Colgate VoxBox
>> Sunday, March 2, 2014
I got my Colgate VoxBox in from Influenster! I am so excited to try everything out. I got a new whitening toothbrush, toothpaste and a few other goodies. Plus, coupons!
Read more...
Happy birthday to me!
>> Sunday, January 30, 2011
Today is my 32nd birthday. I can hardly believe it! This year I didn't do anything special or really even celebrate. There is just too much going on right now. I had to drop Jason off at the airport this afternoon so he could fly to Detroit for job training. Poor baby was feeling sick so it was hard for me to see him go. I will fly out there on Friday, though, so we can spend the weekend together. We're going to go skiing for all of a day and a half. I know it's no Colorado, but it will still be fun!
So, here's my little indulgence of the day:
Yep, I finished an entire pint of Blue Bell Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream myself. It's my favorite! So here I sit watching the end of Pretty In Pink on my birthday and I have no regrets. Having a quiet birthday has been a nice change this year. Read more...
Dallas was a no go
>> Friday, January 28, 2011
Remember last time I wrote, I said that I was waiting on a plane? But it was delayed because of wind? And I'd gotten a "free" day at home? Yeah, that day. I never got on that flight. My boss and I decided to wait until morning to fly. The last I heard was that her husband was looking into flights for the morning. I never heard anything else until I texted at 9am the morning of the flight. She said to rest and that we would go later. Later came and went (in my book anyway) and I texted at 4:30 telling her that I was tired of waiting. So, long story short, I didn't go to Dallas. It's a shame because I was excited for another market trip. But, my weekend turned out wonderfully. I ended up going to Houston with Jason, my in-laws and brother-in-law's girlfriend. That was a mouthful. We went to visit and get some project car things done. Obviously, the boys did the project car work while we women went shopping! It turned out to be a fun, relaxing escape from my work. It was just the peace that I needed. I went back to work refreshed and mentally relaxed.
This weekend, I will be going to Kyle to help a friend move. I am so excited that she is moving so much closer to me!!! Hopefully, this beautiful weather will hold out one more day!
Windy Day!
>> Thursday, January 20, 2011
Right now I should be on a plane to Dallas for work. Let me stop there. As of 6:30pm last night, I should have been on a plane at 8:40 this morning. Then my boss gave me the option to sleep in and smartly....I took it! We planned on flying out at about 1pm for market. However, the wind has decided otherwise. Most of the flights today have been canceled due to wind which is highly unusual for this area. I'm still waiting to see if we will leave tonight or tomorrow. So in essence, I've gotten a "free" day off! Hooray!
In other news, I've gotten back into the gym. After almost a 2 month hiatus, going back hurt. All of my favorite classes like BodyStep and BodyAttack are at times that are impossible to make. So, I made myself get on the elliptical and lift on my own, just like I did back in the day. Some of you may remember that. I found that I lost a lot of strength and endurance. It's going to be a rough road getting back, but I'm up for the challenge.
Pure Yummy Bliss!
>> Monday, January 17, 2011
Let me preface this post by letting it be known that I don't really care for almond butter. I love me some peanut butter, but almond butter is a bit too bland for my taste. Enter Maple Almond Butter.
Hello lover.....
Oh my goodness. This stuff is da bomb. For reals. I may or may not have licked the food processor clean! Just sayin'. Make some for yourself and be amazed!
Maple Almond Butter from The Edible Perspective. Read more...
Resolution #3, broken!
>> Sunday, January 2, 2011
Only two days into 2011 and I have already royally broken a resolution. Damn you coworkers that bring yummy spice cake and cookies!
This has got to be a record. Can I call do-over?
2011 Resolutions
>> Saturday, January 1, 2011
After going over my resolutions from last year, I decided to form some new resolutions for 2011. This time around, I'm keeping things a bit simpler.
For my health:
- Get myself back into the gym and get on a regular workout schedule again.
- Plan out more healthy meals to cook.
- Have a much reduced sugar intake - keep myself accountable through food journaling.
- Continue our monthly saving goals to gain back our old emergency fund.
- Finish the kitchen project.
- Begin The Massive Living Room Project.
- Jason & I will go on one trip - whether short or long, far away or close - together.
2010 Resolution Wrap-Up
>> Friday, December 31, 2010
I know I've been missing for about 4 months from this blog. I guess life caught up with me. The new job is still going great, but I am having a hard time balancing work, working out (which is pretty much non-existent at this point), cooking dinner and home life. I am going to make a greater effort to become better at these things in 2011. I thought I would go over last year's resolutions and see how I fared. I'll post new resolutions after this. Hopefully I still have some readers out there!!
These goals are simply for my own health and quality of life.
For my health:
- Continue to work on my strength training. My personal goal is to do shoulder presses using 20lb dumbbells! I got to this point, but have lost all my strength. I quit working out completely about two months ago. I got too caught up in my new work schedule.
- Work on my endurance through gym classes, cardio and running. Bonus: run a 5K.Make a conscious effort to reduce my sugar intake through sweets and processed foods. (Thank goodness the Christmas cookies are gone!) I did pretty good with the sugar for about half the year. I lost it all in the last part of this year. I tend to eat more sweets when I get stressed. No 5K for me, but I was good about the gym classes until I started this job. The times conflicted with my schedule so I have been lost as to what to do next.
- Plant an organic summer vegetable garden again. We planted, but it was late in the summer. We didn't plan this one out as well as we should have.
- Get a physical so I know my exact health statistics! Didn't do it!
For my financial health:
- Jason & I must both get jobs Bingo! We nailed this one! I started at a temporary place in March, then found a permanent job in August. Jason started a permanent job in August, but it turned out to be a bad fit for him. We are thankful that it got us through a rough year, though. Luckily, he found a new place to work and will start his new job on January 3. We are both excited about this opportunity!
- Once we are both employed, live off of Jason's salary. Put all of my earnings into our savings account to rebuild and start to pay down my student loans and mortgage. I'm paving the way to get those monkeys off my back! We have done surprisingly well with this one. While we are not living completely off of Jason's salary, we're close. We have a monthly goal to save and are doing it fairly well.
- Continue to prioritize the things that we deem important enough to spend our hard-earned money on. No blowing money unless we deem that purchase important. We more than aced this one! We are misers when we need to be. Our year of unemployment opened up my eyes to all the unnecessary things in life. It really helped us distinguish between the wants and needs.
For my home health: These were put off most of the year because we were unemployed.
- The Massive Living Room Project will include: a ton of paint, the wood flooring we have already bought but needs installing, building a hearth for our fireplace, replacing the ugly tile with slate tile on our fireplace and hang up some darn pictures! Bonus = Buying more furniture. Didn't even come close to getting to this one done.
- The Kitchen: paint, deep clean the tile. Bonus = painting the cabinets We started this one. We got the kitchen painted and will stain the grout on the floor next. I am still undecided on what color to paint the cabinets.
- The Master Bedroom: paint and hang photographs Nope
- Bonus: Formulating a plan for the Master Bath Nope
- Extra Bonus: Attempting some landscaping Big nope!
- Plan - and go on - another ski trip! Not a chance
- Go to a live concert that Jason & I really want to see (not including Texas artists since we've seen them a million times) Nope!
- Visit our friends more often! We tried, but avoided any functions that involved spending money for obvious reasons.
Dance!!!
>> Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Oh my gosh, I just saw this video on Dooce and just had to share! If this doesn't put you in a good mood, then nothing will! Also, just like Dooce, I would love to be born with a little rhythm. Enjoy!!!
By request, an update
>> Monday, August 23, 2010
Hello all!
I have totally lost track of this blog in the last week. My new job is going great so far. My new boss is absolutely wonderful and so easy to work with. This job is such a change from the stress I had before at my last position. Sure, there's a LOT to do and a LOT of things to catch up on, but it's not stressful in the same way. Going from commission to salary took quite a weight off of my shoulders. Now I know what I will make each month without freaking out about how much I am selling. This morning I will start my second week and.......I'm actually excited!
Happy Friday Peeps!
>> Friday, August 13, 2010
I realize today is Friday the 13th, but I have no suspicions today! Today is the last Friday I'll ever work at my current job. Tomorrow is my last day EVER. You have no idea how ready I am. I would love to skip out on the last two days entirely, but I just feel too bad about it.
I know, I'm a wuss.
Ten on Tuesday
>> Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Almost forgot! Here's Ten on Tuesday for y'all:
1. Do you have an innie or an outie?
Innie
2. What kind of milkshake do you order?
Chocolate....mmmmm.....it's been a long time since I've had one.
3. How often do you repeat outfits at work?
About once a week. I'm pretty low on clothes right now.
4. What are your feelings about thank you notes?
I like them and should probably write more of them.
5. Do you like spicy food?
I LOVE spicy food!
6. How many toilet paper squares do you use?
I have no idea. I take enough to make a good wad. I know I'm an overuser of toilet paper, but I'm pretty crazy about being and feeling clean.
7. Were you in Girl Scouts?
Yes, I made it to Junior Girl Scout. I didn't go to Cadettes because I decided that sports would be more fun.
8. Notebooks/Journals: College ruled? Wide Ruled? No lines? Spiral Bound? Plain front? Decorative?
When it was for school, I likes spiral-bound, college-ruled notebooks. Now, I don't care what the rule it, but I still prefer spiral-bound.
9. Do you snack throughout the day? What do you pack for snacks?
I really like to, but it's hard with my current job. I usually do try to pack snacks; usually a granola bar, fruit or almonds.
10. What is your favorite month? Why?
December, because I love all the hustle and bustle of Christmastime.
Doing better.....
>> Sunday, August 8, 2010
Now that Jason has completed his first week on the job and I start my new job in just a week, I have breathed a sigh of relief. On Saturday, Jason and I were cuddling and being snuggly and I something hit me: so much tension between us has been released. Although we love each other with all of our heart, financial troubles are still tough on a couple. For the past year, there was an unspoken tension between us. We were always on edge. This played out in our marriage as shortened tempers and continual stress. Neither of us could relax knowing that we were going through yet another month of no income and no job prospects. There were a few events that we argued about something insignificant, only to apologize later realizing that the argument was pointless and caused by stress. Even though our worries are far from gone, we both feel so much better. We can see an end in sight to our immediate financial issues. Later this month, as we figure out exactly how much each of us will bring home, we will work on a budget to save more money, pay off student loans quicker and give each of us a little fun money. After that point, I think we will both feel much, much better.
Read more...Ten on Tuesday
>> Tuesday, August 3, 2010
It's time for 10 on Tuesday again!
1. What is your current favorite television show? Since it's the summer, my fave is The Closer. I've been following it since the first episode and I love it!
2. Apple juice or orange juice? Definitely apple
3. It’s Shark Week on Discover Channel. Do you watch? Why or why not? I don't watch mainly because I had no idea it was shark week. Now I choose not to watch it because I'm not interested.
4. What are the non-blog websites that you visit regularly? Some news site for Dear Abby, local news, Facebook
5. What is your favorite way to prepare green beans? Asparagus? Potatoes? Carrots? My favorite way is for someone else to prepare them! Ha! I love green bean casserole, I don't care much for asparagus, I like potatoes baked with a bit of butter and I like my carrots raw or in a soup.
6. What is your favorite flower? Roses and tulips. That's right, I picked two.
7. How do you feel about handkerchiefs? Nostalgic. I have a bag full of my great-grandma's handkerchiefs. Some of them are so beautiful. I should really figure out some way to display them.
8. If you could only shop at 3 stores for the rest of your life, what would they be? (You probably should include a grocery store.) HEB (because it's cheaper than Whole Foods), Nordstrom (it has everything) and Home Depot/Lowes (whatever is around). That way, I have food, clothes and tools and appliances.
9. If you could only use wine for one purpose for the rest of your life, which would you choose? To cook with or to drink? Drink....duh. What a dumb question. Who the hell would choose to COOK with wine rather than DRINK it?
10. What’s your bedtime? I try for 11, but don't get to bed most nights until 12.
More News
>> Monday, August 2, 2010
Remember how I told you that Jason had finally found a job? He starts on Monday and I am very excited for him. One, because it gets him out of the house. Two, because we get another paycheck. Hooray for more paychecks!
But wait.
There's more news.
I got a new job too. At a baby/children's store. This is one of those jobs that literally fell into my lap like it was meant to be. I was working at the store and trying to sell a woman an expensive handbag. Out of the blue, she asked me if I liked my job. I decided to be honest and told her that it was an okay job, but it wasn't what I wanted to do. I said that "sometimes we gotta do what we gotta do" as the saying goes. She asked me what I wanted to do to which I replied "marketing" and she told me that she was looking to hire someone for a marketing position. I took her card and said I'd call her to follow up.
Now let me interject here. When I worked in outside sales a few years ago, I had employers constantly give me business cards and tell me to call them. They were always hiring. As you can imagine, by the time I called, they weren't as serious as they seemed to be. Having this past experience gave me very low expectations for this particular offer. Regardless, I made the phone call. She wasn't available. So, I emailed instead.
Bingo!
She invited me in for an interview. I looked up the company and got a little information. I really wasn't sure exactly what was expected as I didn't have a written job explanation. So, I went in cold turkey. Isn't that against what they teach in Interview 101? We got along wonderfully and I interviewed (very casually, I might add) for a little over 2 and a half hours. I'll be working in another retail establishment, but I'll be more in the back. I won't have to sell, there's no commission, and I have steady work hours. From what I gather, I'll be in charge of marketing, vendor/customer relations and various store operations. My position is being written essentially by the owner as we go. I'm the first salaried employee they've ever had on their team. I'm really excited about the opportunity! The best part?
I work 9:30 - 6:00 Monday through Friday and will probably work every other Saturday. On the weeks that I work on Saturday, I get a day off in the middle of the week. Not too bad, huh? The gig is 12 miles closer to my house, too. How could I say no? And to top it all off, when I accepted the job, the owner told me, "I feel like I've been waiting for you forever!" Isn't that the nicest thing anyone could say? I start August 16th and can't wait!
2 years down, the rest of our lives to go!
>> Friday, July 30, 2010
This was the status I put on my Facebook. On Monday July 19, Jason & I celebrated our 2 year anniversary. It's been one hell of a second year of marriage and we are so thankful to have made it through. Through lost jobs and financial difficulties, we have come through the year from hell just as close as ever. God may test us, but He has been good to us.
We decided to try out The Vineyards, which is a little restaurant not too far from our home. Since we are still in our "scrimp" mode, we didn't go crazy on the food and wine. We both had the Salmon Crema, which consisted of grilled salmon brushed with pesto atop a bed of linguine. It was wonderful. The salad we had beforehand was simply divine. They have a special olive oil dressing made with poblano peppers, feta cheese, cilantro and a few other things. I know it sounds like an odd combination, but it was one of the best dressings I have ever had! That's saying a lot because I typically don't like many dressings at all. After dinner, I had a glass of Taylor Fladgate 20 Year Tawny Port and Jason had the 10 year. Mine was worth the extra $5 by far. The best part? We were overpoured! As we enjoyed our wine, our waitress encouraged us to walk the grounds. We walked down the stairs - carefully, I might add - and then under the rose-and-grapevine-covered walkway.
As we headed back into the restaurant, our waitress caught us as the door and offered to take our picture for us outside. I thought that was so nice! So here are two of the pictures. Sidenote: Jason had already finished his wine, so she refilled it with the house wine so his glass wouldn't look empty!
In other news......
>> Wednesday, July 28, 2010
I finally cut my hair. I looked back in my planner to see when my last appointment was, and it was in May 2009. Yes, that's right, it has been over a year since I cut my hair. I've always been lazy about getting haircuts because I just hate paying for them, yet I'm very picky about who touches my hair. One would think that cutting my super-fine, super-straight hair would be simple, but it's not. One mistake is very obvious, so I'm very careful of who cuts my hair. Anyway, I may be lazy about getting my haircut, but I'm not 14 months lazy. I couldn't justify spending money on something so trivial when Jason and I were saving and scrimping every bit of money we had. I felt so guilty getting this done that I almost talked myself out of it. But I digress. Several people I know go to Folawn's, so I decided to try them out. I paid $45 (non-gratuity salon) for a cut and style and I'm pretty happy. Thanks to Becca at Folawn's! Here's the before picture:
I know, I know. This looks like a Myspace self-portrait circa 2005. You should all know that this is the only place I am posting this picture. This will not show up on facebook, you have my word! Jason wasn't around so I had to do it myself. Surprisingly, taking self-portraits is harder than it seems. I cut off about 4 inches, but I forgot to take an after picture. So you get a group picture taken on the same day. This was a gathering of friends welcoming our Maryland friends back to Texas. This was taken just outside of Alamo Cafe.
Now that Jason has a job, maybe I won't feel so bad about getting it done again. :) Read more...
It's good to be a cat
>> Tuesday, July 27, 2010
One day I was doing laundry and cleaning up around the house. In my hurry, I put a pile of clean sheets on top of the dresser and went back into the bathroom to finish scrubbing. When I came out of the bathroom, ready to put my sheets on the bed, this is what I found:
Ten on Tuesday
It's been awhile since I've done a 10 on Tuesday, so here goes!
1. How do you take your coffee on an average day? How do you like your coffee if you’re spluging? I don't take coffee on an average day. Sometimes in the winter I'll calorie-splurge and get a caramel macchiato, but it's more for the sugar high than the caffeine.
2. What is your genre of books to read? I'll read just about anything. I have been into things that apply to my life lately, such as health books.
3. Where do you want to retire, if you could go anywhere? Somewhere near family, the coast and with lots of land and no neighbors.
4. The 17-year-old you is told to write a 10-minute speech. What topic would you have picked? Oh goodness. The 17-year-old me would have stressed about it because teenage me was not a public speaker. I don't have a clue what I would have spoken about. I couldn't tell you what 31-year-old me would choose.
5. What word describes you best? Perfectionist. I hate to fail and I am extremely hard on myself.
6. What is the next “event” that you are looking forward to? (ex.: vacation, moving, date, job change, etc) Jason starting his new job on Monday. Then, setting a vacation date.
7. Do you like to discuss controversial topics or do you prefer to avoid those types of conversations? For the most part, I avoid controversial topics because they always get heated and I get uncomfortable.
8. Would you rather add 4 free hours to each day, or add 1 extra day to the week? That depends on whether the extra day was also free. If so, I'll take the extra day as long as it's part of my weekend.
9. If you created a sports team; what would your colors and mascot be? Something ridiculous, like Pink and Blue Redfish.
10. If you had to be a teacher, what subject would you teach? Realistically, science. But I would love to also teach business.
Why hello blog world!
>> Monday, July 26, 2010
Oh, where to begin? So much has happened since I last blogged. Let's start with the July 4th holiday, shall we?
July 4th happens to be my cousin's birthday. When her sisters were in elementary, she convinced them that the entire nation celebrated her birthday, therefore making her the most special girl in the United States. She denies it to this day, but her sisters uphold the story! Here is my cousin, Tiffany, with her birthday apple pie:
Seated next to Tiffany, to her right, is her son Zachary. His birthday is July 7th, so he got to blow out candles on homemade peach ice cream!
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