2011. Accomplished.

It's about that time of year to look at the past 12 months to see what has been accomplished in my life.  Actually, now that I think of it, it'd be great to outline what has happened in the past 24 months...beCausE, things have definitely changed!

In 2010, I accomplished many things on my life bucket list (just to set the scene):

• Became 100% Financially Independent (meaning I pay for everything I need by myself, a longstanding goal of mine)
• Got Married, to an old friend (Surprise*!)
• Moved into a "loft" in a big city.
• Road Trip across the entire United States
• Weekend get-away to NYC (& saw the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in person)
• Epic-ly quit a horrible job (Told em' whats up, and then just simply walked out.  Followed by my similarly fed-up coworker days later.  Something I am genuinely proud of myself for, to this day.)

On New Year's Eve 2010, it was out with the old and in with the new.  My feminine intuition never fails to disappoint, and for as many years (about 5 to be exact) as I just knew that things were not going to get better anytime soon, that night, I just KNEW that my patience would finally meet its promised hopes - on one condition...that I must let go of everyone and everything in the past never ever look back!  It worked.

Central Park, NYC

In 2011, onward pressing onward, this is how things went down...Not exactly bucket list worthy, but nevertheless, of note:

• Upgraded to a fabulous job as an executive assistant to nationally recognized health care executives.  Can you tell I love my job?  I do.  I'm in career-heaven.
• Started babysitting a little boy (he's 7) from India on a regular basis.  It's fun to learn about their culture, and fun to have spending money :)
• Wrote out our first family budget, thanks to Dave Ramsey.
• Went on our first couple diet (we both lost 5 pounds!)
• Learned how to use Coupons, thanks to my Labor Day weekend in San Diego & TLC's Extreme Couponing marathon.
• Moved into a newer apartment, with a non-psycho police officer landlord (aka a very respectful and nice grandma of 2 named Mary Ellen), in house laundry (free), and a built in dishwasher!  Heaven.
• Brigham played and performed at his debut Fireside!
• Brigham and Mike produced their 2nd CD (Spirit of Christmas), and are currently promoting it...if you want a copy let me know...it's on itunes too.
• Escaped to New Hampshire for a birthday getaway...ahhh, I relax just remembering that incredible weekend!
• Enjoyed a wonderful weekend in NYC again this year with Megan, Job and Rachel, and Aunt Kay!
• Quietly quit some toxic people and decided to never talk to them or think about them or talk about them again.  And I the more time that goes by, ironically, the more happy I am.  Strange, huh, but this is a big breakthrough for me.  JFK said, "Forgive your enemies, but never forget their last names."  Sometimes the only way to forgive is to forget, and the only way to forget is to say goodbye - for good.  

Like I said, my upgrade to a new job has been a real game changer.  Less hours, more income, and more time with my hubs with less stress.  More time to be domestic = happy Emily.  I am glad that I worked at Enterprise, though, as grinding as it was at times, because I was constantly sharing the gospel and answering questions about being Mormon, and I made really great friends (who I never get to see because they are always working), and lets be honest, I was loved and cherished for who I am, and the example I set by just being me.  I'll admit it, I shed a few tears when I decided to change jobs, and I wasn't the only one.  But as much as I love being with people who LOVE me, I had to get my priorities in order, and in the end, family will always come first.

Looking down the pipeline to 2012, here are some of our hopes:

• Road trip to Georgia (to see Brigham's friend Kat Graham tape Vampire Diaries), North Carolina (to revisit Brig's mission), and Washington DC (to see Jessica and McKay)...uhm to be continued
• Go on a Church History Tour with Welch family visitors
• Celebrate Brigham's Graduation!!!  (whaaa?  already!  I know right?)
• Go camping.  Anywhere!  I miss it so much :(
• Go on a Cruise!
• Fly to Hawaii to visit my mission :)
• Do some kind of scripture/bom challenge
• maybe welcome a little one into the family? We'll see ;)
• Start paying back those torturous student loans...early.
• Enjoy family, friends, the accomplishment of our goals, and then just Chillax!

Extreme Couponing 2.0: 70% Off Grocery Adventure!

My extreme couponing adventures continue!

This week, if you buy select items at Shaw's, they will give you back $10 toward your next purchase, AND, it just so happened that I had multiple coupons for each item on my list!  You have to spend a minimum of $25 post-coupons to get the $10 gift coupon, so that was tricky and took some planning...but it worked out!  Although my goal was to only spend $25 and call it a day, I did pick up a few extra items, and there were some things I planned on buying but weren't there so that threw me off, but FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, I saved more than I spent!

This is the retail price, pre-sale, pre-coupon, pre double-coupon cost: $92.10

2 Boxes of Kix

2 Boxes of Cheerios

2 Boxes of Total

1 Box of MultiGrain Cheerios

4 Boxes of Gogurt (Yoplait)

10 Yoplait cups

2 Pillsbury Grands rolls

2 FiberOne granola bar boxes

3 Green Giant Veggie Boxes

2 Totinos Pizza Rolls

2 Bags of Bugles

2 Bags of Chex Mix

1 Gallon of Milk

2 Colgate Toothpastes

2 Dr. Pepper's

This is what I paid for everything: $38.07 - ($10.00 gift card) = $28.07

+

Thats a total savings of 70% Off

So lets do the math here:

I bought 39 items

I paid $28

That means each item was an average of $.71 each

Thats better than the dollar store!!

Things to do this fall

101 Things to Do This Fall
1. Go apple picking
2. Visit the country
3. Bake apple pie
4. Carve or decorate pumpkins
5. Bake pumpkin pie
6. Decorate turkey pinecones for Thanksgiving placesettings
7. Go for a hike
8. Make turkey handprint placemats
9. Knit or crochet something
10. Make something handmade for a Christmas present
11. See Disneyland’s Halloween decorations (the Haunted Mansion is a must!)
12. Go trick-or-treating at a theme park (Sea World has a great trick-or-treat party)
13. Play in fall leaves
14. Make a quilt (must fix sewing machine first!)
15. Visit someone in a nursing home
16. Write a letter to someone
17. Donate a turkey to a homeless shelter
18. Make a collection of your family’s Thanksgiving recipes to pass down to your children
19. Scrapbook
20. Go to the Drive-In Movie Theater
21. Visit the beach during a storm to see giant waves
22. Read a book
23. Make or hang a fall wreath on your door
24. Visit a pumpkin patch
25. Go on a hayride
26. Go horseback riding
27. Go to a football game
28. Make hot apple cider
29. Start Christmas shopping
30. Attend a parade
31. Visit a fire station’s open house
32. Attend a church’s Fall Festival
33. Host spaghetti night at your house
34. “BOO!” a friend (leave candy on their doorstep and doorbell ditch them … make sure they know that they’ve been “Boo’d” and that the candy is from you so they know it’s safe)
35. Host a football party at your house
36. Host a chili cook-off
37. Learn a new card game, like Canasta
38. Visit a farm
39. Shop at your local farmer’s market
40. Complete a large puzzle
41. Decorate for Halloween
42. Bake bread43. Attend your Alma Mater’s Homecoming
44. Attend an Oktoberfest
45. Take a train ride somewhere new
46. Watch a sunrise after a stormy day
47. Color
48. Make leaf rubbings
49. Go ice skating
50. Take a history tour of your city, preferably a haunted one!
51. Donate books to your local library
52. Read a Classic
53. Watch a foreign film
54. Visit a haunted house
55. Attend a carnival
56. Volunteer at your child’s school carnival or festival
57. Bake a cake or cookies for nurses to say thank you
58. Go ziplining among the fall foliage
59. Tell a ghost story
60. Send a care package to a friend that’s far away
61. Make cake pops
62. Put on or attend a puppet show
63. Write a story64. Take your dogs for a walk someplace new
65. Write down 10 things you’re thankful for and share them at Thanksgiving
66. Do something extra special for your child’s teacher
67. Read something inspirational or motivational
68. Play hopscotch in the garage on a rainy or cold day
69. Play Chinese Jumprope in the garage on a rainy or cold day
70. Do a crossword puzzle
71. Learn Sudoku
72. Make candles
73. Drink hot cocoa
74. Have brunch at a restaurant you’ve never tried before
75. Plant bulbs that will bloom in the Spring
76. Make something messy with clay or papier-mache
77. Make caramel apples
78. Play soccer
79. Go to a petting zoo
80. Make friendship bracelets
81. Paint or draw a picture you can frame
82. Build a fort
83. Have a campfire and roast marshmallows
84. Visit a museum
85. Take a carousel ride
86. Watch It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!
87. Attend a local theater performance
88. Make Apple Brown Betty and serve it with homemade ice cream
89. Take your kids out to “coffee:” Pumpkin Spice Latte for you, hot cocoa for them!
90. Take an art class
91. Paint something ceramic, like at a Ceramic Cafe
92. Frame school portraits
93. Play touch football in the front yard
94. Invite a relative you haven’t seen in awhile over for dinner
95. Create a new, healthy habit
96. Attend a craft faire
97. Decorate a spooky tree for Halloween
98. Make Christmas ornaments
99. Try pumpkin ice cream
100. Take lessons to learn something new, like how to play an instrument
101. Make a “Day in the Life” photo album with snapshots
(courtesy of http://myfabulousescape.com)

Braised Balsamic Chicken (recipe)

Brigham and I love having company over for dinner.  On two separate occasions, with different sets of guests, this recipe has won them over to the point that they have gone home to make it themselves (or requested the recipe so that they could!)

So, I present to you the link to the best chicken recipe ever!

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/braised-balsamic-chicken/detail.aspx

Enjoy. (I like to serve this with white rice, btw)

Honey Pot Hill Orchard

This year (taking full advantage of the holiday weekend) I wasn't going to miss the apple orchard.  Partly because it's the festive thing to do in October in Boston, but especially because it is out in the open woods far away from the city.  Lastly, our good friends Jessica and McKay are moving next weekend, and we wanted to get in one last fun outing with our buddies before they're gone :( 

Brigham was reluctant to go, trying to use the "but babe, I HAVE to practice today" card, but really, who practices on a beautiful Saturday afternoon after complaining about cabin fever the night before?  And, although he griped all the way there about the traffic, he did admit once we got some hotdogs and apple cider donuts that he was having a really good time.  The rest of the day, he was all smiles...even on the drive home!

wide open spaces

This is our neighborhood.

It might be an understatement that urban New England is the opposite of wide-open spaces.  Our place is small tiny miniature.  Our neighborhood is a literal compilation of row houses piled on top of one another.  To save a little money, my husband and I recently moved into a tiny one bedroom apartment, and by apartment, I mean attic.  Our 1' deep closet is in the living room.  There is 2' of space between our bed and our dressers in our bedroom, when the drawers are closed.  An additional armoire was added out by the front door, welcoming guests (classy).  We downsized our kitchen table from a rectangle seating 6-8 to a circle seating 4 at most, so it would fit in our new tiny kitchen.  And, the bookshelves that used to house books now reside in the kitchen for additional food storage along the inwardly slanting attic wall.  

Even though we just moved here from a larger apartment (that had major landlord issues and no laundry) and we both love the homey, cottage-like, cozy feel of the place, (with free laundry in the basement and a dishwasher, and minutes from public transportation!) it still is hard to think about how much it costs to live here, and how much space you don't have.  Particularly after Elder Anderson's talk about having children.  Considering that, there is literally not even a spare corner to put a crib in, much less a closet or a bedroom, which means, that if we do get pregnant in the next two years, we will have to move again!  

There is, undoubtedly, a certain charm to city living.  I can't lie about that, but it comes with a pricetag.  It's exciting to be right in the middle where all the business, education, music, theatre, dance, and restaurant action is buzzing.  It gives you the impression that, by association, you are also a big deal.  But this girl grew up on 2.5 acres in the country, and as of late, I cannot stop thinking fantasizing about getting back to wide open spaces, home improvement projects, cooking/decorating for the holidays, raising my future children, and being closer to family.  I religiously (daily, multiple times) visit this blog written by fellow young-married people who write about their low-budget adventures of home ownership and child-rearing.  I might even be a little jealous of them.  Not to mention my propensity to kill endless hours pinning images I will probably never afford or make from pinterest.  A girl can dream, right?

During my optimistic moments, I browse Craigslist housing prices in North Carolina (where Brigham served his mission) and have discovered that in some areas, we could live in a 3 bedroom home for about $500/month.  Space on the cheap! (cue James Taylor singing "In my mind I'm going to Carolina") It feels like a good idea, until I remember that I grew up in SAN DIEGO, and really, how do you justify moving to NC after knowing the greatness of life in San Diego?  The beaches, the perfect weather, the relaxed laid-back culture, need I say more?  However, on the other hand, moving back to CA would merely put us in the same bind that we are in now; namely, we would be overpaying for a small apartment or crashing with family with the added bonus of finding work in a bad economy, to say nothing of student loans.  

Hmmm...decisions...decisions...

I'd take even a little yard, or a deck for at least a bbq.  Some form of property that I own and can make projects out of.  But for now, the beautiful public parks will have to ensue my desire for outdoor activity, and regarding home ownership, I'll just focus on the fact that we don't have to deal with property taxes and maintenance...that's one perk, right?  I'm reaching here.

Being hitched to a musician/teacher leaves a lot of room for interpretation in predicting the future.  I read recently that once you are past the point of survival, the only difference between poverty and prosperity is in your level of gratitude.  I guess in those terms, we are incredibly prosperous!  My Grandma Jones told me that her happiest times as a married couple were when they were the poorest.  I think that one day I might agree with her. I am so blessed with the great husband who makes me laugh everyday, a great apartment that I have decorated just right, and with the amazing opportunity to live here in Boston (who knew that I'd ever be living HERE!)  Living here has changed our lives indefinably- in fact, we don't know married life outside of Boston.  We are surrounded by wonderful friends and associates of all walks of life, who help us, inspire us, and make life enjoyable.  And, we do love our apartment, as tiny as it is, it does feel like home.

That is, after all, what matters most.

The wide open spaces will come, and when it does, we'll appreciate it all the more.

General Conference

In all the training meetings that people dread being a part of in the world, and all of the boring lectures that we have avoided by ditching classes in our lives, one might find it a little odd that an entire demographic of Mormon church-goers and friends excitedly look forward to and wholeheartedly embrace 8+ solid hours of listening to elderly men and women speakers.  Based on all of the people who nod off during regular church meetings, it comes as even more of a shocker that so many people post facebook status's about it and can't wait to hear the new messages, or are sad that conference ended too soon.

It's true that it is a little strange that anyone would be excited about 8 solid hours of listening.  In an effort to explain the (literally) global phenomenon of people who feel this way (including myself), I'll just say that watching or attending conference is much like that feeling of growing to Grandma and Grandpa's house for a holiday/family reunion, and getting fed the best meals ever, while enjoying the company of people you love and admire!  The grandparent generation proffers wisdom and also expresses their savvy and humor in staying current, they advise on necessary course corrections in your life, and want to lead you to happiness and success.

Hearing from leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is always exciting to faithful members of the church.  It is impossible for us to doubt their callings as the Lords messengers when (a) you feel the Holy Ghost when you listen and (b) your life gets incalculably better when you obey or act on their counsel.  For me personally, I enjoy these meetings particularly because of their candid honesty in openly and boldly declaring love for one another and loyalty to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  There is absolutely no shame in what makes us different.  When so many other business, social and political "leaders" carefully calculate their every move to be in-step with what drives profits, popularity, or votes, our leaders walk unabashedly with intergity and purpose.  They are motivated by the gravity of the mission of The Church of Jesus Christ, and how it changes lives.

One story recently published in a church magazine is that of a man who proudly told a friend about a living prophet speaking during General Conference.  When the friend, in return, asked "Wow, what did the prophet have to say?" the man realized that he had forgotten the message, and could not recount it to his friend. He became embarrassed and vowed to pay closer attention.

So, if anyone wants to know, the things that I took away from this conference weekend are:

1) Don't justify delaying children because your husband is going to grad school.  Yikes!
2) The church is growing as prophesied by all scriptures.
3) The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is actually a brief title after all (since it accurately explains exactly what we are about).
4) Father's who love their children's mother are the best ones.
5) Temples are very important- that's why we keep building them.

Doppelgängers and nationality inquiries...

So, what do all of these people have in common besides fame?  Me, apparently.

(too many to count)

(occasionally, but most recently yesterday)

(once, and hopefully never again)

(Bon Jovi, thank you Doug my bro-in-law)

(when meet joe black was popular)

(not as frequent but every now and again)

(usually for the smile)

(my sister pointed this one out in high school)

 

(in Ally McBeal days only)

If I had a dollar for every time somebody told me I looked like one of the above in my lifetime or someone else in the media (some way more frequent than others, thank goodness), or someone else they know "you look so familiar", or tried to guess my nationality "OMG I totally thought you were Mexican/Asian/Hawaiian/Argentinian/Native-American/Fill-in-the-blank", or how many times and ways I have had to explain to people that I am just your average white girl, I might not need to use coupons.

As for Brigham, he really only has one celebrity look alike, which we heard A LOT about after we sent out our wedding invitation.

What do you think?

Extreme Couponing 1.0 (not so extreme)

When I was in San Diego this past weekend visiting my family, we had a couple days to just unwind and watch TV.  Since it was a holiday weekend, I guess, there was an "Extreme Couponing" marathon on TLC...and I got completely sucked in for hours and hours.  With each new episode my jaw continuously dropping to the floor!

It really is shocking to see people, who typically seem just as busy or busier and no smarter than me, checking out $1000+ worth of items for less than $50 over and over, and over again.  Then, to see the stockpiles in basements and pantries, that look and appear like grocery store isles (and know that everything in there was basically free) was even more mind blowing.  So it got me motivated to give couponing a chance.

All week I have been dabbling around on the Internet looking for tips and tricks of the trade.  Then yesterday I checked out this article online "How to be an extreme couponer in 10 days" and felt like I hit the jackpot of all coupon tutorials.  I totally recommend this link to anyone interested in trying this out:

http://easternshoremom.com/category/become-an-extreme-couponer/

I still need to shell out some cash to get my newspaper subscriptions (for Sunday coupons, which Internet resources recommend getting 2-6 sets of newspapers), so I didn't clip any of those, but in the mean time, I was able to print out some coupons online to get started...so shopping I went, coupons in hand!

Today, I went "couponing" for the first time to basically get a taste of the experience, and to see if I will really want to get those newspaper subscriptions.  I went to Target, and Costco, so no double couponing today.  Costco only allows you to use their store coupons, so I made a list of all the items I needed from their coupon booklet.  I wouldn't say it was anything near or even approaching extreme, and I really didn't end up with huge savings, though it was enough to leave me feeling satisfied.  But, the good thing about this trip, different than any others, is that I stayed focused and only put items in the cart that I had planned on buying/needed/had coupons for and COMPLETELY avoided impulse buys (which saved me about $100 right there.)  Next, I went to Target with a stash of coupons (both store coupons and manufacturer)...but I realized before I went that the Target store coupons were for the store brand, not brand name, so no huge savings there.

So, here are the results:

Costco: 77.89 (including 15.25 saved with coupons)

Target: 35.11 (including 5.00 saved with coupons)

TOTAL: $113 (total saved 20.25 with coupons) for a 15% savings today.

It's no 90% savings, but it was definitely fun enough as an experience to give me a new outlook on shopping.  Brigham is also excited about this new development.  I suppose if you count the money I would have spent in either of those stores on an average trip (usually Target is $60 and Costco is $200) I guess you could say I saved at least 50% today.

labor day weekend, san diego

I Heart San Diego To Do List:


Go to the beach
Ride Wave-Runner in Mission Bay with the fam
Go bargain shopping
Eat In-n-Out
Watch HGTV and other favorite shows
Watch "Extreme Couponing" marathon
Eat at Pat & Oscars
Go see San Diego Temple lit up (too late for a visit inside)
Take a romantic walk on the beach with hubby (La Jolla)
Eat Yogurt Mill (frozen yogurt)
Family BBQ
Backyard pool party
Chillax
Go to Brigham & Mike's musical fireside (Del Mar)
Sell 40 CD's
Book future gigs
Enjoy family bonding
Eat special waffle & strawberry breakfast to congratulate Brigham
Eat at Rubio's (taco shop/burritos)


Did I miss anything?

on that note

In the past few days, I have been home alone (Brig is already in Cali, I'll be meeting him there tomorrow)- and what have I done? Finished reading The Host, by Stephanie Meyer.  Yawn.  Scoured the Internet for more tutorial blogs, fashion inspiration, and the like.  Nothing notable.  Then, I wrote a poem.  Jackpot.  And...She's back, ladies and gentlemen!  In the midst of my creative moment, it occurred to me exactly what had changed over the years that resulted in my noted fashion decline.  The root.  Actually, it would be more appropriate to call it an Emily decline, because that's really what happened. 

My early 20's were not exactly a gentle, charming glide into adulthood, to say the least.  For a girl who comes from an intact home with loving parents, who loves the gospel very much, and who has attempted to live my entire life on the straight and narrow path, this was quite a shock to my system.  The dreams and ideas I had upon starting this decade of life progressively and, with increasing intensity year after year, were thoroughly beaten out of me.  To be fair, though, my dreams were heavily people reliant, so they were basically destined to fail, although how was I supposed to know that at the time?  When people who stopped going to church never came back, when people I stopped dating never looked back, when people I gave everything to in their time of need never reached back, and lastly, when I never got to go back to Hawaii and finish my missionary service, something inside of me changed, and I wouldn't say it was an improvement.  There was a distinct moment in time when I felt as though I may as well have been buried under the rubble of 9/11. At that point, I let go and I stopped trying.  I did things, of course, I made sure my life made sense and kept up the status quo, but I left all the trying to others.  Since then, the real me has only been partially present (the rest buried deep in a very hard shell).

Clearly, being in hiding is not working for me anymore.  I mean, when you experience emotional trauma, it's like any other trauma - you just need to sit a few out; but, when you stop trying for things, you go numb.  When you stop exercising, you go limp and flabby.  That's not how I like to feel. 

And, you ask, how does all of this relate to my style/fashion?  Easy.  Style isn't as much about what you wear, it is about your intention for wearing it.  Clothes are clothes, but if you don't have purpose and intention, you, my friend, have no style.  Rather, I should say, I have no style, because I am talking about myself not living with intention. 

But that's all about to change, permanently, thanks to this poem I wrote last night, which allowed me to realize all of this.

*enjoy*

Dear mr. pride

Hello something long gone,

My, looks like you’re barely hanging on

It’s hard to believe you’re still alive…

So long ago I felt you thrive.

Though, Mr. Pride, you seem to have lost your lustrous power –

That temporary thrill of being right

Has Suddenly dropped its foil for cower,

Revealing the Absence of light

deeper within.

Anything to win.

Ponder. Please, this will help you understand

What threatened you was neither devised nor planned.

Comprehend the truth you refuse to embrace,

It is still the truth you are afraid to face.

Or, pull me like lies against a lever,

Twist me into something clever-

And have your silent say

In all the corners of yesterday.

But carve your ripples of regret

IN Someone Else who will carry your silhouette

Because

I will never again let you to stay,

And you will not ever have any today.

true confessions of my fashion decline

THEN...

I'm twenty years old and I love shopping, fashion, and good style.  The world feels like it is at my disposal, the future is exciting, and I can do anything I want.  I probably go shopping about once a week, just to check the racks for any great deals.  What I don't have on my side of the closet, I can just borrow from Bayba's closet, or Pam's...and we always find something cute.  If I happen to overspend a little, that's not a big deal, because my parents help me out since I'm in college.  I love that feeling of excitement and trying on 20 outfits on Sunday morning just to get the right one.  I love that feeling of looking classy and fashionable, but not trendy.  I love hanging out with my friends, and having such a good time together, and of course, getting asked out on dates.  All is good and right with the world. Except, I wonder who I will marry...and when...?

NOW...

Still in my twenties...and I'm so concerned about my budget and getting to work on time that shopping, fashion, and good style seem to elude me in every way.  The world feels more defined, the future is more or less planned out, and I am bound to hard and fast goals that make sense instead of intuitive whims that don't make sense (the latter what I was known for in my younger days).  I go shopping about once a week for food or household goods, and I can never seem to enjoy a "guilt-free" trip to TJ Maxx, or the Mall, because as they say, "a good deal isn't a good deal if you don't really need it."  And really, I don't need more clothes.  What I don't have in my side of the closet, I just dream of making sometime, or I just without, because (a) my husband and I can't share clothes and (b) he is amazing, but looking put-together is just not quite his strongest feature (which doesn't help me much).  Not to mention, of course, that in high school when I actually was flat-chested it was not as stylish as it seems to be now.  My closet is filled with old (somewhat frumpy) mission clothes, begging to be restyled, but finding the time and motivation to do this after I come home from work, is an obstacle I haven't yet figured out how to overcome.  My church outfits are more determined by what is easy to put together and comfortable (or in the winter, what is warm) than how stylish I look.  I have a closet full of heels I never wear (I mean never).  And my hair...oh boy...one word...apathy.  No body, doesn't hold a curl, looks frizzy when blow dried, and I can't figure out how to do all of those cool braids and messy buns - so hair band or pony tail it is.  Hanging out with friends is never spontaneous, because I have to work them into my schedule, or I have to work around theirs.  I am happily married to the perfect, and I mean, beyond perfect man for me - but the fun-loving girl who cared about style?  Sigh.

Problem Solving:

I realize that the above statement is a little dramatic, but for the most part, it's accurate.  It's really been years since I felt, or actually have been "stylish." I'm pretty sure my mission did me in.  Clearly, there has been a slump. I need to set some hard and fast style goals.  I mean, there have to be standards. 

Fashion wise, here are the main challenges.  Everyone has their "things" but for me, finding myself the right looks are somewhat difficult at the moment because my body type (bust) makes current styles look horrible on me, and quite frankly, I'm not too fond of the blimpy, loose fitting, 90's-esque winged shirts/dresses anyway. I love ruffles, but even those can be my worst enemy if in the wrong place.  I love the belt-around-cardigan-over-cute-shirt with skinny jeans or a pencil skirt look, but I've tried it, and it rarely gets past my bedroom mirror check (at least with the belt, which just seems to emphasize the bust).  Realistically, the curves are probably not going anywhere soon, so I have to figure this one out.

Refashioning?

I also realize that just because all of our money has to go to necessities and savings, I'm not left without options.  Really, I love this option of refashioning.  Since the clothing budget is small, shopping at my favorite places style icons (gap, banana, anthro) are simply not an option, but

here is a blog I found today that is actually quite inspiring:

http://cottonandcurls.blogspot.com/p/diy-wardrobe-tutorials-on-refashions.html

Here are some things that I want to try and make sometime:

homemade cleaning products recipes

Since I have recently turned a new leaf in managing finances, I have realized that this is not just an attitude change, it is actually a complete lifestyle overhaul. The idea of saving money so that we can {sooner than later} progress toward complete financial freedom is making me re-analyze everything I spend money on. The funny side effect is that these discoveries are actually really exciting {I know I am a huge dork}, and they will help with the budget.

Now if I can only get over my aversion to the nauseating smell of vinegar...I'll be able to try these formulas out!

Here is what you need to make your own cleaning products:

For laundry detergent, you need 1 cup washing soda (Arm & Hammer), 1/2 cup borax (20 Mule Team), 1 bar soap (I use whatever’s cheap, in this case Pure & Natural), Approximately 3 gallons water

For kitchen and bathroom floors you need a mixture of 1 gallon of hot water with ½ cup of white vinegar. The mixture is safe for hardwood, linoleum, tile, and pretty much every washable surface. You can also use this to clean your entire bathroom, not only floors.

To make your own dishwasher liquid use water with lemon juice. All you need is ¼ cup of lemon juice and ¾ cup of warm water.

To make a disinfectant spray mix a ½ cup of borax with 1 gallon of hot water.

To clean your windows use a mixture of 1 cup of water, 1 cup of rubbing alcohol, and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar.

For cleaning kitchen cabinets use a mixture of ¼ cup lemon juice dissolved in 1 gallon of hot water.

Toilet bowl cleaner can be made by mixing ¼ cup of baking soda with 1 cup of vinegar. Let it sit for 10 minutes or so, and scrub it with brush.

Brigham's version of "frugal"

While I was writing my other post this morning (Our Week as Cheap-O's), Brigham was on his own computer working on some music stuff. Even though we've been talking about money a lot this week, when he kept bugging me to look at the link he sent me, I didn't make the connection. When I finally got around to actually clicking the link (aka when I was done blogging) this was what I saw. What can I say, I guess every little bit counts! At least his heart is in the game.

http://www.meh.ro/2011/06/10/low-budget-x-men/

Our week as Cheap-O's

A couple of weeks ago on the way to spend a day at the beach, I was at a friends house (picking her up) and spotted the Dave Ramsey book Total Money Makeover, and she let me borrow it. Every now and again, I'll find a good read that takes me from the usual "willing myself on" from one page to the next, to "wow this is fantastic did I already just read 100 pages?" The Total Money Makeover was just that, but the best part is, that it has completely motivated me to actually really do what the title suggests.

A little background here will be helpful, probably, to put into perspective why this idea is appealing to us. Prior to last summer, when we got married, Brigham and I had essentially lived completely debt-free lives, meaning, until the age of 26, neither of us acquired a cent of student loan or credit card debt, and had never personally felt the burden of "interest never sleeping." However, our decision to move to Boston immediately after we got married so that Brigham could attend the Boston Conservatory of Music was one that required loans. Lots and lots of zeros on the end of a 1 (by the time he graduates) are now our friendly companions, never too distant to forget about.

Some people would be more inclined to bury their heads in the sand and/or embrace the feeling "I'm screwed for the next 20 years", but that attitude only causes us stress, and it simply doesn't work for us. When we were making the decision to come here in the first place for this opportunity, we carefully and prayerfully considered the financial cons, yet all signs pointed to yes and all of the doors opened for us to walk through. We prayed individually and felt confirmed in our decision and encouraged to move in this direction. We have been nothing but blessed beyond measure in every way since we moved here, and I have a hard time believing the Lord will leave us in a bad financial situation for doing what is right for our family. It's time to increase our faith, and we all know that faith without works is dead.

So, there is hope for us. The signs: a few weeks ago, I simultaneously finished the Dave Ramsey book, we wrote out a budget for August, moved into a more affordable apartment, and I started a better paying job (30% raise). It was the perfect opportunity to start a financial experiment to kick-start our new Money Makeover attitude.

The experiment was "Lets see if we can go a whole week without spending any money."

The results, I have to admit, give me even more hope. First off, Brigham was actually excited to get up and pack his own lunch each day. We did spend money, but not nearly as much as normal, and each night, because Brigham and I reported our day to each other, we felt more like a team and in love with each other. Aside from our regular fixed monthly expenses due this week, like our rent, phone bill, and subway passes, which aren't noted below, we did pretty well.

Here are the actual results:

Monday: $0

Tuesday: $4 - 15 min parking

$10 - brig gave money to a bum

Wednesday: $2 - 1 breakfast muffin

Thursday: $17 - date/dinner (our one date for the week)

Friday: $0

Saturday: $2 - drink while on an outing downtown

$12 - 3 books (Borders going out of business sale)

$16 - groceries

Total: $63.00

Considering we spent more than this on one date (dinner and a movie) and then some on other stuff we didn't need the week before, its a huge improvement. And the best part is, the feeling of accomplishment and gratification we felt on Saturday was even better than the feeling of having saved some petty cash; in fact, it's propelling us to do exactly the same thing this week!

Who knew being a cheap-o could be so rewarding?!

Lately

Well, first of all, sorry for the long space between now and my previous blog. I have been wanting to update, but due to the following factors, time has not been easy to come by:

1. Realized that the enterprise career path was actually NOT for me, and invested time and considerable mental stress into looking for another job. {everyone knows job hunting is no easy feat}

2. Interviewed for a position, waited for 4............................weeeeeeeks to hear back, and fiiiiiiiiiiinally got word that I GOT THE JOB!!! {hooray for a normal, balanced life now}

3. Moved into a new apartment in East Boston {more on that in another post}

The funny thing is, it's July and in a couple of weeks Brigham and I will be coming up on our year anniversary, and I feel a little hint of deja vu. They say the most stressful life events/changes are (a) marriage (b) job change (c) moving. Last year, I got the joy of dealing with all three when we got married, then one week later moved from So Cal to Boston, then interviewed for enterprise at the same time. This year, I just got to deal with (b) and (c). However, I'm definitely NOT complaining, because this time around the changes are awesome!

Sorry, no pictures yet. I am kind of waiting for a photoshop program. In the mean time, I promise my next blog post will detail the cuteness of my new place, and some of the awesome things Brigham and I have been doing around town to enjoy summer!

A Day in My Life

*alarm*
{4:00 am}

*drive or walk 6 blocks to work*

*stay there and ask these questions about 30 thousand times*

{"Would you like a toll pass, gas, or an upgrade?"}

*while secretly thinking*

Yes? Hah sucker!
No, OK, you suck.

...12 hours later...

...finally go home. Eat. Sleep. Love my husband. Think about going to the gym. Watch TV. Say a prayer. Sleep.

***

They say the company I work for is one of the best places to launch a career. It's true, in a way, because if I REALLY wanted to, I could easily double or triple my salary in probably less than a year or two. My current managers who have been with the company 4 years are making +6 figs.

The only problem is that, according to my calculations, each promotion you get adds an extra 20 grueling, grinding hours to your schedule, with the added bonus of dealing with problem customers. Manage an Airport, and you're bumped up to 100 hrs/week.

Goodbye sleep. Goodbye enjoyable, balanced life. HELLO MONEY!!!

Mmmmm. Sounds like me doesn't it! Where do I sign up?! Oh wait, I already am signed up. I'm just wading in the kiddie pool at 50-60 hours a week...

It's great that I'm sooooo motivated by money (sarcasm included).

***

Once I was a really deep thinker, I was so deep that I rarely came up for air. Well, those days are long gone. Now, thanks to Enterprise Rent-a-Car, I'm living on the surface. I feel like a blond surfer chick that just rides one train of thought all day; I am saying goodbye to my childhood again, saying sayonara to my deep thoughts time. Now, I think about basically, well, nothing. By nothing, I mean for 12 hours a day I think about this:

"Would you like a toll pass, pre-paid gas, or an upgrade?"

*the end*

Our Boston life

It's hard to believe that Brigham is wrapping up his first year of Grad School.
It seems like just the other day we nervously embarked on our drive across the continental United States from one corner to the other, with only a week of marriage under our belts.

We are busy and loving life.

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Our east coast abode.
{things have been rearranged a bit, but this gives you the general idea, don't mind the mess}

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Our walk in the park.
{before the longest winter ever}

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