Getting the most bang for your buck!

In the spirit of the holiday season fast approaching I figured this is a post everyone can use.

There are several ways that you can achieve getting the most out of your money: First there's the 'Free Factor' to consider, in which not a dime has to be spent. Then there's the 'Pricing Factor' where you research and determine where the bulk of the money actually goes to. Lastly there's the 'Emotional Factor' where your heart leads you to what would financially be worth the most to you.

Free Factor examples - Donating blood, spending time with someone who is house or hospital bound, giving unused or unwanted foods to someone, having a good long visit with someone who is lonely, giving someone a genuine compliment, helping someone with their groceries, reading a story to a little one, holding someone's baby, taking someone's cart back for them, watching someone's kids, driving to someone's house that doesn't get many visitors, sharing your talents and skills for someone else's benefit, truly listening to those that are speaking to you, volunteering your time in a play/benefit function/shelter etc., going carolling, giving a hug, giving a smile, making a phonecall to a business just to give a sincere compliment, visiting with someone at a grocery store until they decide they need to rush off, painting a little girls nails, making someone laugh. There are many many more that fall into this category

Pricing Factor examples - There are a great many charities out there, some of which once personally investigating give not even 50% of your proceeds to the actual persons in need due to many of them being run by paid employees. Obviously getting the most bang out of your buck in this category would indicate that you would have to give to a charity or cause that runs off of unpaid workers so the proceeds go straight to those in need. Here is one such place where 100% of your money will go to the cause you indicate: http://www.ldsphilanthropies.org/humanitarian-services.html

Emotional Factor examples- This one truly gives the most bang for your buck as your heart is what leads your decision and therefore gives you the satisfaction of love and peace from it. These are causes where family, friends, and community play key roles in the development of a cause that's ever so dear to you or them. Though they may or may not be free, and may or may not have unexpected additional fees, you still feel you got the most bang for your buck.


Always remember this Christmas season:

"...the worth of souls is great in the sight of God" -D&C 18:10

If you give of yourself in any way you can that "buck" can never be wasted.

Those that get the most bang for their buck have learned that true wealth comes from giving away your riches to those who are less fortunate so that they too may share in the spirit of love and thanksgiving.

Heaven's slice is charity.

More like her

Once upon a time I was given an angel to keep forever. I had never fallen so deep in love so quick as I did for this sweet babe. This little angel required lot's of help from me in providing for her basic needs. And through all the momentous mess-filled memories and tender time-consuming thoughts, I can't help but so desire to just be more like her.



(My attempts to copy her)



Quick to forgive.

Amazed and overjoyed by what her body is and what it can do.

Not only willing, but wanting badly to help with anything and everything.

Able to find the joy in the menial tasks of the day like doing laundry, dishes, making the bed, sweeping etc.

Seeking and finding laughter every day in any way she can.

Smiling sporadically sometimes for no seemingly good reason at all.

Having a love for books.

Passing no judgment to others.





Possessing energy for days.

Having a true thirst for knowledge.

Holds no grudge.






Soaks in anything someone can teach her.

Finds pure glee in her voice.

Views most everything as a treasure just for her (especially anything on the ground).

Submissive to whatever I have planned for the day; Easily leaves her "workings" to follow me to any room I may go.













Showing others love without ever having to say the words.

Delighted in the morning she awakes to, having a deep excitement for each day that comes.

Oh to be her, finding love, joy, and fun in every part of the day. To love like she loves and give as she does I can only but try to be more like her.

Heaven's Slice is becoming like a little child.

Someday I won't have the time

Yes I may be tired.
Yes I may have fudgisicles unthawing in the car.
Yes I may have a dirty home that needs cleaning.
Yes I may have supper to get started.
Yes I may have other stores I wanted to hit up and look through.
...


But in this moment she is happy, and in this moment I'm the one that helped bring that smile on her face.

The truth is one day I might actually not have the time: I may have some sort of major deadline, someone else waiting for/needing me desperately, or declined health issues that place time limits.  But right now, I do have that time. I  have the time to play in the front yard of the clinic after our appointment. I have time to chase after her on the sidewalk as she goes as far away from where we parked as she desires. I have the time to let her walk down main street picking up and looking at every leaf and looking through every store window. I have the time to let her push the cart. I have the time to let her run down the isles. I have the time to let her touch every piece of clothing. I have the time to pick her up and show her what I'm doing in the kitchen. I have the time to have her put every single sock in the dryer. I have the time to let her help put away the dishes and "organize" the drawer with me. I have the time to read her the same book for the 10th time in a row. I have the time to play with her in the dirt that is our front lawn as the groceries lay sitting on the steps. I have the time to sing "sleeping bunnies" again and again for her. I have the time to let her 'refold' the clothes I just folded. I have the time to dance with her. I have the time to let her be...

It now takes me 3x longer to get anything done, but that's just 3x times longer I get to spend invested in this day we have together.

She may not remember all the fun she just had an hour ago or even 5 minutes ago. She may not be old enough to keep this moment as a tender memory to look back at. She may not realize the sacrifices I made so she could have the extra time having fun at a playground.  She may not know that her desires were met because of her Mommy's choices. She may not understand that this is her childhood I am helping build. But in this moment she is happy, and in this moment I am too.

A wise Walmart greeter once told me after coming up to my little one and making smiles at her,

 "If you don't have time for a little child then you don't have time for anything."

Heaven's slice is making time for a child.

Trick or Treat

I was so excited for this Halloween since my little one's walking around now and would get to go trick or treating for the first time! I was also excited to make good use of our dirt lawn as my hubs (I DID help a little) put up our homemade tombstones.

We get a LOT of trick or treaters; at some points you just have to leave your door open, as there's no point shutting it when you have to shut it in the next groups face (rude). 

My daughter was pretty serious most of the night, but she never got scared thank goodness! I think she was just soaking everything in as to why all these mini-adults were dressed up so weird. I'd been preparing her for the candy all week by giving her a bit of chocolate everyday (GREAT parenting I know), so that her body could adjust well to what the potential sugar overdose would do to her on halloween. (she DID go to bed somewhat close to her bedtime very willingly, though she was ready for the day again come an hour and a half later...).

Of course another reason for my elation was our family theme'd costumes, but most especially hers! I only get to dress her how I want for just a few precious years before she gets her own opinion, so I thought I'd better get an ewok checked off the list!

And a retro one from last year

Heaven's slice is embracing the holidays.