Why I Filed for Bankruptcy at 25, and What I Learned

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Aflac, to share my personal experience with insurance and medical debt. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

Can you afford a medical emergency?… The average cost of a heart attack and the care needed to recover is $65,427, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services. A broken leg costs around $10,000. Some cancer medications can cost upwards of $10,000 per month. Add those up, and it’s no surprise that medical debt is the leading cause of bankruptcy is this country. I know from experience that even with insurance, the bills add up quickly, and can become overwhelming. Because it’s not even just the medical bills – it’s also the money you lose if you aren’t able to work for awhile. Many people believe that if they have health insurance, they’ll be ok if a health crisis hits – but do you have a real idea of what out of pocket costs will be if someone in your family gets sick or injured? I didn’t. And that’s what led to me filing for bankruptcy at the young age of just 25.

How to avoid medical debt [Read more...]

Pin It
signature
Posted by on May 13, 2013 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | No Comments

Seattle Art Museum Summer Camp

If you’re in the Seattle area, then you know that the Seattle Art Museum is a must-see place for families. We’ve been several times when we visit that side of the state – {we’re about 2 1/2 hours from Seattle, but head over often, for Abby’s trips to Seattle Children’s Hospital or to visit grandpa.} And now, they’ve got some serious fun planned for your kiddos this summer – check it out:

Seattle Art Museum summer camp for kids [Read more...]

Pin It
signature
Posted by on April 17, 2013 Filed Under: Travel | No Comments

Family Travel Builds Great Memories…

“Because it’s summer, and the memories are just waiting to happen.” - Unknown… You want to hear something crazy about me? I never traveled out of my home state of Washington until I was 19 years old. And I was 23 the first time I finally boarded a plane! AND… Even though I live her near the coast, I’d never been to the beach until I visited the beautiful Oregon Coast 3 years ago while I was pregnant with Abby. I’d always yearned to travel, but never had much opportunity until about a year and a half ago…  Last summer I flew to four different states, and will head to even more this year! What a change, right?

Family travel with toddlers [Read more...]

Pin It
signature
Posted by on April 2, 2013 Filed Under: Parenting | No Comments

Super Hero Gadget Cleans the Sneaky Allergens in Your Air

“Spring is the time of plans and projects.” - Leo Tolstoy… Boyohboy, does this totally describe my life these days! We’re in the middle of so darn many DIY projects around the house and property, it’s total chaos around here! But, at the same time – I am so excited to be celebrating spring with so many fun “refreshes” of our home and yard! But in the middle of all of the hustle and bustle, there’s one thing that has been a big challenge – the air. Yep, all three of us have terrible allergies, and the Mister has crazy-bad asthma. With so much going on – Trucks and tractors outside digging, dumping, pouring, and moving – plus the work inside – sanding, painting, moving, and building – it’s a wonder any of us can breath at all! And when you partner that with the regular allergy-inducers of spring, well, that’s a recipe for trouble, for sure. But, I have a very smart solution to share with ya’all – check it out…

Sharp Air Purifier with Humidifier [Read more...]

Pin It
signature
Posted by on April 1, 2013 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | No Comments

500,000 Kids Get the Wrong Medicine Dose…

Did you know that 500,000 times each year, a child gets into medicine that they shouldn’t, or gets the wrong dose to their medicine? How scary is that, right? We all know that there are some basic precautions to take, like keeping medicines up high, or in a locked cabinet. But there are SO many scenarios you might not expect, and so much information that can really help. I know from experience that even as an uber careful mom who worries over everything, things can still go wrong. I’ll share my story with you of when Abby got into the wrong meds, and then give you some awesome tips and tools to help keep your family safe.

Abby at er2 [Read more...]

Pin It
signature
Posted by on March 28, 2013 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | No Comments

Cheap Kids Movies on DVD – 14 Family Movies Under $5 Bucks

Looking for cheap kids movies? Well – you’ve come to the right spot, ladies. There is a HUGE selection of cheap kids DVD’s on Amazon right now – I found 14 movies all under $5 bucks each, and I guarantee you that there are more. And these aren’t those weird – “Dora’s Holiday Special from 1999″ type of movies. These are good ones. Most are newer, a couple are from my childhood, and all are awesome. And for less than $70 bucks, you could actually buy ALL 14 if you wanted to! Sweet deal, right?

Deal on Horton Hears a Who [Read more...]

Pin It
signature
Posted by on January 7, 2013 Filed Under: Deals and Coupon Codes, Shopping | 4 Comments

How to Create a Gratitude Journal with a Free Memory Jar Printable

Free Memory Jar Printable… For the new year, I haven’t quite finished writing down, planning for, and deciding on all of my goals. {I’m close though.} But, there are a family goals that I did decide on – I want to build some better routines, so that I’m not so stressed with work and homemaking tasks, and can really live “in the moment” with Abby more often. I want to make sure we celebrate the little things more often. I want to make sure I really and truly show and tell my family how much I love and appreciate them – I want them to feel valued. And, I want to practice gratitude in my life daily. I already tend towards being one of those optimistic, Pollyanna-ish types who always find the silver lining on their glass that’s half full. But I know that I have so much to be grateful for, and want to ensure that I focus my energy and thoughts on that in 2013, versus getting down about any of my challenges.

Gratitude Jar Printable

Free Memory Jar Printable Download from Paper Coterie

This is such a genius idea – Instead of trying to keep up with a daily journal, scrapbook, or other record-keeping, why not simplify it all, and break it down to a super-doable way of capturing those great moments in your life? Yep, Paper Coterie, my absolute hands-down favorite paper products company, is giving you a free Memory Jar Printable to use this year. How awesome is that, right? They make it so easy to keep your memories alive by recording them for the future. Keep reading to learn how it works…

Journaling gratitude printables

Start your own Gratitude Journal in 2013

Here’s how it works – Print out the prompts, the jar label, and the bookplate. Put all of those prompts into your Gratitude Jar, and then simply pull one out each week, tape to your journal page, {use a cool vintage Paper Tape for some fun style} and then write a little page once a week, using that prompt to guide you. Super easy, and super meaningful.

Paper Coterie

Paper Coterie is a circle of friends who are passionate about documenting the beauty of life well lived. Whether it’s in a photo book, guest book, journal, or one of their custom personalized books, they’ll help you capture the memories you want to save and share. Want to document your growing child? Don’t worry. They’ve got that covered. Choose from one of their awesome personalized growth charts, wall décor posters, baby books, or shower guest books. Want to join Paper Coterie as an affiliate? They rock, and you’ll love learning about the newest products too.

 

Pin It
signature
Posted by on January 5, 2013 Filed Under: Printables | 6 Comments
«Older Posts