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So recently I've been looking more into a human-grade frozen dog food diet for Grace.  She sometimes gets bored with her regular kibble and she's the most energetic dog I own so I know she needs the right nutrition for her energy levels.  So when Chewy gave me the chance to try Tylee's Human-Grade Beef Recipe Frozen Dog Food, I jumped on it!
Here are the reasons I encourage you to try it with your dog.

Saving Time
It gives all the benefits of a homemade meal to Grace without the prep time.  And let's be honest, I have a ton on my plate on a daily and weekly basis.  I work full time, blog part time, volunteer every week with Pixie doing pet therapy and Stella every 3 weeks, and I keep the house running and clean.  So by the time I have to cook my own dinner the last thing I want to do is make sure I have the ingredient to cook dinner for my dogs as well.  This is already made for you and it's frozen so it keeps all the flavor and nutrients in. If you want to give your dog homemade food but you don't want to make it yourself then look no further!  

Saving Money
By the time you locate all the ingredients and vitamins you need for a homecooked dog food you will have spent too much money.  Plus if you don't utilize all the items in time they can go bad so that's more money wasted.  But with Tylee's the meat, fruits, and vegetables are already in the food and all you have to do is defrost it before serving!  And some of the ingredients can be pricey to buy yourself since there is stuff like mango, flaxseed, sunflower oil,  and spinach. 

Great Ingredients
As I already mentioned the ingredients are ON POINT! We have beef, sweet potatoes, mango, broccoli, spinach, and zucchini to give your dog fiber, antioxidants, phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals.  There's also flaxseed and sunflower oil for a healthy coat.  And of course there's no corn, wheat, soy, or by product meal.  Tylee's is made in the USA with ingredients from around the world.

Better Energy
Grace already had a lot of energy but there's something about her now where she seems to be lazy only in the late evenings and she has plenty of energy for our late afternoon walks before that.  She also isn't as gassy as she always was. Thank goodness for that!

Better Coat
I've noticed Grace hasn't been licking her paws which always seemed to be an itchy allergy thing.  She also hasn't been scratching at her neck as much and her coat is gorgeous and hardly sheds.  My house is very clean compared to the normal fur balls I'd find collecting under the couch and in between the cushions.

Before, Grace always finished her food AFTER another dog moseyed on over.

Great Taste
How do I know it tastes great? Because Grace devours it! For a while Grace started to pick at her existing dog food as if she was bored with it. She'd only eat it all once Pixie made her way over to the bowl as if she'd eat what Grace didn't.  I am so glad to see Grace eats her entire dinner now and wags her tail the whole time she's eating!

You can feed Tylee's Frozen Dog Food as a topper to get your pet used to it or you can just start serving it as the main meal itself.  I'm so happy Grace has improved so much with this food!

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Setting A Financial Example For Your Teenage Children

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Raising children is not easy. Not now, not ever. Not tomorrow, not ten years from now. Every single parent on planet Earth knows this fact. It is perhaps one of the only things in life you can state with 100% certainty. Raising children is never, never, never easy. However, it is tremendously worth it, over and over and over again. We are built for it. It sustains us. However, as we all know, there are better and worse methods of parenting. Perhaps the easiest way to become a bad parent is to fervently try to get everything perfect? Why? Surely there are easier methods of being a bad parent, such as lacking presence in the first place? True, but hoping to achieve everything perfectly is impossible without question, and so it must also be considered a ridiculous task.


However, that doesn’t mean that a little human tuition and the willingness to care, demonstrate and discuss cannot have massive impacts on the lessons your children learn. Perhaps one of the most important means of setting a teenager up for adulthood involves financial handling. As they start to work their first job or gain their first allowance, the work of setting a financial example for your children is essential.


Here’s how to implement this necessity in a manner that is neither unrealistic or lacking presence:


Financial Hardship


Financial hardship happens to us all. When running a household, this can feel doubly as worrisome. However, like any challenge, this is possible to overcome. Your teenage children will become aware that something is going on when you start to encounter these difficulties. They are observant, and they aren’t stupid. They will also notice when the usual financial allowance or other expenditure on your part isn’t as reliable as it once was.


Depending on your financial situation, it can be worthwhile to open up to them and tell them about the issues you’re experiencing, how they are affecting you and your plans to resolve this issue. Then, keeping them in the loop during the recovery phase can show them the power of practical planning. There are a few situations in which you might desire to keep quiet, and not all parents will wish to worry their children with these matters. However, if and only if you find this appropriate, your children may learn something from being made aware of this issue. They’ll learn honesty in financial hardship. They will learn methods to overcome, and how to prioritize and implement frugality. In some cases, in can simply help them understand the situation more appropriately, allowing them to stay more understanding of your situation for the time being. They may even learn the correct use of financial utilities, such as utilizing a payday loan responsibly https://www.onlinecash4payday.com, something it’s possible they will use in the future.



Honesty is always the best policy, and so choosing to divulge your situation to the level you’re happy with can be worthwhile.


Priorities


Prioritizing your monetary flow is essential, and teaching teenagers this is worthwhile too. Let’s say they have an upcoming optional school trip skiing in Switzerland. While this isn’t the most academically educational trip, you feel as though investing in this could be a wonderful and worthwhile use of their vacation time, and you may have the funds to stretch there. This might mean that in order to pay you back some, you ask them to provide some of their working funds each week to pay you back. You may also ask them to purchase a ski mask for their own use.


Priorities can be taught through requirements like this. It can show that we must work for everything we get, even if being helped along somewhat. It shows them to put their money in experiences and items of value, rather than momentary pleasures and items that falsely promise happiness. Meeting a financial goal can also show the timeline in which they can expect to pay, and how to meet financial deadlines when making a purchase.


Helping your child with financial priorities is not only important in the long term, but can help them set up more professionally when they start to branch out of your home. Simply matters such as saving for an emergency car repair, or placing the security deposit down on a new apartment can both be helped by this lesson, and the best way to teach them this is via demonstration.


The Value Of A Dollar


There’s one thing that children with affluent parents will not learn if not expressly taught - the value of a dollar. Children that grow up in relatively humble financial situations will often learn this early. The value of a dollar can mean much more than the simple currency value it holds. It also means time for some people, practical planning for others, and the ability to turn down silly spendings for all. The value of a dollar is not appreciated unless earned. This is why many overnight lottery winners seem to lose it all immediately, or at least at a rate that perplexes us.


No matter what circumstances your children have grown up in, they need to learn the value of a dollar. They need to feel the pressure of working a job to earn, and they also need to buy vital items that they need themselves. Any and all indulgences should be on their part, earned and appreciated for them. Even affluent children without an express need to work should also know how to do this. Even very wealthy people are starting to realize that a little financial humility can be an excellent thing for a child. Jackie Chan, world renowned actor, martial artist and millionaire, has expressly stated his son is to receive nothing in his inheritance upon his passing. This sounds quite harsh for most of us, and we might not do the same in his shoes. However, his decision speaks to a common understanding that children have a bent financial attitude if they do not learn the value of a dollar, and learn it well. There are many more creative solutions to do this, but they will depend on the internal dynamics of your living situation, your child’s interests, and how they use their money. If you prioritize this lesson from the offset, you’ll surely find a way.


Accounts & Terms


Opening accounts for your teenagers is important. A bank account can help the financial confidence of any mid teenager, depending on the allowance of the bank you apply with. Holding a bank account can help them save money, allow you to build a long term savings plan, and also track their expenditures in the form of bank statements.


This is also a good time to help them understand how to work with a bank, how to manage money, and how to read the terms on an account. This form of financial small print cognition can help them avoid bad terms in the future, and instead develop a more competent understanding of the systems they will rely on as they pass into adulthood, and begin to make more long-form financial decisions. A bank account will also help them ensure the security of their savings, and as they begin to travel on their own, enjoy more access to their funding sources.


With these simple tips, your teenager is sure to learn excellent methods of conducting their financial affairs, guided by your loving hand through verbal instruction, demonstration, and staying close to them throughout the entire learning process.

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A List of All the Things A Wife Does [[September 16th is National Wife Appreciation Day]]

Yes, you read that correctly - September 16th is National Wife Appreciation Day and it's pretty well deserved. Think of all the stuff a wife does!  In honor of our lovely day I wanted to do a post with all of the things a wife does which translates to why the heck you should appreciate us! 


1. Scheduling.  We keep the schedule, remind you of the schedule, remember appointments, coordinate get togethers and kid's activities, and handle any conflicts.  Seriously 99% of us carry around a calendar in our handbag.


2. Cleaning. I don't just mean the basics like vacuuming and wiping down the counters.  We wash the baseboards, dust the nooks and crannies, clean the oven, sterilize the fridge, and wash the bedsheets.


3. Decorating. Sure, a house doesn't need decorated but it sure looks a heck of a lot better when it is.  And who has the perfect eye for style? The wifey of course! You may hate those throw pillows but it's guaranteed that your guests won't!


4. Organizing.  It may drive you nuts when we reorganize a cabinet and you need to relearn where the items are but damnit doesn't it feel good to know there's a place for everything and everything can be found in it's place? Besides, everything is prettier when it's organized. You're welcome!


5. Cooking. Not only do we cook but we keep on top of what items are needed at the store, what will be eaten when, and by the time the hubby gets home we already know what the meal will be.  And providing the kiddos nourishment? Look no further than your wife!   Sure the guys may cook, too but who is the one that really reads all those cooking magazines and blogs and finds new fun recipes?


6. Caretaking.  Whenever anyone in the household gets sick, even the dog, it's generally the wife that becomes caretaker.  She gets the medications, takes the temperatures, cleans the mess, and checks in on you every few hours as you sleep your illness away.  And when she gets sick, well she powers through it because if she doesn't save the world, who else will?


7. Saving the day. Ever contemplate doing something really stupid?  And then wifey swoops in to scold you and save the day - yup! That's us.  We nag and remind you to wear your seatbelt, not drink too much, respond to an email, think twice before drunkenly jumping from the neighbor's tree, and much much more.  We may be annoying but hey, it could save your life!


8. Moral support.  There will always be a smothering wife to make you feel better and motivated when you are at your lowest point.  Never take that for granted.


Happy National Wife Appreciation Day ladies!

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Please take 10 seconds to vote for Ask Away in the Pet Lovers Appreciation Awards!

So if you haven't already heard, I received word that I was nominated for an award from Illumiseen for their Pet Lovers Appreciation Awards 2018!   The category I'm in is Harmonious Homes.  And let's be honest that I work my butt off to keep a clean stylish home that's still pet friendly!  I am always thinking of ways to spruce up the décor of my home with pet friendly items that my dogs can't get into.

So all you have to do is go here: https://www.illumiseen.com/blogs/news/illumiseen-pet-lovers-appreciation-awards-2018#vote 

And under the Harmonious Homes category select Ask Away!  

That's it!! Thank you so so so much!  

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Tips for Rebuilding Bad Credit

 

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Bad credit can be problematic for a whole number of reasons, and you may not even realise you have it until it’s too late. It can close many doors, preventing you from getting on with your life even if your finances are already back on track. This is why it’s important to stay on top of your credit rating, so when the time comes to start a new phone contract, take out a loan, or even buy a house, you will not get stung by bad credit.

Bad credit can even result in higher insurance premiums and it will prevent you from getting good interest rates on loans and mortgages. Even average credit ratings can hold you back when it comes to such things, so we could all stand to work on our ratings from time to time. To find out more about what constitutes a ‘good’ credit rating, check out articles online. Here are some tips for rebuilding bad credit.

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