Weight Loss Goals + a Review

During the two years that I spent in Korea, I lost somewhere around 10-15 pounds. I was eating smaller portions and exercising 3-5 times a week, in addition to walking everywhere I wanted to go. My abs were gaining definition, my thighs slimmed down and I felt very confident about my strength and my body. I did things like participate in a pickup basketball game because I could actually run around without getting out of breath in the first five minutes.

Fast forward a bit. I've been home 10 months and I've gained back all of the weight plus some. Running on the treadmill feels like a chore but I have mixed feelings about running outside, mostly its a mix of anxiety about safety and a lack of confidence. Some have said that I look like a praying mantis when I run. When I was in Korea, I didn't care what people thought, for the most part I was ignored. Now, I'm worried about catcalls or pointing and laughing. Thanks, America.

I hate this.

Anyway, when I was in Korea and back when I lived in PA I participated in a challenge inspired by Six Sisters Stuff and that worked well to inspire and motivate me. If you're looking for accountability I would definitely suggest starting a challenge with your friends and family. 

The success I had with the challenge made me very excited to try one of Six Sisters Strong fitness programs. I was lucky enough to be gifted with a complimentary copy of the 4 Week Home Workout Program and Menu Plan in exchange for a review.

I really enjoyed both the exercise and menu parts of the plan. The exercise plan consists of different interval workouts combined with cardio. I think the combination is very important. I didn't lost much weight in Korea until I started running. The interval exercises keeps me focused on intensity and prevents my mind from wandering like it does when I go to the gym alone.

The plan offers two choices of meal plans. I followed the simpler plan simply because it was all my schedule allowed at the time. I'm getting ready to start the plan again and plan on trying the more in depth eating plan this go around. I found the simple eating plan to be varied and sufficient. I certainly didn't go hungry

During my first two weeks I lost 6 pounds!

And then I went on vacation!

Which is why I'm about to start the plan over. I highly recommend purchasing a plan. This plan was perfect for me because the exercises were challenging but not difficult. I mean that I worked up a sweat and had sore muscles but that the moves don't require much skill to execute. Perfect for the clumsy.  Now, this program worked for me but it does take dedication to to do the full workout and to stick with it. But it is worth it! Also, I think (vacation days notwithstanding) the eating plan is fairly easy to adapt to your daily life once you have hit your weight loss goal. You can just fit your favorite recipes into the recommended rations and serving sizes once you get to the point where you are just trying to maintain. 

If you need extra accountability, they also offer a personalized plan with check ins from a coach. 

What kind of workouts work best for you? Any weight loss tips?

Creating a Manageable Morning Routine

For me,  having a  good morning routine keeps me from falling into a productivity rut and ensures I complete my goals. Creating a morning routine will help keep you feeling healthy, energized and focused all day long. A good morning routine should include elements of each of the following:

11.  Exercise. Going for a jog or engaging in another activity that gets my heart pumping starts my day on the right track. Personally, I am the most motivated in the mornings, and exercising helps keep my energy levels up throughout the day. Also, if I start my day with a healthy mindset, I am less likely to devour a mid-afternoon calorie bomb. Passion4Profession, Tone it Up and Leslie Sansone offer great workouts that can be accessed through Youtube.  

22. Food. Eating a healthy breakfast is essential to keeping away the mid-morning munchies. Often, keeping it healthy and fast is the way to go. A quick Google search yields inspiration with sites such as 100 Days of Real Food, Life Simply and The Better Mom.

33. Inspirational time. Exercise energizes our bodies, but we need to make time to nurture our hearts and minds, too. Take 10-20 minutes each morning to meditate, journal or read a devotional. Doing so will energize and refresh your mind.

44.   Ritual. Rituals help us stay calm and centered. Many people make a ritual out of drinking a beverage like hot water with lemon, tea, coffee, or Choffy. Making a ritual out of consuming one of these drinks during your inspirational or breakfast time can help you remain calm, focused and receive health benefits. Other rituals include lighting candles during prayer or playing music during a bubble bath.

      

      You should make sure your morning routine reflect your priorities and responsibilities. Use the categories above as a template for filling in activities that help you feel energized and focused. Then, make a plan. Get a notebook or planner and divide your day into manageable chunks of time. Make sure to carve out time for your new morning routine. Having a scheduled plan helps your brain remember and focus on your goals. 

     If you find yourself struggling to stick to a routine, apps like The Fabulous and Runtastic, or personal fitness trackers, can help you stay focused and motivated. In addition, implementing a calendar and sticker system can help you visualize your progress. It’s important to remember that the purpose of a morning routine is to help you stay focused and energized. If your routine feels draining or too regimented it is time to change things up. 

Building a Healthy Lifestyle

Embarking on any new thing requires knowledge. I want to know more about healthy eating, cooking and preparing healthy and delicious meals so I spent my birthday money on a few cookbooks that focus on those things.

I received the first of them yesterday afternoon. I purchased the cookbook published by Lisa Leake, at 100 Days of Real Food. The books is divided into two main sections, information and recipes. I've learned a lot by pouring through this real food textbook and I can't wait to try out the recipes.

I've also ordered Kitchen Ecosystem by Eugenia Bone, Not Your Mother's Make-Ahead and Freeze by Jessica Fisher and Milk by Anne Mendelson, to help me sort out what I want to focus on making and create my own healthy eating plan which I hope to have in place more or less by February. And, I'm still utilizing The Homemade Kitchen.  My original goal was to start January 1st but with moving and everything that didn't give me the time I needed to learn how to shop and stock real food. Also, I'm adjusting to cooking for mainly one person as my husband gets to eat and is intending to eat the majority of his meals on campus. This will give me more flexibility with cooking  the "yucky things"  that I love like tomatoes and mushrooms and cut down on my time in the kitchen cooking as I will only need to make 2-3 dinners a week. This should give me more time to create and freeze staples like chicken stock, soups, granola bars, muffins and snacks for my hubby like pizza bites.

I'd really like to focus on eating 80% real food because when I want a treat, I want the real thing. Also, when I do eat dinner in the cafeteria or in a restaurant I just want to be able to order something and enjoy the night out.

As for exercise, I plan on doing harder workouts (3+ mile run and a combo of weights/squats/booty/ab workout) three days a week, paired with two lighter days of  walking and abs and two days off.

What are your health and fitness goals for this year? What keeps you motivated?

My God is an AWESOME God!

So do not worry ,saying, "What will we eat?" or "What will we drink?" or "What will we wear?" For the pagans run after all these things and your Heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and these things will be given to you as well. -Matthew 6:31-33

When we arrived in Korea we learned that we would be paid on the 15th of each month. This meant, on October 15th that we would be paid for a weeks worth of work and would not receive a full paycheck until the middle of November.

We had several unexpected  out of pocket expenses such as physicals and alien card fees. We also needed things for the bathroom, like a shower head an a toilet seat.

We'd saved money to bring with us but these unexpected expenses cut in quite a bit.

Now, we come to the week before payday.

We got down to our last several thousand won (I can't remember but I think it was around $50ish). (1,000 won is just under $1) This had to get us each 2 meals a day  for a week and a  six pack of 2 liter water bottles. We also usually buy a small snack to get us through the afternoon. 8 hours without eating gets to be a long time!

Our cupboards were down to 2 slices of bread, 3 slices of ham, a couple slices of processed cheese, onion, a box of cereal (no milk)and 3 packs of ramen. We also didn't have enough water to make it a week.

We've slowly learned that in this country it is usually costs more to buy groceries than it does to eat out. We could easily spend $50 on groceries and not make it a week.

Mike and I prayed that God would get us through the week and that we wouldn't be miserably hungry. We usually purchased snacks to get us through the 8 hour shift, but it looked as if we wouldn't be able to afford them this week.

On Sunday we bought a pizza box. It included a pizza, chicken tenders and fries and spaghetti. We were able to eat all day Sunday and lunch on Monday from this box. Monday we stopped and bought drinks for later in the afternoon.

However, the amount of spaghetti we shared left us hungry part way through work. It was Pepero day. A day devoted to cookies sticks covered in chocolate and other toppings like nuts. Teachers and students often exchange these treats. We didn't have any to give out, but God blessed us greatly by having students gift us with a couple boxes of them. We were able to have our snack after all! I truly felt has if God had had some marketing guru suggest Pepero day just to help Mike and I out of our hunger!


Monday night we ate more leftover pizza and left over chicken from Friday night. On Monday night Mike calculated our cash in hand to be 20,000 won (just under $20)

Tuesday morning, Mike counted our money and determined we actually had 40,000 won. It was as if God had come into our apartment and slipped us a $20.

Tuesday we went out to eat for lunch. Mike had a rice stirfry type dish and I had a noodle soup. Our typical orders at this restaurant. Usually, it costs us 8,000 won. This time it was 7,500 won. This allowed Mike to buy a Pepsi, for a pick me up. Another food related blessing came today. We had been helping a student prepare for a speaking competition. Her mother dropped off two loaves of coffee and nut bread for the teachers to share.

Wednesday, we ventured to McDonalds and discovered that (Praise God!) they were running specials. We both ate full size meals for the same price as two Happy Meals. Towards the end of the work day, I was starting to get hungry. Suddenly, I began to smell cinnamon. One of the managers had gone out and purchased brown sugar cinnamon pancakes from a street vendor. Knowing my love of sweets, she graciously shared with me.

Wednesday night, our next door neighbor and former boss dropped off a bunch of extra bananas. I ate mine for dessert with melted pieces of chocolate that were a gift from my student. We have enough bananas to each eat one for a snack tomorrow afternoon.

Tomorrow, God has provided enough money for us to keep up our traditional lunch with the teachers at the food court across from out school. I'm so looking forward to a warm bowl of curry.

We've yet to see what God has in store for the rest of the week but I am confident he will provide. Ever since we've started tithing we have never needed for anything.

I feel as if I am living the story of Jesus multiplying the loaves and fish.

 

2nd 101/1001

The following is my second 101/1001 list. I completed aprox. half of my previous list. This list is not a list of must dos, but rather a list of things I'd like to do. The list serves as a way to keep me focused. I have until December 10, 2015 to complete my list.(How fitting that it ends on my birthday!) At that time I can reevaluate.

The italized items are in progress, the completed items are italized and bold.

TRAVEL (0/14)

1. Go to Vegas with Mr. Groom
2. Visit the Bedford Village
3. Take a couples trip
4.  Visit Cake Boss Bakery
5. Take a road trip
6. Lay plans for a recoccuring girls vacation/get together
7. Go to a concert
8. Go to the beach
9. Visit Boston
10. Go to Philadelphia
11. Visit Baltimore
12. See wild horses
13. Renew my passport
14. See the locks

EATING AND DRINKING (0/4)
15. Tour a winery
16. Go to a fondue restaurant
17. Make a cocktail not from a mix
18. Have a pizza making competition

COOKING (0/9)
19. Make truffles again
20. Make Smores with homemade graham crackers and marshmallows
21. Bake 3 inventive cupcake flavors
22. Try 15 new dessert recipes (0/ 15)
23. Try 15 new non dessert recipes (0/15)
24. Make homemade icecream
25. Make deep fried cupcakes
26. Try a Cupcake Project recipe
27. Try a Brown Eyed Baker recipe

WRITING (0/6)
28. Finish Westbound Hope
29. Finish Imag
30. Submit Imag to a Publisher
31. Finish Wives book
32. Submit Wives book to Publisher
33. Attend a writing workshop or seminar

CRAFT/CREATIVE  (0/7)
34. Create postcards out of pictures I’ve taken
35. Take a card making class or a cake decorating class
36. Make a travel scrapbook
37. Finish my wedding shadowbox
38. Finish tshirt quilt
39. Learn to use my sewing machine
40. Finish my writing desk

DOMESTICNESS (0/6)
41. Host a dinner party
42. Get Mr. Groom a personal Christmas ornament
43. Buy personalized stationary
44. Wrap a gift with a Bobo scarf
45.Host a Southern Comfort Theme Party
46. Grow vegetables and fruit


SPIRITUAL (0/6)
47. Write out bible verses that inspire me and post them around the house
48. Read the entire Bible
49. Attend an Easter Service
50. Attend Christmas Eve Service
51. Strengten my prayer life
52. Share my faith with someone

BODY (0/3)
53.Get in shape (be able to run a mile, nonstop, under x minutes....be able to go up and downstairs without getting out of breath. boost upper arm strength)
54. Get new glasses
55. Have retainer removed

GIVING BACK (0/8)
56. Participate in Operation Christmas Child
57. Volunteer at the soup kitchen or food pantry
58. Volunteer with Girl Scouts
59. Be a Girl Scout Leader
60. Send a gift to Morningside
61. Adopt a soldier
62. Send Christmas Cards to St Judes every Christmas (0/3)
63. Look into being a foster parent or adoption

ORGANIZE (0/7)
 64. Load all pictures on my camera onto cds
65. Sell my prom dresses
66. Put all my books on shelves
67. Put all my printed pictures in an album
68. Clean out my room at my parents house
69. Hang artwork
70. Have my wedding dress preserved

FAMILY AND FRIENDS (0/11)
71. Go on a double date with Hotglue and her man
72. Host a holiday celebration
73. Host a holiday celebration where both sides can attend
74. Have a niece or nephew stay the night
75. Have my sister spend a weekend or so with us
76. Continue to send snail mail to my friends
77. Give family history books for grandparents and parents to complete
78. Pray for my futrure children and thier spouses
79. Get  Mike a pet. And not a rock
80. Make recipe dish towels for family
81. Plan something special for our 5 year anniversary

THINGS (0/4)
82. Buy a new laptop
83. Get my camera fixed
84. Start a charm bracelet
85. Get a Nook case

FUN (0/12)
86. Take pictures in a photo booth again
87. Get another massage
88. Play laser  tag
89. Go outlet shopping
90. Host a craft night party
91. Have a bonfire
92. Go on a picnic
93. Host a murder mystery party
94. Host a girls night in
95. Makeover
96. Attend a scrapbooking weekend
97. Have boudoir shots made
98. Learn to braid

PROFESSIONAL  (0/3)
99. Start a business
100. Send my freelance writing resume to 5 places
101. Learn Sign language

Customer Service

When  was in   school (high school and college), if you would have asked me if I would like a job in customer service, I would have told you no way. I am not good with people. And I waitressed once and the worst part of the job was dealing with the people.

Yet, here I am about to transition from one customer service position (cashier) to one that actually has customer service in the title. Yep. I'm going to be a customer service rep at the Tribune-Review. It's a newspaper that's over the one that I currently freelance for.

I was reflecting the other night, trying to come up with a reason for why I seem to only be able to get customer service type jobs lately, and realizing a fear of being stuck in that job path.

And that was when God spoke to my heart. He's placed me in customer serving positions so that I can work on my lacking people skills.  And its those skills that I will need to move on to the next  bigger/better thing that he has planned for my life.

I am grateful to have received this insight because I think it will help me have more drive to succeed and actually learn skills as a customer service rep rather than just skating by until I could find a more suitable job. I see now that I have things to learn. I also think it will help me to be happy when I experience bad days on the new job.

When has God given you insight into His plan for your life? When have you realized that God's plan may not have been exactly what you had been hoping for?

Strike One

Whoops!

I've offically lost on my goal to post every day in June! That just means I've got to make up for it in July! I'm not letting myself off the hook for June though- I'm still going to try to post everyday. Hopefully this week I can get some posts built up so I don't have to worry about missing.

Anyway, here's why I didn't post yeterday:

I was having fun!!!

We had a couple over for dinner and game night and we had such a blast playing scategories, taboo and loaded questions (my 3 favorite games!). The couple have been friend with Mike for many years and  I'd  met them via Skype when we were in Korea but this was my first time hanging out with them in person. It was fabulous! We laughed the whole night through and I felt like I had known them forever.  I hope we have many more nights of laugheter ahead of us

  I made a pot roast in the crock pot with asian spices and root veggies. I southerned it up a it and made a broccoli casserole. Although, I'm not sure how "southern" a recipe is if you get the recipe from a Californian while you're in Glasgow Scotland!

Yesterday I wanted to blog about a job offer I recieved Friday via voicemail through a staffing agency I've been trying to work with. They left the message at noon while I was cashiering. I called back at 3:30 when my shift ended and the offer had been filled! Why did they even bother leaving a message?!

So tomorrow I am applying at Aldi because they are advertising a starting rate of eleven bucks! Sounds good to me! I'm also dropping my resume in the mail for an activities assitant job that I think would be really fun to have.

Tomorrow I'm attemptinh my first ever CVS and Rite Aid couponing trips. My fingers and toes are all crossed that I'll make out okay. I've gotten deal match ups from a few different blogs, have cut my coupons and sorted them into envelopes labeled with the store names. I've also included coupon policies and an instuction sheet that breaks down my shopping list into transaction listed in the order they should be completed. Learning couponing is exciting and fun, but also a bit exhausting, confusing and nerve racking at the same time. But it is something I am dedicated to learning so I'm going to push through and see if I can figure out how drugstore couponing works.

Have to make the changes

Writing a blog everyday for the month of June is just one little step I'm taking to become the person I want to be. I want to be a well published/well read author and I want to be someone who makes a difference.

I just haven't decided/realized how I plan/need to make that difference. I come up with ideas, thoughts and plans but haven't put many of them in action. These ideas come in the form of perssonal improvements I want to make just to make myself a better person to thinngs I want to do for my community. I'm starting to realizing that I need to step up and make some changes happen and not wait for the oppertunity to present itself.

So I'm off to do some sould searching to identify where my interests match up with needs and then go from there!

New Manifesto

1. Chocolate is a choice!
2. Sweets are a treat!
3. Exercise makes you feel good!
4.  Maintainence is part of organization.
5. Cleanliness is.....well clean.
6. Speak up when you have something to say.
7. Writing brings you joy, do it daily. Maybe it will turn into a lifelong career.
8. Edit everything.
9. Sending mail is the best way to receive mail.
10. Make an effort at least once a day to brighten your husband's day. (And any one else's)
11. Pray.

I know there was a  big gasp after the first one, I made one myself as I wrote it, but its true.

These are principles, and ideas that I want to work on incorporating in my life. Yes, I love chocolate but I shouldn't feel like I need it. I should spend more time putting pen to paper then lazin' around on FB. I need to voice my opinions to others and to myself, and in doing so I hope to discover new passions.

I need to work on sticking with my cleaning and organization routines. I enjoy putting them together but don't fare so well on following through with them. Everyday. But I'm determined to teach myself that skill.

I want to write more, love more, exericse more,  enjoy life more and I think that the 11 items above, in addition to a few more I  am still mulling around in my noggin' will helo me do that. One of them is that I want to present myself like I sell Mary Kay. What would I wear, how would I do my hair, make up etc?


What are "rules" or "principles" that you are trying to teach yourself? What goals do you have?

High School Dreams

This post is inspiredf by a Mama Kat prompt that went something like :What were your plans and dreams when you first graduated high school?

I had this problem when I graduated highsschool, but it was probably one of the better problems you could have. I had too many dreams and not enough direction.

There were som nay things I could do, wanted to do dreamed of doing, that it was hard for me to pinpoint a major.

I dreamed of writing popular fantasy novels (still do)

I dreamed of being an archaeologist, experimental archaeologist or urban planner

I wanted to be a TV reporter, or talk show host.

I wanted to graduate from college (check), get married (check) and have kids before I turned 27 (no way jose!)

I wanted to be a Girl Scout leader (still do).

I wanted to travel the world (I've since been to England, Scotland, France, N. Ireland and S Korea and have dreams of visiting many more places)

I dreamed of volunteering.

I dreamed of publishing many things.

Of working for the Girl Scouts, and eventually being  a CEO because the current lady sucks monkey butt.

I thought about going into advertising.

I thought about living in Charleston SC.

I wanted a red convertible VW Bug.

I wanted a job in PR/Comunications.

I wanted to be an event planner.

What were your HS dreams? How have they shifted? How are you living your dreams?

Plans

I plan on posting a blog everyday in June. I need to get back to writing, and this is an excellent place to get my juices going. I think getting in the habit of writing something every day is a good habit for me to get into and I hope this will help.

Please feel free to join in. Or if you don't want to blog everyday maybe you could suggest prompts  or ask a question that I could answer in a post. I plan on writing at least one prompt a week from Mama Kat. Although they may not be the current week's prompts.

Upcoming topics include:

Notes from a Small Town Grocery Store
Chicken and Dumplings recipe
High School Dreams
Back to job hunting
and hopefully, ABC posts on letters R-Z.

Getting Excited....

In 5 days I'll be heading south, to the sweet Carolinas. My niece will be traveling with me and our first stop will be in Winston Salem to visit my grandparents and the onward to my home sweet college town for my college graduation.
I'm so excited about seeing a lot of my friends and family. It will be the first time I've gotten to spend time with any of them since the wedding.
We should arrive in my collegetown Thursday morning. I want to spend my Williams Sonoma giftcard that I won through With This Ring and then spend some time with my former roomies, followed by graduation rehearsal and dinner...followed by...
BAKING WITH HOTLGUE! LIVE AND IN PERSON! Hopefully, we'll be making Baklava, giving each other our new challenges and maybe maybe doing a vlog!
The rest of the weekend is filled with my niece and I getting in our favorite southern bites (waffle house for her, brusters and cookout for me), hanging out with my long missed buddies and of course, graduation festivites.
I'm secretly hopeing my niece will fall in love with Converse like I did and will make plans to go to college their.
In preparation I stocked up on chips (4.99 after coupons, orginally 8.99), hershey's bliss (2.75 instead of 5.29 after coupons), free crunch bars and 20 cups of yogurt for $9. Now all I have to do is grab a few bottled waters for fifty cents apiece and we'll be good to hit the road!
I can't wait for warmer weather and good friends.

Fall Break is finally here!

Fall Break is here and, naturally, I've been sick since Wednesday. If I'm not better by Monday I'll head to the doctor, but I'm thinking its just a cold that needs a good butt kicking.

I took my final midterm Friday morning and then drove to my parents house, where've I managed to nap, do some fun reading, suck down popsicles and actually get some reading for classes done.

This afternoon I went for my dress alteration appointment. I'm getting my dress shortened, bustled and taken in (Thank you, Korea), all for $50.

Tomorrow, I am meeting up with all of the grandchildren on my Dad's side of the family to have our portrait taken for my grandmother's Christmas card, doing some more homework and napping.

Monday and Tuesday I want to make some Christmas Cards and lay out the table set up for the wedding reception. Hopefully, by Tuesday afternoon I'll have all my homework done and be rested up enough to head back to school and finish out the week

Hope ya'll are having a great weekend.

Feels Good to be Home

Hi Ya'll!

I feel like its been forever since I've blogged.

My flight home went well and on my longest flight (Tokyo to the USA) I got a free upgrade to busines class. It was so nice- steak dinner and ice creamm sundae and a "bed".

The downside?

My luggage didn't arrive until last night, which is why you haven't heard from me. And on top of that my suitcase was busted in several places. Thankfully, nothing was missing. I've got Delta's Damaged Luggage claim form ready to go!

So, since I haven't had a computer to help my procrastinate what have I been up to?

Wii Yoga! I love doing yoga on the Wii. As balanced challenged as I am, having the balance circles on the wii really helps me out.

Wedding planning! I made the rehearsal dinner reservations at a local, Italian/American restaurant. I've met with the caterer-who is also our baker. We opted for a smaller wedding cake, since we are having a dessert reception.

To fit the travel theme, we are having desserts from a variety of places- think Baklava, NY Cheesecake and Cannolis and Mexican Hot Chocolate! We're also having a fruit and cheese table with tons of cheeses. I think that will be Mr. Groom's favorite part because he once told me he wanted to marry cheese.

This afternoon my grandparents from NC are taking me to lunch, I'm meeting with the florist and making Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies for my little sister! I'm hoping to send off my engagement notice to the newpaper as well, but we'll see how motivated I feel this afternoon.

Have a Happy Friday- I'll pick up with the featured followers next Friday!

An Example of How Irrational My Mother Can Be (1 of 1 million+)

Here's the background:

1. For years my mom has told me that if I keep my grades up in college she will let me drive our outlander, at no cost. She  has also promised a new  to me car at my college graduation.

2. My mother is upset that I'm finishing college in 3.5 years. If I had not studied abroad I would have finished this semester, in 3 years. "I don't know why you can't ever be normal!" She acts like it took me 6 years to get a four year degree. Wouldn't you be proud that your daughter could finish early?

Here is the main example:

My fiance and I are trying to plan out our finances. He brought up the point of "my car". I decided to ask my mom,  that since she was paying for most of my wedding if she wanted me just to keep the red outlander. Here was my thinking- even recently shes talked about getting me a new car, the outlander is already paid for, if i keep it my family still has one car for everyperson that drives and I have the outlander all of the  time anyway. Essentially, she would not lose anything on this deal.

Her response:

Well, I know I'm not getting you a new car because you didnt go the full four years. (Like I dropped out or something). And I don't know if we'll let you keep the outlander because I need a dress to wear to your wedding.

Umm...okay? How does letting me keep the car I've been driving for 4 years affect your ablity to get a new dress for my wedding? Surely, you're not going to sell the car and buy a dress? The car is paid for, so you're not making payments...

Her response: Well. We just have a lot to pay for, so I don't know if we can buy you a car.

Oh boy. Mom I don't think you were listening. I dont want a new car. I'm asking if I can just keep my car.

Her response: Well, what will I drive?

What do you drive now?

Her: The silver car.

Is something wrong with it?

Her: No.

Well, if you want I guess I could drive that one if you want the outlander.

Her: No. The silver car is mine. I'm going to drive it.

So, basically, the outlander will just sit in the driveway?

Her: Well.....I guess.

Have mercy.

In A Planning Mood

As you may or may not know, I'm spending the summer in South Korea with Mr. Groom. I leave at the end of May and come back at the end of August. I'm getting married December 18th. That means I have a lot to do in the next few weeks. I need to book a photographer for the wedding and for boudoir photos, book a caterer, a DJ and a florist. I also have to order invitations- thankfully I've already picked those out. I also have to address, stamp and mail save the dates. I've looked at photographers already I just need to make and decision (and hopefully haggle down prices). My dad has made DJ and caterer suggestions and my mom has checked out florists- I just have to decide which ones best. I'm not going to have time to catch my breath over the next few weeks. (Thats just the wedding stuff, I also have to shop and pack for the summer- have to take all the tolietries I'll need with me, restock Mr. Groom's supply, buy his birthday present. My sister's graduating n from high school and a beloved mentor is retireing. This is also finals week)

So what did I so today?

Made a calendar! I filled out a lot of dates in  the calendar section of my wedding planning book. But I love love LOVE  to organize and plan, so that wasn't enough. If I could find the cord that connects my camera to my computer I'd show you what I did.

I pulled out an index card for each month and wrote the name of the month on the blank side. I combined June and July since I'll be out of the country and can only do things like look for shoes, buy postcards and keep and eye out for cool decorations and gifts, and hound the hunny to make decisions about his groomsman.

On the lined sides I wrote out everything that had to get done that month. For example, under May I wrote:
- Book a Caterer
-Book a DJ
-Book a florist
-Book the photographer
-Buy the garter I want from Etsy (I'm scared it will get gone!)
-Order Invitations
-Keep an eye on ebay for inexpensive globes (if anyone has one they don't want anymore please let me know!)
-Talk two the 2 bridesmaids I know haven't looked for bridesmaid dresses about what the other girls have picked out
-Start making my ring bearer pillows (I'm making them from the wrap that came with my prom dress!)
-Offically ask my cousins (and their parents) if the can/want to be ring bearers, flower girls and ushers
-Mail the Save the Dates
-start asking around for postcards (since we're doing a travel theme we're having guests write messages on postcards instead of simply signing a book. if you feel the need to send me some postcards just holler!)

Whew! Can you believe all of that fit on the back of one index card?

After I wrote them all out I ordered them and left a blank index card inbetween each month, in case my todo list expands and then clipped them together. Now, they fit perfectly in the pockets of my planner, in my pocketbook or in my pants pockets.

Updates

I've finally caught my books of 2010 list up to speed. Hopefully, I'll get the chance this week to write reviews/descriptions of the books. I'm cheating a bit and including some of the books I've read for school, because lets face it- I've a ton to read for school, and if I've enjoyed the books, why shouldn't I include them on my list?

The books I mentoned in my last ATM post have really paid of for me, at work and in school. I had to do a career project and Ogilvy's books gave me a jumpstart on the background I needed!

This week I'm hoping to squeeze in two baking products-some type of banana chocolate chunk cookie and apple pie cupcakes. I'd also like to make dinner one night but I'm not sure time will allow.

Well, off to do more homework so I can those projects underway.


OOPS! Just looked at the page, and apparently I deleted my books list.

Here they are and I'll try to set up the list tomorrow

Lawof Nines
Life of Her Own
Defying HItler
Kettle Bottom

HWW Week 3 Day 4

Day 4 is the day between workout sets and is set aside as a "rest" day. Today I definitely noticed a bit of burn in my abs and that my legs felt better than they have since I've been home.

As part of the "rest", I've thought about things I want to start once I am back at school (Sunday).  I want to replace one meal a day with a salad and see how that effects my body. I also want to see if I can convince my friends to take a walk with me everyday in the afternoon. I want to walk with them at a leisure pace. I want it to be a fun, relaxing time of motion and conversation. I will  need the companionship even more since I will be back in the area where my (then boyfriend) fiance lived together but not able to visit him as he is still overseas. I need the motion as I want to find a way to be less sedentary that doesnt involve the gym. I may see if we can occasionally replace this walk with a swim.

(I must confess, even though today was a "rest" dictated day by HWW, I still did a few (25) situps.)