Are you having trouble getting your kids to eat vegetables? If so, you have lots of company. But one expert has a pretty tricky solution. Take a look.
Where there's a "Will", There's a Way!
-by Pocahontas
If I ask you when your birthday is you could spout it off in your sleep, couldn’t you? Great. Well let me ask you something else. When is your deathday? *cricket, cricket* Tough one, eh? We know neither the day nor the hour, do we? Well, one thing is for sure. Out of 100 people how many of them are going to die? Yep, all of ‘em. So how many need a will? YES, ALL OF THEM! Would you believe there are people out there who are stumped by that last question?! I hope you weren’t one of them! If you don’t think everyone ought to have a will clearly you’ve never seen or heard of a family fighting over someone’s assets! And even after seeing something like that or hearing bout it happening to someone would you believe there are still people in these United States of America who would tell you, “Oh I don’t need a will because of ‘xyz’ reason”. And ‘xyz’ could range from any excuse as foolish as “I can’t leave my stuff to my spouse because I’m not married” to “I don’t have any money to leave anyone.” Typically, I just look at people like these with my, “Are you kidding me?” face (unless they are my clients then I just break out the stats and educate them.) Regardless of your marital status or your checkbook status, everyone should have a will (and probably a Power of Attorney and Advanced Directive/Physicians Living Will), but for now let’s just concentrate on a will.
There are plenty of people with no spouse in the world. But guess what? Some of them have kids and if you do they are your most precious asset. Shouldn’t you have a written document specifying who takes charge of their care if you don’t come home tomorrow? And it isn’t enough that you told your “mama and ‘nem” to raise them in the event something happens to you. How do you know who is TRULY going to uphold a verbal contract like that when you are six feet under?
Likewise there are plenty of people with only 20 bucks to their name right now, but does that mean they don’t have items of sentimental value or monetary worth like jewelry, keepsakes, etc. that they want to designate to a specific person if God forbid something should happen to them rather than having the cleaning people just come in and trash it once they are gone? If you are married you can’t just assume your husband and/or kids will be the ones to keep your heirlooms. Whose to say there won’t be an argument over it with one of your parents who lay claim to it because they say they bought it for you so by rights it’s theirs. You know they say weddings and funerals bring out the BEST and the WORST in people. So don’t underestimate that sweet mother of yours. Why leave to chance things that a simple piece of paper can solve. If one legal document can ensure all your expectations and requests are met if you are no longer around to carry them out then why don’t YOU have one?
Pocahontas is a licensed Financial Coach and has been in the industry since 2005. She can be reached at pfslynette@gmail.com.
J. Blossom Review - It's Grrrrape!
-by Erica
My family is very much into natural, gentle products because of a history of allergies and other ailments. So I was thrilled to be contacted by the owner of a bath and body company called J. Blossom, which makes products with natural ingredients, including shea butter, lavender, jojoba oil, aloe vera, and vitamin E.
Jamila White started J. Blossom and Co. over a year ago in Bowie, Maryland. Her company offers all-natural bath and body products for girls. Each product is stamped with the picture of an adorable little girl and an affirmation about loving the skin you're in.
Jamila was kind enough to send us samples of the a package of products to try out. Even though the items were originally meant for little girls, I used the grape shower gel on my 2-year-old SON who didn't seem to mind at all. And he really liked the bath sponge that came with it. The scent was very subtle and the gel seemed to be gentle on his skin. The next day we both used the grape lip balm. I also took the body lotion to work, where I slathered it on throughout the day.
Although WE went wild for the grape scent, I have no doubt the others are just as wonderful. Take a look at the J. Blossom website to check out more bath and body treasures.
Moms Selling To Moms: MASSIVE Garage Sales
With everyone trying to save money these days, it's no surprise that garage sales are becoming big business. But today we saw a report on Good Morning America showing that one venue is taking it to another level. Tell us what you think about it after watching this ABC News video .
Babou and Baby
If you have children who are old enough to watch a little television, I hope you've had a chance to catch a series that has become a real gem. I'm talking about Babou and Baby on Nickelodeon. It truly captures the adventures (and misadventures) of bringing home a new baby though the eyes of a preschool sibling.
Each segment comes on between other programs and features 4-year-old Babou. He's the big brother to his little sister Aji. We've been following the series since Babou's family first brought Aji home as a tiny little bundle. Now, she's a year old and Babou is five. Just a beautiful family. Our favorite parts are when Babou shows his strong personality by having a mini-fit and when the large extended family gets together.
You can get caught up and even watch the episodes at NickJr.com . Let us know what you think!
New Golf Champion in the Making
Have you heard of Zakiya Randall? That's OK, you will. The 17 year old is already a golf star. She made history this month by becoming the youngest female to win on the Georgia Golf Amateur Tour against adult men. Read more about her on her website HERE.
Babies R Us is Phasing out BPA Bottles
Babies "R" Us is phasing out BPA-containing bottles and feeding products because of consumer concerns. The national chain says the process should be completed by the end of the year. It is also allowing parents to return any BPA-containing bottles purchased from the store.
So, what's the real deal on BPA? BPA, meaning bisphenol-A, is a potentially dangerous chemical. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently decided BPA was not a concern, but the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said earlier this year that BPA might alter an infant's development and cause behavioral problems for infants and children. And just today The National Institutes of Health (NIH) expressed 'some concern' about the effects of bisphenol A on the brain, behaviour, and prostate gland in fetuses, babies, and children. Earlier this year, Canada banned the use of BPA in baby bottles sold there.
No Connection Between Vaccine & Autism
The latest study shows the Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) vaccine does NOT cause autism. That disputes a decade-old study that has been causing panic among worried parents who have considered skipping or "staggering" their child's MMR shots. Read more about the new study HERE.
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