Restored Faith
Today my faith in the youth of America was restored a little…
As I was walking Gabby into school at Cedar Ridge Elementary in Grovetown, we passed the flag pole and two young kids holding flags. I listened keenly to them with one ear as an eves-dropper while I tuned into Gabby’s question with the other.
Gabby asked, “What are they doing Daddy?”
I told her they must be really good students and very responsible, because it is an honor to be chosen to raise the flag of the United States of America. Gabby agreed and her eyes widened at the thought of it for just a second.
She held my hand and turned over her shoulder to watch as I kept that other ear on the two kids raising the flag. I kissed Gabby goodbye and opened the school door. She shuffled in and turned back with that cute little wave and smile.
As I walked back by the kids, another had joined them. The boy that was there before said to the girl who had just arrived,
“Careful… Don’t let it touch the ground! This flag can NEVER touch the ground.”
He wasn’t being mean nor did he say it meanly. It may look that way when you read it. What I saw though, was a young honorable man passing on the respect our Great Nation deserves to another citizen.
That gives me hope. Indeed he IS an honorable soul.
In The Garage?
We found one of these in the garage. Should I say… Amber found one of these in the garage. Contrary to childhood tales, these guys are harmless. Check out wikipedia if you don’t believe me. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue-tailed_Skink
Well, almost harmless. It almost gave Amber a heart attack! Ryan D McKinney
Little River – Spend Your Saturday Outside
Gabby is adventurous. Her imagination is and amazing thing. That’s why when I passed the Little River on my way home from a Leaders Retreat I got the idea to take her canoeing.
Part of my Life’s Manifesto is to “Never Spend Saturday Inside“. Does that mean I spend every Saturday outside for the sake of not being inside? No. Of course not. In fact, this canoe trip was on a Sunday. It means don’t let the days you have available to PLAY slip through your fingers.
For that reason I planned a little trip for Gabby and me. Just a little Daddy and Daughter time. She was excited and a little apprehensive at first. I think she thought she was going to get eaten or something.
The cool, quiet morning. The stillness of the water when it’s early. The animals letting us pass through. I love all of that. Gabby loves it too now. We did see a lot of animals, including 3 wild turkeys, Egrets, Blue Herrons, Huge Fish Jumping, a 4′ Alligator, a Beaver, and lots of Turtles.
As we were leaving there was a fisherman getting ready to spend the afternoon out there. We chatted about the river for a minute and his fishing. The last thing he said to me was, “Better than spending the day in front of the T.V. ain’t it?”
So… GO SPEND YOUR SATURDAY OUTSIDE!
Grabbing Some Gear
It’s very difficult to get Evan to sit still. To sit still to take a picture… very, very hard. To sit still while wearing a hat… impossible.
So take a hard long look at this picture because it is almost a miracle.
April snapped this pic at Tsunami Surf Shop shortly after a MONSOON at BoardWalk on the Beach in Myrtle Beach.
Rainy Vacations
Pawley’s Island 2011 started off pretty rocky. With 3 rainy days to start it off, the kids (and us) were all getting pretty cranky.
This picture was taken on the way back to the condo after spending a very wet, rainy afternoon at Broadway on the Beach in Myrtle Beach.
Kooper 7 weeks
Wow our little Koop is 7 weeks old almost 2 months times does really. Kenn and I are over the moon to have our precious angel in our lives he is such a blessing. We are also so thankful that Kooper’s “Tio” has put a Meet the Maas’ on their Meet the McKinney’s page so friends and family can see Kooper grow. Thank you Uncle for posting stuff aboutnme and for letting mommy and daddy post too!
Sirloin Kabobs with Peppers and Mushrooms
Kabobs are an easy way to make a big impression. They do take a little time to prepare, but they are worth it. We usually serve ours over rice.
3 Reasons to Always Turn A Store Credit Card Down
3 Reasons to Always Turn A Store Credit Card Down
You’ve heard it. “Would you like to save and additional 15% on your purchase today by applying for a store credit card?”
Who wouldn’t want to get 15% off of their purchase with today’s rising prices? ME. That’s who.
Many reasons exist to steer clear of Store Credit Cards. My favorite 3 reasons to be a “Negative Nelly” are:
Reason 1: The Math Is Bad
The math is not in your favor with a Store Credit Card. So how bad could 15% off actually be?
Take this scenario for example:
You spend $100 at the Store. You say yes to the 15% discount, they hit your credit for applying, and they pop you with a 24.99% interest rate. You’re smart though. You are going to pay off the card before the interest is added and save yourself $15 bucks today!
Something happened though. You meant to pay off the card as soon as you got the bill because you had the money in your checking account. However, instead of getting JUST your Old Navy bill, you got a bill from the A/C repair man for your broken air conditioner you weren’t expecting AND Old Navy on the same day. Old Navy says you’re minimum payment is $15 and the A/C repair man charged you $100 bucks.
You pay the A/C guy with the money you had set aside to pay Old Navy (and then some) and you pay $15 dollars to Old Navy.
See a pattern developing here? You won’t pay off the card. You’ll find something else you can justify as an emergency and pay that instead. In fact, if you’re like many Americans, you’ll actually buy more from Old Navy and put the purchase on the card. After all, it’s only $15-$20 bucks a month, right?
Look at these numbers to see the actual amount of your purchase.
$100.00 – Purchase
$ 15.00 – Discount
——————————
$85.00 – Balance on the card.
$23.85 – Interest with no payments on 12 months
———-
$108.85 Total Owed
If you were allowed to make no payments and the interest rate is 24.99% you will actually owe $108.85 at the end of 12 months. That’s almost $24 bucks in interest for an $85.00 account to get a $15.00 discount on day one. I know you could make 1,2,3, or even 4 easy payments and pay it off before 12 months, but you won’t.
The problem is you will make payments… and use the card… and make payments… and use the card…etc. You’ll find yourself in a vicious cycle that is too hard to break and too easy to repeat at other stores.
Every financial decision you make has an impact on your life, regardless of the amount in question.
Say “NO!” when the clerk asks and move on. If they persist, ask them if they have one and ask how long since they had it paid off. If that doesn’t shut them up, just leave.
Reason 2: Too Many Open Accounts Can Hurt Your Credit Score
Wondering how your credit score is calculated? You are not alone. Most of the questions I answer as a loan officer are about how credit is calculated. You’d be surprised at how many myths are out there and being presented as truths by “professionals” in the financial industry.
If you really want an education on now credit scores are calculated, get Your Credit Score
One major ingredient to your score is the number of open accounts you have. You may be asking “Why does it matter if a lot of people want to give me credit? Doesn’t that say I’m worthy of lending to?”
Well, it did at the time they extended it to you. But too many open accounts could mean that there is the potential that you could become over-extended very quickly which does make you more risky as a borrower. For example, you might go use up all of your available credit in one dahatTiehat would put you and your creditors (or potential creditors) in a bind.
One more store account isn’t worth the discount you’ll get even if you get the discount, pay the card off, and close it. Liz Weston addresses that too in her book, Your Credit Score
This type of activity is reflected negatively on your credit bureau and should be avoided.
The more cards you have the more of a risk you are!
Reason 3: When Its Easy To Spend, You Spend More Often
Just a simple fact. When we don’t have to think about the things we eat, we eat more. When we don’t think about not exercising, we don’t exercise, and when we don’t have to think about how much to spend until the bill comes, it’s too late.
Use cash or your debit card for purchases from department stores and other places. It will help you to budget more efficiently and stay in control of your money. If you don’t control money, it will control you. Tell your money what to do by using a budget and live a happier life.
Your Credit Score: How to Fix, Improve, and Protect the 3-Digit Number that Shapes Your Financial Future, 3rd Edition
How do I get something off of my credit history?
When does something bad come off my credit history?
Why did the apartment building I applied to turn me down?
Can an employer turn me down because of credit?
Why is the loan officer saying I need a co-signer?
What does FICO Score mean?
If you have ever asked one of these questions, you NEED this book. If you are planning to buy a house, get a car, get an apartment, apply for a job, or buy car insurance…. you NEED this book.
Liz Weston wrote Your Credit Score
Liz’s depth of knowledge around the inner workings of your credit history is amazing. Not only does she provide step-by-step instructions on how to improve and protect your credit score, but she also debunks 10 Credit Score Myths (this is my favorite part because I have people recite these to me daily with the wrong answers).
- true/false | You have to pay interest to have a good credit score
- true/false | You can hurt your credit score by checking your credit
- true/false | Credit Counseling is worse that bankruptcy
- true/false | Your closed accounts should read “Closed by Consumer” or they will hurt your score
- true/false | You can hurt your score by shopping around for the best rates
If you think you know the answers to ALL of these and the other 5 important myths she debunks then you don’t need this book. If you are like 99.9% of people out there you will get 8 out of 10 of these wrong.
The 3 digit number that affects your mortgage rates, borrowing ability, insurance rates, whether you get a job, or get an apartment is TOO important to not study up on.
You definitely need this book in your library, because reading it once can save you thousands of dollars!
Give it your best shot on the quiz above and post your answers in the comments.
There is also a Kindle Version
No time to read?
Tomato Basil Chicken Pasta
This recipe is delicious. Just ask my dad. I served him this on his last visit. This time around I added pasta and a creamier sauce.
You can make it difficult or you can use my “Sandra Lee Semi-Home Made” version.
McCormick’s Grill Mates makes some great rubs and marinades. Get 2 packets of the Tomato Basil powder. Use one as directed for the marinade of the chicken. The other packet we’ll use for some sauce.
The marinade is pretty simple.
1 packet
2 tbsp of vinegar (I like white balsamic. It gives an interesting flavor)
1/4 olive/canola oil
1/4 water
Mix and pour over your chicken. Wait 30 minutes before grilling.
Oil the grates of your grill and heat the temp to 400+. I have a super hot spot on my grill that will do 500 degrees to sear the meat. I recommend this. I sear for 3 minutes per side adding grill marks by turning 90 degrees half way through each side. Then I remove the high heat and let the meat cook indirectly for the remainder of the time.
Note: chicken should be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 180 degrees to be fully cooked.
Sauce
To make the sauce, we’re gonna throw the directions away. Pour the packet of seasoning into a hot pot. Next ease a can of tomato sauce in. It will make a lot of noise. Have a cup of milk standing by to pour in as soon as you empty the can of tomato sauce. Pour it in and stir together. When the ingredients have “calmed down” add in sour cream until the sauce thickens to your liking.
I know using a packet feels like cheating, but this is a great time saver and there is no sacrifice in taste.
After removing your meat and letting it rest, you are ready to plate. Noodles down first, a little sauce, cut chicken next and finish off with sauce and garnish with fresh basil.
Try this one and let me know what you think.
Recent Comment
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April Maas:
Said on 2012/05/15
My nephew is out of control!
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Said on 2012/05/14
Omg thanks a lot Ryan for making me cry! Punkie Brewster your Auntie and Uncle...
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Ryan McKinney:
Said on 2012/05/08
Forgot to mention Bible Study is tonight. Andria Corral officiating!
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Said on 2012/05/04
Gabby is a good motivator.
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Said on 2012/04/29
YOU WIN! You are the proud winner of a chicken dinner ;)