TGIF!

And I say that with an AMEN and Hallelujah!!  I don't know that I've been this happy to see a Friday end and the weekend start in a long time.  I have been nervously waiting all week for the end of this week. I had to do a presentation tonight at OSU for one of their MBA groups of about 40+ students. Of course I started getting sick with a cold, sinus, cough, congestion thing on Tuesday and felt miserable and nervous all week.

I started having a major fear that I'd have a crazy sneezing or coughing fit and wet my pants or something. Do you stop and explain to this group why you cross your legs when you sneeze/cough/laugh too hard or do you pull the leg crossing into a 360 degree twirl and pretend it's part of your presentation? Luckily I didn't have to make that decision.  I was mostly hidden by a nice big podium.  It all went well and I'll be happy if I never have to speak in public again (very unlikely though).

I was very saddened to see that my old boss, the former director of the library when I worked there, passed away this week.  He was a very kind and funny guy, old school, liked things simple. He was also very intelligent and passionate about the library system and helping others.  He helped me make the decision between getting my Masters in Library Science or a Masters in Counseling. He wrote me a wonderful letter of recommendation to use when applying to grad schools.  It's sad to think that he's gone - he was only 61.

Larry Black, 1949-2011

This is the last weekend in February so we've got to be productive - I'm excited to see what we have accomplished in our 2nd month of the YOSP.  I feel like we continue to make great strides.  It is also a very busy weekend with social activities too.  Ella has a 7:30am soccer game (which I think is insane for a 7 year old), 2 girl scout events this weekend, I am getting together with some high school girls Saturday night, book group on Sunday, and I really need some time to rest up and get rid of this cold!!  Which means that I really should be getting to bed now!

Fancy Dance

Silas has been very into dancing lately. He is always asking me to turn on the "fast dance music" on the iPod. He then dances like a maniac - I'm sure it has nothing to do with the umpteen pounds of Valentine's day candy he's ingested over the last week.

Last night he was jumping around holding himself.

Me - Silas, do you have to go potty?

Si - Nah, that is just part of my dance moves.

Alrighty then...

Justin's Birthday

Justin celebrated his birthday yesterday - though there wasn't too much celebrating going on because he had the dreaded stomach virus and spent the majority of the day in bed.  He got up long enough to make some breakfast and then went back to bed until dinner time...the poor guy - that's no way to spend a birthday!

He requested a pot roast for dinner and a carrot cake. I made him both. This was his birthday card:

I made it a bundt cake and when Justin commented on it I said, "Yeah, I really like bundt cakes."   Ella looked at me all strange and when I ask her what was wrong, she wanted to know why I would like "butt cakes".  So I guess from now on, carrot cake will be known as "booger butt cake" around here.

We did get to sing Happy Birthday to the birthday boy.

Hopefully Valentine's Day will be a better day for him!

Father Daughter Dance

Ella and Justin went to a Girl Scout Father Daughter dance this evening.  Justin was all hobbling around with a sore back and knees after putting down a floor this week...Ella is still tired from being sick with that stomach bug and has a nasty cough. But they still went and had some fun.

 

And they looked pretty cute too :)

I'm SOOOO happy that we don't have soccer tomorrow morning.  We play on Tuesday and have the next 2 Saturday mornings off.  I hope the kids sleep in and get a lot of rest this weekend. 

I ran for the first time outside last night - in about 12 degree weather!  I met Sarah at the Park of Roses and we ran a little over 5 miles with the Cbus Pacers group. It was fun and I hope to do it again soon. I was all layered up and not the least bit cold, or too hot.  Now it's really making me want warmer weather to get here soon!

And now that I have everyone else all tucked in for the night, I think I am headed that way too.  Gotta get a good night's sleep so that we can have another productive weekend!!

A Week in the Life

It seems like things have been very chaotic lately...or maybe it's just me that's chaotic.  Last week we had a big ice storm that closed down the schools for 2 days. It was just crazy slippery out - it was hard to even walk out to get the mail and I watched several neighbors struggle to just pull up into their driveways...and then slide back down once they managed to make it up. I was very happy to send the kids back to school on Thursday!

On Friday, Silas had crazy hair day at school.  We had just gotten his hair cut earlier in the week, so making it stick up funny wasn't really happening.  I went to Drug Mart and got him some spray color :)  He LOVED it!  He was jumping around like a maniac once we sprayed a blue stripe down the middle of his head.

We had another really productive weekend of basement cleaning.  We are definitely kicking butt in that area, though a stranger would still be shocked at the amount of stuff that we still have left down there!

On Monday, I got a call from the school in the afternoon that Ella was sick.  I had just gotten to the grocery store and had to turn around and go pick her up. She was sick as a dog.  She couldn't keep anything down on Monday and early Tuesday.  By Tuesday evening she was feeling somewhat better and I sent her back to school today. Now I'm hoping and praying that the rest of us don't get it too, but I think that might be unrealistic...

YOSP - January Recap

January is done and we are 1/12th of the way into our YOSP.  I feel great about what we've accomplished in January.  Here is our recap thus far...

1. Get in better shape financially.

• I've updated to Quicken software since my "financial institution" decided to update their online banking and it's not compatible with MS Money and I wasn't too happy that they didn't tell me that before the transition! (Apparently I was the last person on earth to know that Microsoft is getting rid of Money).
• Have a meeting with a planner scheduled to help organize priorities, pay off debt plan and get a better handle on the business expenses for myself and Justin.  
• Ebaying unused items...$100+ so far in the last couple weeks :)
• Lots of juggling this month as the aftermath of the NY trips and Christmas hit the books.  We are using our Neat Receipt software and scanner to make sure that we are aware of what we spend the money on though.  It's very helpful to not only know that I spent $52 at Target but how much was necessity and how much was "oh, that is cute!"...
• We met with our financial planner, got a "plan" in place, made some changes to our bank accounts so that we can move money around between accounts and deal with the business accounts.
• I spend at least 10-15 minutes every morning tracking and downloading our account information into Quicken.  I spend more time on the weekend planning payments, incoming checks, etc.  
• We have made changes in our spending. One BIG area for me to work on is using coupons and saving on groceries.

2. Get the house organized. 

• started cleaning out the basement - we sorted through 2 shelving racks full of unorganized stuff.  A lot of it was the Christmas decorations, but also some other holidays, found some old albums (CCR and Nielson Schmeilson for Justin, AC/DC and Thriller for me :)  We have pulled a ton of stuff already that can be donated, some to be stored away for once we finish the basement and lots that is just plain old garbage!
• sorted and downsized the maternity clothes from 7 totes down to 2!  Those 2 can either be donated or consigned.
• Cleaned out the master closet. What a mess!  You can see before (left) and after (right) in the pics :)
• Each weekend I have made a list of what I want to get organized.  This past week it's been the dreaded corner in Ella's room, sorted through the mounds of books that we've had piled in the kids' rooms and set out about 5 bags of stuff for donation.
• Organized the upper kitchen cupboards, including the spices that were falling on my head each time I opened that cupboard door.
• Sorted and organized 2 more shelving racks in the basement. We have another huge pile to be donated, eBayed and "dealt with" in some sort of way.

3. Health and fitness...get into better shape!

• We've been been going to the Y 3 times a week.
• I have increased my running from 0 miles 4 weeks ago to (on average) 3.5 to 4 miles. My max so far was 5.5 miles on Saturday.
• Justin and I bought new running shoes that will help decrease, or possibly even eliminate, the pain!!  My left leg/knee/hip/hamstring has been very sore since I started running and looking at the video of my form (that they took at the shoe store) it's no wonder! I run like a duck!
• When you are walking/running on a treadmill, and it shows you how many calories you are burning...and then you consider popping a Twix or KitKat into your month, you realize that it will take 45 minutes of running to burn off those calories. It really makes you think about "is it worth it?" and I'd rather save my calories for wine! (oh, and healthy food too).
• Justin and I have both made great strides in this area. We are continuing to go to the Y, to work on being fit, healthy, eating nutritiously, shoving fruits and veggies down our kids' throats...
• My goal on Sunday was to run 4.5 miles.  I felt really good Sunday morning when I went to the Y and I ran 6 miles.  That is my personal best thus far. It has become totally addicting and I'm really looking forward to outdoor running once it warms up some. I could hardly walk down stairs for 2 days after...I continue to do too much too soon but I still feel good about it.

4. Do more family activities. 

• We haven't done any "organized" activities but we've had some movie nights at home.
• Ella started indoor soccer this week  - I think she'll really enjoy it!
• Family Y time now that we're going regularly again!
• We have yet to do any more organized family activities but with the weather like it's been, we spent a lot of time having movie nights and a sit-down family dinner almost every night of the week.
• I can tell you I'm NOT looking forward to the 7:30am soccer games that Ella has coming up!

5. Spent more time on our interests and hobbies. 

• Running has quickly become a new hobby!
• I know this sounds cliche...but I've given myself "permission" to enjoy more time for reading, blogging and photography (and now exercising as well).  I have a huge guilt complex when it comes to work because I work by the "billable hour".  So when I'm not working, I'm not getting paid. Changing my mindset has helped greatly.
• My friend, NetterB is doing a photo project - a weekly theme and posting of weekly photos.  I love the idea and have decide to do the same on my FotoBabble blog.  I did a Google search and decided to follow the themes posted on this site. I am 2 weeks behind but plan to catch up with the weekly themes tomorrow!
• This area has lagged.  I started doing the photo project but have struggled to find the time to get out and get photos. I'm still committed to the project though! I just need some time to catch up.
• I have had a lot of quality time with friends in the past week - my first Thirty-one party, a first movie/drink night with the girlfriends and book group on Sunday, as we move into our 9th year of being together!!  I think we need our own reality TV show :)

6. Decrease my anxiety about death, dying and cancer. 

• This seems to be taking care of itself...the more I workout and feel "healthy" the less I worry about it. 
• Sad news often affects me deeply. Sometimes my heart aches for folks that I don't even know.  This past week, good friends of a past client of mine lost their 5 year old son to cancer. It breaks my heart.
•  A blog that I have followed for a long time now (before their loss happened) just recently posted this beautiful video of their story. Since the day I read of their horrible loss (in 2008), I was significantly changed as a parent. I'm very grateful that they have shared their loss, grief and search for new joy.

7. Spend more time with my husband. 

• This has mainly consisted of quality "home organizing" time lately and going to the Y together.  
• Business is slow...we're spending a lot of quality time together ;) 

7b. No more kids, so I have to watch just how much time I'm spending with my husband. 

• So far, so good!
• Ditto!

One day last week, I was up making coffee, feeling good about life and proud that progress was being made.  For some reason I suddenly felt down and asking myself why I was feeling so smug about it...shouldn't we have been doing this kind of organized, healthy, financially responsible stuff all along? Why should I be so happy and proud that we're doing what we're supposed to do?  It sat in the back of my head that day but I think that I've run the cynical little voice off.

February is a short little month but I'm excited to see what we get done.