Courage

Today our Sunday School lesson was about courage.

The courage to fallow Christ and live every day as it comes.

Last week we talked about planning, how we spend so much time planning and in sometimes spend so much time planing to fail!

I need to have the courage to just do it! Just do all the things I want to do and the courage to wait, wait for the Lord to give me instructions. Contradiction right? Well somehow I just feel like it works!

I spend so much time planing silly things like working out (I buy new running clothes all the time!) and never actually get out and run!

I need to just make the decision to do what I need to do each and every day. Why put of till tomorrow what you can do today! Right? I feel like if I live by this then I will never miss out on anything!

It all comes down to I feel like I need to work harder, harder for myself, my family and my God. I know a lot of this comes down to actually getting up in the morning and that is the first place I need to start each and every day.

So here I go, off into the world of taking each day as it comes, refusing to plan my failures and starting every day off bright and early with the Lord. I am so excited! I feel as if another layer of self discovery has been pulled off of my onion of a life!

Kisses!

A new goal- finish "The Afgan"

On the Friday before spring break my sophomore year of college I was diagnosed with Mono. I had been sick for weeks but this put me over the edge. I just knew that I had infected my entire class, both roommates (one who was already on her way to Mexico for a mission trip) and the new love of my life- S.

At least someone was thinking straight! S was there to hold me while I whaled and mom told S to pack me up and take me to my grandparents an hour away.

H packed up my pain pills, cranberry juice, fiber pills, stool softener (yeah yeah) and took me to Grammy's house.

She took great care of me! I slept every day until 1 or 2 pm when I think Grammy would get board and "come check on me". I would get up and eat something (I think I was on a Honey Bunches of Oats kick) and then watch March Madness with Grandpa.

Grandma would let me have one outing a day, and I was pretty limited at that. One of the reasons may be that I barely got dressed every day!

I think the first day Grandpa took me to Wal-Mart and we bought more fiber, some blue gatoraide (which I drank by the gallon) and some M&M's.

The next day Grammy and I went to the craft store to pick out some yarn for an afghan I chose out of one of her many many design books.

I picked a snowflake like pattern thinking I could surely finish it before Christmas. It was March, of 2007!

I don't think I have worked on it since that semester!

My first project is to finish the burgundy scarf, and then this afghan is filling up my knitting bag! The coffee shop will open in August so I know I will have lots of hang out time to work on it. I do want to finish the gray scarf but I will use that as a break sometime with the afghan.

Did I mention that I have a sweater started also? I am not thinking about that right now, but one day I will finish that also!

Organic Lollipops!

So I watch Food Network WAY too much! Mainly at work, but occasional at home too.

Today I watched a show about the annual candy expo in Chicago- and I am so ready to open my own candy store- or who knows, a candy company!

My favorite thing was these awesome organic lollipops!
I have got to order some!

Yes, I really am planning my winter wardrobe already!

So last year I started working on my winter clothes. I got that great black knit dress from Walls, grey leggings and those wonderful black healed suede boots we got on our way to Wisconsin! Yeah!

I also already have my 3-in-1 North Face jacket! I guess that whole Wisconsin trip yielded me some great memories and some pretty great clothes!

So here is my need list

Inspiration: Black and gray are the base of everything accented with woody touches and jewel tones (but I don't really like purple, but deep fuchsia is awesome!). Boots, leggings, and longer tops. Texture in knits (scarves, dresses, sweaters)

Several Scarves

• Burgundy Cabled Walking Scarf- I started knitting this last year and pick it up every so often. I love it and it holds a lot of memories of me making it.
• Grey Heather Intertwined cable scarf- A replica of a friends GAP scarf, I already purchased the yarn so yes, this one is practically free also!

Sweaters! Sweaters! Sweaters!

• I need so many sweaters! I might knit a few, buy a few and defiantly keep my eye on Nordstrom and Victoria Secrets sale sections.

Pants

• I already have a pair of skinny jeans that work with my boots and dresses or longer tops.
  
• If I keep up this weight loss I might need 10 new pairs of pants! My great black pants from ROSS are so baggy its kind of embarrassing and a little inspirational!
• If I hit a size 6 then I get designer jeans! I want to do it so bad! This week at work has taken so much out of me that I don't feel like working out, but I have been trying to eat "not so bad". I know that after this week I will have a lot left to work out with! Yeah for weight loss!

Dresses

• I also have that great yellow, grey and blue silk mod dress that I love. I really want a sleved dresses, but sometimes that dosent quite work with my bod!
  

Jewelery

• I am in love with these earrings by Angelic De Paris! I can't decide if I want black, clear or white. I am going to order them from my local favorite jewelry store. They have the matching rings but they are WAY to wide for my stubby fingers!
  
• I want to make some cable knit bracelets over cheap thick plastic ones and some knitted headbands over the headband blanks I have left over.
• I kinda want to make a rope covered circle necklace that this one I found, plus- the dress rocks!
  

I have so many ideas for the things that I can do this year. The number one thing I have to work on it ME! Come on running/walking and good eating!

I'll Keep you posted!

Jess are you real?

I talk to you so little but think about you so much I often wonder if you are real.

Your random text messages are perfectly timed. When I feel like I am over worked and loosing who I am and who I want to be- up pops a text message about how I haven't blogged I over a month. It is so true! I am so wrapped up in the blog that I haven't worked on any of my creative projects in weeks and I really do feel like I have been loosing myself!

I haven't worked on my house- decorating or organizing. Reading? Well, not the Bible! The book I should be focused on right now while I find my self. I have had a few writing things floating around my head but I haven't made the commitment to write anything down. Working on the company? Nope, not a single sketch!

So today I am making another list and checking things off! H is helping me set up the shelves I bought for the laundry room and I am still trying to find the perfect laundry baskets. Next will be the kitchen, maninly because I am avoiding the bedroom! S needs to work on it first, then I can polish it up.

So here is to you Jess! My convenience! The girl who is somehow connected my inter thoughts more than anyone else!

LOVE YOU!

I <3 Baking

And awesome baking stuff makes all the difference.

It is so much fun to bake, and great stuff make it that much more fun (read: easier) to bake more often!

Today I really enjoyed baking birthday cupcakes for a co-worker. He turned 19 today! When asked what kind he replied "anything", but jumped at the mention of my infamous pumpkin chocolate chip* variety, and I was more than happy to accommodate.

The best part of baking using the amazing non-skid metal bowls that S got me for christmas at our awesomely cool local baking store!

They are similar to these

It did make me long for my silicone spoonula give to S and I for Christmas last December (?) by a Bailey! It was sacrificed to the cooking gods during the recipie creation for the Pilsberry bake-off (so sad!). But I did use my red silicone spatula give to me the same christmas by G and Mom! Oh- and Bails, I of course used my sifter!

*Infamous Choclate-chip Pumpkin cupcake recipe can be found in Vegan Cupakes Take Over the World Hehe! Love that book!

My husband loves me!

So after my run yesterday I am so unbelievably sore and stiff!

S cooked dinner (fries and mock chicken nuggets with ranch and BBQ sauce) and then we sat on the couch for a while. S then had to go fly tonight with his student so he left and I climbed in bed with the laptop.

S called a few minuets ago to say he wasn't flying and heading home.

He just showed up with ice cream and Bride Wars!

Yeah!

Today- I RAN!

S has been a work out monster forever! And the last few weeks I have been feeling that I too should start working out. Last night our friend Jared expressed that he too had been wanting to jog in the morning so we made a date for this morning at 6am.

As normal we were running a few min late and when we knocked on Jared's door he was didn't answer so we assumed he was still asleep.

So we started our jog in the park near their house. To be honest I wanted to stop running about 10 steps after I started but I kept it up. S was good and didn't go all drill instructor on me- I hate that! When I started whimpering he just told me I was breaking down walls, that made me feel better and I kept on running.

Jared provided comic relief and didn't seem to be hurting as much as me. I made it back to the 1.5 mile mark and never walked a step! After that, I did walk really really slow though!

And I also too a 3 hour nap! But hey- what are days off for?

(They are for cleaning, that's what! But today I have just been taking it easy. I have like 10 days of straight work ahead of me so I think I deserve a little relaxation!).

Jess- this is for you!

AH! Fruit flies have to be the worst bug ever!

I would rather have aunts- they can't fly. Spiders- I can handle it. These stupid fruit flies are never ending!

I have eaten, washed and put everything else in the fridge. I have scrubbed the counters, cabinets, and stove. I have even washed all the kitchen towels. All that's left is tonight I have to mop the floor.

I even set up a trap using a vase, some orange juice, and a piece of saran wrap with little holes poked in it over the top. Last night my trap finally caught a lot of them, but they are HUGE! Which means they were more than big enough to lay eggs, and if I didn't wipe them all down when I cleaned the kitchen, my problems are far from over!

I HATE FRUIT FLIES!

Rain Rain Go Away!

So the rain has been a blessing and a curse.

Working on the yard has been out of the question and getting to work and back has taken some more coordination.

The up side has been that everything is in bloom! I was so excited to see that the tree in our front yard show some green- it is not dead!

The bad news about the tree is that I have identified what kind of tree it is- LIVE OAK! Yeah! A tree I am pretty sure I am SUPER ALLERGIC to!

And the grass is blooming and looking great, it needs to be cut but we will have to wait till it dries a little more.

Loving this house!

Loving Life

I love my life right now!

Sure, I wasn't just in Jamaica with J (yes- I will call today to hear all about it!), or even living the high life, just here, being me!

I enjoy baking, helping our friends.

I really like my new bible study that B and I are doing right now (and hopefully for the foreseeable next 362 days!). J, and G and Barb, yall really should join us! I have it all set up for you! You can join in any time, and it is super easy to get back in if you get behind- just pick todays date and voila!

Ok- Just wanted to say that life is good. God to get on with my day now!

Bummer....

I missed the deadline for my Pillsbury Bake-off. I am super bummed!

I guess I will tell you my recipe, later... right now I am just bummed.

Super bummed.

Bummer.

Birthday Month Rocks!

I have already received coupons for free sandwiches, and free deserts and I love free food!

Bring on birthday month!

I stand corrected...

I decided to read S my blog entry from yesterday about bowling, I thought he would be happy!

He made sure to point out that he also scored a "Turkey" in the second game- Apparently that is what this picture is of:

And I found this pic of the screen after the first game. S was "Fungi" (I was Pixie), you can see his "Turkey" in frames 7, 8, and 9. Yeah!

And sorry about all the type-o's and super grammar errors in last nights post. I obviously didn't look very closely before I hit publish!

*Bailey! We have to go bowling if you come for your Dr. Appt. in April! I love bowling but I am so horrible- see my 80!

Bowling!

Last week we went bowling with the Hards. A good time was had by all. S bowled one of the first "Turkeys"-(3 strikes in a row) that he can remember, and it was caught on film!


I also believe it was one of his highest scoring games I have ever seen him bowl. He even made me get a print out! If our scanner was hooked up I would post it for you, but unfortunately it is still in a box!


I love this pic of me! I think S took it. It makes me look tall! I just think it is a neat shift of focus and a cute pose (although I think I am pulling down my shirt after bowling!). It had to be at the beginning because I am still using the red 10 lb. ball, but quickly swiched to a purple- 9 lbs.
My baking for the Pillsberry Bake-off are coming well. I am having problems with the temp and length of bake time, but practice and experimentation will help me figure that out. S cleaned the kitchen yesterday after work so it was GREAT to have everything I needed clean!

I love you all!

Yard Work

Sunday we both had off from work. We rode our bikes to church and then came home and got the car to run errands. We went to lunch at our favorite secret date place. For a few days S had been talking about playing horseshoes and wanted to look around and find a nice kit. We had heard that the new Tractor Supply was open so we stopped by. There was good stuff but no horseshoe kit so we headed to Atwods and found one there. Then to Lowe's to get some sand.


Once home we raked and mowed the entire back yard. S quickly got to work putting together the pits and then it was game time! (By the way, I won the first official game of horseshoes at our house! Yeah). This is the pit by the house
And this one is at the back end of the back yard by the thatch bush!

Come play with us!

I HEART MY NEW HOUSE!

We have been in the new house in for several weeks and loving every minuet!

We have had some baking in the new oven:(Do you like my reflection in the window?)

Some yard work:
(No, that's not our house in the back ground, that is across the street)

Pretty Daffodils on our front walk :(now that I know what daffodils look like thanks to Barb!)

And tonight we will have our first house guests! Lauren and Jared are coming over for some good old fashion home made pizza and some primetime TV on Cable! Yeah!

(And yes, I will post pics of S's pizza!!!).

Don't worry I am back!

Life has been super crazy with a new job and trying to move and all that fun stuff.

Today I found out that we can't have the house until Wednesday the 4th. I am so super sad, I had my heart set on Monday, but the Lord knows that I wouldn't be ready. This will give me time to pack and clean a little more.

Barb, my Mother-in law was planning on coming to help us next week. I am not sure how this is going to change her plans.

We are really struggling with the ideas of worrying and stress right now in our lives. Please pray for S and I as we fulfill some of our unexpected financial obligagtions as well as our new ones of this house.

On a lighter, and funnier note: Cache has become so funny! This morning I gave her the heal of the loaf of the bread (I know I shouldn't have, but I did) and she went and hid it in her bed! I couldn't figure out what she was doing because she looked like she was digging but she was trying to put the pillow over it! Ha ha! Dogs are so cute!

Easy Vegitarian Lunch

Last week I made another "turkey" roast like I made for thanksgiving and have been craving sauteed carrots ever scene.

So for lunch today I peeled 2 medium and 3 small carrots and sliced them on my 8 sided grader (gosh I love that thing!). I also found some forgotten heads of broccoli in the veggie drawer. They were a little soft by not spoiled by any means.

I clipped off all the florets of the broccoli with my kitchen scissors and added the slivered carrots and broccoli to my saute pan with a tablespoon or two of smart balance butter substitute.

I let that get all soft and the broccoli turned beautiful and bright green again. I added the half package of precooked bowtie pasta I had from last week, half a can of peas from last weeks stir fry, a light drizzle of EVOO, a dash of salt and another of garlic salt, stirred it up, put the lid on and let it get all yummy!

Yeah! I have quite enough left for lunch at work tomorrow (yes I have today off but I can't find my phone!).

*At the grocery store today I bought lemon extract and poppy seeds! I didn't even know you could buy poppy seeds. They are sold like a spice, I was looking for Bay leafs and happened to see them. I am so excited to try muffins!

The Best Degreaster!

The other night I couldn't sleep so I stayed up cleaning until 2am.

Our stove was pretty darn gross! I knew that baking soda can be a great cleaner. I have used it to clean our fridge before and it worked great.

I knew that it could also be a great degreaser when coupled with a scrubby. I used a scotchbright pad and sprinkled the stove with baking soda and lightly scrubbed. It worked like a charm!

I probably went overboard with my use of the soda but the stove was really bad. And I am pretty sure that my box of Arm & Hammer cost a total of $0.65, and if you buy the cheaper brand its even cheaper.

Best of all it didn't make me sneeze and I wasn't using a harsh chemical or large bottle of grossness.

Oh how I can dream!

Going to college at 18 years old made scene for me because I didn't know what else to do! I had been in school for 13 years and school is all I knew how to do.

Meeting S has transitioned me into learning how to "run" a house and have a (small) family of my own.

Unfortunately the things I went to school for is not very easy to find a job in right now. I had dreams of great things and working for wonderful companies doing things I believe in for enough money to pay for my education and live comfortable. Right now, that isn't happening though.

Now my dreams are changing. I love to bake! I would love to be a pastry chef! My friend in high school always wanted to be a pastry chef and my co-worker now wants to go to culinary school!

I have been thinking about Australia a lot recently and this is what I stumbled across today. Wholefood a natural chef training program by a chef and cookbook author in Australia! Wouldn't that be amazing! 4 months cooking in Australia to become a natural chef!

Oh, a girl can dream!

Ice, and my posessed dishwasher

Yesterday the ice started coming down. Well, now that I think about that sentence I realize that it was freezing rain but the roads and grounds and sidewalks and cars and.... all started to ice!

The temp was around 24*F while I was at work and around 3pm my boss Mike decided to send my coworker Karen and I home. It worked out well because S got off around 2 and came over to shoe store. The Rodeo was deiced and we headed home around 4pm. We drove less than 30mph the whole way home! The dirt roads were still traveled enough that they were more like mud than ice but when we got into the driveway Grace was already home and it was pretty icy!!! I parked over a spot where there isn't really any grass (i.e. traction) and when I got out of the car I almost bit it! I made it to the grass and we let the dogs in and spent the whole evening holed up in the house after being apart for 3 days.

I had been craving a bath (due to my FREEZING working conditions) so I got in the bath and left S to his own devices. When I came out of the bath S has started super cleaning the kitchen!!! I was so thrilled! We had been behind on the dishes but I did manage to get one load done while he was gone. He had unloaded the dishwasher, reloaded it with the stuff in the sink, scrubbed the counters and top of the microwave, cleaned the coffee maker, and was starting to wash the pots and pans (which were ALL dirty). I was thrilled! I was hired as the dryer and kept getting distracted. We had a really great time cleaning together!

I made (some not very good) pasta bake with the bowtie pasta I made at Graces house the night before and we watched the movies we rented on the couch. It was a great evening.

Ok, now the possessed dishwasher. Most nights I start a load of laundry and then set the dishwasher for a delay start (you can pick 1-4 hours). Before we started the movie I put detergent in the dishwasher and put it for 4 hours. Before we went to bed I started the load of laundry and the dishwaher still had 1 hour before it started.

We have a great dishwasher. I love it! It has one of those spinny things on the bottom and top rack. I rarely have a problem with it getting everything sparkely. But don't get me wrong it has a very long run cycle.

Last night I got up at 5am with Cache (she needed to go out and drink some water) and the dishwasher was still running. I though that was odd! We had gone to bed at 11pm, so it should have started around midnight. Why was it still running? I didn't think too much more about it and went back to bed.

Fastforward: this morning at 8:30am. S is in the shower and I was getting ready to start breakfast (breakfast tacos) and I noticed that the dishwasher had just barley started! I went and asked S if he restarted before he got in the shower and he said no. So the dishwasher ran from around midnight untill 8am? WOW! I opened it up and everything still looked pretty normal! After S got out of the shower I restarted it and it just now finished up.

Oh well! Who knows what is up with it, I just feel bad that it worked all night!

What should I bake today? Homemade bread, Cowboy Cookies or Date Bars? Something, anything to get the kitchen heated up! It is currently 20*F but feels like 9*F with the wind chill!

I crave one large adventure. I have been feeling this stirring ever since I didn't get a job after graduation. I got really excited with the Wisconsin adventure- and every day that I put on my North Face jacket that we bough for the trip I remember the fun of a whole new place.

As the boys are (hopefully) on there way home from there small adventure in the woods I have started fantasizing about my own adventure. I defenatly see S and I together. Maybe that stems from the ideas that we would move after graduation to more than likley a new place where the only people we would know would be eachother.

Today I even looked up how to be on that show "The Amazing Race". Wouldn't that be fun? Racing across the world with video cameras fallowing us! Finding our way in a strange place- together. I even invite the arguments and rough times, just somthing to shake things up.

I am sure that I will have my adventures in due time.

*Hi Barb!*

Here comes color!

Spring is coming and so is a serge of new colors. Last years hot color- much to my dismay- was purple. It was everywere and I did not feel invited to take part.

This year as I start to prepare my wardrobe for spring and this career-thing I currently have I am being very careful of color.

At the previous store I didn't really care what I wore. I tried to look at the store and wear items that were on the shelves. That was easy! This year at a shoe store I have less guidance- and discounts on different types of things (i.e. shoes and socks!).

I have started to shop and feel a little lost as to what colors to pick! Lauren and I went shopping yesterday at a store going out of business here in town. I chose three shades of RED! Seriously! I got a pinkish sweater, a bright red sweater and a darker plum V-neck long sleeve shirt. While putting on the pinkish one for church today I noticed I have another, totally different shape sweater in the exact same color!

The thing that is even funnier is that as I search the clearance pages of online stores I am seeing more and more of the same colors! Almost that melon/ orange range of color.

I plan on organizing my closet by color soon to see exactly what I already have before I commit to anymore clothes (no mater how cheap they are!).

*Yesterday I picked out 15 items from OldNavy.com from the clearnce pages and it amounted to right at $100 with shipping. 15 things for $100! Pretty good. But no, I buy any of it. I have enough clothes for a few weeks while we get all of our finances in line!

Home Alone

While S is off with Jared I have had time here home alone.

I could have cooked some great things that S dosen't like or spend lots of time crafting, or even- gasp- cleaning, but no.

I have spent the last two nights doing nothing on the couch. I love work but with the sun going down so fast I just don't have much energy after dark.

The dogs have been enjoying the attention and warmth of the house when I get home. I know it is cold during the day and they have been behaving well while I work.

Maybe today I will get something "real" done. Thinking that maybe operation Studio will resume after church today. Lauren and I are going to the store after church but then I don't have anything planned.

I don't expect the boys to be home anytime respectable so I am sure to get something done. Right?

Camp On!

S and our friend Jared are currently camping out in the cold out of state. Jared had some vacation time he needed to use and S has been itching to get out into the "great outdoors".

They left yesterday after work and drove to the trail head to camp. They called last night a little before midnight to ask for directions! Those crazy boys- whatever will I do with them!

They were suppose to camp last night and then hike to another camping spot 11 miles away today and make camp for the night. Then tomorrow they will hike back to the trail head and get into the car and drive home. Drive around 5 hours. I have a feeling they will be exhausted!

I think S was trying to only take off one day of work (Saturday) so he could work on Monday. Yes, the money will be nice but if he is all tuckered out he will be... difficult?... to deal with.

Oh well, boys will be boys and I am sure they are having a great adventure and lots of fun. When they called last night they were laughing and said that the already had stories.

On another note: Preparation. I don't think they took a camera, but they might have had Jared's video camera. On the morning before they left S showed me his loaded pack- so I had some questions. Toilet paper? Duck tape? Advil? All answered with a quiet no and a hurry off to gather more supplies.

I do know that he had some parachute rope, tent/pack repair tape, 3 sleeping bags, an axe, a pillow, folding tree saw, and a few other necessities. I do know they will be well fed because I bought there food the night before they left stocking packs full of oatmeal, trail mix bars, granola, tortillas, peanut butter, instant coffee and cocoa with some packets of sweeten~low. They also have a camp meal of (vegetarian) lasagna and chocolate mouse. They did leave there bag of individually wrapped cheese in the fridge- so I took some to work! Yeah!

Things I Love

I often fall in love with physical objects I can not afford. This is normal, has been this way all my life.

Cars: First a VW Bug (old style, then new style), then the Nissan Xterra, for a breif period of time the Nissan Murano (it matched my luggage!) and most recently the Toyota FJ. While they are super cool (so cool even Jessica wants one!) I relize that the practicality of a huge, gas hogging monster SUV is not very practicle- I still like the look and idea of one.

I have lots of other examples but S is forcing me to finish up and hem my pants for work tomorrow (I am currently blambing him for me not getting them done this morning for work today- I wore my other, dirty, pants instead).

The point of this is I am currently obsessed with home fernishings, even if they are outlandish.

I like this Candelabra set from Red Envilope-

see it here

Enjoy!

*Yes, work is good but today was rough with mean customers!

I miss my camera!

I have got to find my camera battery charger before I go crazy! I want to spend my day off taking pics of everything cool- like the enchiladas I am about to make but alas! My camera is DEAD! We do have S's point and shoot around here somewhere... I could take the time to find it.

Money tips for the new year!

Ever notice all the money that you wash down the drain- as in soap?

I used to use an entire handful of shampoo and get my hair all huge and soapy- then I realized what a waist! I started to slowly reduce the amount I needed until I found the amount that would create enough to lather everything up well but not too much- more like a quarter size amount. My shampoo now lasts a lot longer!

Another place to look for wasted soap is in the washing machine and diswasher. Read the back of the bottle and see how much is needed vs. the lines on the cap. I have found a good rule of thumb is about half the recommended amount works well!

Good luck!

Hobby Lobby What Happened?

Every Sunday I get an email from Hobby Lobby with their sale flier and an internet coupon.

Normally the internet coupon is for a specific item or group of items. A few weeks ago it was 50% off all Wilton products, no limit. About every other week the coupon is for 40% off any one regular priced item. I often wait for these to buy things I don't need immediately.

Not this week! The coupon is only for 25% off any one item!

I wonder if Hobby Lobby is having financial trouble also! I found an article with David Green the founder published by the Oklahoman on the 4th of this month and there was no mention of any finances. Hoovers.com reports that the company is privately owned so I am not even going to try and find any more financial information.

Just thought that was interesting!

This weeks flier did say that a select group of home furnishings are marked 66% off, so maybe I will check that out on Tuesday- my day off.

*Side note: Tomorrow I get my first full paycheck from my new job- I worked 46 hours and had around $25 in commission. I still have to figure out my tax stuff and finish my new hire paper this week, but for the most part I am really enjoying my job and my coworkers!

A new year- a new job!

Wow I have not posted in a long time!

I start my new job tomorrow at 9:30am. I am training to be an assistant manager of Brown's Shoe Fit Co. here in Stillwater.

I am excited about the opportunity and the opportunity for advancement. The down side is that the hours are long (50 hours a week) but the pay is much better than at my other position. The staff is also smaller so I expect less drama.

Today is New Years Day! Yeah! We have lots of things to do such as work on our budget and set some goals for the upcoming year.

Our first and foremost goal is start knocking out our debt. School loans and a car loan are all we have but the freedom found from having no loans and only savings gets me so excited! It also frees us to possibly become missionaries in the upcoming years.

Our friend Jared has an interesting goal. He wants to only drink 52 sodas this year. He plans on making himself a card that he can check off each one as he drinks them. I don't know if I can do it! Dr. Pepper is my drug! Every time I try to quit I just keep coming back! Ah!

I also want to save up money for us to go on a mission trip somewhere this year. That has really been weighing on our heart. Maybe somewhere here in the US, maybe South America! Our church has one leaving January 24th but I don't think we can arrange it so fast.

Another goal I have is to grow my alternative income ventures. The aprons and magnets will be up on Etsy.com soon!

Happy New Years everyone! Eat your black eyed peas- I know my mom will be!