Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Budgets Are Not My Friend

Tony has me on a budget. Wait, he took all my money and has not given me any...and then always asks why I am spending money...apparently that is his idea for a budget.  Gone are my days of getting a new purse, some new clothes for work and even things like make up. The general responses I get are: "(Deep, heavy sigh) And how much was that?" or my favorite, "I guess we'll just stay in Waldo a little big longer, right Tyson?" And yes, he does ask Tyson if he's around.

It's a great deal of fun over here.  While I have to accept that I haven't been spending money like crazy, it's probably good for me - while I will never openly admit that to Tony, I've made my closet work for me and the only purchases I make besides groceries, medications (not crazy pills, shocking, I know) or those feminine products. Gone are the days of looking at UPS or FedEx and stalking the new purchases I just made, hiding the boxes that get shipped to the house, or using the phrase, "oh this? I just found it in my closet, under some stuff." Let me tell you, my closet was very deep and I somehow I always found something trendy "just hanging back in my closet."  It's good that Tony doesn't keep up with fashion very much.

So the budgeting continues - and although I just spent some money on green jeans for my birthday - and yes, that Waldo comment came out - we are doing pretty well. It's crazy how much money I actually have when I don't spend it. And because I've been told how much money I can spend on groceries - I came under budget, priced out each item and came in under the amount given to me. You could almost say I'm budgeting.

It's going to be long few months while we save money. Ugh.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

So I have a blog

That apparently I have been slacking on.  I am going to go ahead and blame my lack of writing and topics on Tony - he's done nothing too funny or crazy or interesting for me to write about.  Well, not entirely, I've been pretty boring as of yet.

It's sad when you see people you haven't in a while and they always ask you that dreaded question, "So, what's been going on?" While I am guilty of asking that question as well, I cringe when I respond with, "nothing, we haven't really done anything." Cringing, mainly because I'm sure they don't want to hear about how I try to be in bed at 9:30 pm so I will have plenty of sleep, or the fact that we've been trying to catch up on Castle and visit Sutherland's at 8 pm on a Friday night. See? Bo-ring. I kind of feel asleep while writing that.  What I would love to say is, "oh us? Well, it's been kind of nutty lately, we've been taking up painting, learning to write French (cause speaking it is way harder), practicing Tai Chi, baking up a storm to create new and innovative recipes so we can start our own bakery and finally we've been practicing doggy massage on Tyson so we can look into opening our own Dog Massage Company."

Learning to write French? I don't know where that came from. I'm tired...Tyson likes to wake me up at 4:30 am with the weight of his body and stinky snores...yes, they are stinky. Somehow that dog is able to blow is nasty breath on me.

So what have we really been doing? Well, saving money...or trying to save money. That didn't go so well this past week - after brakes were needed on my car, Tony had a nail in his tire and the underneath part of his car came undone, plus we re-tiled our bathroom (and had someone else do it, amazing) and of course bought some new accessories for the house - not fun things like at Crate & Barrel, but more along the lines of Home Depot. Slowly, but surely we are prepping our house to one day put on the market. Hopefully sooner than later...because I'm over this whole budget thing. With all of the new clothes coming out, my shoes having huge holes in them, okay, not huge holes, minor ones that don't go all the way through the shoe, I just have to exaggerate so I feel like I'm making a bigger sacrifice to move out of the ghetto - whoa, tangent - this whole budget thing is not fun.

Now don't feel too bad for us, we still have all of our necessities, including new dress shirts for Tony, and of course Tyson still gets fed, but we're getting better about not spending crazy money, which is why I'm still wearing my holey shoes.

So what else is going on? Nothing really. Dang it - although the highlight of my week is probably having my high school girlfriends over tomorrow.  That's right...they are coming all the way over to MISSOURI! It's crazy I tell you - I must have all caught them in great moods after their kids were sleeping or something.  Hopefully they will remember to bring their bullet proof vests, tasers, and to 'duck and cover' if they hear what some thing is a "car backfiring."

In my excitement to have them over I'm also going to attempt to make dinner for them. Emphasis on the word, attempt. Trader Joe's might be saving the day later if it turns out not so well.  And of course since it is Lent and the girls coming over are all Catholic, McDonald's is right up the street with their Fillet o' Fish - it's a Catholic staple for 40 days and 40 nights. 

After re-reading this, I realize I probably could have summed up this whole thing in bullet points. So if you skimmed through all of my rambling, here is the cliff notes:
  • We are boring and on a budget.
  • Tony got new shirts, I got nothing.
  • I go to bed at 9:30 pm every night...and no, I am not a Grandma nor do I have kids.
  • My high school girl friends are coming over tomorrow - let's hope they find their way.
  • Oh, and I hit the garage with the Tahoe last Saturday.
Whoops...forgot about that little last one. Maybe I'll save it for another post...remind me in about a month. That should be me answer to the question, it would go like this:
Random Person: "So what's been going on?"
Me: "Oh nothing much, just scraping the car bumper on the garage at 6:30 in the morning."

Monday, February 13, 2012

Week Six...work it out

Day 37: Good morning Moon...you looked so much bigger in person

 Someone is a little spoiled...and the best heater.

Day 38: New gliders...new pain...new goal.

Remnants of a quinoa 

Day 39: Those wrinkles don't need botox.

Chicken a la Chick fil A

Day 40: Exciting news early in the morning.

Love is in the air...and in my Starbucks cup.

Day 41: Last minute photo of the day...

Day 42: Hello Winter...welcome to February

Chipped Nails = Mani time!

Trying our Luck.

Day 43: House projects with a furry helper.

These boots are made for walkin'. 






Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Fabulous Week Five

I loved week 5 - we celebrated Tony's birthday, I had naps more than one day and we stuffed ourselves silly during good times with friends. Which also means this weeks theme is centered around food. Don't be surprised if Week 6 is centered around celery, working out and water.

Day 30 - The attempt at starting off the week healthy

Day 31 - Oatmeal is berry, berry good

Waiting for Dad to get home...or creepily staring at the neighbors...can't remember which

Cute preggo bellies!

Day 32 - Can't get enough clementines 

Mopin' around

Day 33 - Attempt at a sunrise shot...

Testing out Greek Yogurt, to see what the hype is about

Just the power company working on some power lines

Day 34 - Pinterest recipe attempt

And Pinterest recipe fail

Birthday Boy making a toast

Bithday Boy enjoying his meatball

Day 35 - Birds nest hair do...two days in a row

It's a Zou out there

Day 36 - Prepping for the Puppy Bowl...err Super Bowl

Handsome little man

Friday, February 3, 2012

It's His Birthday


Safety First Italian Stallion

So it's Tony's birthday today and I've decided to go mushy and lovey dovey for a day. I know, you probably want to vomit in your mouth and will probably stop reading.  That's fine...I'm making sure that I add pictures so you at least have something to look at.

On February 3, 32 years ago - yes 32 (sorry babe) - a little Italian Stallion was born.  And in honor of his 32nd year, I figured I would list 32 things that I think he's pretty great. (I could have said loved, but that even a little too mushy for me in blog land). So here we go:

1. He loves me. Simple as that.
2. He loves his family - all of them, in-laws and everything.
3. He's a great Uncle - after being thrown into the chaos that was my family, he's now a favorite and is asked for often, probably more often than me. But he was so excited to be an Uncle again when his sister had her baby and loves that little guy a ton!
4. He's good to his friends. This man has a lot of "buddies" no lie - and he stays in great contact with all of them, which was probably why he didn't have a hard time coming up with 16 people to be in our wedding.
5. He saves money. Yes,weird for me to say that - but he makes sure that we have savings so in case our house ever does go up in flames, we're okay.
6. He spends money. That boy loves to shop - and even if its at his two favorite stores (CVS and Express) he doesn't make me feel so bad about spending money. Okay, so he spends less than me, but I usually get something out of his shopping sprees too.
7. He laughs so hard he tears up. Its probably one of the funniest things for me to see - as we put together our New Year's card, he was giggling so hard that tears were welling up in his eyes, which of course made me laugh.
8. Number 7 brings me to number 8 - he makes me laugh. Plain and simple, he can me me giggle. (That almost rhymed)
<>
Should I add something about the tongue? Nah.
9. He laughs at me and will even admit that I'm funny...sometimes.
10. He is obbsessed with Tyson.
They probably are the two best friends that anyone could have. If Tyson could go to offices with him, I think Tony would take him. They might have their moments of annoyance, but Tony can't resist that puppy face.
11. He can't stay mad for long. Even when he gets annoyed, he doesn't make a big deal of it and he calms down fast.
12. He always tries to make dinner. Even if he thinks he ruins it, he'll always try and gets excited to grill.
13. He loves the beach. Which helps us go on vacation more often, not often enough, but at least we can go somewhere tropical together.
14. He dances with his thumbs. Makes me laugh every time - it's like his thumbs know a good song and just want to party.

Thumbs in full effect

15. He lets me have my crazy moments....and generally calms me down after they happen.
16. His hugs are the best.
17. He encourages me daily. When I have a goal, like losing weight, taking more pictures, etc., he always supports me and tells me I can do it.
18. He loves his sports teams and sometimes just likes them. He watches his teams with passion...and sometimes that passion includes yelling...at no one. He also doesn't expect me to respond to his comments.
19. He researches everything. The man looked at wheels for the car for almost an entire year before he found the right ones.  And now, he's looking for houses....because he knows he has a picky wife.
20. He talks loud on the phone. Now you're wondering why I might love this one, but I always knows when he's on the phone - and it's pretty funny to hear his voice get louder as his conversation goes on.

This car makes his voice echo...he loves it.

21. He's clean....ridiculously clean, but in a good way.  That boy can scrub a bathroom like no one else, which is a great thing since I hate it.
22. He piles things. I'll be the first to admit that I'm not always the neatest, but he too will straighten a stack of papers just to make them look better, as do I.
23. He enjoys a fat kid day. Yep, there are days when I just want to eat that Mexican food and all the fixings...and rather than judge me, he'll join me. Of course we'll pay for it after, but at least I had a partner in the fun.
We probably enjoyed a Fat Kid Day after this night
24. He would rather fly than drive. Being in a car all day has given him an aversion to road trips...so I don't mind when we choose to fly places...quick, easy and with accessible potties.
25. He took a chance on me. After meeting for just one night, he figured he would ask that girl on a date. Of course he researched me through friends, just to make sure.
26. He makes me feel safe. Yes, he may ask if I have locked the doors, taken the duter (for the house alarm), and asked me to text him every place I go (which sounds a little crazy as I type it), but he just wants to make sure I am safe.
27. He likes to look good. The man has 74 different colored polos, and wants to make sure he makes a good impression. I love it - and I might tease him about spending more time in the mirror than I do.
28. He doesn't always use the correct words....and maybe makes them up.  Like, he wants to carve his craving.  I'm not sure why he wants to cut up his cravings, but usually a scoop of ice cream will take care of that problem.
29. He shaved his head for a good cause.  Without hesitation and with a passion for doing something in memory of friends and family, he took all his hair off. And for those who know him before shaving, he loved his hair.
30. He breaks out into random song....and then laughs when he makes up the words. It's true, and he probably didn't want me to put that out there.
31. He's my best friend. We can tell each other everything (except when I do stupid stuff, i.e. leave the trunk open...and yes, he did find out about that) and actually like spending time together.
32. He asked me to spend the rest of our lives together (all together now, awwww). He knew that moment on the Broadway bridge would be one that I would remember forever....and that day on October 30, one that would start the beginning of our forever after.

He made me walk in the cold, but I still said yes!



Happy Birthday babe! Thank you for all of the 32 wonderful things about you and for making my life even better. Now if we could only work on that spending money part....spring is coming and my pants don't fit. Love you lots!