What to Choose?

Why is Health Insurance, 401k's and money all so confusing?
I mean I think I am a fairly intelligent woman, with a Bachelors Degree in Engineering, I should be able to figure this stuff out, right? Wrong I am just as confused as everyone else in the world. Many of you may or may not know that I am a little, OK maybe a lot, OCD about money. I hate making big decisions that could potentially turn out badly. Since it is the end of the year I have to make all these decisions about:

what health insurance policy to be on?
if I am going to put more into my 401k?
do I want Short Term disability?
do I want to go on a Aflac supplemental insurance (Short Term, Cancer, ICU, Hospital Stay, ect..)?
do I want vision insurance?
do I want a HSA (Health Savings Account)?

I hate making decisions it literally eats me up inside. If money grew on trees I would max out my 401k, sign up for every insurance possible just to be sure I am covered. But it does not, so I am stuck here wondering what to do.

Here is what goes through my nerdy head:
Will Short Term Disability Pay off or would I be better just putting the premium in savings? Would it be smarter to just have a health saving account to pay for glasses or does vision insurance make more sense?
Should I increase my contributions to my 401K by 1%, 5%, more, or leave it where it is?
Am I going to be able to retire some day, or will I have to work forever!!!

That said Mike and I are truly blessed to have great jobs and have all these options available to us. I thank God everyday that we have health insurance, good jobs, a roof over our heads, and each other to complain to.

But why can't God just come out and tell me what to do.

Julie and Julie

Tonight Grandma, Grandpa and I walked to Julie and Julia. It was amazing. I loved it and I would recommend it to any one! The movie was funny, genuine and good hearted. I have not seen a movie like that for a while. When we left for the movie there was about 1/2 inch of fresh snow. When we left the movie there way at least 4 inches maybe more like 6 inches! It is perfect for a holiday weekend!!

I hope everyone has a happy thanksgiving. If you have no where to go you can come to my place we have plenty of food. If you would like to come here is the menu:
A 22 pound Turkey with stuffing and gravy
Mashed Potatoes
Home made Cranberries
Fresh Candied Yams
pumpkin Pie
and mulled apple cider

Our friends Jay, Melani, and their daughter Anna are bring a salad
Grandma and Grandpa brought Grandpa's Bread from Minnesota!

Happy Thanksgiving!

The darkness is here

Today's Daylight
sunrise 9:30am
sunset 4:02
4 minutes and 22 seconds of daylight lost
6 HR 30 MINUTES OF DAY LIGHT TODAY.

Only one more month of getting darker until it gets light again (December 21st). At least we have some snow to reflect the light we do have .

Grandma and Grandpa get here tomorrow! I am so excited!!!

HAWAII HERE WE COME!

HAWAII HERE WE COME!

Yep you read that right Mike and I are headed fro Hawaii! I am so pumped, we leave in just over 60 days. We are going to Honolulu for 2 days, primarily to see Pearl Harbor. Then we are going to hop over to Maui for a week of fun in the sun with my parents! I actually woke up smiling this morning thinking in 2 months I will be on the beach with sand between my toes anda fruity drink in my hand (with an umbrella in it), sun tanning!

Does anyone have suggestion of what to do on either Island?

This also means that I really need to get in to shape before we go! Yikes, I have not been in a bathing suit since our Honeymoon in September of last year. We just do not have beaches to swim in here.

Are we skipping Thanksgiving?

When did Thanksgiving become less important than Halloween and Christmas? Are we skipping Turkey day this year??? Mike and I went to Kohl's and Target last night because I wanted to get something to send to my friend for Thanksgiving, since it is her favorite holiday. So we go in and there are no, that is right ZERO, Thanksgiving decoration left. The store is playing Christmas Music, their Christmas decoration are hung but there are no Thanksgiving or fall decorations... anywhere. We find one hand towel in the clearance section. Then we go to look for a fall table cloth, since we are hosting Thanksgiving. there are about 3 or 4 different styles of fall themed table cloths but all for a oval or circle table, ours is more rectangular... you have to be kidding me!

So I find a couple things to use my $10 Kohl's cash on, since it was about to expire and we head to Target. Target has Christmas stuff up but thankfully did not have Christmas music playing. Again all the fall stuff was on Clearance except for a few basic table cloths that happened to be orange. We did find a Orange fall table cloth that had leaves of it, on clearance. But I am still angry that Thanksgiving is no longer a holiday for the consumer world. I think it is just because stores are trying to get people to buy more for Christmas, since you do not do gifts for Thanksgiving.

I personally Love Thanksgiving. To be around family and friend eating amazing food and stuffing yourself with Turkey! With no requirements of giving gifts! Actually just giving thank for making through the year, for your friends and family, for our health and the experiences that make us who we are.

So my Challenge to you is to Celebrate Thanksgiving, even is the store of America are forgetting about it.

Busy Weekend

Mike and I have had a super busy weekend. Friday we went out to dinner with our dinner for nine group at church. We went to the restaurant at the end of our street called Rays Place, it serves Vietnamese food. I had vegetable fried rice and Mike Teriyaki Steak. After dinner we went to the Aces game. It was a good game but we lost 3 to 2 in Over Time. Then we went to Kohl's since they were open until midnight. We spent $65 and saved $175. We got a heating mattress pad for our bed... it is so nice.

Saturday we went to an Open House for a my coworker. It is a beautiful house in south Anchorage with an amazing kitchen. Then I had FLL where the girls did an awesome job programing the robot! Saturday night Mike and I went to the Aces game again. They won 7-1! It was a good game with 6 of the goals scored in the first period. We had to leave 1/2 way through the 2nd to go and pick up Samantha, Hans, and Jacob from the Airport. They came back from the sun and the fun in Arizona and Nevada.

Today we went to church this morning. It was youth Sunday. They did a great job leading the service. For the Sermon we had a Nooma video that we have seen with the youth before. Mike and I highly suggest watching some here is the web address Nooma.com, you can also find some on Youtube. This afternoon I made Cream of Mushroom soup, a red kale/ bean soup and prepped the Brussel Sprouts for dinner. Then I went to Bible study. When I got home we had Steak and Brussel Sprouts. They were very yummy. Here are links for the recipes that I used for the soups.
Cream of Mushroom

http://homecooking.about.com/od/soups/r/blss2.htm

Red Kale and White Bean Soup

http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2007/02/rustic-red-kale-and-white-bean-soup.html

and the Brussel Sprouts

http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/goldencrusted-brussels-sprouts-recipe.html

Raspberry Chicken

Recipe for Raspberry Chicken from Frozen Assets

6 servings

1/2 cup raspberry preserves

1/2 cup frozen pineapple juice concentrate, thawed

1/2 cup soy sauce

2 T rice Wine vinegar

1/2 t chili powder

1 1/2 t curry powder

1/2 t garlic powder

1/4 cup fresh raspberries mashed

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast

Serving day

1/4 cup fresh Raspberries

Cooking Day

Combine all ingredients in freezer bag and freeze

Serving Day

thaw chicken completely and place sauce and chicken in large baking dish,

cover at 350 for 30-40 minutes,

Remove from oven and transfer chicken to serving platter, top with fresh raspberries.

Todays the Day!

First off Happy Veterans Day! A huge thank you to all the men and women serving our country!

Today I got our first CSA Box from Glacier Valley Farms (http://glaciervalleycsa.com/). After work I went to One Family Birth Center and Natural Health in Anchorage as it is one of the drop off locations for GVF. I loaded my veggies and fruit from the box with my name on it into my reusable shopping bags and headed home.

Here is what I got for $35.

From Alaska’s Glacier Valley Farm, VanderWeele Farm:

5-Alaskan beets

1 stock-Alaskan Brussels sprouts

4-Alaskan onions

5-Alaskan parsnips

1 bag-Alaskan carrots

From Outside:

3-certified organic Red Canal pears

2-certified organic Cameo apples

16- certified organic cremini mushrooms

2 bunches-certified organic red kale

3-certified organic Honeyboat delicata squash

1 bunch-certified organic parsley

The Kale and Brussel Sprouts
This is one Giant Parsnip

Mike and I are going to be eating health now!!

Graduation

Mike Graduated from the Academy on Friday. I am so proud of him. Here are some pictures.

The Anchorage Crew

All 31 graduates from around the state

The Badges

My Office

Here are a few pictures of my office, the few from it, and a moose in the park!

Having a Blonde Moment

Well I feel Blonde today. FLL meets on Saturdays. Today I was the only leader who would be there that had a key. I had it in my head we met from 2;30-4:30... guess what, we meet from 2:00-4:00. I showed up 30 minutes late, and NO. ONE. Was there. I feel so bad. I am going to bring extra treats on Monday to make up for it to the girls but I feel so bad for the parents. Sorry.

100th post

Yep that is right since March 29th 2009 I have made 100 posts. Crazy. I have never been one to keep a journal (or like English/writing at school) but I really like blogging. It is nice to be able to post my thoughts, what Mike and I have been up to, and my crafting/baking. (I know our Families in Minnesota like it) It is almost like a digital scrapbook! (which is nice since I am way behind on regular scrapbooking.

Not much is new with us. We have Youth group tonight. Tomorrow I am giving Mike a Hair cut. And Friday he graduates from the Academy!!

We are also getting super excited about my Grandparents coming up! It will be awesome to have family up here for Thanksgiving. Turkey, Mashed Potatoes, stuffing, gravy, salad, cranberries and Grandpa's Bread!! They are going to try to bring up some lefsa too! My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

On another note it is getting dark up here. the parking lot lights are on until 10 AM and then come on again at 4 PM. sad sad sad. I hope some snow comes soon, as it will help lighten the darkness.

WHAT’S IN THE BOX?

I just ordered our second box from the CSA. I am really excited about this one since I know how to cook and we like almost all the food, and there is more fruit! Only one more week till I pick up my first order!!

To be delivered 18th November 2009
From Alaska’s Glacier Valley Farm, Vander Weele Farm
Alaskan Yukon potatoes
Alaskan carrots
Alaskan onions
Alaskan garlic
Alaskan celery root

From Outside
certified organic Pinova apples
certified organic Concord pears
certified organic Valencia oranges
certified organic red butter lettuce
certified organic frisee (a type of lettuce)
certified organic Jewel yams

November Meal Plan

2. Pot Stickers
3. Salmon
4. Ravioli
5. Breakfast
6. Out for Mikes Graduation for the Academy
7. Raspberry chicken
8. Spaghetti
9. Tater tot hot dish
10. Halibut
11. Baked potatoes
12. Chicken w/ squash
13. Dinner for 9 at rays
14. Hockey
15. Steak with Brussels sprouts
16. Turkey burgers with grilled beets
17. Parsnip soup
18. Pork chops in crock pot
19. Grilled Chicken
20. Salads
21. Scrapbooking/ left over’s
22. Pasta bake
23. ???
24. Salmon
25. Chili
26. Turkey Day
27. Leftover turkey
28. Halibut
29. Out some where
30. BBQ Chicken Pizza

Birchwood Fall Retreat

Soccer

The Chapel

Fire

Pumpkins

Leslie, Megan and Alisha

Twig with Ice

Mike and Megan by the lake

Games in the Lodge

Sun Rise

We had great weather and company at the Birchwood Fall Retreat this weekend. There were about 20 youth and 5 adults from St. John. Friday night most played capture the flag with glow sticks. We played a few games like shuffle buns and fruit basket upset. Saturday we ate good. We ate all weekend, our cook Bernita was awesome pumpkin pancakes, taco salad and chicken with mashed potatoes and corn oh my.

Saturday our youth leader Jay organized a game of professor, where the adults built a model then one youth from each team looked at the model and had to tell their team how to build it, but the rest of there team could not see it and the professor could not touch it. It was a lot of fun and all the youth participated.

We had free time in the afternoon where the youth played football, soccer, went on hikes, played games, and carved pumpkins. The pastor at St John came out in the afternoon and did a communion service at the out door chapel. After dinner the camp managers Steve and Marie organized a scavenger hunt with clues through out the camp. We had 2 teams competing the freshman vs everyone else. The freshman won by about 2 minutes. Then we had a camp fire with s'mores down by the lake.