“Because I want it,” I said.

“You think you want it,” she said. “You like the idea of having certain things, but you don’t actually use them. You’ve got dozens of books stacked in the guest room. They’ve been there since the last time you purged Stuff a year ago. Have you needed any of those books in that time?”

“No,” I said.

“That’s my point. You can’t bring yourself to get rid of them, yet you don’t use them, either. You don’t even really want them. So they sit there. You wouldn’t even notice if you got rid of them.”

Kris is right. It’s the idea of having that appeals to me. When I look through my stacks of books, it pains me to think of purging them. Yet it also pains me to have them cluttering my life, always within eyesight, taxing my mental energy. I like the idea of having them, but not the actual possessing.

Who we were or wished to be
After I told my friend Amy Jo about our clutter conversation last week, she shared her own thoughts. “We each have so many interests, and certain things — like books — keep us connected to those interests, or give us the illusion that they do,” she said.

“But they also clog up our lives and make us less efficient at doing what we are and what we want to do right now. It’s hard to let go of the things that we believe represent parts of ourselves, or we hope represent us. In many cases, these things represent who we were or wished to be at one time — not who we are right now.”

Looking around at my collection of comic books, I had to ask myself, “Is this who I am? Is this who I wish to be? Are these books a part of me?”

I didn’t have an answer, and I don’t have one now.

The purpose of money
I truly believe that by gaining control of my desire to have things, I can better control my personal finances. Many people struggle with lifestyle inflation — increased spending with increased income — which is nothing more than a battle with Stuff. This problem is common, even for those who don’t spend beyond their means.

I’ve become adept at preventing new Stuff from entering my life, but it’s difficult for me to part with the Stuff I already own. This is a very First World problem, and in a way it makes me feel guilty. We’re trained not to be wasteful. That’s not a bad thing, but I think it can prevent us from making smart decisions.

I also continue to struggle with sunk costs. I know that I spent $30 on this book, for example, or $20 on that pair of pants. It pains me to think of getting rid of them. It feels like throwing money away. And so I stack Stuff in piles and carry it to my workshop where it will sit, doing no good to anyone, for months or years.

There is nothing wrong with buying things that you will use and enjoy. That’s the purpose of money. If you’re spending less than you earn, meeting your needs, and saving or the future, it’s a wonderful thing to be able to afford the things that make life easier and more pleasurable. But when you purchase things based solely on the idea of having, I believe you’ve crossed the line from using money as a tool to becoming a tool for money.

So many things

This has just been one insanely crazy week. It feels like longer but what can I say? I suppose nothing. So I'll start over from today.

Connor came home from school and told me he didn't feel very good. I asked him where he didn't feel good...was he hurt? He just said his neck hurt but he wasn't sure where.

I thought he meant that his neck was sore. I went to give him a hug and couldn't believe it. He was burning up. 102.5 I checked twice.

He is adamant that he isn't sick. I gave him tylenol and motrin and he informed me that "my fever broke so I can go to school tomorrow and build my monster." He has no intention of missing the class project.

Since I'm supposed to help the class with the project, I suppose I'll let him go. But if he is still hot when it's time for me to leave....he is coming with me! I don't care what he thinks!

Although I'm happy that he is loving school so much that he doesn't want to miss. Shanna told me that happened last year and I thought she was exagerating. But Connor (in his recently acquired habit) wrote a story about how school was canceled and he had to break into school so he wouldn't miss his science project. He really loves this. I wonder if I can bribe her to teach 2nd grade next year...

I really should enter this one!

Walmart is sponsoring a tip contest. They are looking for (videos) tips of how to be frugal or make your dollar stretch. Just post it on youtube.

The prize? A year of FREE GROCERIES. My pocketbook is drooling. I wonder if I can think of anything good enough to win!

Check it out here.

Totally ripped off....but true

Just to be upfront and honest....this is a repost of a blog found here. But since nobody else is saying it and I can't say it this well, I'm reposting it. So please comment etc, but be aware that while I agree with everything here...I didn't originally write it. (but be honest in your opinions-I'd rather have someone point out what they see as inaccuracies than ignore a situation because it's a "sensitive" subject.)



I was watching Fox News this morning and was much cheered by the appearance of Ann Coulter, my heroine who never minces words on the altar of acceptability. Being addressed (since the 'debate' was so mind-bogglingly boring) was the fact that Democrats are gleefully enjoying the current market turmoil because they can blame it on the Republicans....but then again, they blame everything on the Republicans so that's nothing new.

Ann summed up the real cause of the problem when she stated that our financial markets are in ruin because of the Democrats' insistence on political correctness within it. See, equal opportunity is a concept most Democrats utterly fail to embrace or understand, it's no longer the goal, it's no longer 'enough.'

Their real goal is 'equal results', and in cases where those results are unequal, they will accept no other reason than overt and institutionalized racism as the culprit. This notion of 'equal results' has ruined and/or degraded many of our cultural institutions, from the 'dumbing down' of grade school classes to be understandable to the lowest common denominator (ie: the stupidest kid in class sets the pace for the rest) to hiring quotas and college admissions based on race, (ie: the lesser qualified are admitted, hired, and promoted to positions of ever greater responsibility) to the stifling of any meaningful national dialogue on racial issues, which have now become the third rail of politics, the rail of instant death and infamy where stellar careers are ruined by the mere suggestion of racism, real or percieved.

Back during the Clinton reign of error, some well meaning soul took a look at racial statistics in regards to home ownership in America and discovered that a disparity existed. Blacks and Hispanics were underrepresented in the number of new homeowners applying for and being granted mortgages, and of course the Democrat's natural tendency (demonstrated repeatedly over the past 4 decades) was to do something about it!

Ok, I can understand that. But instead of attacking the problem at its source (lower credit scores in general for these groups) and launching a financial literacy campaign to help the underrepresented learn how to build and maintain a decent credit rating (it can be done even in 'low income' situations) they decided to change the rules of lending instead.

All in the interest of equal results, ya see. Democrats decided that more blacks (and Hispanics) should own their homes so instead of raising them up to the bar (by teaching them sound financial skills) the Dems insisted the bar be lowered. There's that lowest common denominator thing again!

After these changes were implemented, almost anyone at all could get qualified for a home loan. Unemployment and AFDC/TANF payments could be counted as income. Job hoppers could count multiple short-term periods of employment as 'continuous' as long as the jobs were in the same field, and even most downpayment requirements were eliminated.

A loan that used to require a credit score of at least 700, 2 years or more of continuous employment with the same company, and a minimum of 10% downpayment could now be obtained by anyone with any income at all, sketchy employment histories, and no money down...as long as their credit score was at least 600. (which is considered 'poor' credit.) Hell, when I worked in the mortgage industry, we could even get loans bought for those with credit scores in the 560-590 range (*very* poor) if they could scrape up a 5% downpayment and afford the PMI (private mortgage insurance) payments.

In other words, Congress, urged on by our very first Black President, William Rodham (hehe) Clinton, lowered the bar, and they lowered it for one reason and one reason only. To buy the black vote.

And now that these folks are losing those homes (due to piss poor financial skills) the American taxpayer is left holding the bill for all this political correctness based on equal results instead of equal opportunity. Yes, YOU are now going to pay for Shaniqua's fiscal irresponsibility, because YOU (the taxpayer) now hold the note on her house. And this note is most likely to be worth less than the paper it was printed on.

Yes, the greed of the CEOs is partly to blame, they are, after all, in the game to make money. But the driving force behind the scenes was the idiotic idea that the only way to achieve equal results is by lowering the bar instead of raising people up to meet it.

Don't believe me? Here's an article from that last bastion of Liberal Legitimacy (<--that's sarcasm for those of you who lack the gene to 'get it')...the New York Times. It's from 1999...and I've bolded the good bits. Here's how we came to sacrifice our entire financial system on the altar of political correctness. Read it and know the truth.

~

Fannie Mae Eases Credit To Aid Mortgage Lending

By STEVEN A. HOLMES
Published: September 30, 1999

In a move that could help increase home ownership rates among minorities and low-income consumers, the Fannie Mae Corporation is easing the credit requirements on loans that it will purchase from banks and other lenders.

The action, which will begin as a pilot program involving 24 banks in 15 markets -- including the New York metropolitan region -- will encourage those banks to extend home mortgages to individuals whose credit is generally not good enough to qualify for conventional loans. Fannie Mae officials say they hope to make it a nationwide program by next spring.

Fannie Mae, the nation's biggest underwriter of home mortgages, has been under increasing pressure from the Clinton Administration to expand mortgage loans among low and moderate income people and felt pressure from stock holders to maintain its phenomenal growth in profits.

In addition, banks, thrift institutions and mortgage companies have been pressing Fannie Mae to help them make more loans to so-called subprime borrowers. These borrowers whose incomes, credit ratings and savings are not good enough to qualify for conventional loans, can only get loans from finance companies that charge much higher interest rates -- anywhere from three to four percentage points higher than conventional loans.

''Fannie Mae has expanded home ownership for millions of families in the 1990's by reducing down payment requirements,'' said Franklin D. Raines, Fannie Mae's chairman and chief executive officer. ''Yet there remain too many borrowers whose credit is just a notch below what our underwriting has required who have been relegated to paying significantly higher mortgage rates in the so-called subprime market.''

Demographic information on these borrowers is sketchy. But at least one study indicates that 18 percent of the loans in the subprime market went to black borrowers, compared to 5 per cent of loans in the conventional loan market.

In moving, even tentatively, into this new area of lending, Fannie Mae is taking on significantly more risk, which may not pose any difficulties during flush economic times. But the government-subsidized corporation may run into trouble in an economic downturn, prompting a government rescue similar to that of the savings and loan industry in the 1980's.

''From the perspective of many people, including me, this is another thrift industry growing up around us,'' said Peter Wallison a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. ''If they fail, the government will have to step up and bail them out the way it stepped up and bailed out the thrift industry.''

Under Fannie Mae's pilot program, consumers who qualify can secure a mortgage with an interest rate one percentage point above that of a conventional, 30-year fixed rate mortgage of less than $240,000 -- a rate that currently averages about 7.76 per cent. If the borrower makes his or her monthly payments on time for two years, the one percentage point premium is dropped.

Fannie Mae, the nation's biggest underwriter of home mortgages, does not lend money directly to consumers. Instead, it purchases loans that banks make on what is called the secondary market. By expanding the type of loans that it will buy, Fannie Mae is hoping to spur banks to make more loans to people with less-than-stellar credit ratings.

Fannie Mae officials stress that the new mortgages will be extended to all potential borrowers who can qualify for a mortgage. But they add that the move is intended in part to increase the number of minority and low income home owners who tend to have worse credit ratings than non-Hispanic whites.

Home ownership has, in fact, exploded among minorities during the economic boom of the 1990's. The number of mortgages extended to Hispanic applicants jumped by 87.2 per cent from 1993 to 1998, according to Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies. During that same period the number of African Americans who got mortgages to buy a home increased by 71.9 per cent and the number of Asian Americans by 46.3 per cent.

In contrast, the number of non-Hispanic whites who received loans for homes increased by 31.2 per cent.

Despite these gains, home ownership rates for minorities continue to lag behind non-Hispanic whites, in part because blacks and Hispanics in particular tend to have on average worse credit ratings.

In July, the Department of Housing and Urban Development proposed that by the year 2001, 50 percent of Fannie Mae's and Freddie Mac's portfolio be made up of loans to low and moderate-income borrowers. Last year, 44 percent of the loans Fannie Mae purchased were from these groups.

The change in policy also comes at the same time that HUD is investigating allegations of racial discrimination in the automated underwriting systems used by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to determine the credit-worthiness of credit applicants.

~

Folks, it's time we got real about this nonsense. It's the elephant in the room that no one wants to talk about. Why is it that EVERY FREAKIN' TIME our gubment does something 'for the poor' they end up screwing not only the poor they intended to help, but every middle class schmuck who ends up having to foot the bill for their social engineering experiments gone wrong?

As I said in another article, I don't care what color your skin is, if you've reached your 30's and are still struggling to pay the bills each month in this land of wealth and opportunity, there's something WRONG with you. The reasons are as varied as the excuses. Lack of education, teen pregnancy, serial pregnancies, lack of fathers in the home (replaced by TANF and section 8 grants) drug or alcohol abuse and addiction, mental illness, physical disability, dumb luck, bad luck, or sheer laziness and stupidity have left you staggering behind the parade, wishing you could catch up but doing little else to ease your situation.

And before you call me a hypocrite, I count myself amongst those with 'something wrong' with them. I could have made more of my life in regards to financial security but I chose other paths, frittering away my youth and good health in the process. My credit score sucks the big wazoo, making it necessary for Simon and I to keep our finances completely seperate, legally speaking. This leaves me economically vulnerable, and financially dependent on his continued good will and affection towards me.

And so what if it does? I've done very little to earn or preserve my own financial security, and this is the price tag that comes with those bad choices I made in my youth.

The big difference between me and the Democrats is that I don't feel that the government OWES me a home of my own, paid for by your tax dollars.

But the 'real' truth is that even the Democrats feel they owe people like me nothing, because my skin ain't the right color, honey-child. I'd feel far more secure about my future right now if I were a single black mother with 5 illegitimate children by 5 different baby-daddies living in a 6 bedroom, quarter million dollar home that's 6 months behind in mortgage payments and poised on the brink of foreclosure.

Unfortunately, I'm married to a working man with no other dependents whose income is just at that point where Obama feels it's ok to bite a little deeper, at 42K. Any raise in my spouse's pay at this point will result in a net loss of income for us, doubly so if the Abominable Blackman is elected.

Remember who's responsible for this mess (and why) when you go to the polls next month, folks. I've got a hint for ya. It's not Bush.

Another Hairdo..late post

This is actually from Monday....But still cute. Twists woven into crossed twists with low wavy ponytails.

She is READING!!!

I've been working with Maddy on her reading skills (almost) every day since school started. She already knew her alphabet last year and the sounds that each letter makes but since her attention span was so short, we didn't work on reading very much last year or this summer.

I was pretty frustrated the first few weeks of school. We would go to the library and read but she was not used to the routine and got frustrated when she didn't know the word right away. And just like with Connor...it just happened. She and I read this book for the first time today and she "got it". Woo Hoo! I'm sure we have lots of reinforcement and work to go, but I'm thrilled that she is actually reading.

We have a huge love of reading in our home and she likes to look at books and this is the next stage! Yippee! *note* This was the 2nd video that I recorded and right before she stopped....but it gives you an idea of where she is.



On a similar note, Connor was tested for reading. One month into first grade he tested at a 5th grade level. (He read Harry Potter 1 over the summer and 2,3 and part of 4 in September!) His teacher told us that he is reading and comprehending at 160 words a minute. Not shabby at all. We'll keep working on vocabulary and make a bigger focus on reading scriptures out loud.

She also told us that he'll start learning multiplication around Christmas. (He goes to a 2nd grade TAG class for math) and she suggested that we enroll him in team sports.

I HATE SPORTS. Invariably, they schedule games at conflicting times or take up every weekend and weeknight with late practices and games. (Inner tantrum here) That's why I put him in Gymnastics. But I guess that I'll have to get over it. He does need some balance and I dont' want him to be a geek. The kids are better about gettting enough rest, so I guess I need to look into soccer or baseball. I wonder when the next season starts.

Little Red Riding Hood

This is so cool. I love her stuff and she is giving away this adorable jacket. Check it out here

Blog of Shame

I couldn't decide what to title this blog.

Blog of Shame...

I was going to deep clean anyway...

It's just motivation for organizing...

I'm sorry...

Um. This is really hard to say. Maddy has lice.

EWWWWWW. Cringe. Gross.
Yeah. That is one thing that I NEVER wanted to have to say. So if your child has been near my child...I am so so so sorry.

She was exposed a few weeks ago and I would have thought that she was in the clear by now, but this morning I found 2 lice in her hair. So no trip to Austin to fly on the trapeze. I had to spend the morning doing the following.

Not creeping out every time I had an itch.

Going to Walmart to buy something to get rid of the creepy crawley little bugs (yeah, freaking myself out again. I have GOT to stop thinking about it so much)

Calling Amie and Becky with the extremely mortifying call of shame while at Walmart.

Calling Amie and Becky again for advice on what toxic or semi-toxic or non-toxic treatment to buy and whether they will work. (I don't want to do this again in a week!)

Go to Amie's to help her stop creeping out. Confirm that she had an itch...not lice. Give her a box of treatment and a fancy comb just in case.

Go home. Opt for the olive oil treatment. Coat my daughter's way-to-long hair in olive oil and cover it with plastic.

Wait. Try to to freak out when I have to scratch my cheek. Tell myself that I'm not covered in bugs.

Plant her in front of Barbie and the Diamond Castle.

Comb out her way-to-long hair bit by bit. Start the movie over.

Recomb her hair again just to be sure that I didn't miss any. Find 2 lice and some eggs. Recomb every strand just to double check again.

Start the movie over again. Spot check. Wait a few minutes for any devious creepy crawlies to come out of hiding. Check again. Comb a few spots just to be sure.

Give her a bath. Shampoo twice.

Tell her she did a good job getting a "Princess Hairdo" (Don't mention the L word) Go to find the promised popsicle for her holding so still.

Stress out because the popsicles are NOT frozen. Move the freezer to fiddle with the plug. Realize the electrical outlet is not working and find an extension cord to run from the garage to the laundry room. Give girl yogurt instead.

Stress out.

Start vacumning her room. Wash sheets, move bed, Lysol mattress (still in plastic, thank goodness) Start washing all her toys and stress out some more.

Finally decide to post the blog of shame.

Sigh.

Be unique.

Once a little girl went to school.

She was quite a little girl.

And it was quite a big school.
But when the little girl found that she could go to her room by walking right in from the door outside, she was happy.

And the school did not seem quite so big anymore.

One morning, when the little girl had been in school awhile, the teacher said,"Today we are going to make a picture."

"Good!" thought the little girl. She liked to make pictures. She could make all kinds. Lions and tigers, chickens and cows, trains and boats. And she took out her box of crayons and began to draw.

But the teacher said, "Wait! It is not time to begin."

And she waited until everyone looked ready.

"Now," said the teacher,"We are going to make flowers."

"Good!" thought the little girl. She liked to make flowers. And she began to make beautiful ones with her pink and orange and blue crayons.

But the teacher said, "Wait! I will show you how."

And it was red with a green stem. "There," said the teacher,"Now you may begin."

The little girl looked at the teacher's flower. Then she looked at her own flower. She liked her flower better than the teacher's but she did not say this. She just turned her paper over and made a flower like the teacher's. It was red with a green stem.

On another day,when the little girl had opened the door from the outside all by herself the teacher said,"Today we are going to make something in clay."

"Good!" thought the little girl. She liked clay. She could make all kinds of things with clay. Snakes and snow creatures, elephants and mice, cars and trucks. And she began to pull and pinch her ball of clay.

But the teacher said, "Wait! It is not time to begin!"And she waited until everyone looked ready.

"Now," said the teacher,"We are going to make a dish."

"Good!", thought the girl. She liked to make dishes. And she began to make some that were all shapes and sizes.

But the teacher said, "Wait! I will show everyone how to make one deep dish. There," said the teacher,"Now you may begin."

The little girl looked at the teacher's dish. Then she looked at her own. She liked hers better than the teacher's but she did not say this.

She just rolled her clay into a big ball again and made a dish like the teacher's. It was a deep dish. And pretty soon the little girl learned to wait and the watch, and to make things look just like the teacher's.

Pretty soon she didn't make things of her own anymore.

Then it happened.

That the little girl and her family moved to another house in another city. And the little girl had to go to another school. This school was even bigger than the other and there was no door from the outside into her room. She had to go up some big steps and walk down a long hall to get to her room.

And the very first day she was there the teacher said,"Today we are going to make a picture."

"Good!" thought the little girl. And she waited for the teacher to tell her what to do.
goodness graciousness, red flower with a green stem, child's creativity, children teacher
But the teacher didn't say anything. She just walked around the room. When she came to the little girl she said, "Don't you want to make a picture?"

"Yes," said the little girl,"What are we going to make?"

"I don't know until you make it." said the teacher.

"How shall I make it?" asked the little girl.

"Why, any way you like." said the teacher.

"And any color?" asked the little girl.

"Any color." said the teacher.

"If everyone made the same picture, and used the came colors, how would I know who made what, and which was which?"

"I don't know." said the little girl.

And she began to make a red flower with a green stem.

Rampant like herpes...but for positive