Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Happy Thanksgiving from Your Lakelender!

Tomorrow is a day to celebrate and give thanks for everything we've been blessed with throughout the year.  It's a time to spend with family and enjoy a delicious feast. Each of you has your own traditions that you celebrate each year, but do you ever think back to the first Thanksgiving.  Why do we celebrate this day of giving thanks?  Your Lake of the Ozarks mortgage lender is here to share some Thanksgiving history with you.

A New World


In September of 1620, the Mayflower ship left Plymouth, England in search of a new land.  The 102 passengers hoped for a new home where they could practice their religion freely and own their own land.  After 66 days of rough sailing, they anchored near Cape Cod and a month later crossed Massachusetts Bay, where they began to establish the village at Plymouth.  Winter was brutal and only half of the original passengers and crew lived to see the first New England Spring. In March, the remaining settlers moved ashore and were greeted by an Abenaki Indian.  Several days later he returned with another Native American named Squanto.  Squanto taught the Pilgrims how to cultivate corn, extract sap from maple trees, catch fish in the rivers and avoid poisonous plants.  He also helped them forge an alliance with the Wampanoag, a local tribe.

The First Thanksgiving 


In November of 1621, after the Pilgrims had their first successful corn harvest, Governor William Bradford organized a feast to celebrate their accomplishment and invited their Native American allies.  This first "Thanksgiving" festival lasted 3 days.  While no records exist of the exact menu, a journal suggests that fowl and deer were served.  Due to having no ovens at the time and the lack of sugar, the meal did not feature pies, cakes or other desserts that we celebrate with now.

An Official Holiday 


Days of fasting and thanksgiving on an annual or occasional basis became a common practice in other New England settlements. During the American Revolution, the Continental Congress designated one or more days of thanksgiving a year and in 1789 George Washington issued the first Thanksgiving proclamation by the national government of the United States.  In 1817, New York became the first of several states to officially adopt an annual Thanksgiving holiday.  In 1827, writer Sarah Josepha Hale, known for the nursery rhyme "Mary Had a Little Lamb" launches a campaign to establish Thanksgiving as a national holiday.  In 1863, Abraham Lincoln finally scheduled Thanksgiving for the final Thursday in November.  It was celebrated every year on that day until 1939 when Franklin D. Roosevelt moved the holiday up a week in an attempt to spur retail sales during the Great Depression.  It wasn't until 1941, however that a bill was signed making Thanksgiving the fourth Thursday in November.

For more information on the Thanksgiving Holiday, visit: www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving.

I would like to personally thank all of my clients, for all the refinancing and home loans at the Lake of the Ozarks that I had the privilege of helping you with this year.  Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

For Lake area news, resources and tips on financial services, please 


Michael Lasson
Sr. Residential Mortgage Lender
NMLS #: 493712

2265 Bagnell Dam Blvd, Suite B
PO Box 1449
Lake Ozark, MO 65049

Direct:  (573) 746-7211


Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Enjoy a Thanksgiving Feast at Lake of the Ozarks this Year!

Thanksgiving is quickly approaching and all you can think about is the delicious food that comes with the holiday. Owning a home at the Lake of the Ozarks allows you to take advantage of the amazing Thanksgiving Day feasts at some of the best restaurants in the area.  No more slaving away all day preparing an extravagant dinner, you can take the family out for an amazing buffet at one of these local places!

Thanksgiving Grand Buffet at Old Kinderhook

  • Time: 11 AM - 4 PM
  • Price: Adults - $31, Seniors $27, Kids 5 to 10 - $12, 4 and under - Free
  • Reservations: 573-317-3560
  • Menu: includes Turkey, Prime Rib, Pork Loin, Mashed Potatoes, Pumpkin Pie and more! 

Thanksgiving Buffet at the Inn at Grand Glaize 

  • Time: 11 AM - 3 PM
  • Price: Adults - $16.95, Seniors $15.95, Kids 3 to 12 - $9.95, Kids 3 & under - Free
  • Reservations: 573-348-4731
  • Menu: All-You-Can-Eat Thanksgiving Experience

Thanksgiving Day Feast at HK's at the Lodge of Four Seasons

  • Time: 11 AM - 3:30 PM
  • Price: Adults - $39.95, Children 6 to 12 - $14.95, Children 5 & under - Free
  • Reservations: 800-843-5253

Thanksgiving Buffet at Tan-Tar-A in the Grand Ballroom

  • Price: Adults - $27.95, Seniors 55 and up - $18.95, Children 4 to 12 - $14.95, Children 3 and under - Free
  • Reservations: 800-826-8272
  • Menu: Turkey, Ham, London Broil, Salmon & Shrimp

Thanksgiving Dinner at Camden on the Lake

  • Time: 11 AM - 3 PM
  • Reservations: 573-964-2064
  • Menu: Slow Roasted Turkey, Peppercorn Crusted Roasted Strip Loin, Green Bean Cassserole, Smoked Cheddar Mashed Potatoes and much more! 

Thanksgiving Feast at Country Club Hotel

  • Time: 11 AM - 3 PM
  • Price: Adults - $21.95, Seniors 65+ - $19.95, Children 6 to 14 - $14.95, Children 5 and under - Free
  • Reservations: 573-964-2200
  • Menu: Tender Roasted Turkey, Honey Glazed Ham, Pot Roast, Cornbread, Stuffing and more!

Eldon Community Thanksgiving Dinner

  • Time: 11 AM - 2 PM
  • Price: Free, if you do not have a place to go on Thanksgiving please plan to attend. 
  • Reservations: No reservations needed, everyone in the community is welcome! 
  • Home Delivery: available by calling Sarah Merriman at 573-280-2453.
  • Help Wanted: Anyone interested in helping with the event, contact Janet Graham at 573-964-0121.

As your residential mortgage lender here at the Lake, I would love the opportunity to help you manage your Lake of the Ozarks Mortgage Loan or refinance.  Give me a call at (573) 746-7211 or send me an email at mlasson@fsbfinancial.com with any questions you may have!

For Lake area news, resources and tips on financial services, please 


Michael Lasson
Sr. Residential Mortgage Lender
NMLS #: 493712

2265 Bagnell Dam Blvd, Suite B
PO Box 1449
Lake Ozark, MO 65049

Direct:  (573) 746-7211



Friday, November 14, 2014

Enjoy a Stress-Free Holiday Season with these 5 Budgeting Tips

The Holidays can be a stressful time of year. You're trying to balance the extra expense of extravagant foods and Christmas gifts with your monthly expenses such as car payments and your mortgage at the Lake of the Ozarks. These tips from the Mortgage Market Guide will help you budget for a stress-free holiday season!

1. Examine Last Year's Spending. 


Before you start this year's holiday shopping, review what you spent last year.  Take out your old credit card receipts or bank statements and add up the extra holiday expenses.  Be sure to include everything from gift wrap and cards to entertainment and food, in addition to the actual presents you purchased for others.

2. Evaluate Those Past Purchases. 


Of those purchases last year, how many of them could you try to avoid this year?  Can you reduce your gift buying list or reduce the amount you spent on each of those gifts?  Being less extravagant with your purchases and hunting for the best bargains can help you avoid debt this holiday season.

3. Create a Budget for This Year. 


Once you have an idea of what you spent last year and what you're going to need to buy this year, start setting up a budget.  Your budget should be based on money you currently have, not on how much you can borrow.  If your income or expenses have changed in the last year, be sure to account for that as you're budgeting.  You don't want be struggling to make payment on your home loan at the Lake of the Ozarks come January.

4. Create a Detailed Shopping List. 


Once you have your budget, use it to create a detailed shopping list.  You'll need a list of recipients along with columns for the gifts you intend to buy and how much you can spend on each.  As you shop, keep track of your spending by marking it on the list.  If you overspend on one gift, be sure to make up the difference on another so you don't end up over budget.

5. Avoid Impulse Buying. 


Watch out for impulse shopping; it can easily ruin your good intentions.  Don't do anything "last minute," as that is always more expensive.  You need time to shop around for the best deals.  It's tempting to look at a budget as a restriction, but honestly its there for your own protection.

By planning in advance, you can give yourself the gift of a financially stress free holiday!  As your Lake of the Ozarks mortgage lender, I understand the importance of finances.  If I can help you in any way with a home loan or refinancing, please don't hesitate to call me at 573-746-7211.  I'll discuss financing options, offer competitive interest rates and back it up with the first class service you deserve!  

For Lake area news, resources and tips on financial services, please 


Michael Lasson
Sr. Residential Mortgage Lender
NMLS #: 493712

2265 Bagnell Dam Blvd, Suite B
PO Box 1449
Lake Ozark, MO 65049

Direct:  (573) 746-7211

Monday, November 3, 2014

Veterans Day Parade Comes to Lake of the Ozarks

The Lake of the Ozarks Elks Lodge is helping to ensure that we don't forget the meaning and importance of Veterans Day.  They are sponsoring the first-ever Veterans Day Parade in Osage Beach this Saturday, November 8.  The parade will begin at the Osage Beach City Hall at 10:30 am and conclude near the Elks Lodge.  The parade is intended to honor and salute the living and deceased veterans, as well as pump some life into the West side of the parkway!

The History of Veterans Day


Veterans Day started as a celebration of the end of World War I.  The war officially ended on June 28, 1919 when the Treaty of Versailles was signed, but the fighting actually ended seven months earlier when a temporary cessation of hostilities between the allied nations and Germany went into effect on November 11, 1918.  This date is generally regarded as the end of "the war to end all wars."  In 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day with this quote: "To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country's service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations..."

The original concept of the holiday was to be observed with parades and public meetings, with a brief suspension of business.  On May 13, 1938, an act was passed to make November 11 of each year a legal holiday, a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as "Armistice Day."  Originally the say was set aside to honor veterans of World War I, but in 1954 it was expanded to honor American veterans of all wars.  In 1968 the Uniform Holiday Bill was signed to ensure 3-day weekends for Federal empoyees by celebrating four national holidays on Mondays: Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day and Columbus Day.  The holiday has since been changed back to November 11 to preserve the historical significance of the date, as well as help focus attention on the important purpose of Veterans Day: a celebration to honor America's veterans for their patriotism, love of country and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.    

Join  us this weekend at the Lake of the Ozarks for the 1st Annual Veterans Day Parade! Whether you participate in the parade with a float of your own or just cheer on the entrants as they go by, the parade is a way for each of us to say thank you to all those who have served.  As your Lake of the Ozarks mortgage lender, I would love the opportunity to help those veterans with a VA Loan.  If you or someone you know could benefit from a VA Loan at the Lake of the Ozarks, please give me a call at 573-746-7211 or send an email to mlasson@fsbfinancial.com.

For Lake area news, resources and tips on financial services, please 


Michael Lasson
Sr. Residential Mortgage Lender
NMLS #: 493712

2265 Bagnell Dam Blvd, Suite B
PO Box 1449
Lake Ozark, MO 65049

Direct:  (573) 746-7211