What makes up a great Saturday?

• sleeping in
• getting errands done
• getting a free book
• wonderful music and activities at farmers market
• getting awesome coffee, treats and a pumpkin from farmers market
• a nap
• a college roommate visiting
• Art Beat in DTSB
• free parking
• seeing old friends & new
• hot dogs
• art
• jewelry
• fun
• Chocolate Cafe
• chatting on the sofa
• watching the ND game with the fam
  
• smorgasbord of food during the game
• the Irish winning!
• talking and praying with my honey to end the day

And what makes a great Sunday?

• sleeping in
• church
• visiting with friends
• being surprised by my honey
• being surprised by my honey washing my dishes (awwww!!! Isn't he great!?!)
• shopping the mall with Josh
• Panera salads
• FPU class
• being excited about creating a budget
  
• a visit to Target
• phone call with a good friend
• hearing the birth announcement of a friend
• sipping flavored decaf coffee
• watching the Colts
• a light breeze coming in my open living room window
• knowing Mom made it back safely from Missouri
  
• knowing I don't have to get up early tomorrow

Ok, I think even Dave Ramsey would be proud of this:





Casual, comfy black dress

Original Price: $49.50

Markdown: $29.99
















Fun cocktail dress

Original Price: $69.50

Markdown: $39.99













Original total: $119.00

Markdown total: $69.98

$70 for 2 dresses.

Oh, I can do better than that!

Clearanced out to $12.99 each!

You think I'm done?

I had a coupon for $15 off any purchase of $15 or more.

Therefore...

I got 2 dresses originally sold for $119 for $10.98! And, I paid CASH!

Woot woot!!

I received this check at work on September 9, 2009 and found it so odd how the person chose to write the date, using a Roman numeral for part of it. Is it considered back luck to write 9-9-9?

I drive past McDonalds every day. Today I could smell the fries. I was so tempted to stop! But instead I kept driving and ate lunch at home - food I had already paid for.

Tonight I'm going shopping. I have to order a bridesmaid dress for a wedding I'm in in 9 weeks (gulp!). So I will be spending money there for the dress (as well as the wedding gift I purchased last night). And, I have a coupon for $15 off a purchase of $15 or more at a clothing store, so I might have to see what $15 can buy there.

I really want to go to other stores too. I have coupons galore in my purse. The only problem is that even if I'm saving money with the coupons, I'm still spending it on things I don't necessarily need. That is something that saving money forces you to examine: a want vs. a need.

This morning I read a great article about money saving here. One of the many things that struck me from the article was this advice: "Ask yourself, 'If I lose my job tomorrow, what would I cut?' and do it NOW instead." These are things you don't need.

Another article about needs vs. wants that I skimmed earlier today says: "But what fun is life without wants? The point isn't to abandon all of the stuff you want, but to realize how much of your monthly spending is tied to wants. It's fine and healthy to want things, but when you're sinking financially just to maintain things that you want, there's a real problem."

A final reminder from the first article: "The goal is not to cut out all sources of joy in your life, it's to spend only on those things and experiences that are going to really improve your life, that you use and enjoy a lot, and that will give you a great lift and not just a momentary lift."

I was inspired after reading the article; I hope you will take a look at it and also be inspired.

Readers, I hope you don't mind the attention I've been giving these last couple few days to the topic of saving money. It's something I need to focus on, and something I think a lot of us should be focusing on as well.

Ok, one day of not spending is a lot easier than two.

I was tempted numerous times today, but did not give in.

Don't be thinking I'm going all cold turkey and not buying anything for a year like I know others have done. I won't deprive myself THAT much; I'd go insane.

I know I am going to the Nappanee Apple Festival this weekend and definitely buying a slice of their famous 7' apple pie!!! So I guess I have that to look forward to. I just need to make it til then!

I did some sorting of paperwork at home yesterday, and I'll just say it pays to get organized! I found 2 checks, woot woot! Right into savings it went!

For the last few years I've had this weird thing about needing at least 2 reasons to go somewhere or do something. So, if I go out to get groceries, I will stop for Starbucks as well, or if I go visit Jen & Andy I will also pick up dinner. Tonight I went to Jen & Andy's and drove straight there and straight back. I went against my nature. Hopefully the choices I continue to make now to save, rather than spend, money will eventually become easier and more natural.

Baby steps. Day Two down.

Thought you might enjoy some pics of the 7' apple pie. These were taken a year ago.

I'm in a great mood!

I have flowers on my desk.
The sun is shining.
It's a beautiful day.
I have a free evening to get things accomplished.
I feel like I'm starting to tackle my lack of organization, etc.
I'm excited about the future - saving money, seeing friends, traveling, a wedding in Texas...
I have accomplished much during the day today.
Just when I thought I screwed up and was going to be reprimanded, it turns out I did everything right and was praised - how awesome!
It's just been a wonderful day, yea!!!

Well, Josh & I attended our first FPU class the other day. Our first goal is saving up money. I learned that there are 3 reasons to save:

• for your emergency fund
• for future purchases (to avoid going into debt)
• wealth building

In doing a quickie budget last night, I think we were both quite surprised. I had been keeping track of recent spending but hadn't yet totaled it. Whoa!!! I spend way too much money on eating out and way not enough money on groceries! You should all (hopefully) know that you save money by cooking your own meals, eating at home or packing a lunch, rather than eating out at a restaurant. Therefore, my immediate goal is to severely cut back my eating out.

Already today - I resisted the urge to walk downtown to pick up a bagel for breakfast and instead just had a fruit bar from my desk drawer and waited til lunch for more. And then after lunch I wanted ice cream. Instead of hitting the DQ, I dug around in my freezer to find an old Weight Watchers Smart Ones ice cream mini dessert. It was chocolate mint, and it was delicious! I had gotten it awhile ago on sale, and was surprised to discover it actually has 2 servings in the box! They're on sale again this week, so I just may have to get a couple more.

My goal is to also brew coffee at home, rather than buying it from my downtown cafe. I got up early enough today to make that happen. I'm learning what a difference it makes if I'm organized and plan ahead so that I don't have to go buy things from restaurants and cafes simply due to convenience. If I prepare the coffee the night before and/or get up early enough to make it in the morning... If I buy groceries and specifically purchase things I know I can take with me to work when I have the munchies... If my house is organized and clean, I can cook for friends instead of going out and spending more money.

I know these are obvious things, but it's time I started putting them into practice! Woo hoo!

You know you have a big family when you run out of room on the rear window of your van.

I am so blessed; I have had a fabulous day! I don't know if it could have been any better. Well, I guess if I didn't have a headache chasing me around all day.

I woke up for early service and enjoyed being at church. On the way home I was hungry and realized I could make it to my local McD's by 11. I am SO lucky that they extend the breakfast hours an extra half hour on the weekends!! I got hotcakes! Something I hadn't had in years!!! Maybe since I was a kid!


Then I enjoyed a wonderful nap on my sofa and woke up an hour later when Josh came over. We headed out for the lovely W. Washington Historic House Tour. The weather was perfect! We got to see some amazing places!! We got great exercise walking around the neighborhood and even briefly rode in a quaint horse drawn carriage (see picture)! At the end of the tour we visited a local church for an ice cream social!

We then headed south for a fantastic dinner at Panera - yummy salads! And then to our first Financial Peace University (FPU) class! We were both a little hesitant, but enjoyed it. I'm excited about our future and becoming better stewards with what God has provided for us.

After I got home I had a nice long phone conversation with my mom, catching up and comparing thoughts from the house tour (she went with my dad yesterday). Now I'm watching football, hoping for a win for ONE of my teams this weekend. Go Packers!

• get oil changed on Lulu
• visit Super Target, get necessities, check on bathroom accessories
  
• respond to Renee
• call back Jac
• do laundry
• change sheets
• wash dishes
• eat up blueberry zucchini bread - before it goes bad
• figure out weekend plans
• figure out plans for oct. 10-11 weekend
• figure out plans for nov. 21-22 weekend in texas, find airplane tickets
• visit david's bridal, order dress (calm down, it's a bridesmaid dress i'm ordering)
• post pictures from the weekend in des moines
• blog about weekend in des moines
• blog with pictures about new coach purse
• mentally prepare for dave ramsey's FPU class
• plan birthday or graduation party for josh
• dinner with josh's uncle
• catch up on sleep
• watch "bride wars"
• clear off kitchen table
• answer endless questions at work about upcoming yard sale and house tours
• make more tour tickets
• return phone calls
• get prescription refills
• transition from falling asleep on the couch to falling asleep in my own bed
• apologize to todd & kelli for a blog they were not anticipating.

Sorry, T & K. I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed right now.

I confess right off the back that I am baking and blogging tonight in order to procrastinate packing. I leave tomorrow for a long weekend adventure that I am thrilled about! However, I have never been a fan of packing.

So, eager to enjoy one final (this makes me sad) batch of my blueberry zucchini bread, I hurried home to get a couple loaves going. I started with a clean slate - all dishes washed, dried and put away, counter cleaned and ready. The process was smooth, and I even remembered a lot of the recipe by heart, including my healthy changes!

Once in the oven, I decide I needed to pull out my blender.

A couple weeks ago I realized I had a lot of fruit and decided I would make a fruit salad. While at the Mexican market downtown, I made sure to grab a mango to add to the salad. I have a newly found passion for the fruit. Unfortunately, by the time I finally put my fruit salad together a few days later, my mango was over ripe and was so soft I couldn't cut it. It was just mango mush.

Suddenly the thought of a mango smoothie came to mind, so I saved all the soft mango in the fridge, got some recipe ideas from my friend Sarah (who I shared my first mango experience with 13 years ago - when I actually disliked mango), got the necessary ingredients and finally put it together tonight. It was only the 2nd time using my blender. The first time was under supervision with Josh.

Prior to that, . . . well, I don't want to throw anyone under the bus, but let's just say that there was an unfortunate incident involving boiling pumpkin puree soup in the blender that ended up all over the kitchen. I won't mention any names. No, it was not Josh. If this person chooses to come forward, so be it. If not, oh well.

So, I kept testing the smoothie and adding things as necessary. A banana, some honey, some of my homemade black raspberry jam, some ice cubes (heart shaped of course)... Finally I decided it was perfect. I found a glass and adjusted the lid of the blender pitcher so that it would pour out.

It was pouring slowly. Very slowly. But I was patient. Unfortunately, the smoothie was not. All of the sudden, it ALL went towards the top of the blender (as it was at the bottom, and that's how gravity works). The force of the thick smoothie was so great that the lid completely came off, flipped up, flew out, landing hard in the trash and splattering smoothie throughout the kitchen as it did so. The rest of the smoothie poured out on my hand, overflowing the glass, landing on counter, dripping down the edge, and onto the carpet (yes, my kitchen has carpet - bad choice, not mine).

I just stood there, observing, taking it all in, and wondering where to start first. I wasn't freaking out. I guess I was barely even surprised. It was more of an "eh" reaction and trying to decide where to begin.

Of course I immediately thought of the previous blender incident and couldn't wait to share my story. I thought to myself "blenders just don't belong in my kitchen."

Fast forward past all the cleanup, past visiting with my neighbor Sarah while I was taking out my trash, past the bread baking, past me finding time to heat up some leftovers for dinner and enjoying 20 minutes of a Friends episode.

I decided I'd better get the blueberry zucchini bread cooling completely. I had my ceiling fan going on them (yah, I have a ceiling fan in my kitchen - good choice!) for awhile, and I figured it was time to flip them out of the pans and let them cool completely on the counter.

I can only shake my head right now... I think I lost about half of a loaf as it flung out and fell apart. I'm thinking now that it needs hours to just cool in the pan. So, I'm already learning and decided to just let the second loaf be.

However, it was about this point, that I started thinking, "Maybe it isn't just the blender that doesn't belong. Maybe I just don't belong in the kitchen!"

I'm trying. I'm learning. None of this domestic stuff comes naturally to me, but I'm doing it anyways. It's the only way to learn and actually get there.

So, maybe some day I will get the bread right, I will get the smoothie right. And I will be able to enjoy them without having to stop mid-way for a kitchen cleanup!