Sep 30, 2009

12

I posted my Polyvore Wish List for this week on my side bar. Sigh* There's so many things I want.

Also, I think it's time to start saving for some snow tires. I have a feeling that this is going to be a rough winter and I will be driving 30 miles to work every other day. I think snow tires will make me feel a lot better during that drive.

I also need to start saving for Christmas. I always end up spending way more than I anticipate so this year I plan to give myself a cushion fund to work with.

I could also use some water proof shoes to walk around campus in. Maybe some boots or golashes (sp?) just something that will still look decent but will keep me dry. I have a nice coat that I bought last year so I'm good with that and I just went in to Old Navy and bought a couple of sweaters that were on sale.

I mostly hate winter time but there are some things that I love about it. It can be really beautiful to wake up on a Saturday morning to a fresh coat of snow. I also love decorating this time of year and just made my front door look all cute with pumpkins and corn stalks tied together with ribbon. I love it. Makes me feel so festive!

I'm supposed to start Job #3 on October 10th. Just in time because I really need that money!

Sep 27, 2009

Heather Moto

Yesterday my friend, Heather was in town to get her bridal pictures taken and she invited me along. I wish I could post pictures of her and her beautiful gown but I wouldn't want to take the risk that Joe would see them on here and it would spoil the surprise. Let's just say he's going to love what he sees. She was stunning!!

The photo shoot was so much fun. We took them at a beautiful park that was full of sculptures, fountains and flowers that made great background for her pictures. The park was full of people enjoying the sunshine. Everyone kept telling her how beautiful she looked and stopping to watch the photographer take her pictures. It was so fun to see her get her moment to shine and feel like a million bucks.

Heather deserves all the happiness in the world. She has been my very good friend for the last ten years when I met her as a shy freshman new to the dorm life. Her and I became roommates and have been lasting friends ever since.


She is the first person I call when I need advice, encouragement or even makeup! The time we spent at college together was some of the most fun and most memorable I have ever had.

We spent the rest of Saturday, reminiscing about the craziness we always managed to get ourselves in, the boys we dated (and wished we hadn't dated,) the parties we went to, the classes we had together and late night runs to Beto's.


Heather has been a friend that has instilled in me a passion for life. She is the most positive and uplifting person I know. She is a friend to seriously, everyone. She gives so much of herself and her time to help other people I don't know how she has time for herself.


I can't wait for her wedding day when I get to stand by her side and watch her marry Joe, who is truly her prince charming and one of the most amazing guys I've ever met. I'm so happy for both of them.

Sep 23, 2009

8

Just found out I may have to graduate one semester later than originally planned. It just seems that these speed bumps in my goal to graduate keep coming up and I'm so frustrated.

The issue is with the fact that I have no foreign language. I can get a BS in History with no foreign language but I need it to get a BA in History. I plan to get my Masters in Library Science and my teacher says that it would be better if I had a BA. It would open more career opportunities for me and make me more marketable and I'd have more Master's programs to choose from.

I'm torn about what to do. I know that I should have foreign language just for my own good but I want to graduate!! Three years more of my bachelors just because of these setbacks seems to unbelievable.

I guess I have to try to look at it in the grand scheme of things. Three years VS the rest of my career. I don't know.

Sep 21, 2009

6

Anyone know how to eliminate stress headaches? Besides the obvious of course.

This headache has gotten persistently bad throughout today. I wouldn't say I'm under a lot of stress though. I just think. A LOT.

Today I've had several things on my Mental To Do list and while they're not stressful, they're still there. It seems that when that list isn't empty, I can expect that headache to be right around the corner.

It's silly how anxious of a person I am and how I anticipate everything to no end. I think that's what works me up. I can't just put something on my to do list and then come back to it at a later date. I have to dwell on it until I complete it.

This is extremely exhausting. Has anyone found ways to keep themselves from dwelling on things or stressing about them?

This headache has got to go!!

Sep 20, 2009

Anyone else in love with Polyvore?

for the house 1

for me 1

Why can't I just have my cake and eat it too?

I finally finally -after a four month long application process- have my position at the post office back. There are positives and negatives to this. I know that it's going to make me insanely more busy than I am right now but where else can I go and make $14 an hour just sitting on my butt typing? And this added income is so important to me.

Andy has told me that I don't need to take this job but I just can't not contribute financially. I'd feel like a total mooch and I can't deal with that. With grad school and our future to plan for right around the corner I feel the pressure to build up a substantial savings account.

Aside from desperately wanting to save some money for us, I'm a girl, and it's common knowledge that girl's like to shop, and in fact, need to shop for more things than guys.

I'm always finding little crafty things or decor for the house or clothes or jewelry or a new shade of lipstick that I'd like to buy. I'm not an obsessive shopper or anything like that, but when I see something that I think I might want, I want to feel like I can buy it with my own money and not use someone else's hard earned money to pay for those little frivolous things.

So back to the job, I'd like to save some money for a new car as well, because I think mine is nearing the end of its days. I'd also like a new pair of glasses and let's not get started on the many things I want to plant in the yard next year. I'd also like to finally get a bicycle next year. Not to mention I haven't had a new book in ages and it's literally killing me! Plus, I have absolutely no shoes suitable for walking around campus in winter and I really need some warm clothes like a sweater or two.

Currently the lab and the library brings in a measly $350 a month. After I pay my car insurance, my T-Mobile bill, my storage unit bill, make my credit card payment and buy us groceries for the month, my income is gone and I have nothing left for savings or these other things I want and need.

So I feel torn about the job. I know it's important to me, but so is time with Andy and time to myself and time for school work. I'd like to test out my time management skills for a few months and see if I can make this work for awhile.

Over the last few years I've had to watch family members struggle financially and it's very hard to see. I never want to feel financially insecure like that. It really scares me. There have been times when I've needed to ask people close to me for financial help and I don't like that feeling.

Aside from wanting to feel like I can take care of myself if I ever went through what my mom went through, I also want to feel like I am a contributing member of the family and not just a mooch, like I said before.

As you can tell, I've had money on the brain quite a bit lately. I am hoping that everything will work out okay because I tend to always manage to take on more than what's really healthy for me. I can always handle it and juggle everything but it does take a toll on me and that's not what I want. I know there are always sacrifices to make but you have to really weigh the costs and that's what I'll be doing this next couple of months.

Sep 18, 2009

5

I've been doing a lot of budgeting lately. My goal is to beef up my savings and pay off my two credit cards. See the progress bars I created in my sidebar over there?

Here's how I break it down:

Immediate Fund:

This includes large expenses that I know I have coming up in the next six months. Like...

*Mr. Right's Birthday
*Middle Sister's Birthday
*Youngest Sister's Birthday
*Mom's Birthday
*Christmas
*Winter Clothes (I am in desperate need of some warm stuff and some stylish boots to trudge around campus in.)

Emergency Fund:

Self explanatory. For those times that are unexpected and serious. This is a must considering I don't have health insurance.

Future Fund:

This is a really important one. It includes:

*Vegas trip (Bachelorette party coming up in March!)
*Wedding (I know Mr. Right and I will be getting married within five years. This being my second marriage, I will be paying for it myself)
*Car (I'm pretty sure my car is on it's last leg)
*Grad School (I'm hoping to get scholarships and other funding but you should plan for everything-especially if I decide to leave the state)

Wishlist Fund:

For the stuff I just want and hope to have. Currently on my wishlist:

*Bicycle so I can save on gas money
*A new motorcycle because I really miss mine
*Lunch dates, nights out with friends
*Concert tickets, plays, and other events

So that's how I break it down. Currently I only have money saved towards my Immediate Fund. I'm hoping that when I start Job #3 that I will be able to start contributing towards my other savings funds.

This should be fairly easy in theory considering I have very minimal monthly expenses. However, I know me. I love to spend. Savings has always been a challenge of mine so we shall see how I do on this goal.

Right now I have an extra $1500 in my checking account that I plan to pay off one of my credit cards and half of the other one. The rest of the money I plan to use for Mr. Right's birthday and the other upcoming birthdays.

How do you make yourself save?


Finally a recap of the weekend

So I know this is a week late, but hey, better late than never!

On Saturday morning we got up early to drive up to Weber Memorial Park for my family reunion. They had an amazing breakfast waiting for us and we stuffed ourselves full.

Here's mom and grandpa at the reunion:

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Andy, just chillin:

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After breakfast, Andy and I took a drive up to Causey Dam to look around. It's so pretty there.

Me at the dam:

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This picture doesn't do it justice:

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When we got back it was lounging time. We worked on a crossword puzzle (one of our favorite things to do) and then played a game with Jen and Clay. The kids games were being set up complete with a pinata, fish pond, and a bounce house (a first for this year.)

Later, Jen and I helped my mom and my grandpa with the traditional Bingo game. I was on prize patrol so I didn't get to play. :( Oh well. But I did get to play with Jen and Clay's new puppy quite a bit. He's adorable and totally stole the show that day. Everyone wanted to see him.

Jen and Clay (sorry I didn't get a picture of Veritek-sp?):

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Andy and I decided that we hadn't stuffed ourselves enough at breakfast so we stuck around for lunch. There was so much food and we ended up eating way more than we should have!

After lunch we said our goodbyes and left to head up to Brigham for Peach Days. On the way there, Andy stopped in an antique shop for me. I was browsing around looking at all the hand stitched linens when Andy called me over. He had found some old Little Golden Books!!!

What a find! I collect children's books and these are some of my favorite. Strange thing to collect, I know, but I love kids books. Especially the ones that remind me of the hours I spent reading as a kid in my bedroom. Of course I had to look through every single book and finally ended up picking out a few of my favorites. Including this one:

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"Peppermint" by: Dorothy Grider

Oh my gosh! I was giddy with excitement when I found that book!

After purchasing my treasures we made our way to Peach Days and the car show. We spent our time checking out all the cars and picking out our favorites.

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We tried to look at the booths but it was just too crowded so we ended up leaving. By the end of the day we were completely tired out. But it was a really fun way to spend the weekend!

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Sep 17, 2009

Playing with progress bars

Okay, so I learned this nifty little trick of creating a progress bar in html. Since I'm big on goal setting, organizing, list making, and all that good stuff, I totally love this!!

I've been playing around with them all day and ended up creating a bunch of budget/savings related ones for my other blog. I also created one for this blog that tracks my progress in school. See it right over there in the sidebar? Isn't it super cool!? It's shows how many credit hours I have left to complete before I graduate with my BA in History.

It's a little disheartening to make myself accept the fact that changing my major has set me back one more year, but that's okay. It's more important that I'm doing what I enjoy. Besides, one more year is nothing compared to years of working in a job that you don't like just because you didn't want to change your major and get set back an extra year.

I've spent way too much time the last few years giving up on my goals and 'settling' for less than what I really want out of life. So no more to that!! It's time to get what I want no matter how hard it is or how long it takes. Whew! Smell that motivation/ambition/insane craziness or whatever it is!!

So in all reality, when Andy and I talked last week about our plans for the next few years we can see that the timing will be perfect. It's really his place to say what he has in mind for himself for the next few years so I won't say any more about that, but if all goes as planned, then things should fall into place quite nicely.

In the meantime I'll have my handy dandy little progress bar that I can keep chipping away at.

4

I hate the ups and downs of motivation I've been feeling lately. I'll go through this phase where I feel like I can take on the world. So I start taking on project after project. Then somewhere in the middle of all this ambition, I cave. I start to lose my umph and I can't get myself to accomplish anything.

I have a feeling that today is going to be one of those days. I work on campus and told a friend of mine that I would cover her shift tonight. This means that I am working my shift this morning, then I will go to school, then I will work Job #2 after class (which is also a campus job) and then I will work her shift tonight. Before the day is over I will have been stuck on campus for 15 hours straight.

When I first thought this was a good idea, I had the brilliant plan that I would use today to finish my article critique, write my geology paper, catch up on all my reading, and do my research for my history class. However, as I sit here working my first shift of the day all I can think about is how I don't want to be here all day.

Why oh why did I have to feel all motivated and ambitious and sign up for everything possible today?

Sep 16, 2009

3

I've realized over the last few years that I have become my own alarm clock. I have this weird ability to wake myself up in the morning at the time I want to wake up.

It's not exact though but pretty close. It ranges within 15 minutes before the time I want to wake up to the exact time I want to wake up. Sometimes I wake up one minute before my alarm is set to go off.

All I have to do is say to myself the night before, "you have to wake up at ______ time tomorrow." And then I do. It's very strange.

Tuesday morning I had to be up by 4:30 am which is not my normal time. So Monday night I told myself to wake up by 4:30 am and went to bed. During the night I woke up and needed some water. I remember thinking, 'no, it's not 4:30 yet,' and I hadn't even looked at the clock. So I got my drink and went back to bed.

A little while later I woke up and 'knew' it was about time to get up. I looked at my clock and sure enough it was 4:15 am.

I'm not sure why I have been able to do this but I think it might stem from having to wake up early for so many years and being paranoid about sleeping through my alarm. Aside from that, I am a very light sleeper.

But even though this method of waking myself up seems to be fool proof, I still set my alarm clock- just in case. :)

Can anyone else do this?

Sep 14, 2009

1

I just happened to glance at the date on my computer and faultered a little when I realized that today I would have been celebrating my 6th wedding anniversary had I not gotten divorced last year. It feels like time has jumped so far ahead. I have gone through so much in the last 24 months and I honestly can't believe that I am where I am now. Happy.

Have you ever just resigned to sadness and darkness? I had. I had truly believed that I would never fully be happy. My life was in shambles and I had no idea how to begin to pick up the pieces. I honestly didn't really want to try either.

It's an awful feeling to give up on your hopes and dreams for your future and just live day by day hoping to somehow make it work. But the sadness and bad things in my life are gone now and I feel so blessed.

I'm back in school and energetic about my chosen major. I have plans for a master's degree, eventually. At this point in my life, I actually know I can meet that goal. That negative person who dominated my life and pulled me down so far was gone. And in his place now, is Mr. Right, a wonderful man who loves me unconditionally and never lets me forget it.

I'm happy that I will never celebrate this anniversary ever again. I'm happy that I have a second chance at life. I had believed at this point two years ago that I would never have the life I have now. Life works in mysterious ways and I am grateful every day that I was able to crawl out of my dark hole and fall in love with life again. Fall in love with love again.

So here's to a brand new day and starting brand new, amazing things!!

Sep 10, 2009

I Can Haz Cheezburger Day

Andy and I love the site LOL Catz. Last night, once again, we were perusing the pictures and getting a big kick out of them.

So because I love them, I'm starting I Can Haz Cheezburger Day and posting a couple of my current favorites.


Am Pm

bird dead

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Henry defends his turf

Little Chapters Tribune
Thursday, September 10, 2009

At approximately 10:30 pm on Monday, September 7
th, a disturbance was heard just outside the Lynne residence.

Residents of the house heard hissing coming from their front lawn. Looking out the front window to see the cause of the commotion, the Lynne's saw their cat, Henry, brawling with a furry creature who had apparently trespassed on the property.

The brawl lasted several minutes with both sides getting in their fair share of swats and bites. At one point, it was thought Henry would not get out alive when the intruder had him by the neck. Henry, however, managed to chase his opponent away.

The Lady of the house slept through the entire event and did not hear or see any part of the fight.


The next morning, witnesses went outside to survey the damage and collect the evidence. It is clear that Henry is quite the toug
h little man to have survived the altercation.

Picture below shows evidence of the confrontation.




Piles of fur were left on the front lawn as a reminder
not to mess with Henry Lynne.

Sep 4, 2009

Henry loves Ash

So Henry and Ash are best buddies now. Henry follows Ash around the backyard sniffing at whatever she sniffs at. Then they both settle down on the deck for some afternoon sunbathing or napping.



Everytime we look out the window they are curled up together in the exact same position. It's seriously the cutest thing ever.



Henry's taken his love affair with Ash, one step further. He has begun accompanying Ash on her nightly walks around the block.



If we start out without him, he'll cry and cry at the door until you let him out. Then he pads along behind us on the sidewalk. Ocassionally he'll stop to check something out and we'll have to turn around and say 'Henry! Keep up with us!' And if you don't turn around and wait for him, he'll sit down on the sidewalk and cry loudly until you stop.



We decided that his
Love Language is Quality Time & Attention, just like mine. He is always begging for you to give him some love.



Last night, however, marked the end of his excursions. He scared me so bad when he ran out in the middle of the road and almost became a pancake!! Boy did he get scolded when we got home.



He's not going to like being banned from our walks but it makes me too nervous to have him running around like that. I think I might have to get a wagon to cart him around in or a collar and a leash, if we want to let him come on our walks anymore. That would sure be a sight!










Sep 1, 2009

Playing the waiting game

I hate waiting...

~for my student loan to process so I can pay off the credit card that's
eating me alive

~for tech support to fix the printers so students will get off my back

~for people to email me back on important issues like job training and shift coverage

~for people to make decisions and let me know their plan so I can make a plan of my own

~for food to cook in the oven

~for my hair to grow longer

~for people to answer the questions I've asked them

~for the fall clothing lines to come out at Forever 21 and Charlotte Russe and Delia's