Sometimes we pour ourselves into these posts... struggling with the placement of every spoon and dusting away crumbs (unless we want them there)... and then, NOTHING.  No comments, no buzz.  On the other hand, sometimes we toss together a post with little concern for how it will be received.  Instead, we just put out something that we think is important to share and that somebody might find useful.  Often times, these are posts about something we do in our own home that has been successful.  And then, it EXPLODES.  

That is the case with this revisited post.  This is a method we started years ago to keep ourselves on track.  It's so simple that you can't believe it works!  When we put this post out we had only been blogging for a few months, but something changed.  A few sites got ahold of it and it spread like wildfire.  I think it has something to do with people wanting to control their finances, plus the free printable didn't hurt matters.  At any rate, I hope you enjoy the original post Today's Money: Budgeting with Cash Envelopes.

Jennifer Henderson

Jake, my son, has always been a bit of a natural martial artist and by that I mean, stealing moves from Naruto smashing them together with a bit of Power Rangers and adding a dash of Ninja Turtles which resulted in something that looked more like a string of high kicks, punches, and dance spins.  It looked pretty good for someone who had been trained by cartoon characters. 

It wasn’t until we saw Kung Fu Panda that real martial arts training became a reality.  We received a free trial and after one class we were hooked.  After visiting a few schools and programs, we found our martial arts home at United States Taekwondo Academy in Richardson.  I dare say that “shopping” for a martial arts school is not unlike searching for the right church/place of worship, neighborhood, school, hairdresser, sorority/fraternity, gym, etc.  It’s very personal and the environment plays a huge part in your level of comfort and your ability to train. 

Jake and I happened upon the Academy one afternoon last July when we were out for a bike ride and ice cream.  We popped in and met Instructor Rico.  We were immediately greeted with a warm welcome and information that would have Jake in class later that afternoon.  I joined Jake shortly thereafter and we became members of the Black Belt Club setting our sights on becoming black belts within three years.  We are approaching our first year anniversary and what a quick year it has been.  We’ve learned so much and still have so much more to learn.  It is such an incredible journey and here’s why…

Jennifer Henderson

Seems like just yesterday that my soon-to-be sophomore was toddling around at my feet holding Eeyore by the tail and babbling on about Blue’s Clues, and now we find ourselves closing out freshman year and contemplating the future ahead.  It’s been a few months since we sat in his guidance counselor’s office where she went through a flurry of forms, talked PSAT, and Texas scholarship opportunities.  I’m sitting there thinking about how we get through next week, not the next three years.  It’s sobering how early we need to start.  As a side note:  I’m pretty sure senior year was when I started pulling myself together and thank goodness VA Tech takes in a whole slew of freshman and allows the course load to weed out the weak (I managed to make it by the skin of my teeth).  Not the case here, we are thinking about grades constantly, credits, where he stands now, worst case scenarios, best case scenarios, volunteer opportunities, etc.  and we’ve already started scoping colleges near and far.  The stress associated with these activities will only increase, as will the anxiety of your first born leaving the nest.  So here are ModernHen’s Top Tips for college prep: 

One of our goals for the coming year is to build up our web community.  We want to give you a voice… for your brand, your blog, yourself. 

Today we begin our Share Your Passion campaign.  We want to know what drives you.  What do you love?  What stirs your soul?  Love your business?  Love food?  Knitting?  How about plumbing?  Really, there is no wrong answer here.  People want to know what you are passionate about.

We will be compiling a list of passions through the comment section at the bottom of this and subsequent posts, through Facebook, and through Twitter using the hashtag #ShareYourPassion.  The next step is a one of a kind presentation that will share your passion with the world.  The presentation will include links and maybe even some photos if you submit them.  Lastly, viewers of the presentation will be able to access a listing of everyone involved in the Share Your Passion campaign.  This will be an excellent way to connect you with others who are passionate about what they do.

There is much more to come so stay tuned.  In the meantime, share your passion here or at the end of this post in the comment section.

Who’s ready to kick some resolution butt?  Maybe you make them, maybe not.  For many of us, this is the time of year that we, at least, evaluate the previous year and establish some goals for the one ahead.  The topics may range from not smoking to weight loss to saving money, but little will be accomplished without a goal.

Further, little will be accomplished without a goal that is executable.  Goals are easy to establish, but many struggle because they have not set sensible goals with manageable milestones.  The process is fairly simple but requires some time and commitment to the process.

savour… well-laid plans

Get the rest after the jump…

Hopefully  your holiday season has already been filled with cheer.  Each day is a day closer to the big day and an opportunity to infuse a bit of fun.  This week we are offering up some elements for creating your own outdoor holiday adventure.  Come along as we travel over the river and through the woods

Often, we associate picnics with warm weather, but they can be equally fun in cooler temperatures.  You will have to take a few different precautions for a winter picnic, but the sights and experiences will be different, too.

savour… crisp winter air

Get the rest after the jump…