My Hangover

So here is the deal. This year I put aside the constant goals of eating healthier and working out more as I sat down to confront my new year. This year I am confronting my finances. It's not that I haven't wanted to do this in the past or dreamed of it I just hadn't made that conscious click in my head that I am going to do this.......until now.

It's funny while reading different blogs I am always amazed at people who list their weight or post pictures of their before weight loss photos. I can't imagine how those biggest losers get on the scale (on tv, no less) in a sports bra. I am always in wow. Then I came across some different blogs as I was delving in the my new years plan: conquer my debt, start living my i.de.al life and not my i.dle one where I scrape by paycheck to paycheck making my monthly minimums but ultimately digging myself deeper and deeper. My wow factor went up a notch, these people had too set goals to battle their debt but they took being brave to a whole new level. There it was in black and white for anyone to stumble across just as I had.......their total debt! Talk about facing reality. So at the beginning of this month I collected all my bills and accounts and made a list and totaled it up (insert vomit and week of hibernation sulking here). After hours of research, reading, hyperventilating, a few tears shed I had a plan in place.

Short term goals:

Save up an emergency fund of $500
Cut my monthly expenses
Create no more new debt
Start paying off my accounts using the snowball method

Mid term goals:

Continue paying off my accounts using the snowball method
Increase my emergency fund to $1,000

Long term goals:

Finish paying off my accounts (all debt except for my mortgage)
Increase my emergency fund to cover 6 months living expenses
Maximize my retirement savings

Things that I have accomplished over this past month:

-Cut my monthly phone bill by taking advantage of work discount program (took all of 5 minutes)
-Increased my emergency fund to $446 through selling some stuff I didn't need, setting aside some birthday money, cashing in my reward points (again took like 5-10 minutes online)
-Planned and stuck to menu and grocery lists only going to store once a week
-Just paid off one of my accounts today the 1st of many
-Stopped going to my trainer (saving me a huge chunk of money each month to apply to my bills)

Goals for next month:

-Continue to find ways to save money
-Sell a few more items that just waste space in my house
-Get my taxes done and hopefully finally put an end to my taxxacre from last year


This month has been less than happy for me. First, after stopping the luxury of going to my trainer twice a week I have been less than motivated to workout. (combine that with two weeks of gray skies, rain, and working extra nightshifts) UGHHH! Second, I have been daily stressing about this whole situation. Waiting for the mail to come to see what other bills I have...counting down the days in between paychecks so I can see some headway...and just facing the reality that is. On the other hand all this stress and reality has deepened my desire to be debt free, to break free from the month to month, and finally work for money that I can spend and not work for money that has already been spent. As I make this journey I feel very alone. I am not comfortable or brave enough yet to post my total debt. Maybe next month.

THE CAPRICORN IS ALIVE

LOOKING BACK, LISTS GALORE

BEST OF'S, WORST'S OF....I DO ADORE

LOOKING AHEAD, A FRESH START

MAKING PLANS RENEWS A GIRL'S HEART.

Jump, Jump, Jump Around....Jump Up, Jump Up and Get Down

From Chucky Cheese CessPools, Perfume Baths, Surgeries, and Sore Throats this week has flown by.

Forget closing the schools if you want to rid the world of swine flu, why don't you try closing Chucky Cheese. I felt dirtier after spending two hours there for my nephew's 3rd birthday then I do after leaving a 12 hour shift in the er. On a side note, as you can see above racing boats is serious business!

***SOAP BOX OF THE WEEK*** If you work in a hospital you should not wear perfume! If you work anywhere in which you are in contact with other people you should not wear perfume! I'm not talking about the lightest scent in which only the one that loves you most can identify that smell as being yours. I'm talking about the ladies who wake up in the morning and have somehow figured out how to connect their perfume bottle to their shower pipes, thus replacing the water. Thanks to one said lady who I merely had to stand by for 20 minutes at the end of my shift the other day caused an allergic reaction in me that nearly landed me as a patient in the er. Instead I opted to just spend the next two days in a benadryl coma. I am still congested from the incident and now woke up in the middle of the night with a sore throat!

Despite all that, I had a good run of 2 miles on Wed then did about 10 minutes of jumproping. Yesterday, was another wonderful TSOTD which I will be returning to post starting next week for all you out there looking for some weightlifting motivation! After my workout I ran 5 quick hills while on a walk with Riggs. We are working on the leash training and can't wait until he is old enough to go for a real run with me and hiking season is about to start which will mean a whole new world for my pokey little puppy to explore!

Finally, Squidney had to have surgery yesterday to have a huge tumor removed from her back. Hope she gets to feeling better soon!

I love, love, love lululemon workout apparel and also their manifesto which I will share with you bits at a time. To read or learn more about LULULEMON

•A daily hit of athletic-induced endorphins gives you the power to make better decisions, helps you be at peace with yourself, and offsets stress.

For today's athletic-induced endorphins I dare you to find a jumprope and relive your childhood! Not only is jumproping a great calorie burner and metabolism booster it is fun! For specific jump roping workouts or tips on jump roping

Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back!

July - while on vacation I had to put my beloved Barnacle Bo down when he got "bloat" while we were on vacation in WA.......needless to say really, really sucky vacation! I miss him so, so, so much.

I have been in blogging hiberation for the past two months. The summer heat sucked all the life, creativity, and motivation out of me. A recap of some happenings.

August - my pretty Squidney as well as I were devastatedly lonely and depressed missing our best friend.....we welcomed Riggs into our family who has brought much excitement, pee, poop, and chewed up things into our life

Sept - although only the first week, it has started off with a bang! 6 years of nursing and I have successfully avoided the feared deposition.......of course to break the ice I got called in on not one but yes TWO different cases in a matter of the past 5 days, gotta love that.

Other things to make note of:

- I finally went to the chiropractor got an adjustment and 3 weeks of therapy on my hip and am happy to say I am pain free and hopefully getting back into my running frame of mind and body

- I passed my level 3 pilates instructor test. I have two more levels within my program and then I can sit for my national certification!

Final food for thought......how does one break up with their hairdresser? I am in a style rut and the bad part is that as a person I really like my hairdresser and like to go chat it up however just not getting the creativity that the mop of mine needs right now.

Upcoming:

I have decided to forgo the fall garden this year as Riggs has taken a liking to gardening or shall I say excavating and so I think it would be a losing fight at this point in trying to plant anything.

Looking forward to cooler temps and wishing I was taking another trip to New England this month like last year. Such beautiful colors!

Season PremierE!

STAY TUNED!

I WANT TO HAVE MY CAKE AND EAT IT TOO!

Ahh...to be 1 again. Happy Birthday Kierstin (cutest niece ever!) I am officially on vacay!!!! Today is a matter of packing and last minute details and then we are off. I will be back mid month with pics of our camping/road trip bonanza and maybe a book review or two. So nice to have time off of work.

It's the final countdown!

TSOTD - THURSDAY

warm-up
plank - opposite arm/opposite leg up hold - 30 secs/then switch
side ups - 30/side
v-ups - 10
single leg squat hold on flat side of bosu - 30 secs/leg

4 sets

incline press - 10 reps/35lb dumbbells
push-ups (feet on step bench/hands balanced on physio ball) - 10 reps
single leg leg press - 10 reps/leg 4x45lb plates on
jump ups to big tire - 10 reps
hanging knee raises - 15 reps

3 sets

squat to cable row - 10 reps/pin at 25's
assisted pull-ups - 10 reps/pin at 5
rdl's - 10 reps/25lb dumbbells
burpees - 10 reps

1 set

bicep cable curls - 10 reps/pin at 15's
medicine ball overhead raise with single leg raise and opposite leg few inches off ground - 10 reps/leg

Up again at 4am so I also got a bike ride in at 5am.

The countdown now begins. Day 1 of 4 today, may they go fast. We are doing vacay road trip style with lots of camping. We will be doing car camping since we are taking the Barnacle Bo and Squidney along. I am thinking that I may have to get this



We have tried multiple air mattresses and I swear I always wake up with half the air out of it. So I am thinking a thermarest is the way to go and this is suppose to be the deluxe car camping crem'de'la'crem of them. A bit pricey but all the reviews are very positive. If I do get one then I will definitely provide you with a review of it. Who else likes to go camping?