Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Brrr!

Well, I guess you could say we've had some sort of weather event here. Yesterday I was at my work meeting in Ft. Worth and we left at 9:30am. (Total waste of makeup.) My friend Sandra and I decided to stop and have breakfast at IHOP in Bedford, so that was nice. Mom joined us and we had a good time at the girls breakfast. I pretty much spent all day at home yesterday vegging under the blankets with a fire in the fireplace. David made hot chocolate and we watched movies. But by 8pm last night, I was BORED! We went to Cheddars for dinner as the sleet began to fall, so we ate quickly and came home just in time. It got nasty out there!

This morning we got the call to just not even bother trying to get to Ft. Worth for the last day of meetings. We were only going to be there a half day, and we don't usually go back to the office after that, so we just planned to stay home anyhow. Turns out they ended up closing the office, so no one had to go in! So David and I went out to brunch today, and now I am entertaining myself with Facebook and blogging. Honestly, I have some stuff to do at work so it's not too awful that I am going in tomorrow. I am ready to get out for a while! I think I will go to the gym, too. This afternoon I am going to give the Jillian Michaels Trainer for the Wii. I tried Madden 09 yesterday...that's going to take some work!

Stay warm, everyone!

Friday, January 23, 2009

Peaceful Weekend Ahead!

This weekend promises to be a nice, low key one. David is spending a chunk of his time up at the DMC for the women's market, so I will be having some quiet time. How will I be spending this lovely time? Studying. Yup...very exciting. I got my Economics textbook in the mail yesterday and now I can read and really prepare myself for my quiz. (I have four chapters to read...there will be much coffee!) There will also be a couple of trips to the gym this weekend. I have GOT to make that happen!

I am getting ready for David's birthday next week, and have some really fun things planned for him. I made a change from the original cool plan I had, and now have some really fun stuff planned, but I'll share those after the birthday! But I have three days of festivities on the schedule for him, and the cool thing is that I get to enjoy all the fun, too! It's all capped off with dinner Saturday night (next weekend, of course) with David's brother Greg and his wife Katie. The four of us are dining at Boi Na Braza (this is not a secret) to celebrate, and I am really looking forward to hanging out with Greg and Katie. They're crazy busy like we are, so we don't get to see them much, but they got a babysitter for Ben and Rosemary, so the grownups can whoop it up! And of course, the Superbowl is the 1st, so David gets to finish it all off with a football game. :) He'll have a good weekend! I went shopping for birthday presents last night and had WAY too much fun!

So that's it right now. I am looking forward to some relaxing tonight before I kick off the Economics study-fest tomorrow. Four chapters of that stuff...wow.

Everyone have a great Friday!

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Today

I think it's an exciting day, no matter what your political views. Our nation gets to embark on a new year, and it's neat to be a witness to history. I am hopeful that Obama can do good things for our country, although I am also a realist and know that it will be hard for him to do everything that everyone wants him to do. I think the thing we can all do is to want the President to be successful, because when he succeeds, we ALL succeed.

And in much less publicized news, I start my Human Sexuality class tonight at 4:30pm. I've reviewed the textbook, and I really got an eye full! Sitting in a class and talking about it is going to be interesting. :)

I hope everyone has a wonderful Tuesday!!

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Cheer Competition

So I spent the bulk of my day yesterday watching a cheer competition. My 14 year old cousin, Ashley, is on a competition team, and this was a beat-down like no other! While I loved watching her team's 2.5 minute routine (and can I say that Ash was awesome!!), it was not as much fun to watch the other 2 hours worth of teams. They had 7 exhibition teams of what looked like 3 or 4 year olds in addition to the junior level teams, and that just dragged it all out. It wasn't as cute as a dance recital, I have to say. But if her team comes to town again, I'll be there yelling for her. She's good at it, and she wants to make her high school squad. She really seems to like it, and I am all about supporting activities that teach discipline, responsibility, sportsmanlike behavior, and physical fitness. Go girl!!

Today is kind of busy...I am going to lunch and a movie with some friends and then I have to get home right after that to get to the store and then make dinner for company coming at 5:30. But I still have Monday and Tuesday to relax. :) Oh, except school starts Tuesday, but I am looking forward to it!

Have a wonderful Sunday everyone!

Thursday, January 15, 2009

The Tax Man Cometh

Yes, it's getting to be that time of year. For me, it's also accompanied with the treat of getting to pass out free "I told you so" lines. Remember that stimulus check everyone was so hot to get their hands on earlier this year? Yeah, when that came out I told people that it wasn't free money and that we'd be paying it back at tax time. Guess what? I've had a couple of people tell me I was right! Yes, brace yourself...that stimulus check was an advance on your refund. So now it's time to pay it back. Lovely. I didn't want it to start with. I think if Obama wants to do that again I am going to write to my congressperson and ask if we can opt out. I didn't want it in 2008 either. I don't know that it even did much for the economy anyhow.

I've been gathering possible 2008 deductions. I think we have enough to offset the stimulus payback, so hopefully we'll still get some sort of refund. I'll take $1 if I don't have to owe the IRS anything! (Can I get an "Amen!"?)

David comes back from Waco today. He only left yesterday, but it's nice to have him home. :) The kitties and I miss him when he's gone. But as happy as I am to see him, I am leaving him to dine on his own tonight. Christy and I have had dinner on the schedule for quite some time, and tonight is the night! She and I are having dinner at our favorite place tonight, and I can't wait! We haven't had dinner together in eons!

I guess that's about it for now. Everyone have a good Thursday!

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Technology is Finally My Friend!

So I finally feel like being on Facebook has paid off! I have been reconnecting with old friends from high school and church, but I got two good friend requests yesterday! One is a friend from high school who was in the US as an exchange student from Germany, and the other was a really good friend from junior high. I have wondered about both for years now, and was ecstatic when I heard from them both in one day! What a wonderful treat! Both guys look like they are doing well and happy, so it's nice to reconnect. :)

I honestly have nothing noteworthy to share. It's been pretty quiet. Work is very slow right now, but it will pick up soon. School actually begins tomorrow, but my professor for my online class already posted stuff for the first week. (This is my economics class) So I read everything and did the first assignment and got it posted. Yes, I am just nerdy enough to have already turned in my homework before the class even begins. My classmates are going to think I am a dork, but I actually have so little to do at work right now that I was grateful for homework!

I think that's about it. It's been quiet lately, and I have enjoyed it. We've been laying low at home, just cooking dinner and relaxing. I made a pork tenderloin for dinner last night that was a huge hit with David, so I am keeping the recipe to add to our recipe rotation. :) But that is really about it!

So on that note, I hope everyone has a great Tuesday!

Friday, January 09, 2009

Warm Weather!

It's a beautiful day! I sure wish I had seen the weather report...I wore a turtleneck sweater today. Oh well...I'll change into something cooler when I get home. :) I do like the break from the cold, though. I did read that we may get an arctic blast next week...brrr! Some weather sites say we'll have 50 degree weather and some saw 30 degree weather. It's Texas...we won't really know until it hits!

I am so glad this week is winding down! It's been a LONG one, and I am ready for the weekend. Christy is doing my hair tomorrow (Yay!) and then we're having dinner with David's sister Lea Anne. She and her husband are taking us to Houston's for dinner, and I have never been. I checked out the menu online and I think it sounds delish! It's an early b-day dinner for David, so it's a special occasion. Glad I'm getting my hair done! (It's time for the blond highlights to go away for a few months!) I'd love a new outfit, but we're on a spending moratorium. We have a mission, and we're hanging on to our money to get everything paid off. We're doing so well, too! Again, I know it's only 9 days into the new year, but if 30 days makes a habit, then we only have 21 more days until we can say this isn't just a fluke!

My father is retiring at the end of April, and I am so excited for him! He's worked harder than anyone I know for a very long time, so I hope he thoroughly enjoys the relaxation he's earned. Growing up, I never needed anything, and my parents made sure I had opportunities to do things I wanted. (Everything within reason, of course!) But Dad always made sure I had nice things and he took good care of me and Mom. I can't imagine a better childhood. I am a very lucky girl! (Thanks, Dad!!)

That's it for this beautiful Friday. For some reason, my manager has decided to call a meeting...who knows why. So I am heading off to see what's up there. (Nothing much, I am certain.)

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!

Thursday, January 08, 2009

Yawn!

You know how it is...you're in the perfect spot in the bed, all cozy and warm, and then that ugly alarm clock sound rips you out of your sleep and you have to get up. Yuck! I wish I was still in the spot in the bed! I was sleeping so well. *sigh*

Anyhow, I have very little news today. I got home yesterday and David and I went for a walk. It was a short one because I am lame and was getting tired, but we got up and moved yesterday, so I am proud of us both. :) We tend to be a bit lazy so we're trying to change that. Tonight I am planning to clean out the fridge and the closet on the patio. Both need to be done desperately!

I was going to work out up here today but I managed to forget my gym bag. Actually, I forgot to repack it after getting my shoes and workout clothes out of there yesterday, so I will be sure to do that tonight. I like getting my exercise in early so I don't have to do it later. I did manage to pack fruit and yogurt, though, so that's my accomplishment for the day. I usually pack a lunch, but I am going to lunch with a couple of co-workers today. I am allowing myself one lunch out per week, and this is my one for this week. See? I'm doing better already! Eating healthy AND saving money!! I'm so proud of myself - I just have to keep it up for longer than a week!

I am also fighting the shopping bug. I have gone to my favorite websites and changed my settings so that I don't get all the email notifications about sales. See? I am proactive about avoiding temptation!

On another note, David's friend Jeff email me some pictures he took at our wedding and I love them! He sent me three but he has lots more that he's putting together. In case I didn't rant about it here, our wedding photographer lost most of our wedding pictures in a hard drive crash. Please don't ask me about backups and all that because I already asked and apparently there were no backups of my wedding pictures, so I have some, but not many. It makes me very sad if I think too much about it, but it is nice to see pictures people have taken, and I love what Jeff sent! (BTW, if any of you were at the wedding and took any pictures, we'd sure be grateful if you'd send them our way!) Bottom line, Jeff sent us some awesome pics and I can't wait to see the rest of them! :) Thanks, Jeff! You rock!

So that really is about it for today. A bunch of rambling and silliness. But that's me! Have a great day everyone!

Wednesday, January 07, 2009

Seven Days In...

Yes, a whopping seven days into the new year, and I am still maintaining my focus. I know, I know...it's only seven days, right? Yes, but I have to celebrate taking things in small chunks, and one week of eating better, not spending extra money, and getting off the couch and moving more. I have menu planned, shopped carefully, and done more around the house rather than doing too much vegging. (Some vegging is allowed, right?) So yeah, I'm pretty proud of my first week in!

Mom and I decided that with trying to pay things off and put money in savings that we're going to postpone our NYC trip for now. It's not cancelled, just put on the back burner for a while. We're both trying to put money in savings and pay off credit cards, so it just makes sense right now. But when we do go, look out NYC!!

Other than all that, I don't have much news. Things are good...nothing big going on. David's birthday is at the end of the month and I have been planning fun things. He knows I am taking him to Boi Na Braza for his birthday dinner, but he doesn't know what else fun is planned! I'll spill the beans here after his birthday. Hey, I don't want him stopping by and finding out!!

That's it for today. Everyone have a great Wednesday!

Monday, January 05, 2009

Back To Work

Ugh...it's hard to look at the upcoming week and know I have to work all five days! But the new year is here and it's time to get back to it. How can I complain? I had plenty of time off and took a cruise and had a great holiday!! So I guess now it's time to get on it.

We worked HARD this weekend. Saturday we moved the spare bed out and cleaned out all the junk we could. Then on Sunday after church we headed out to IKEA and bought two desks and get them set up last night. (Oh, and we had to make a second trip to IKEA to pick up some hardware we forgot on the first trip!) It's not near complete yet, but David and I both now have a desk. He desperately needed an office and I needed a place to study and do schoolwork, as well as budgeting and bill paying. Now we have all this! We need to get rid of the old computer desk and get a futon to put in there, and as soon as we have some decor up on the walls, it should be complete! We have ideas, we just have to get it all done. But we're almost there!

So far, I have been doing well with my focus for the year. We've eaten very healthy, and although I haven't been to the gym yet, we've been very active at home getting things cleaned out. My body is so achy and sore, but that's a good thing. :) Today I am going to the gym here at work and am putting in 30 minutes on the treadmill. Hey, I am still sore from the weekend, so 30 minutes is good for me! We didn't go out to eat, so we've saved money. The bummer is that we went over budget on the stuff for the office, but I think we'll be fine since we're eating at home more. It will balance out.

School begins a week from Wednesday!! I'm actually excited about getting back into school...it means I'm getting closer to graduating! It's going to be a busy year, but a good one. I am planning to attend summer school to get my Spanish out of the way, so that will be a challenge itself: summer school is M-Th from 6-10pm. A lot of work, but in 10 weeks I can knock out 6 hours. Not a bad gig!! So while this is going to be a challenging year, I can do it! :)

Well, I guess I better eat my yogurt and get back to work. I hope everyone has a wonderful Monday!!

Friday, January 02, 2009

Focusing on 2009

I refuse to use the "resolution". I never keep them, so I won't make any. What I am doing, is deciding where my focus needs to be for 2009. Here's my list of things I am going to work on this year:
  1. Weight - yes, I know how tired everyone here must be reading about how I am yet again embarking on the weight loss journey. Sorry, but I refuse to give up on myself. But I am taking a new approach with myself, so I will post periodic updates here as I am ready to do so.
  2. Finance - This is a new one for me. David and I have an awesome plan in place to have all debt (yes, I mean ALL) eliminated by June. I will post an update to that in June and let you know how it's going. I expect this to be a great success, as David and I are a really good team and are very focused on this one. We have other goals that will follow once that is accomplished. :)
  3. School - This is ongoing for me. I am taking 9 hours this semester, so I am going to be busy, but it will help me graduate sooner. That's the big motivator! Oh, and along with school, I plan to keep myself on the Dean's List. That's a list I enjoy!

That's my three. I don't want more than that because they are three big ones, and are of utmost importance to me. It's going to be a good year, and I am excited. One year from now I look forward to patting myself on the back for being so disciplined, and hopefully I'll be within a year of graduating!

What are you focuses for this year? I'm curious to know what is of importance to everyone else!

Thursday, January 01, 2009

Happy New Years!

I hope everyone had a wonderful New Years! We went to Jeff and Lyn's annual party, and as always, thoroughly enjoyed ourselves! We always pack our jammies and just spend the night so that we don't have to mess with the drunks on the road. After we got up this morning, we went over to Joseph's catch up with him. They are doing well, and he is loving his new job.

It's a nice, laid-back day today. We stopped at Central Market on the way home, as we are grilling a special dinner of tuna steaks, asparagus, portobello mushrooms, and sliced avocado tonight. It's a new year, and we are ready. David and I have made commitments for the year and we're looking forward to accomplishing our goals. (I refuse to refer to them as resolutions...I never manage to keep those!)

So I hope that whatever you wish to accomplish you are able to achieve this year. I think 2009 is going to be good!

(Oh, and go check out http://www.therussocorner.blogspot.com/! Jess is doing her very first Oprah-esque "Favorite Things" giveaway!! :) She's my MAC soulmate!)