Monday, December 19, 2011

Lately, lately

SCOTT GOT A PROMOTION!

That's the big news. (I'm going to write in bold from now on because the yellow font is hard to read on here.)
We're really excited about the things we can do with a shiny new income. I spent hours creating a potential month-by-month budget for 2012. Yeah, I know:*nerd alert* Whatever. It makes me happy. Our big goal is to put 20% down on a modest home in a few years. It's hard to say "no" when you really want things but the things I don't say "no" to myself for are always kind of lame later on. And a house is definitely not lame.

And, since we're absolutely not having kids until we get out of Scary Apartment (I don't even want to be pregnant here, I need my strength for possible escape), I found a new job.

In collections.

It's mortgage collections, which is better than probably any alternative, but I'm still nervous. On one hand, I'm sick of bending over backwards for rude people (which is the essence of customer service); but on the other hand, I don't know if I can handle not being nice to people. Like, purposefully not being nice to people. For money. Doesn't that sound
somehow immoral ?

Then again, I'm just grateful to have a job. Neither of us has started our new jobs yet, and money is a wee bit tight, and the old instant potatoes for dinner because that's what you can afford really makes a person grateful for the times of plenty.

I hope feeling really poor now helps us be smart with $$$ when we feel really rich next month.

Just remember Dave Ramsey: Live like no one else so you can live like no one else. We may not be able to have all the things our peers seem to, but sacrificing now will give us peace and freedom later.

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Sundays

Every Sunday we get together with Scott's family after church. I love it. Today we were going to stay at our apartment because everyone was sick with a pukey flu, but it was too lonely. Being with family is worth the risk of a week of feeling disgusting.

This Sunday we had dinner, made cookies, and have been watching Storage Wars for the past three hours (this is what happens when Dad controls the TV, which is every Sunday).

One Sunday Scott and I had planned to take a while to talk about finances. This was when we lived in the basement. I had to do something first and when I was done I walked up to Scott, who was sitting with his family in the living room and said, "Okay, I have an hour... wanna go downstairs?" to which his father exclaims, "An HOUR?!" (no one knew we were planning to talk about finances)

Like father, like son.

Sunday, October 2, 2011

I want my mom back.

My mom visited for fall break, and it was fun and awesome and I want her back.

:(

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

I need a haircut.

I made an appointment for next week and I keep agonizing over what to do instead of attending to my various responsibilities.

It's getting cold enough for fall fringe, so I'm doing that. (I grow out my bangs in the summer because it's too hot and I always hate them.) But I have crazy split ends so I want to take some length off, but how much?

On one hand, I love long hair. But I have these layers I don't like and they have split ends too, so should I trim it up to the layers? That would take like five inches off!

Compelling, isn't this.

In other news...

We don't have enough money to pay for school. Well, for both of us to go to school.
(Student loans are not an option.)

Anyway, we fasted about it on Sunday and we both feel really good about me not taking classes for a while and getting a full-time job. I'll support us while Scott finishes his degree and then I'd like to say I'll go back then but realistically I know we'll want to start having babies and I'll probably get my degree online through BYU when I'm 50 and I'm okay with that!

I don't know why, but I am. Six months ago, this would have been devastating but I feel really peaceful about it-- like I shouldn't worry. My patriarchal blessing tells me I'll obtain a good education and I believe it. Maybe it will come through reading books throughout my lifetime or maybe it will be a formal degree, but I trust this promise.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Post diet....

I LOST 15 POUNDS!


It's a miracle! So I have to give some disclaimers about this diet since I know everyone's pumped about it now:

  • unless you have tons of money to spend on a seven-day diet, you will not buy enough food, and you will be hungry CONSTANTLY
  • eating tons of fruits and vegetables makes you super bloated
  • you'll hate the very thought of the soup by the fourth day
  • it's a good jump start diet-- I've been eating 1500 calories a day of veggies, fruits, whole grains, and other healthy stuff. But if I had gone back to eating the way I used to, I would have gained all the weight back.
The End

(p.s. I completely gave up by 6pm of the seventh day, shhhh)

Monday, September 12, 2011

Fat.

For a few years now, I’ve taken medicine for mild depression/anxiety. (Story for another day.) Today I saw my psychiatrist so he could check up on things, and he asked me how my appetite was.

Come to mention it,” I said thoughtfully, “I’ve been eating, like, the whole world.”
(not pregnant)
He asked if I was stressed. Yes, I am stressed. He asked how that affects my eating habits.

My eating habits:

-no breakfast


-pathetic attempt at eating healthy while at school/work (carrot sticks, grapes, whole wheat english muffin with almond butter and banana slices...)

-come home exhausted, turn on the TV, and proceed to consume whatever strikes my fancy for the next five hours. OH, and if I have time to make dinner, it’s some heavy pasta thing with a green vegetable on the side to make myself feel better.


So, imagine my surprise when he has me step on a scale and I weigh a whole 20 POUNDS more than I thought I would!

All right, yes I’ve noticed. My clothes are too small. It’s embarrassing. I feel bloated and chunky all the time. I keep meaning to do something about it, like make time for the gym or stop buying snacks... but at the end of a long day, torturing myself by withholding yummy food just sounds so cruel!

But I tell you, stepping on that scale and discovering to my horror that I’ve exceeded my highest weight on my mission (Utah mission: we had a car, and every night was Thanksgiving dinner) was the straw that broke the camel’s back. (Is that a fat joke??)

So I’m doing something about it. Some people post before and after pictures of themselves in their underwear. HELL NO. Besides, my dearest, beloved sister-in-law did that and for one irrational moment, I wanted to shoot her (sorry Becca!) and I’m not naive enough to think someone else won’t want to shoot ME.

And this isn’t about looks. It’s about feelings. I want to feel good. I don’t really care what pants-size that means.

Giving myself fatty, sugary treats sounds like a reward, but that’s an illusion. The real reward is going out of my way to give myself something healthy. So this is my present to me.



(I did this when I got home from my mission and it was wonderful. I lost 15 pounds, felt awesome, and was set on a path of good eating for as long as my self-control would allow it.)


Sacred Heart Medical Diet



This 7-day eating plan can be used as often as you like. If correctly followed, it will clean out your system of impurities and give you a feeling of well-being. After only 7 days of this process, you will begin to feel lighter by at least 10 pounds and possibly 17 pounds, and experience an abundance of energy.
(I’ve replaced the soup recipe from the site with one my mom came up with-- it’s the same heathiness only yummier.

SOUP:

  • 2 cans diced fire roasted tomatoes

  • one chopped onion

  • 1 large can beef broth (no fat)

  • 1 package Lipton chicken noodle soup

  • 3 stalks chopped celery

  • Some chopped carrots

  • 2 cans green beans

  • one red and one yellow pepper, diced

  • sliced mushrooms



Put it all together, boil fast for ten minutes then simmer til veggies are tender.
Add worcesteshire or cholula chipolte for flavor.)

This soup can be eaten anytime you are hungry during the week. Eat as much as you want, whenever you want. This soup will not add calories. The more you eat, the more you will lose. You may want to fill a thermos in the morning if you will be away during the day.

DRINKS:

  • Unsweetened juices

  • Tea (also herbal)

  • Coffee

  • Cranberry juice

  • Skim milk

  • Water, water, water



DAY ONE
Any fruit (except bananas). Cantaloupes and watermelon are lower in calories than most other fruits. Eat only soup and fruit today.

DAY TWO
All vegetables. Eat until you are stuffed with fresh raw, cooked or canned veggies. Try to eat green leafy veggies and stay away from dry beans, peas or corn. Eat veggies along with the soup. At dinnertime tonight reward yourself with a big baked potato and butter. Don't eat any fruits through today.
DAY THREE
Eat all the soup, fruit and veggies you want. Do not have a baked potato. If you have eaten as above for three days and not cheated, you should find that you have lost 5-7 pounds.

DAY FOUR
Bananas and skim milk: Eat at least 3 bananas and drink as much milk as you can today, along with the soup. Bananas are high in calories and carbohydrates, as is the milk but on this particular day, your body will need the potassium and carbs. Proteins and calcium to lessen the cravings for sweets.

DAY FIVE
Beef and tomatoes: you may have 10 to 20 ounces of beef and a can of tomatoes, or as many as 6 tomatoes on this day. Eat the soup at least once today.

DAY SIX
Beef and veggies, eat to your heart's content of the beef and veggies today. You can even have 2-3 steaks if you like with green leafy veggies but no baked potato. Be sure to eat the soup at least once today.

DAY SEVEN
Brown rice, unsweetened fruit juice and veggies, again, be sure to stuff yourself and eat the soup. You can add cooked veggies to your rice if you wish.
By the end of the 7th day, if you have not cheated on this diet, you should have lost 10 to 17 pounds. If you have lost more than 17 pounds, stay off the diet for two days before resuming the diet again.

This diet is fast. The secret lies within the principle that you will burn more calories than you take in. It will flush your system of impurities and give you a feeling of well-being. This diet does not lend itself to drinking any alcoholic beverages at any time. Because of the fat build-up in your system. Go off the diet at least 14 hours before any intake of alcohol.

Due to the variety of digestive systems in individuals, this diet will affect everyone differently. After day three, you will have more energy than when you began, if you do not cheat. After being on the diet for several days, you will find that your bowel movements have changed. Eat a cup of bran or fiber. Although you can have black coffee with this diet, you may find that you don't need caffeine after the third day.

The basic fat burning soup can be eaten anytime you feel hungry during the seven days. Eat as much as you wish. Remember the more you eat, the more you will lose. You can eat broiled, boiled or baked chicken instead of the beef. Absolutely no skin on the chicken. If you prefer, you can substitute broiled fish for the beef on only one of the beef days. You need the high protein in the beef for the other days.

Continue on the diet as long as you wish and feel the difference both mentally and physically.

DO NOT - DO NOT
No bread, alcohol, carbonated drinks (including diet drinks). Remember, absolutely no fried foods.

DO - DO - DO - DO
Drink plenty - at least 6 to 8 glasses - of water a day, as well as any combination of the following beverages: black coffee, unsweetened fruit drinks, cranberry juice and skim milk.
This diet comes from the Sacred Heart Memorial Hospital that is used for overweight heart patients in order to lose weight rapidly, usually prior to surgery.







Saturday, September 10, 2011

Oh alright, I GUESS we can write in our blog again since it's been SEVEN MONTHS...


I would like to begin this post with a confession:

I have a bald spot in the middle of my right eyebrow
and I have to fill it in with a pencil
every day
.
It's really hard to deal with.

SO... here's what's up:

1. I'm not pregnant. Let's just get that out of the way.

2. We both have about two years left of school and sometimes I feel old and dumb and sometimes I'm just grateful to be in school.

3. We live in this apartment right by campus and it's cheap but we're the only married people here (in fact, I think I'm the only girl here) and everyone around here just gets drunk all the time but we're saving money and it's actually really cute. Pictures to come. (Yeah right!!)

4. Tonight on a triple date with two other married couples, one of the girls pulled me aside and said,
"I love the way your husband looks at you. I can just see how in love he is with you."

I get choked up thinking about that.

5. I made some earrings out of old buttons.

6. I love Bon Iver.

7. This is all that girls on campus wear.

Notice how they're walking separate and no one knows each other. This is a thing!

8. I hate this.

It's disgusting.

9. I'm really enjoying being bang-less. (sounds weird)


And yes, I am in fact uploading pictures from my phone.

10. This was the day I looked like a lesbian.


11. We did this to all the computers, but the geniuses at Best Buy rigged them so they'd go back to blank after the screensaver started. A fruitless effort.

12. I think at this point I had like two more months of selling. Can you tell how hard I'm trying not to cry?
13. Scott has the most feminine legs I have ever seen.

Well, I guess that's all. We got really into Mad Men for a while but couldn't stand all the infidelity. It's not that the show really glamorizes it, it's more that I began having nightmares and didn't want Scott to leave the house. I get a tad bit too into shows.