Royal Wedding

I really enjoyed watching the royal wedding today! Now I must take a cat nap since I've been up since about 4:30 this morning.

Best wishes to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Catherine and William!

Encourage Children To Play In The Dirt With Books About Gardens

Step into spring with a book about gardens! Kids with a green thumb might enjoy reading about how to plant their own garden, while mystery lovers may prefer a funny whodunit set on a grumpy neighbor's backyard plot. Whether you are seeking a book about planting tips, a picture book about plants and peace, or a novel about cultivating friendships, you will find it at the library.

Olivia Plants a Garden

By Emily Sollinger

Simon Spotlight, 2011

Ages: 4-8

Olivia, star of many picture books and her own TV show, now has her own series of charming easy-reader books. In this story, she is excited when her teacher gives her some "surprise" seeds to plant at home. What will grow out of them? This book combines simple sight words, some rebus symbols and a familiar, beloved character to create an enjoyable reading adventure for the very young.

Who's Hiding? In the Garden: A Lift-the-Flap Book

By Christiane Gunzi

Barron's, 2010

Ages: Baby-preschool

This colorful board book gives children a chance to guess what delightful garden surprise is hidden beneath the flap on each page. Vibrant photographs first reveal five butterflies, then four ladybugs, and the countdown continues to a special treat at the end.

A Child's Garden: A Story of Hope

By Michael Foreman

Candlewick Press, 2009

Ages: 4-8

In a bleak area destroyed by war, a little boy lives on the wrong side of a barbed-wire fence. In the rubble, he sees a fragile sprout. He waters and tends it, and eventually, it becomes a flourishing grapevine that curls around the fence. Then soldiers come and tear down the plant, and the boy thinks his heart will break -- but roots are deep, and seeds can spread. Will hope arise anew in the spring? This thoughtful picture book presents a child's garden as a metaphor for world peace.

How Does My Garden Grow?

DK Publishing, 2011

Ages: 4-8

Young gardeners will get many great ideas for spring projects out of this book. There are tips on how to grow many kinds of plants, including vegetables and herbs, as well as instructions on how to create an "Ivy Man" plant, a vine that grows around a wire framework. Once the plants are grown, kids can use them in a tasty recipe, or create one of the craft items included in this book. All of the activities are beautifully illustrated, with large full-color photos that make the instructions easy to follow.

Digging Up Trouble

By Kim Wayans

Penguin Group, 2010

Ages: 9-12

Amy and her friends have come up with a great idea on how to save a community garden in their neighborhood: They will hold fundraisers! But one group wants to run a carwash, while the other is eager to have a bake sale. Before long, the two groups are competing so aggressively against each other that Amy fears they have lost sight of their goal. This novel for elementary school-age readers is particularly commendable for including characters of multiethnic backgrounds.

Who's Buried in the Garden?

By Ray Villareal

Piñata Books, 2009

Ages: 9-12

Did old Mrs. Foley really poison her husband and bury him in her garden? Artie Mendoza seems to think so, but his friend Joshua isn't sure, because Joshua thinks Artie is the world's biggest liar. But when Joshua sees a large, odd-shaped mound covered in flowers, he and his friends are determined to discover the truth. In the process, they also learn about the destructive power of gossip and the importance of choosing your friends wisely. This suspenseful page-turner will be especially appealing to boys who love a good mystery.

These books are available at most library branches.

Happy Easter

Easter Reflection


Today, millions of Christians all over the world celebrate the holiest day of their faith. Easter is the day that Jesus Christ rose from the grave after his crucifixion and ascended to Heaven. The idea of everlasting life after death for the Christian faithful is the cornerstone of Christianity. Though children scramble to find hidden Easter eggs today, the egg as a symbol of rebirth is appropriate. The egg is the sign of new life, and we should reflect on that today.

As we celebrate the life, death and rebirth of Jesus, we should also reflect on our lives during the past year. Just four days ago was the one-year anniversary of that horrible disaster, the BP oil spill. It threatened our economy, our health and our very way of life. Many of us have spent the past year cleaning up from the mess, and trying to get our lives back in order. There are still those whose lives will suffer for years to come because of what happened. But like Hurricane Katrina, most of us survived and had our own rebirth. We came back to our beloved parish to find destruction and ruin. And like Jesus, the parish has risen from the grave, and today is one of the fastest growing parishes in the state. It will be the same for the oil spill.

Today is the time to reflect on the miracle of the rebirth of not only St. Tammany Parish, but of the entire area. It is a day to reflect on the faith and strength of humans when faced with disaster. A lot of us found it hard to find hope in the middle of all these setbacks, but find it we did, and we were born again, stronger and better for the experience. Life is tough, that is a given, but humanity has a great capacity for faith and strength in the face of adversity. Not only have we survived one of the worst hurricanes in memory and the ecological disaster of the oil spill, but we also came through one of the worst recessions in U.S. history. Yes, we are still trying to straighten out our lives, but we do it with a smile and thanks to whatever entity we pray to, because we know that even with our possessions ruined, our lives shattered, we still have the strength of our faith to see us through anything.

You may think you have it rough, but remember there are Americans currently putting their lives on the line in foreign lands to protect us. Plus there are people all over their world enduring bullets and tear gas in an effort to become free. These people are also part of our rebirth and we should not forget them on this day.

So give thanks when you sit down to Easter dinner today, and remember that we are all worthy of rebirth if we work at it. Maybe we can all hope for the rebirth of our world into one of peace and prosperity. 

A Different Kind of Spring Cleaning

Take a Fresh Look at Your Health Planning

The beginning of spring is the time for cleaning up and cleaning out. Take a day or a weekend to wash the windows, put away the sweaters and blankets and organize your life after the brutal wintry season. Not only is this the perfect time to clean out your messy closet, but it's also the perfect season to organize your health records.

A quick clean up can have some big payoffs with your health benefits plan; if your records are accurate and organized, you can:

• Prepare and plan for tax season
• Learn new ways to save money by using pre-tax dollars to pay for eligible medical expenses
• Make the right health benefit choices for this time in your life

"The change in season is just the right time to get your health and financial records in order," said Elizabeth Jetton, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER professional CFP^®, chair, Financial Planning Association (FPA^®). "This can be a first step toward setting your goals, taking control of your finances and setting up a solid financial plan you'll benefit from for the rest of the year."

Quick & Easy Cleaning Tips

While sweeping under the bed...
Locate medical bills and receipts from doctors' visits during the year — whether paid by you or your insurance company. Next, talk to your tax advisor about any new tax laws that could impact your personal health insurance needs. There have been changes in the tax code in recent years that may influence how families save and pay for health care and long-term care needs. Remember, the deadline to file taxes is April 15.

While dusting the furniture...
Remember that allergy season is fast approaching. See if your trip to the allergist is covered. Also, check with your HR department to determine if you should consider a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) next year. With an FSA, money is taken from your paycheck and put into an account to be used for medical expenses, like allergy medication or contact lenses, throughout the year.

While organizing your office...
Take a moment to review your health benefits plan to make sure that your plan is right for your current situation. For example, having a baby, getting married, taking a new job and starting over are all times when you have an opportunity to re-evaluate your health insurance needs. Some other considerations for when you are sitting in your office chair:

• Think about the aspects of your plan that you utilized the most in the past year and those that you did not
• Be prepared:
  • Review your Open Enrollment packet
  • Understand any changes to your insurance package and how best to use your health benefits
  • Visit your health plan website or your employer's intranet site for information specific to you and your needs
• Keep track of your annual health care expenses including co-payments for doctors' visits and prescriptions

One easy way to track health care expenses is with a good health records filing system. To make your filing system easier and more efficient, separate your files into active (those you refer to often) and inactive files (those you may need at a future date).

Active — what you'll need at your fingertips for easy access and reference. Be sure that more than one person knows where your files are kept in case of an emergency:

• In the event of an emergency hospital or doctor visit, keep a list of current family health records for this year and last year, including information likepre-existing conditions, medications you are taking and family physician name and contact information.
• Insurance policies, with a record of dates and premiums paid (this information may be on your paycheck or another document from your insurance company).
• Medical bills, receipts and papers — whether paid by you or your insurance company — for the current and past year. The current year records will be needed for income tax purposes if you claim medical expenses as a deduction.

Inactive — what you may need in the future, keep on file for tax purposes and reference:

• Medical bills, receipts and papers — whether paid by you or your insurance company — more than two years old.
• Health history records for reference. Create a list that includes: blood type, allergies, immunizations, dates and the nature of all illnesses and injuries, names of doctors consulted, records of hospital and clinic stays, medications prescribed and taken, and dates and types of X-rays and shots. Update the list as needed, based on changes in your health.

Now that you've organized your health records, be sure to maintain your new system throughout the year. Set aside time each week when paying bills or sorting mail to keep your health records organized. When things don't pile up, it's easier to have more time to enjoy spring.

Summer Activity Ideas For Children

Summer Boredom Busters – 10 Great Ideas to Keep Kids from Getting the Summer Blues

Summer break will be here soon. After the first few days of enjoying their new found freedom, your children may start looking for new things to do. Here are some great summer activity ideas for children.

Keep kids from getting the summer blues with these ten great ideas.

Build an Ice Cream Stand - Find a local ball park busy with little league ball games and set up an ice cream stand. Let the kids build and decorate the stand out of wood or cardboard (old refrigerator boxes work well) and add their menu to the outside. Keep kids involved by letting them be in charge of buying the supplies (large bulk clubs like Sam’s Club are great for this) and figuring out how much to charge. Encourage your kids to donate a portion of their profits to a charity or add some fun games for their customers to play while enjoying their ice cream. Keep the ice cream cold by burying it in plastic containers at the bottom of a big cooler filled with ice.

Organize a Summer Playgroup - Ask other parents to join you and your kids at a local park once a week. Play on the playground, organize lawn games, or provide crafts for the kids.

Hold a Treasure Hunt - Write up clues that will lead your kids on a hunt through the neighborhood and to local places of interest. Begin by mailing the first clue to the kids (what kid doesn’t like to receive mail?) and letting them figure out where to go. You can spread the clues out over the summer or have them complete the hunt in a day. At the end, have a “treasure” of prizes available as reward for their accomplishments. You can make it interesting by writing the clues on scrolls or by making them educational

Start a Neighborhood Business - If your child is old enough, help them start a small neighborhood business like pet watching, dog walking, mother’s helper, or house watching (getting mail, watering plants). Help them create fliers, determine pricing, and of course help them understand how to provide excellent customer service.

Host a Neighborhood Cookout - Encourage your neighbors and friends to take a break from their busy lives by inviting them to a neighborhood cookout. Include the kids by having them help make invitations, plan games, and prepare food. Make it easier on yourself and family by asking your friends and neighbors to bring a dish to share.

Join a Reading Contest or Challenge - Encourage your kids to get lost in a good book this summer by signing them up for your local library’s reading contest. Common among most libraries, book challenges are a great way to keep kids reading through the summer and earn prizes and awards for their achievements.

Start a Summer Scrapbook or Memory Jar - Start by saving small mementos from your summer vacations, activities, and trips. Over the summer let the kids add them to a scrapbook or store in a decorated memory jar or box. Make it fun by giving the kids a challenge of finding the most unique memento from their excursions.

Hold a Carnival - Let your kids organize a backyard carnival for friends and neighbors. Kids can be kept busy building a ticket booth, organizing games, planning food, and buying prizes. Let them take charge here; you will be amazed at what their imaginations can do!

Write a Family or Neighborhood Newsletter - Put your kids in charge of writing and publishing a family or neighborhood newsletter. Let them write creative articles and share the scoop on what is going on with friends and family. This is a great way to help them improve their writing skills and keep them busy at the same time.

Start a Puzzle - Pick out a large challenging puzzle and put it in an out of the way place. Encourage the kids to slowly add and complete the puzzle throughout the summer. This is a great one to have on hand when they say “I’m bored”.

The Future of Social Security

If you are 26 years old today and expect to begin receiving Social Security benefits at age 62, you may be in for a surprise. In 2041, benefits for retirees may be reduced by 27 percent, and continue to be cut back each year thereafter.

A System in Jeopardy
Why has the durability of the Social Security system come into question recently? According to the 2007 Social Security Trustees' Report,* the program faces massive annual deficits in just 10 years. Coupled with a Congressional Budget Office report predicting Social Security and Medicare expenditures to increase around 75% by 2030, economists seem to have no certain answers now.

While today's retirees can probably count on receiving their Social Security benefits, future generations may not be so fortunate. This is largely due to increased longevity, costs of medical technology, and the impending retirement of the baby boomer generation (individuals born between 1946 and 1964).

Mounting Pressure on the Federal Budget
When substantial numbers of the baby boomers begin to retire starting in 2008, Social Security surpluses are expected to dwindle rapidly. By 2017, it is projected that Social Security spending will exceed projected tax collections. In turn, net Treasury payments to the Social Security system will greatly increase pressure on the federal budget. In fact, in 2009, the annual Social Security Surpluses that Congress has been borrowing and spending on other programs will begin to shrink.

Here's why: When Social Security income exceeds its expenses, the surplus is retained by the Treasury and used to meet the government's non-Social Security expenses. For example, the recent surpluses in Social Security led to annual surpluses that went to finance B-2 bombers, farm subsidies, savings and loan bailouts, and other general federal expenditures. In return for borrowing these funds, the Treasury issues special bonds to the Social Security trust fund.

Through 2007, the Social Security trust fund held $2 trillion in bonds. When Social Security's expenses exceed its income, theoretically these bonds can be redeemed to meet current obligations. Beginning in 2017, the Treasury will need to begin redeeming these bonds. And the government will have to find the cash to repay the money it borrowed.

The Treasury Department's Options
The Treasury has three options:

• Sell bonds to the public-Whether the public has sufficient appetite to buy additional bonds at an average rate of $500 billion per year, even in the inflated dollars of the 2020s, remains to be seen.
• Raise taxes — Policymakers can raise taxes to provide the Treasury with the necessary money. More directly, they could raise Social Security taxes, reducing the need for bond redemptions.
• Print money — This would increase the inflation rate. Because Social Security benefit increases are tied to changes in the Consumer Price Index, inflation would result in even higher benefit costs and the need to redeem bonds more rapidly, not to mention other deleterious economic effects.

What Policymakers Might Do
Rather than trying, probably unsuccessfully, to redeem the trillions of dollars in bonds accumulated over several decades, policymakers would likely enact a package of revenue increases and benefit reductions that would bring Social Security's income and outgo into balance in 2018 or shortly after. The following big ticket items are likely to be included in such a package:

• Increased Social Security Taxes-Tax increases are easy to explain, and most workers pay the additional amounts through withholding from wages and salaries.
• Reductions in COLAs-Social Security's cost-of-living adjustments were delayed six months by legislation in 1983. They could be delayed again, reduced, or frozen temporarily. Many economists believe that the Consumer Price Index, which is the basis for Social Security's COLAs, overstates inflation in any case, although the government has taken steps to reduce this overstatement.
• A Higher Normal Retirement Age (NRA)-Social Security reform legislation in 1983 raised the NRA gradually, from 65 for workers born before 1938, to 67 for those born after 1959. Congress has already demonstrated that it can raise the NRA, and there is no reason to believe that it will stop at age 67.
• Other Revenue Options-Lastly, other alternatives under discussion include using general revenues to sustain the Social Security system, or pre funding future benefits with personal savings accounts or direct investments of the trust funds.**

Now Is the Time to Begin Planning for Retirement
It certainly appears that the Social Security program will not be as generous for tomorrow's retirees as it is for today's. People who hoped to be enjoying their retirement after 2017 should probably start saving more now if they want to maintain a comfortable standard of living after retiring. Usually, the necessary amounts needed for retirement cannot be saved during the last few working years; it is recommended that they be accumulated over a much longer period of time.

Even if the bonds can be redeemed without any problems, Social Security will most likely have serious problems beginning in 2041 and will need to change. Today's workers need to know that the future of Social Security is uncertain so they can design their retirement plans accordingly.