Baby Cooper

Please continue to pray for Michele and Cooper. Cooper has been hospitalized for RSV and pneumonia. I have not heard anything since Sunday. As soon as I hear form Michele I will update this blog. I just got a text from Michele this is what is says. Doc just left he said it will take about 4-6 weeks to get completely over this but he thinks we are alright enough to go home today. He will have a machine at home to monitor his breathing and oxygen. We will also have a nebulizer so I can give him treatments. He will be on 3 different meds. Please just remember to pray for them! Kim

Christmas Family

Thanks to everyone they gave money for the Christmas family. I was able to purchase the boys each a watch and a Playstation 2 console that came with 2 remotes and a game for them to share. My sister-n-law also purchased a playstation game, baseball, basketball, and a soccer ball that they were asking for. They took the things to the house and she said the kids went CRAZY! I just thought I would share this with you. Kim

WE WISH....

you a Merry Christmas! As we head into the holidays we want to take the time to wish you and your families a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS! We appreciate each and everyone of you and the job you do for us. We will see some of you Wednesday! We hope Santa is good to you! Yvonne, Kim, Bridget, and Janna

Quarterly Prize!

The end of this quarter is really close. It is really exciting and kind of scary at the same time that a whole year has passed. However, we have to get ready to sign 2008 to everything because it is only 13 days away. Remember, now is the time to be writing down your New Year's resolutions! You begin them on January 1, 2008!

Yesterday, we had a our Area Manager's meeting and decided to annouce the Grand Prize for this quarter. If your office meets the goal set for you, then your name will go into a drawing for a $300 gift card to Wal-Mart! We truly appreciate your hard work. Good luck on meeting your goal!


Merry Christmas,

Janna

Cooper Update!

Michele texted me this morning and said that Cooper gained 2 ounces over night so he will be coming home today. Michele says that she sees nothing but doctor visits for the next week but that she sure will appreciate the comfort of her own bed. Please continue to keep Michele and the boys in your prayers.

Kim

How do you start your day??

Hello ladies! I wanted to share something with you that I read from The Treasury of Quotes by Jim Rohn. This is one of the books you might have gotten from Luke in your Christmas bag. If you haven't read it I recommend that you do. It is full of interesting quotes. One of them I read I thought went with what Luke expects of us. I will share it with you.

"Never begin the day until it is finished on paper."

This goes back to your to do list. Not only does Luke think it is important but John Rohn does also. John is America's foremost business philosopher. A to do list keeps you on track and you want have to take time and think about what you have to do next. It really helps with time management. It always makes me feel like I have succeeded at something when I have my list completed. So, please continue to do your to do list and have them on your desk where they are visible to you. I have visited a lot of offices who have to do list but they are in a drawer or somewhere else. This is no benefit to you when they are not where you can see them. So, get those to do list out on your desk and take the advice of Jim Rohn, "Never begin the day until it is finished on paper."

I hope everyone has a great rest of the week!!

Bridget

A Good Time Was Had....

Saturday's Christmas Party was the best one yet. As I looked around, I didn't see one person without a smile on their face! I really enjoyed seeing each one of you! We spent alot of time and thought trying to ensure that the party had a little something for everyone! While it's still fresh in your mind, share your thoughts on the party with us! We want to know what your favorite parts are and any suggestions you might have for next year's event. If I didn't get to talk to you very long Saturday night, please know that I wish you and yours the very merriest of Christmas! Yvonne

Don't Forget To Remember...

Michele Jackson has been admitted to the hospital in Columbus. Her water broke but the baby is still very early. They are administering shots to develop his lungs and will take him in the morning. Remember her in your thoughts and prayers today. Michele will have a very special (and early) Christmas gift this year. Yvonne

SAVING

Below I have copied an article on tips for Financial Security but before you read it I would like to make sure that everyone is aware of the 2 ways that you can save for the future with our company. 1. Simple IRA – This is a program that has the same benefits as 401k. This is something that everyone should be taking advantage of. Luke will match up to 3%. You can put a % of your check or a $ amount. Luke is very generous in offering this to us; please make sure that you are taking advantage of it. If you would like more information on the Simple IRA please contact your Area Manager. 2. Savings Account – If you have a savings account you can have a % of your check or a $ amount be direct deposit into you savings account each pay period. (For example: I (Kim) have $30.00 each pay period direct deposit into my savings account. Yvonne has 5% of her pay check direct deposit each pay period.) If you are interested in doing this you need to contact Dana. Kim 5 Tips for Financial Security "No matter how much or how little you make, always save a little bit." This is a variation of "Pay yourself first". It's a reminder that whatever money comes into your life, you can (and should) be setting aside some of it. You cannot afford to overlook your company’s 401K contributions. It’s 3% extra money, in other words, it’s a raise! You’ll never miss that little amount but over time you’ll save quite a bit. "Know the difference between needs and wants." This is key to controlling your spending. When you can't distinguish between real needs and mere wants, you're constantly talking yourself into spending too much. Let’s illustrate it this way: "You need food. You want prime rib. That example is perfect for the want vs. need debate in my head!" "Think of the true cost." Anything you want to buy involves a number of costs. The price tag is just the start. Most of the time, the true cost of the item is too high for me." "Buy quality." Sally Herigstad knows what it's like living on a tight budget. Before she became a certified public accountant and author, she was a stay-at-home mom who at one point fended off calls from collection agencies (an experience she recounts in her book, "Help! I Can't Pay My Bills: Surviving a Financial Crisis." As Herigstad and her husband rebuilt their finances, though, she remembered her mother's advice to buy quality when it counts. "My mom can stretch a dollar farther than anyone I know, but that doesn't mean she doesn't buy nice things. Mom taught us to buy high-quality things at stores that stand behind what they sell. That way, if anything wore out or quit working before its time, she knew she could take it back -- and she often did. You actually save money by buying things of higher quality that last than by getting cheap stuff you have to throw away in no time." "If your outgo exceeds your income, your upkeep will be your downfall." Live within your means, or, more elaborately, "Be careful of adding new expenses to the ones you've already got." "So I'm always asking myself, am I putting out more than I'm taking in?". "If I am, I know I need to turn that around, because it is unsustainable."

6 Holiday Shopping Tips

Shop early. Don't forget that virtually everything that you buy online will have to be shipped to your door by carriers increasingly inundated by an annual year-end online shopping explosion. Goods will take longer to arrive, and busy sellers may also take longer to ship. Make shipping arrangements carefully. Be sure that you understand in advance the method of shipping that your seller uses. Demand a tracking number since packages can more easily go astray during the holiday shopping rush. Remember, too, that “signature required” packages can't be delivered when you're not at home—and many people are at home even less than usual during the holiday season—so it may pay to make arrangements with your seller for a delivery method for which no signature is required, or to make arrangements with a neighbor to accept any packages that may arrive while you are out (be sure in such cases to put a notice on your door for the delivery person indicating that the neighbor is willing to sign for your goods). Check item sizes in advance. Because it's more difficult for a variety of reasons to return or exchange items that you bought online, it's especially important to be sure about sizing or other personal criteria related to your “giftee” before you buy. Pay careful attention, too, to sellers' descriptions of sizing—phrases like “a very large medium” or “a slightly undersized large” can provide important clues that will help you to avoid mismatching the size of your purchase to the size of the recipient. Double-check exchange policies. Because the holiday season does present lots of opportunities for items to be not-quite-right or slightly-too-big (or small), it can be a very good idea to check and double-check the exchange policies listed. Comparison shop. Don't simply assume that a given item will be cheaper online. Of course, often it will be, but during the holiday season there will be no shortage of sales and advertisements in your local area for many of the same products that can be found online. If you can save money by buying locally, it may just be worth the effort to do so during a busy and unpredictable season like the holidays. Don't wait too long to buy. At the same time that you're comparison shopping, do also keep in mind that many of the most interesting and gift-worthy items online are one-of-a-kind or are at least comparatively uncommon, and that demand for such gift-worthy items is likely to be higher during the holiday season. Janna