Joining the 10 lbs Challenge

I joined the 10-pound Challenge hosted by Newlyweds on a Budget. Lose 10 pounds in 12 weeks, win $$$. Are you in?

Erika over at Newlyweds on a Budget is hosting an awesome contest!  Go check out the details!

I purposely did not put losing weight on my 2012 goal list, simply because I wanted to do it for me, and not for a goal.  I didn't want to say "lose 20 lbs" and then if I lost 10....feel bad.  So anything has to be better than where I am now!

We have a wedding to go to in May, and I would love to be on my way to looking great.  I love that this will mentally jumpstart me....plus, it does go with my goal to win a giveaway!!

My plan....go back to Weight Watchers plan for eating.  I have all the tools from when I did it before.  I understand the program.  I just need to do it.  And hopefully, once I start to see some results, it will snowball from there.  As for exercise....that is a problem, but in Biggest Loser enthusiasm for the season...No excuses!

So go on over an check it all out.

Blogging and Personal Goals 2012

I really struggled with post.  I really wanted to make these goals attainable.  Not so low that by January 3rd I am done.  But not so high that in a year I am writing a review and saying....see what a failure I am, AGAIN?

Plus, I don't want to just roll over the failed goals from one year to the next.  I mean, would I like to lose 20 lbs?  YEP.  But how many times can you say that before it just becomes that goal that you feel like you have to stick on the list because....well....you never achieved it (I did lose 32 lbs....and have gained 28 of it back....go me!).

No timelines for these.....they will be on-going.

Blogging

1)  Fix "the look".  I really don't know what this means.  But I know I am not there.  I started...but I need to see where it takes me.

2)  Enter and win 1 giveaway.  Technically, I won a giveaway once.  It was for a blog makeover (how is that for irony???).  But the woman who was doing the makeover flaked out.  So I didn't get very far.  But I would love to win a giveaway!!

3)  Increase followers to 175. I know my blog will never be a powerhouse, but who knows!

Personal

1)  Make-over "home office".  As I stated, my home office is technically in the room we call the playroom, which is technically the house's dining room.  It needs to be more organized and functional.  And pretty!

2)  Try 10 new recipes.  I get bored cooking the same things.  This will allow one new thing per month (and a little give for the crazy months!)

3) Continue to discover who I am.  Celebrating Yule was marvelous this year.  I plan on adding to the celebrations this year for Summer Solstice, and more.

4)  Create balance in our marriage.  This one will not really be one that I will discuss much here.  So you will just have to go with me on this one.


Again....nothing terribly original or exciting.  Well, maybe fixing the home office....my old file cabinet will look fabulous once I am done.  That is exciting.  It isn't that I don't want to have these goals....more that I am so much more driven by my Financial goals.   

Here we go!!!

A review of Blogging and Personal Goals 2011

Ok, so 2010 goals were super far off base.  And 2011...slightly better, but still need some work. 

Blogging

1)  Increase readership to 73 followers.   DONE!!! I crushed this one!!!  I was at 58 at the beginning of 2011, and I am at 132 now.  That is an increase of 74, or 127%!!!  You guys ROCK!

2)  Make $100.  DONE!!! I did make a few bucks, but not a ton.  Again, this blog was never designed to be a money making machine.

3)  Continue to re-work my "look."  Eh.  It got some changes, but not what I really wanted.  I need to figure out what it is I need to do.

Personal

1)  Clean out my closet and get rid of the old stuff!  I did start this...but it didn't get far.

2)  Have family portrait taken.  Um....no.

3)  Lose 20 lbs. Does gaining 20 lbs count for anything???

4)  Clean out attic.   Eh.  It was cleaned out fairly well when we did the yard sale.  But some of it ended up back up there.  And some of it just got messy.  It still needs work, but not a total fail either.

5)  Accept myself, and my husband for who we are.  WOW.  Again, little did I know.  I would say we have really made some progress in the past couple of months.  Things aren't perfect, but compared to where we were.......

I don't know what I expect.  Perfection comes to mind.  But that is so not realistic.  My 2012 need to be something attainable.  Any suggestions???

This is why I have to revamp my page

I learn so much from you guys.  Not only from your adventures, successes, and those "less than successful" events, but from your comments.

I started playing with the format of the blog a few weeks ago, and then life took over and I haven't been able to finish.  I know some professional bloggers will say....do it once and then stop messing with it.  I know some of you will say to move over to my own domain and I will have more freedom.  I also know that some of you could care less.

But I learned that people couldn't find my "follow" button (it is at the bottom).  When I went from a 3-column format to a 2-column, some of those smaller functions ended up at the bottom.  And I figured that they weren't really adding much to my blog anyway...so I left them there.

Well, if you can't find something....it does nothing to help you!!!  So, I will have to find a new home for some things.  Thanks for pointing it out!!!!    

And welcome to those of you who are "new" followers now!!

Hello newer followers....bye to those who aren't

I had a blogging goal of hitting 73 followers by the end of the year.  Well....I smashed that a long time ago!!  Thanks to YOU GUYS!  I have such a wonderful readership.  I love hearing your stories and comments, and a few of you have even dropped me a line in my e-mail.  :)  *happy dancing*

In the past few days...I have lost a few readers.  I realize I am not everyone's cup of tea.  It still makes me a little sad.  If you are still lurking....feel free to e-mail me privately if you have a concern.

Otherwise....you guys ROCK!

Adventures in Yard Sales - Part One

Despite reading alot about how to have a yard sale, we have never actually done it.  Talked about it...but never did it.  Most of what I read said it is better to have several smaller ones over the course of years, than saving it all up and having a huge one ever 10 years.  Mostly so you can sell stuff while there is still some interest in fad type items.

Oh well...we are having a huge one with a decade worth of crap treasures waiting for a new home.

This yard sale has several concurrent objectives:

• Clean out Attic (see Personal goals 2011)
• Make money (see Financial goals 2011)
• Entertain you guys.

First, let's survey the damage.  The following are pictures from my attic (sorry they are a little dark, and not that great), before we started.  *sigh*  Believe it or not, it was organized chaos.  Like was grouped with like.  And we have cleaned and organized it before, just never was successful in getting rid of alot.  I Craigslisted some stuff, and sold clothes over the years, but this is where we are at, in June 2011.

Looking down the length of the attic

Far end of attic

Christmas stuff

One side

Dormer Area

Other Side

It is somewhat appalling how much stuff we have.  Granted, it was collected over time, but seriously.....some of this is absurd.  For example, we have like 20 sets of sheets.  I think my mom bought them for us over time.  Unless we are running a hotel, we don't need this many.  Most of them I don't even like.  So I washed and folded them, and if they can go to another home....great.

I also found binders from 2006 when the kids were in preschool.  I kept every daily "schedule" of what they did....all in order, in a binder, sorted into tabs by month.  OK....do I really need to know that they fingerpainted on 2/16 and had carrot sticks for snack?  NO.  Those were pitched.  I kept the boxes of all the art and such to go through later and streamline.  No time right now for that, but I have the boxes together waiting for me (it isn't like I was selling that stuff....unless....maybe my kids are Ar-TEESTS, and I can sell it for thousands!!!)

Our first pass at emptying the attic went well.  Our playroom now looks like the attic barfed all over it, but we needed somewhere to put it.  There was only one item that G-man and I had to discuss getting rid of vs. keeping.  That was Bossy's bouncy chair.  I said get rid of it, but with tears running down my face.  I was trying to be practical.  But there are so many memories with that chair.  In the end, we kept the cover (for his memory box) and pitched the frame.

I can't wait to show you what the attic looks like now!!!  But alas, you will have to wait.  I know you are as excited as I am.

Hi New Followers!

I am so excited to welcome the new followers!  I have 8 new followers since January 1, which means that I am half way to my yearly blog goal of increasing readership!

I know that someone is going back into the archives and reading old posts.  I can see it on the stat analyzer.  So I have had some fun re-reading what you are reading too.

Glad you found me....I look forward to getting to know ya, and for you to get to know me, and my crazy little world.  You will find that I am sarcastic, with a very dry sense of humor.  I love my kids fiercely, even though they drive me up a wall.  G-man and I are polar opposites on some things....but it works for us.

Thanks for reading!

Blogging and Personal Goals 2011

ETA (12/26/11) OOPS.  I somehow erased the original one that had my thoughts from last year.  Here is the basic outline that I had to recreate.

Blogging

1)  Increase readership to 73 followers.   
2)  Make $100.

3)  Continue to re-work my "look." 

Personal

1)  Clean out my closet and get rid of the old stuff!
2)  Have family portrait taken. 
3)  Lose 20 lbs.
4)  Clean out attic.  
5)  Accept myself, and my husband for who we are. 

A Final Look at Blogging and Personal Goals 2010

As I look back to my idealistic self from a year ago....all I have to say is "What the Heck was I thinking???"

 Personal Goals 2010

1) Lose 25 lbs. Does gaining and losing the same 3 pounds count????

2) Exercise 2x a week, for at least 30 minutes each session. HAHAHAHAHA!  I slay myself.

3) Wash the kitchen floor 1x per week. Floor definitely got washed more than it had, but 1x a week....yeah, no.

4) Categorize all the digital photos, and compile photobooks for each child, documenting ages 3-7. WOW, I really am ambitious!!!  HAHAHA!

5) Finish my recipe book, typing at least 1 recipe per day.  I can't believe that I actually wrote this.....

6) Continue my spiritual journey, and help my children learn with me. Closer to this one, but so far to go.

7) Find a daily skin care routine that I can actually afford, will do daily, and works!  I did try on this one.....just couldn't find one I liked and could afford.  But I will keep trying!

 Blogging Goals 2010

1) I have lots of ideas of how to set up my blog. No idea how to do it.....gotta learn how.  I did make some changes over the year, but it still isn't where I want. 

2) Instead of posting 5 blog entries at once...do it as they happen!  Better....but the problem actually became not blogging for a few days and running out of time.

3) Increase followers to 30 (which is double where I am now).  YIPPEE.....Busted this one!!!  You all ROCK.

4) Continue to be whole heartedly honest with you all.. I think I am honest with you.  I screwed up alot of things, and told ya all the sorted details!


I am a perfectionist...and I really feel like if I can't do it BIG, and PERFECT, then "I don't have time."  I think that is where alot of my goals went wrong.  Stay tuned for the 2011 goals.....MUCH more scaled down!

Happy Blog Birthday to Me!

Happy Birthday to Me!!!

Today marks my 1 year birthday of my blog.  One year ago I decided that I needed to take control of our situation, and spurred on by success stories I had read out here on the net....I started my own blog.  I didn't know anything about blogging.  I didn't know much about a website.  But I did know that even if no one read my blog, I was doing it for me....not for them.  The "them" part....that just helped continue the motivation.


What Have I Learned...LOTS! 

1)  I am a complete novice.  While I thought I had a pseudo handle on things, I discovered through Yakezie that I know nothing.  Yeah, I can post a basic entry and a picture.  I can change a few things around.  But after learning the POWER of a blog....I have found that I am a baby in this arena (ok, I confirmed I was a baby....I already knew that!)

2)  This blog holds me accountable.  I know I should be accountable all on my own, but knowing that I report back to you, and knowing that every time I open the home page and see those numbers staring at me....I keeps me in check.

3)  The tools available out there.  I discovered Mint.com, and Lending Club via blogging.  I read other blogs who sang their praises, and explored it on my own.  These have been so helpful to me, and I don't know if I would have known about them if I wasn't blogging.

Victory and Defeat

By far, the greatest victory was paying off the hospital bill!!  Go Us!  The second victory for us, was the A-HA moment....when we realized that weren't doing all we could.  That while we thought we were working the program, and then discovered we weren't.  This was a victory because it wasn't until that time point where the balances started to drop.

But we also used our credit cards some (grrr) and weren't paying as close attention to it at the time.  We also have made a few purchases (granted, small ones) that maybe could have waited, but we did it anyway.

No body is perfect!


What Does The Future Hold

Good question.  Right now the goal is to be debt free (minus the house) by August 2013.  I would really love to shave some time off of that....maybe by May 2013, or if I am really shooting for the stars, by December 31, 2012.  I think there are several factors that will impact that, so the best I can do is give it 200% and keep on plugging away.

I would like to improve my site, which was one of my New Year's Blogging goals.  I have made some changes, that I like, but after reading more and more blogs, I am learning what works and what doesn't.  Not quite ready to make some of the bigger changes, but over the next year, the research will hopefully continue to shape the form.

I never set out to make this a blog where that gives you advice on investing, how to get out of debt, etc.  My blog always was, and will continue to be our personal journey.  So don't hold your breath on informational posts....unless you consider our screw ups to be informational!

So....that is it.  In one year we have paid off about 8% of the debt we started with.  But we also managed to charge more to our cards (mostly this past Fall), and pay that off.  I haven't pulled all the numbers yet (see future post), but I am almost scared to see what we actually have paid in one year.

For my blog birthday.....ok, it just so happened to collide....G-man and I are taking his precious boat out on the lake while the kids are at camp.  We haven't done that in about 10 years.  So I will catch ya all later!!!

Hi new followers!!

One of my blogging goals for the year was to increase my followers from 15 to 30.  Thanks to my new friends, I am 1/3 of the way to my goal, and we are only in month 1!  So, thanks to you new guys....glad you found me.  :)  Take a look around, comment as you would like....good and bad....I am a big girl....I can take it.

I am perpetually amazed at the internet.  The ability to find others who are like you, in whatever way, and sharing information.....super cool. 

Hope you like some upcoming changes....like everything in my life, I have this grand plan of how it should be and have to figure out how to make it happen.  :)

Blogging Goals 2010

Really, these aren't GOALS. They aren't measurable, per se. But I do want to work on it.

1) I have lots of ideas of how to set up my blog. No idea how to do it.....gotta learn how.

2) Instead of posting 5 blog entries at once...do it as they happen!

3) Increase followers to 30 (which is double where I am now).

4) Continue to be whole heartedly honest with you all.....I will tell you when I screwed it up....when I succeeded....when I need help. We all get through life with a little help from our friends, right???


Click to see my Personal and Financial Goals!