The best laid plans, can faulter

Yes, I had great visions of doing well with writing and as they say...mother nature won the battle.  I have been battling the flu or some other virus since before the New Year.  I really thought after this past weekend, I was on the downhill slide.  Then, Monday happened.  Clearly I didn't sound well, didn't look well on top of my knowing I really felt like ass.  By noon, Runner convinced me to go home.  After a 4 hour nap, I found some food and back to bed I went.  I think that I am really blessed with two fabulous fur babies.  Yes, most of you see them as the two that go 100 MPH and never slow down.  However, even Mr. Finn snuggled up to momma almost every day staying close to momma to make sure that I was going to be okay.  Outside of a few trips to do business and have some food & water...he was laying in bed.

Now, being the stubborn German that I am...I truly felt I was going to get over all this crap on my own.  Even Momma Bear said go to the doctor and I said no.  But that was Tuesday.  Wednesday I was sure I could go to work.  I did...for all of 20 minutes, hit a wall and back home I went.  I was patient and waited till the doctor's office opened up at 8:30 and made my call.  She figured I was over the tail end of the flu and ended up with a sinus infection out of it all.  Lucky me.  But, it is Friday and I don't feel 100% but feel 100% better than I did two days ago...so work it was.  Plus I get two more rest days after today too!

So, my exciting news is that I am officially done with PT and have been signed off by the doctor for Bootsie.  I am a long way to go before I can try and start jogging again, which saddens me.  BUT, it gives me something to work for.  I have to be able to walk 3 miles with an average of 15 min pace.  Easier said than done but then again, I take the dogs and if you take away the "breaks" I might have a shot at it.  Whatever the case - I am just excited to break a sweat again...especially with the Biggest Loser back on. 

So, who knows maybe I'll be able to complete one of my 2012 resolutions in 2013...my goal for 2012 was 3 races...I managed two before injury.  Maybe this year I can get 3 three in.  Here's to trying and my 2013 goal of being a healthier me.

Money, Money, MON-EY!

One of the big things for me this year is making my budget work.  Yes, I live off a budget and then I get lazy and things fall by the wayside and then it becomes juggling money from this account to that account to cover eating out too much or whatever.  Who's been there?

So, for step one of the new year...I redid my budget.  Thank you Mint.com for making my life easy.  If you have never heard of mint.com or don't know where to start with managing your money...Mint.com is where you go.  As I learned with Dave Ramsey's school, you should plan where you spend your money at the beginning of the money versus figuring out where it went at the end of the month.

Does the initial set up take some time?  Absolutely!  But think about it, anything worth doing takes a commitment.  If I wanted to play softball in college, I just couldn't step out on the field on game day...I had to practice.  If I want to do a race, I can't show up on race day...I had to do runs before hand. 

But now that I have got through the initial commitment, guess what?  Yep, it takes a minute a day every morning.  I can log in, make sure that my money coming out of each account is going out of the correct budget category and guess what...it even remembers it for next time!  Every morning, in ONE MINUTE, I know exactly where I am at and guess what...there is an app for it!  :)

Step two was this great idea I heard on the radio this morning.  So props really go to the JB and Sandy Morning Show.  It is the dollar a week savings play.  For each week of the year, you save that week.  So, week 1, you save one dollar.  Check.  Week 2, you save $2 and you continue through the weeks.  I have included the picture they added.  Don't get me wrong, the end of the year will be tough and maybe I'll mix in some of those later weeks into the earlier part of the year.  However, at the end of the year I have saved $1,378!!!  That doesn't factor in interest either. 

Now I challenge you for 2013...make it the year that you spend your money at the beginning of the month versus wondering where it went at the end of the month.  Plus put away the week of the year into savings each week. 

2013 resolution of making my finances right!

Another one bites the dust...

At NFP that is.

It started with my departure in October.  I know I didn't blog about it...ooopsie.  But, given the previous blogs, it should come as no surprise that I was not happy at my job.  I think the finally breaking point was when one of the guys on our team transferred to another department and my manager honestly suggested I take his position which he described as "entry level".  Really, you think so highly of me.

But that is water under the bridge, I am on to greener pastures.  And so to is Grace.  I think it is safe to say that Grace was just as unhappy as I was, maybe even more so.  Yesterday was her last day and so the girls got together to toast the occasion.   And toast we did.  Five bottles of Champagne did the trick.

I love my girls Grace, Gwen & Harriet.  We are all so different in so many regards and so similar in others.  I always had the ability to talk to them at work.  I saw them everyday.  However, it wasn't until I left that realized how important these girls were.  It was after I left that there was more than just work and as I told them last night, I think they become deeper relationships after leaving because you don't have that age old talk of how crappy work is to fall back on.  I've moved on and have grown from it.  Grace is now moving on.  Our friendship is not defined by our job but who each of us are.  Love you ladies!

And yes that is one of the 2013 resolutions, spending more time with those that are the important people in my life!

New Year...

New Resolutions...right?


So who knows, maybe I should blog more? I mean I clearly have some silent stalkes out there....I'm sure I can find something to entertain you with. I have a lot of resolutions this year and I think blogging just might help me.

That said, just know my resolutions are about making my life better and keeping the happiness.  I mean the picture below says why anything else would just be silly.

So what makes this even better is that my truly awesome parents bought me a tablet for Christmas and as they say...there is an app for that. Who knew that I could blog from my tablet. Although I'm pretty sure that typing on a normal keyboard will be easier some days!

So, two days in to the new year and we have one blog post and one workout recorded. I would say that was a WINNING moment!

Stay tuned, 2013 will be the best yet!!!

On a side note...editing is going to be easier at a real computer!