Women

I know this one is going to get me into trouble but i really don't understand some things and i would like to vent about my ignorance more then anything. I know there is no explanation that a man can comprehend.



No body appreciates a clean house more then i do but i think there is a point when something can be too clean. I don't understand why we need to clean Sooo much. I mean dishes and clothes i see the point. But i don't see the point of having the 2 inches behind the toilet sanitized every week, or all the hard surface floors (tile and wood) scrubbed every week or more. Especially because you wont let me eat off the floor!!!



I have never seen the point to spending hours a day on something that by design we will undo in a short period of time. Making the bed is ok if that means making sure the sheets are not on the floor. If that mean tucking in the corners and making sure there are no wrinkles and that one pillow is under the sheet and the decorative pillow is on top of the sheet... That is a waste of time. Making sure the floors are not sticky or acting as a petri dish for my kids to watch is important, but our floors and toilets are cleaner then the surgical instruments in the hospitals of Mexico.

My two year olds room is always cleaner then most houses i go into. I expect my two year olds room to be a tornado, if i can walk to her bed and closet without stubbing my toe or breaking a doll i think we are good. Then organize it maybe once a week.

I does get a little frustrating when i clean something and then i am told that what i did was not even close to an acceptable level of clean. Why?? is the earth going to change it's rotation? Are the walls going to fall down faster if the house is a little unorganized?? maybe and we just don't know about it.

I just think if, other then dishes and laundry, we spent a max of 2 hours cleaning a week (I even think that is too much) and spent all that extra time doing things that lasted more then 15 minutes we would all be a lot happier. We could spend more time with our kids, we could get a lot more of the big projects done, we would not be so stressed out all the time. Vacuum the carpet again or go plant a garden?? Kill 99.99% of the germs in our bathroom that could grow in 6 days or go to the park, or plant some flowers, or paint the bathroom. Again maybe i am wrong.

Well that is my rant that i am sure will get me a free ticket to the couch for a while... But if anyone would like to explain it to me that would be great.

Mortgage Basics

Mortgages in a nut Shell – I have decided after reading my last two comments that most of the in depth finance stuff I have been writing about is really boring to 99% of the population. I would be kind of like Damon talking about legal code or Dad talking about different sutures. So I will try to make this a little more people friendly.

There are two key factors that you want to look at when you are trying to get a mortgage, the interest rate and the TOTAL fees. **Important Note** Always, Always gets a written good faith estimate when comparing loans. The reason that mortgage loan officers have a bad name is because little is known about what they really do and way too many of them lie to borrowers. As long as you know that you are comparing similar loan programs, 30 year fixed, 5 year arm, then you only have to look at the interest rate and the fees. If a lender wont give you written good faith estimate you don’t want to use them no matter what, they are hiding something important.

Interest Rate vs. APR – I would never use the APR any more to compare loans. It is an old government program that does not work any more because it is too easily manipulated to be whatever the loan officer wants it to be. The APR is not the interest rate you are paying on your loan. It was developed so that a borrower could compare the interest rate and fees at the same time. For example: is 6% and $3000 in fees better then 5.75% and $4000 in fees. It is hard to know without looking deeper into it. And instead of getting into the details of how to do that just call me and I will do it for you. ;)

As far as comparing fees, look at the total fees not just the origination or “points”. Again I could have higher points but lower closing costs because the other person just charges junk fees to make up for it. Also never look at the pre-paid items (taxes, insurance, days of interest) when comparing loans because they will be the same no matter where you go or what loan program you use. Lenders will often lower those so that it looks like your monthly payment will be lower then somewhere else then just blame it on the taxes when you sign your loan.

Discount Rate

Discount Rate – (2.5%) The discount rate is the interest rate that banks borrow money from the Federal Reserve. These loans were always overnight loans to meet the reserve requirements that I talked about last time. Banks like to borrow money from each other before they become indebted to the government. So this money was typically used as a last resort for banks and the interest rate is typically 1% higher then the fed funds rate. Like the Fed funds rate, this interest rate has little to no importance to individuals other then knowing the current trend of the major interest rates. As these rates go up or down overall loan interest rates will go up or down accordingly, savings account interest rates change with them as well.

An important note is that all these rates can change independent of the others, it usually does not happen that way, but it can. The other thing is when you hear that the fed has changed the “rate”, make sure you find out what rate it is before you use that.

Recent changes to rates
Date Discount rate (change) Fed funds rate (change)
September 18, 2007 5.25% (-50bp) 4.75% (-50bp)
October 31, 2007 5.00% (-25bp) 4.50% (-25bp)
December 11, 2007 4.75% (-25bp) 4.25% (-25bp)
January 22, 2008 4.00% (-75bp) 3.50% (-75bp)
January 30, 2008 3.50% (-50bp) 3.00% (-50bp)
March 16, 2008 3.25% (-25bp) 3.00% (—)
March 18, 2008 2.50% (-75bp) 2.25% (-75bp)

Recent Changes – With the now named “Credit Crisis of 2007” the rules have changed a little. With major mortgage companies dropping like flies, the government has made some changes to try to help out the banks hoping in turn that will help out the consumer. The major change is that they loans can now be made for 30 days and not just overnight. You wouldn’t think that would make a big difference but it has actually been huge in keeping loans available and slowing the foreclosure rates for the already rampant rate. But it is only a band-aid but at least it isn’t salt.

Next we will talk about the ones that really matter, Prime Rate and Bonds!!!

Interest Rates????

I know there is a lot of confusion out there about all the different interest rates and what they all mean. I cant tell you how many times someone that i was doing a mortgage for call me and said "Hey, i heard they just dropped the rates again by a half a percent so my rate is a half a percent lower now right??" WRONG!!! First of all what rate dropped??? Fed Funds, Fed Discount, Prime?? There are as many rates for in the financial world as there are fish in the sea. The key is to understand what they all mean and what people really want to know is the impact that those rates have on their daily lives.

FED FUNDS RATE- ( currently at 2.25%) Click on the link to read the actual definition of what this is. But, to put it into plain English is the the rate that banks lend money to each other at. All banks are required to maintain a reserve on hand. That reserve amount changes but lets just say it is 10%. So if a bank has $100 million in demand account like a checking or saving account then they have to keep 10% of that and not lend it out. This does not always happen so if a bank lends out more money they have to borrow enough to have 10% on hand by the end of the day. They do that by borrowing it from a bank that has a surplus reserve. That way both banks are in compliance and the bank that didn't lend out all their money is still making some interest on their surplus. But usually it is for less then 24 hours. Another major point to all this is that the FED does NOT set the Fed Funds Rate, banks do. The FED sets a target rate and then adjusts the money supply to try to come close to that target.

So what does that mean to you and me? Well, Absolutely nothing!!! Unless that is you are a bank, but suffice it to say if you are a bank you better know all this already. :) I do have to point out here that when i say absolutely nothing, that is not exactly true. All interest rates are tied in with each other in one way or another the say way that when a butterfly flaps it's wings in Africa it rains in London. Ok, not quite that bad but close.

This is how the relationship works. The theory is that is the fed fund rate is lower then banks more be more actively seeking loans knowing that if they lend out too much they can always borrow the money cheaply from another bank. That means that bank with have looser guidelines for loans, but it doesn't say what rate they will loan the money out to the public at does it.

So when you see those little adds stating that the fed dropped rates again so you can get a $500,000 mortgage for less then $1,600 a month. Know that they are full of crap, and it is nothing more then dishonest advertising. (I will talk later about how those places get away with those ads)

Next time i will talk about the Discount Rate, the one the Fed actually does control.

Shupe Girls

I am going to post an email that i sent to the Shupe Family as i think that it is good for all people to know. The Shupe family had a little scare yesterday when Josh (Koren's Brother) called to say that their dad was in the hospital. I will list the first mistake here, he called without knowing any details. We are in UTAH and therefore can not physically help in any way. So calling before you know why he is there, if he is ok, only compounds the problem addressed in my email. There is no point in worrying the girls before you know what is going on. It turned out that they think he has a mild case of Pneumonia and they sent him home with some antibiotics. He had gone to a DR appt earlier that day because he didnt feel good and he got some blurred vision and spiked a temp really fast to 102. So the Dr office made him go to the Hopital and would let him leave. (thank you DR office as he would have said he was fine and tried to drive home anyway, nobody wonders where the shupe stubborness comes from, nor do they on our side for that matter) He was at home later that day watching Walker Texas Ranger later that day. BUT Amanda was not doing as good. Noah reports of her crying histerically and shaking she was so sad and scared, i am sure that lasted all night. So for all of you out there that might ever call with bad news please read the email below. Thanks,

Hey Sara, would you please get this to Josh!! Thanks,

Just for the well being of your overly sensitive sisters/ daughters, i am requesting a new phone call procedure. Depending on the severity of the call, i would say if your mom or dad has anything worse then a hang nail, please follow the the below described plan.

Step 1- Get as much information as possible
Step 2 - Call Garret and or Noah
Step 3 - if Garret and Noah are not available start over at step one and gather more information.
Step 4 - if you still cant get Garret or Noah then you may call Koren only!!! Understanding that if you say your (mom/dad) are sick she will hear Dieing, if you say hurt, she will hear bleeding profusely with severed limbs a possibility, if you say in the hospital she will hear we are scheduling the funeral.
Step 5 - UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES ARE YOU ALLOWED TO CALL AMANDA DIRECTLY!!!!!! No matter what you say she will hear your Mom and Dad, Josh, Aaron, Sara, Jake, Justin, Joey, Madison, and her third grade teacher have all died or are suffering unbearable pain about to die, from a freak accident.

I hope this is now very clear. The benefit of notifying Noah or I before WE tell the girls is that we might be able to slip them some Valium and give it time to kick in so they don't have a heart attach and die. My kids really do need a mother and this would go a long way to making sure she will be around for a long time.

Thank you,-- Garret "We confide in our strength without boasting of it; we respect that of others, without fearing it.' - Thomas Jefferson 1793

Korens Performance

Koren and Isabelle had a blast at her performance. Isabelle loved to see all the princesses and loved the dancing.

Bump on a log... No more

Well i have said that kids under the age of 4 month are little more then a bump on a log that cry at night. So i am glad to say that Micah is now officially more then a bump on a log. He grabs things now really well, smiles a lot, and is starting to really play with toys. He is still a little bit from being able to sit up but he really wants to as he has to be up looking around at all times.

The Great Race

Well we had the second running of the great race between Koren (the Tortoise) and her sister Amanda (the Snail). The first race happened about a year ago in the parking lot of Baskin Robins and was a race about ten yards, and lets just say i could have taken a nap in the time it took them to reach the finish line. Noah, Amanda's Husband, and i were rolling on the floor laughing. It looked like the old slow motion running on the beach scene except this was their full speed. So we went to the park yesterday to enjoy the good weather and we decided that we wanted to see Koren and Amanda race again. We were not disappointed to say the least. They tell me that they are much better at long distances and i can see why as it takes them 20 yards to get up to a jogging speed. I think Isabelle can already beat them both over 15 yards. I just hope our kids will get the MacArthur speed or cross country and dance will be their only sport options.

Little Ballerina

Well we all knew that it would happen i just didn't think that it would be when she was two. It is amazing what a little girl that barely learned to run a few months ago can do when she puts on a tutu. It is not every day you see a two year old with a black eye doing real ballet moves. She is just like her mother, dainty on the outside but a "i do what i want when i want, ruff and tumble, kick butt power girl" on the inside. I don't know what more to say about her other then her Italian dad but have had a little dance in him as well. :) She still has more color then Koren or I do in the summer.

Micah's the Man!!!

Well there is great happiness and joy at our house because Micah, the stud, slept through the night for the first time in his life. The amazing thing is that we just started his sleep training 3 days ago. I am sure it wont happen every night but to know that it can be done is huge. Of coarse his crazy mother didn't sleep the whole night as she had to get up three times to make sure he was still breathing. I can't really blame her i did the same thing with Isabelle. So he gets a treat today, not sure if it will be ice cream or a sucker, but something good for sure!!!

Yellowstone

Here are some pictures from our Yellowstone Trip last summer. Now that i have this slide show thing figured out i will post lots of pictures and that will make the grandparrents on both sides happy.

Izzy's Shiner

Well here is proof for all the world that my wife beats my kids!! :) JK Isabelle had a little mishap with a bookshelf in the dark right before bed. She was only walking slowly and that is what happened so i am glad she wasn't running or she might only have one eye right now. I am also adding a few pictures of Micah now that i have some off the camera. I will be adding more later once i figure out how to use that slide show thing. Oh and yes Micah is a chunk, we are teaching him how to do the "truffle-shuffle" He is already starting to grow out of the 6-9 month clothes. who would have thought a 100 pound mom and a 135 pound dad could have huge kids. Isabelle is starting to thin out a lot, i don't know how long it took me to thin out from my almost 10 pound birth weight. Isabelle and Micah were not big when they were born but are great eaters.

Great Economy story

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,343671,00.html

This is a story that I read that I think is worth reading. I know it doesn’t go real deep but I think most people appreciate that. I think that is very true and it is scary the power that the press really does have. And to me it is also scary the inability for the general public to think for themselves.

Micah's 4 month checkup

Well we went to Micah's 4 months check up today and he is doing great. The Dr. said that he is a big boy. He is a little over 15 pounds and 28 inches long. So he is in the 88% for heights and 75% for weight. so he doubles his weight from the time he was born in 4 months. I need to put new pictures up but we leave them on the camera too long. Here soon i will post a ton of pictures and maybe Damon will show me how to add one of the slide show things like he has.