Rather than tell readers how much money they need to retire, Lara determines the growth rate they need to earn on the assets they do have. He then uses asset allocation to achieve that growth rate with the least amount of risk.

It’s tempting to spend your time snoozing in the sun or reading the latest thriller.  When you are at the beach with young children, those things are just not safe or practical.  An article in our local paper discussed the great number of “lost” children that end up wandering away from their parents and wind up at the lifeguard station waiting until a parent or guardian claims them.  If the children are “un-claimed” for a certain amount of time, the lifeguards do have to call the police and report the incident.  This surely would dampen any beach trip.

Make sure to use lots of sunscreen!  If your children are in and out of the water, sunscreen can get washed off easily.  Be sure to re-apply sunscreen frequently.  I buy special sunscreen for faces and use lip balm that has a sunblock in it for maximum protection as my children are very fair skinned.  If you have young children, or children that are very fair skinned, you can also reduce the risk of sun burn by having them wear a t-shirt over their swim suit.  A hat can further reduce the risk of sunburn.  Many stores sell “swim shirts”  which are made of swimsuit material. I’ve gotten my children shirts that match their swimsuits.  This has made them more likely to wear the shirts and reduces the risk of sunburn.

Before going to the beach, check to see if there are any rip currents in the area or choppy water.  If so, you may want to re-schedule your trip or stay close to the shore.  If you do get caught in a rip current, it’s best to go with the flow.  Many swimmers drown simply because they get tired from fighting the current.  Let the current carry you and then swim out of the current by swimming parallel to the shore.

If possible, go to a beach where there are lifeguards on duty.  Many beaches do not have lifeguards on duty.  In our area, there have been cutbacks on lifeguard staffing at beaches.  Their hours have also been cut too due to budget restrictions.  Therefore, you may want to double check before heading to the beach.

With a little preparation, and some caution, you can have a wonderful and safe trip to the beach!

The Poems of a Day: A Collection of Fugitive Poems Written Amid the Cares and Labors of Daily Journalism (1873)

I knew of a couple who insisted upon going out to eat with their toddler even though she had an ear infection.  Suffice it to say, they had a less than stellar experience that night.  I’m sure that the other diners at the restaurant would have said the same thing.

If your toddler is in a bad mood, or just isn’t feeling herself, it’s best to skip the restaurant.  You may be able to ignore her bad behavior, but chances are that the rest of the diners in the restaurant won’t be able to do this.

If possible, try to eat during “off hours”.  For example, you usually don’t have to wait too long to get a table if you avoid the “rush times”.  After 4:30pm until 7pm could be considered “rush times” for dinner.  Friday and Saturday nights are usually very crowded at restaurants; Mondays are great nights to eat out because most people don’t do so!

Choose a kid friendly or family restaurant until your toddler is a little bit older and has better manners. Kid friendly restaurants usually are full of other families and if your toddler acts up, very few people will be offended. Be sure to ask if there are kid activities or if the restaurant has coloring pages or crayons to keep your child busy until her food arrives.  Restaurants with juke boxes or video games are wonderful for keeping children busy.  Be sure to bring extra quarters just in case.

Of course, it’s always best to bring your own entertainment.  Before you leave the house, fill a bag with quiet toys, books, coloring pages and crayons.  Some crackers and a juice box will help keep your hungry toddler in a good mood until her food arrives.

When ordering food for your toddler, be sure to ask the waitress to put the toddler’s order in first to the kitchen.  Mention that you’d like the toddler’s meal to be brought out as soon as it’s ready, instead of having it held until the adult meals are finished.  This really helps!  If finances permit, be sure to order an appetizer which will keep your child entertained and busy until the food arrives.

It’s important to note that each time you take your child out to eat, it does get a little bit easier.  As your child ages, she will learn how to behave and to wait patiently until her meal arrives, until then, the above suggestions can help make your trip out more enjoyable.

Reason, Faith, and Duty. Sermons Preached Chiefly in the College Chapel, by James Walker.

A Hand-Book for the Architecture Tapestries Paintings Gardens and Grounds of …

Get Specifics

I’ve been on bed rest for several pregnancies for various reasons. Sometimes, the restrictions on activities are severe, and other times, the restrictions are not so severe.  For example, my one friend was allowed only out of bed to use the bathroom.  My other friend was on modified bedrest and was allowed to have brief periods of activity during the day. 

Be sure to clarify with your doctor what the term “bed rest” means in your particular case.  If your restrictions are severe and you have other children at home, it can be difficult.

Get Help

This is important, especially if you have younger children at home, or your husband travels frequently.  For one woman whose husband deployed with my husband, getting help meant actually moving back home with her parents because her restrictions were severe.  Of course she wasn’t particularly thrilled about the prospect, but with her husband in Iraq,  and a toddler at home under foot,  her options were limited.

Perhaps you can hire a babysitter or enlist the the help of a relative if your restrictions are moderate. 

Talk With Your Employer

After clarifying your restrictions with your doctor, it may be necessary to discuss things with your employer.  Be sure to get your restrictions and any accommodations you may need in writing from your doctor.  For example, I worked at a nursing home during my first pregnancy.  As the pregnancy progressed, I was unable to lift heavy objects.  Since I worked in the therapy department, my employer was able to accommodate my restrictions.  My friend who was a nurse’s aide had the same restrictions placed on her, but she had to take leave because of her restrictions.

Even if you have severe restrictions, you may still be able to work from home depending upon your overall health, your job, and your employer. 

Take Care Of Yourself

Try to not stress about the whole issue.  Do the best you can under the circumstances and take one day at a time. 

I’ve found that reading and surfing the web help to pass the time.  Some women find that calling friends and family on the phone helps them too.  Above all else, savor this down time if you can.  Very soon you’ll have a new baby, and life will be busy!

The different cuisines of Asia are as varied and exciting as the vast continent itself. Four hundred recipes from China, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Japan and the Indian subcontinent have been collected together in this magnificent book.

You will need the following ingredients:

1 pound of ground beef

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 can (8 ounces) of tomato sauce

1 can(4 ounces) chopped mushrooms, drained(optional)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon dried, crushed oregano

dash of pepper

2 packages of refrigerated crescent rolls

6 slices of cheese of your choice

1  cup of chopped, cooked spinach(optional)

Brown the ground beef and onion until the onion is well cooked.  Drain off the fat.  Stir in the tomato sauce, salt, oregano and pepper.  If desired, add the mushrooms and/or the spinach.  Stir until well mixed.

Open one package of crescent rolls.  In a greased 9 inch pie pan, arrange the crescent rolls with the points to the center of the pie pan.  Press the roll edges together to form a bottom crust.

Spoon the meat into the pie shell and spread evenly.  Arrange the cheese slices on top of the meat mixture. 

Unroll the second package of crescent rolls.  Place the sections of dough together to form a rectangle.  Press the edges and the perforations together.  If needed, roll with a rolling pin to make sure that there are no separations.  If any separations exist, you’ll get tomato sauce bubbling up onto the crust.

Put the rectangle on top of the meat mixture.  Trim the excess crust from the pie.  If desired, loosely cover the edge of the pie crust with a foil strip to make sure that the crust doesn’t get overly brown. 

Bake at 350degrees for 30 minutes.  Cover the pie with foil and bake an additional 20 minutes longer.  Let the pie stand for at least 10 minutes before serving.

I have also made this pie with ground turkey and ground chicken.  Although I like the ground beef version best, I’ll use the other meat options if they are on sale at the grocery store. 

If you desire, you can also brush egg yolk on the top of the crust for a more “golden” looking top crust.  If I am taking the pie to a church supper or to a friend who is under the weather, I add this extra step.  If we are just eating the pie at home, it doesn’t much matter to me if the top crust is golden or not.

Autism Tunnel Of Hope (a Parent’’s Guide): A Mother’’s Story Of His Return From The Dark Cave Of Despair