Getting Started

Recently I've been struggling with the same 10lbs. I'm fine being a full figured girl...zaftig, rubenesque, whatever. I mean after 4 c-sections, it's tough to not have a little or even more than little pot belly. I want to begin running again. It's a cheap and inexpensive activity that you can really most anywhere. I've been loosely following the journey of a blogger who has committed to losing 100lbs. Checking in on her progress, she lost almost 80lb over the last 7 months. Wow! The reality is that losing weight is work, especially as you get older. I haven't been serious lately. I've been eating poorly, not being active and indulging in all the things that make it easy to pack on pounds. So...putting it out there, I'm going to really work on living a more healthy exisitence. I know that you feel so much better when you're healthier. Here's to the journey...may I learn a lot and meet with success.

Me and Dave

You've probably heard of him, Dave Ramsey the genius behind the Total Money Makeover. He's an advocate of living debt free and paying cash for what you want.
I think Dave and I need to become better acquainted.
As you know over the last few years I've gone through a ton of changes. One of the big ones (and a huge financial impact) was the decision to return to school and gulp...take out a student loan to do it. I wouldn't change the decision to go back to school in a million years. It was right and it's opened up tons of opportunities for me. So, why then am I finding myself just as stressed about money? Well, somehow as my income increased so did my expenditures! Crap, how did that happen?
So, I'm putting on my big girl pants and getting my act together. I would much rather have peace of mind, than pieces of stuff.
Yep, I'm putting it out there. I'm starting a budget and I'm sticking to it.
I've found so much inspiration on the internet. Real people setting realistic goals and making the sacrifices necessary to find financial freedom.
I can do this.

Everyone needs a project

Well, at least I do. I have a big project in the works. An entire home makeover! Super dupery! It's taken me a while to figure things out and now it's the one yearish anniversary of the day I closed on my forever home. I mean to say at my age...eh hmm...there's a real chance the next  home I'll be purchasing will be a room in the nursing home. Sadly, I'm tapped out financially, but that doesn't mean I don't have dreams and plans for my new adobe. Oh I do, I do. It's funny because it's really looks eerily like the home I used to dream of living in when I was child. Kind of like a sweet dollhouse. It's dollhouse like in size as well. But, hey, less to clean, right. Luckily the floor plan is really awesome and I couldn't be happier with the neighborhood. Everyone is so freaking friendly...it's kind of weird. Even after a year, I'm still agonizing over paint colors and trying to figure out what stuff to get rid of (as a military brat, I often feel rootless). Pretty hard for a semi-professional hoarder thrifter. Yikes! It's been awesome, slowly turning a house into a dream home. It's smaller than my former place, but somehow seems better...maybe it's what it represents.  Fresh start, endless options, dreams, full of possibilities. Good times! Little tweaks here and there. Summer time is coming and I plan to whip the big yard into shape.

Cha...cha...changes

So, a month ago, I merged my two blogs. I should explain. While my life has changed, I thought it was important to remember where I've been, plus I had a lot of great content on my old blog. I mean I was in the height of sewing, crafting, cooking, supermom phase. I think it's important to take the good with you. When I moved the kids and I into our new place I left a lot behind, figuratively and literally. In my mind I kept thinking, "It's a fire, these are the things I lost in the fire."  It's true. You have to let some things go...you have to burn your house down to start anew.

It's good, it's cleansing. Sure, I felt a bit singed and fragile at times, but certainly like a phoenix, I feel arisen. You now how when your computer crashes spectacularly, and then you get a new one and it runs super fast.  You're excited, but don't want to do anything to make this one crash either. And then I remember that this my life,  and mistakes will be made. So I'm forging ahead, learning just how  capable of taking care of what's mine I am. Fear is a killer, but like the fire, you have to go through it, to come out on the other side renewed, fertile. The old blog is still there...but I have a new blog home now. This is it.

A year of living simply...or is it simpler?

Could I do it? Could I live a more minimal, simple life? Less consumerism?
I'm going to start. It's perfect timing too since I really want to work on home improvement stuff this year. My home is small, but I love it, and I think I'll love it even more once it's more me, more organized and reflects how I want to live.
As a child of a military family, I have very little that's leftover from my childhood. I think that lends itself to my slight hoarding attachment to things. But, I'm working on it. My current project is getting rid of extra furniture pieces from our move from a somewhat larger home last year. The storage here is better, with ample attic space, but you don't want to have a house full of crap in the attic for your kids to get rid of you, do you?
I'm a work in progress, but it's worth the effort. Cooking from scratch, eating more meals at home, sharing time with family doing things to build memories, trying my hand at diy.
It'll be interesting to be look back a year from now and see what changes I've been able to make.

It's here! It's here

2014, that is! I can't say I was awake to ring it in. After all, I worked on the 31st. But we did some fun stuff. A family dinner, set off fireworks before heading off to bed. And now, it's 2014.
I have so many plans.
Of course, there's learning my new job and making many memories with my family.
Finances and living simply are high on the list as well. Living in a great neighborhood (ya know, location, location) makes it so much easier to embrace your space. Even a small space.
I have tons of projects for the house planned, of course time will be an issue, but you have to have dreams. That includes stepping outside my box and doing some stuff in the yard. I totally am out of my depth when it comes to landscaping, but that's what library and you tube are for. I have plans to rebuild the deck and create a firepit.
I also want to repaint the kitchen cabinets and maybe do a something to the counters and put in a backsplash. I'd love to get these projects started. It's about finding the time. For now...you tube has become my bestie, along with Apartment Therapy and pinterest.

2013 in review

It was a very good year. But, certainly one that brought so, so many changes. Let's see, so many things happened
I finalized my divorce at long last (it was a good thing)
I completed my graduate degree
I purchased a new home (solo, you go girl) for me and the kids
Moved to a new town and awesome neighborhood
Sent my first born off to college
Obtained my pediatric certification
Got an awesome new job

For 2014 I will be working on learning a new job, spending as much time as possible with my family, doing some diy on the house, crafting, traveling and saving for the future. Here's to a great 2014, I can't wait to meet you.