9 School Success Tips

It’s the second New Year of 2022; the beginning of the 2022-23 School Year. These tips will help you get off to a great start: Create a routine. After the a summer of less than routine days,  set up a new routine. Routines offer children security and expectations for their day, week and month. With your children, decide the following: what needs to be accomplished every morning before school? and after school? what does that look like? and how will make sure it gets done? Set expectations. If you have an expectation, state it. What is expected for grades? for […]

Mary, a Mom like Us

The story of Mary – so simple, so complex, so comforting. Mary is a mother, like so many of my readers. A mother whose heart endured a lot. Mary is just like us, yet not like us. She is the mother to our Savior, who is also her Lord. In his gospel writings, Luke offers some beautiful insights into Mary’s personal journey as a mom. An emotional journey not unlike our journeys today. In the darkness of the night, outside of Bethlehem, the shepherds were suddenly and gloriously notified of Jesus birth. Although they were frightened, they heeded the words […]

Organizing Your Family. My Calendar Recommendation

A friend of mine, a mother of three small ones, posted the following question on Facebook: Mom friends…how do you stay organized? Between my husband and I and our work commitments, and the 3 kiddos school/preschool events and due dates, activities, appointments, etc. I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed! I currently use outlook for work and a paper planner/calendar for home (yes, I like to write things down, including my to do list), but I am afraid I am going to double-book/overlook things. What works for you? I loved reading the replies from young moms, each wanting to offer was has […]

Do This. Checklists for First-Time Home Buyers

Recently one of my clients asked if I had a check-list for buying a home.  My answer was ‘no’, but what a great idea! Purchasing a home is exciting, especially your first one; yet it is also a bit overwhelming. Like anything else, though, you need to think through the ‘cost’ of owning your own home. As a financial coach, my first priority is to assure that the budget is working and good financial planning is in place. Having lived through home-buying mistakes, I desire to help others be wise in making a new home purchase so that the new home […]

Ice Cream Truck Economics: Real Life Lessons

It’s summer! Enjoying the freedom of summer, sunshine and impromptu games in the yard, suddenly the familiar sound of the ice cream truck draws everyone’s attention. Run. Get your money. The ice cream truck is coming to the neighborhood. As I child I envisioned the wonderful life of city living, where an ice cream truck made daily stops in front of my home. How great that would be! Fast forward several years and reality hits: Living in a city, three children and the daily stop of the ice cream truck. Ice cream treats are $3 each, the inevitable fall of […]