A Fresh Start.

I'm pretty big on new year's resolutions. January 1st is a fresh start for most and I partake accordingly with resolutions and optimism for the new year. January 1st is an arbitrary date and your fresh start could begin any day at any moment.... The beginning of the year just so happens to be a popular date.

At the beginning of the calendar year I'm like everyone else and set goals for the coming year, it's not until my birthday that I feel like I get my fresh start . As you may know, I'm a little superstitious.... so every year I do a little preparing for the 11th of February. Basically I get super OCD. It might be because it is a touch closer to Spring or maybe because I don't have Christmas clogging my time, but I get kinda crazy with the cleaning. Most years that means my floors are clean, the laundry is all folded and my sink is clear of dishes. This year I seemed to take it a couple of steps further, I cleaned out every inch of my house. I went through my closet, bookshelves, jewelry box, under the bed, all my drawers and every basket! Enough to pack my car with donations for Goodwill. I can't even tell you how good that feels! Everything in my house has a place and there is no clutter to be found. I completed tasks I've had on my to-do list since I moved into this house. That box of CD's that I haven't touched for years?! All imported on to my computer! I feel like a load has been lifted off of my shoulders!

When I wake up tomorrow it will be to a clutterless home! I can't think of a better birthday present.

Missed it by That Much....

It is day four of February.... four days into my first week of my new budget system. Always enjoying a bit of a challenge, I was actually pretty excited about my first grocery shopping trip. I felt as though I was set up for success. I had created a meal plan for the week and had created a shopping list that I remembered to bring to the store! As I walked the aisles I kept a mental tally of an approximate amount I was spending. When I reached the checkout stand I was pretty excited, I knew it would be close.... but I felt pretty confident I was under my $50 budget. As each item was scanned I watched the monitor, making sure my club card discounts were being applied. Then when the final item was scanned and the total came up.... I couldn't help but sigh a little. I missed my budget mark by 87 cents. Pretty disappointing, but I wont beat myself up too much after all I am still learning.

So, where did I spend my money?

Produce:
Apple (2)
Green bell pepper
Yellow bell pepper
Romaine lettuce
Onion
Sweet potato
Banana (4)

Meat:
Pork chops
Ground turkey
Lunch meat

Dairy:
Eggs (6)
Butter
Milk
Sour cream
Yogurt

Frozen:
Peas

Grocery:
Soy sauce
Tortillas
Baguette

At this point in my shopping I was feeling pretty please with myself. I had managed to stay on the perimeter of the store (which most nutritionists will tell you is the healthiest place to shop) and I hadn't purchased any "off list items." I figured I had spent about $42 so far. So when I passed a wine display that had a decent bottle of Two Vines Merlot on sale for $7.50 I knew it was close. Whelp, that bottle of wine put my over with it's added tax.... something I hadn't really taken into consideration.

Here are a few lessons from my first week of budgeting:

1. If you shop every week you won't need to buy so much! I hadn't been to the grocery store in almost two weeks so I really needed lots of stuff.... including things I don't buy ever trip like butter (which is kind of expensive).

2. Remember to count the tax.

3. Meal plans are the only way to stay on budget.

4. You still need to get some of the things that you enjoy... so save some $$$ for wine.

My week isn't up yet so I can't say whether or not I stuck completely to my budget, but so far so good.

You'll notice that the .87 went over in to my second column. The second column is my budget for other expenses throughout the week, other necessities that are not food related. This is also an overflow area for groceries. Soooo technically I'm still on budget for the week.

Book update:

5. The Five Love Languages-  Gary Chapman

I can't stop telling people about this book. I had learned a little bit about love languages while in a Communication class back in college, but like most things I learned in school I remembered the theory but not the details. So I bought it on my NOOK. Such a mistake! This is book to share and reread and maybe even take notes on.

The Five Love Languages is based on the theory that everyone has different ways of showing love and how they feel love. If they are not getting love in the way they need to, then their "love tank" is on empty. The book is filled with examples of couples who have been together for years who's marriages and relationships are suffering because they aren't showing love to their significant other in the way that their significant other receives love. That might not make total sense so obviously read the book or head on over to the book's website that has a lot more information.

Here are the languages:

Physical touch.
Quality time.
Acts of service.
Words of affirmation.
Receiving gifts.

Maybe just by reading the list you can say to yourself, "Obviously mine would be acts of service, I love it when my wife makes me dinner."

I don't think anyone would be surprised to know that my love language is receiving gifts. Before I read the book I might have been able to tell you that, but after I read it I don't feel like that is such a shallow way of feeling loved. It doesn't mean I need to get big boxes of presents all the time to feel loved (although I don't mind! :-)). It can be anything from a love note to bringing me my favorite soda. I've also come to realize that this is how I show my love for people.

This book is a great way to get your mind thinking about how you can better love the people in your life and how you can be better loved.

Love=Happiness

38 years. All You Need is Love

Lately I have been feeling extremely blessed. It seems like all the pieces of my life are falling into place at the same time. I can't help but believe that God decided that right now was the time to answer all my prayers.

Yesterday Brian and I took my parents out to a nice dinner as a thank you for bringing us on an amazing tropical vacation to Kauai, Hawaii. It was nice to treat them for a change, they do so much for me. After dinner I got to thinking.... What if I was still me, but had grown up in a different situation with different parents? What if I had been raised in a family that couldn't afford braces? What if I didn't have a Mom who told me I was beautiful and wanted to spend time with me? What if my Dad wasn't kindhearted and the best man I know? It's obvious I wouldn't be the same woman I am today. I also know that I would not be anywhere near as happy as I am right now.

Today, February 1st, 2013 is my parent's 38th wedding anniversary. We live in an culture where divorces are as common as births and I have been blessed to have been raised by two people who have set a wonderful example of what a marriage should be.

So today I'm feelings lucky, blessed, and proud to be a part of such an amazing family.

All because two people fell in love.