General Thoughts
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The importance of traditions
Childhood memories What do you remember most from your childhood? It’s likely you remember big events and any trauma you might have experienced. Those types of things tend to leave an impression. Another way memories stick with us is through repetition, often in the form of family traditions if we’re fortunate. Holiday traditions Traditions I remember most from being a kid were centered around holidays. Getting to open one present on Christmas Eve. Waking up at the crack of dawn on Christmas Day, only to be told to go back to bed for an hour while the house warmed up. Raking leaves the day after Thanksgiving (weather permitting). Waking up…
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Ways I Save Money in our Household Budget
Where to start with a budget Budget doesn’t have to be a dirty word. I budget our household expenses to make sure we have enough money to pay our bills and don’t overspend on extras. The first step to creating a budget is to track spending for one month. Don’t skip anything. Spent $5 on a coffee for your morning commute? Write it down (or enter it into a spreadsheet). Once you see where your money goes, you can see where you’re overspending and set up pools of money for each type of expense. I like to use a monthly Excel spreadsheet that’s already set up as a budget. You…
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Overweight in a Size 8: Thoughts on Obesity and Body Image
What does obesity look like in America? I don’t know if you’ve seen the statistics on obesity in America, but they’re staggering. According to a CDC estimate, as of March 2020, 41.9% of adults in America were classified as obese. What does that mean? It means the people have a BMI, or Body Mass Index of 30 or above. Want to know another startling statistic? During that same period, 19.2% of children age 2 and older were considered obese. That’s not even including anyone with BMIs of 25-29.9, who are considered overweight. Well, I’m 5’1″ tall and currently weigh between 160-165 pounds, so according to the BMI charts, I exceed…