well, sort of. because of a gift from saxy's dad, we were able to buy some treats and take care of a few things (few being the operative word), and because of the second job, we're going to be able to make small dents on other things we've wanted while being able to keep up on our bills better than before. there are still some larger issues we need to deal with (the car's brakes are in need of work, but it has to wait until the tax return, assuming the laptop leaves enough money to make a brake job possible). some of the things we're picking up are extras we've wanted, others are needs (like under things) that have been put on hold because of money. and some are actual presents, while others are gifts of a different sort....
like me starting to lose my holiday weight. recorded a nice loss today at lose it (which i highly recommend).
but the rest are more gifty in nature. ;)
my husband's gift to me of tron: legacy came in, along with the spice jars we purchased to go with the spice bookshelf middle girl bought him. i did have to pick up a different set of labels, and the largest measuring spoon that fits is the half teaspoon, and a couple things either didn't fit or didn't work well with them (cinnamon sticks and bay leaves in particular), but once all that was sorted out, it made it easier to see what we had, what we needed more of, and our spices overall took up less space, so the pros outweigh the cons. i really like them. we have a couple left, and i plan to buy more for when we try out other spices. here's a look at it....
that's 58 spices. below we have some spices and herbs we purchase in larger quantities than the jars can take (and the jars wouldn't generally be all that good to use anyway--they'd get wiped out pretty quickly). also on the lower shelf are the overstocked spices, dried chili peppers, odds and ends like oat flour and sesame seeds, and the like. this also helps with that feeling more in control of our kitchen too: most everything is organized now (we have a few more things to deal with, which will get taken care of as i start packing stuff in the house in plastic lock type storage boxes to protect against the bugs) and the gel stuff suggested by apd has really been working (need to apply more soon). this shelf turned out to be an amazing fit for us. :)
also recently in from my middle girl, the book well of sorrows, a belly dance dvd, and a belly dance skirt (i'm working on learning it this year). can't fit the skirt yet--i supposedly could have mid-october, but i gained weight and inches over the holidays, and i suspect this skirt is smaller in the waist than advertised. i am already working with the dvd a bit, trying to do a little most nights to get the moves down.
other workout things that have arrived include jillian michaels' shred with weights, xtf max, and 1.5 pound (each) weighted gloves to use with my turbo jam and hip hop abs workouts over the next 3 months. also received a new scale. my old one liked to add 10 pounds over night and changed each time you stepped on it...even with a new battery.
from linnorm, taz received rock band I and II plus a guitar to go with the wii from jewel. rock band I is having an issue recognizing the guitar, but rock band II apparently works. at least when he has batteries--he's wiped out the first set already. lol he's being very good about the rules for using it though, so i'm happy. :) i think he's more into the leggo lotr than anything at the moment. ;)
still on the way are a stash tea order (should be here by friday) and my turbo jam elite (should be here tomorrow). will be making another stash order come friday (they have a deal that will expire otherwise; between the two orders, i'll have some new flavors to try and my old faves will be, if not completely restocked, stocked up enough for now), and in two weeks hubs gets a new electric shaver. i pre-ordered (to get 40% off) a pound workout program that should then as well.
we also picked up youngest a new phone to replace her dying flip. the phone itself was free, the upgrade cost not so much, but i figure it was about the amount we'd spend on christmas and birthday gifts for her. it also makes sure she has a reliable way to get in touch if she needs to.
things will need to settle out again after this month: next month we pay the rent ourselves, so there won't be the extra funds like now. we are planning to pick up 2 or 3 air filters (to help with my damn allergies) and i have a few more weights related things i want to get soon, but beyond that the next major spending comes tax time, which is when i replace our now problematic laptop and hopefully take care of the car (assuming we get any kind of tax return, which we should, but who knows). i was supposed to get clothes, but the laptop is becoming more and more problematic for me as a writer. hubs says we can figure out how to get me new things over the year since he has a second job, and he's right. and hopefully i'll be losing more weight anyway, so i'm a bit hesitant to do a major wardrobe overhaul. granted, i need pants and skirts, but for now, i can manage. i mean, it's not like i go anywhere much.
once all these (except the clothing situation) are taken care of, the plan is to start working on packing up most our stuff into lock top type crates. this will be done over time. i have to find crates at target, walmart, or home depot that are the right sizes (i need to see them; measurements don't do much for me) so i know what to start ordering online, and then i have to do a few at a time because larger boxes run anywhere from $15-$50 each, and we're going to need A LOT (just for books and dvds, not even talking about everything else that needs crating...which is just about everything).
i'm sure this seems like a lot, but considering we don't usually buy much at all (i buy 99 cent nook books, though i usually look for freebie deals, and that's about it), and last year was pretty extras poor for the most part (dragon con excepted, of course), this little glut will probably have to keep us for most, if not all, of the year. i do think i'm pretty set on my actual workouts (though it is possible that beachbody will come out with another "must have" this year, but right now, yea, pretty set), so most of my new exercise purchases will be equipment related (and most of that will be heavier weights as i am able to increase my load). we have some kitchen stuffs we'd like to pick up, but nothing majorly important at the moment (even the candy thermometer can wait until closer to christmas, which is when i'd like to attempt toffee again). kiddo and hubs need basics like socks, underwear, and sleep bottoms, and hubs needs more chef pants, so those will be on the list to get through the year as well.
i'm just hoping that things stay stable financially this year. hubs doesn't look to be at risk for losing the el taco job--his new exec chef is another chef that's trying to push and encourage him. it's always that second job that's problematic, and without one, we're scraping. but i'm really hoping we can get things crated this year and get out of this damn apartment. be nice if we could get into a house, even a rental, but out of the apartment would be nice. closer to where saxy works would also be nice, but probably highly unaffordable.
for now, i'm just going to enjoy the presents and things and being able to take care of stuff. if the previous years have taught me anything it's that i need to be cautious in my planning. heck just planning the tax return makes me a little nervous. lol but here's hoping the year will be much less tumultuous than previous years and we can get some or all of this accomplished (okay, not holding my breath on the move). and who knows, maybe a few more presents and things will be possible this year...other than dragon con, which is also still in the plan. ;) |
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