So, this week on the Today show, they've started doing something called the #30DayDetox. (http://www.today.com/health/todays-jill-martin-why-im-giving-my-smartphone-1D79918755?cid=eml_tdb_20140714) Since Jill Martin is giving up her Smartphone, you can see this isn't necessarily a diet - one of the food variety, anyway. So I've decided to participate. No unnecessary purchases. No new toys, no fabric, no nothin'. The boys will need new school supplies, but before I go out and purchase a bunch of stuff, I'm going to see what we already have. They will need some new school clothes, but for the most part, nothing much is needed in that department at the mo'. In fact, I may only need to get them some new trainers and call it good. My kids are only clothes horses because I am, and I keep buying them stuff.
I'm also going to stop eating ice cream. I just had my last ice cream sandwich for the next 30 days. I weighed myself this morning and I haven't weighed this much since I was pregnant. At least then I could blame it on the baby! I've been on three walks in the last two days. I've got to shed at least 10 pounds by my October birthday or sooner, but that's the goal: 10 by mid-October. More than doable, and if I'm lucky, it'll be even more than that.
I thought about not going on facebook for 30 days, but let's be realistic. Besides, that's how I keep in contact with a lot of the people in my life, so that's out. Also, since I started school, I simply haven't had as much time to be on there, anyway. Between classes and studying, I've probably cut my fb time in half.
So, I have the two things from which I'm going to "detox". But I feel like I should maybe have one more. Three's a charm and all that. But I really don't have a whole lot of vices outside of shopping and ice cream... I really love ice cream. I rarely drink soda or booze and it'll be a cold day in the underground hinterlands before you'll pry the coffee cup from my clutches. Oh! I know! I'll stop getting a pretzel bun at lunch. The store doesn't always have them, anyway. That's one less bundle of carbs from my diet.
We all have some habits we could do without for 30 days. Maybe by then we won't miss them so much. Because I could totally have another ice cream sandwich right now...
Showing posts with label First world problems. Show all posts
Showing posts with label First world problems. Show all posts
Monday, July 14, 2014
Sunday, July 13, 2014
Oh, Good Gravy!
Mending I'm alright with, I am terrible at making do.
By now it should be fairly obvious that my family doesn't hurt for money. We're not rich by any stretch of the imagination and my husband works an extremely demanding job in order to provide us with what we do have... which is plenty. However, I really wanted to try to stop my extra spending on crap we simply don't need and I'm going to be honest with you: I'm not doing very well.
Oh, sure, I went to Fantastic Sam's and got cheap hair cuts for myself and the boys and I have always colored my own hair (which is back to auburn). I'm not thrilled with my cut. It's just not the same as when I go to Tasha and spend $50. It's not. I don't know why, but there's just something not quite right.
So there's that.
My boys had a birthday party to go to the other day and what did I do? I got the kid a present, then got one for each of my kids. FOR NO REASON! Don't get me wrong, my kids do stuff around the house for me when asked and are generally good, kind kids who follow the rules, but they didn't do anything extraordinary to earn these toys. I will say, however, that they have played with them quite a bit. At least they aren't laying in a heap of dust. Yet.
Tennis shoes. I needed new tennis shoes. I went to Famous Footwear so I could get some name brand shoes on sale instead of Target cheapies, which make my (already busted) knee really hurt. Besides, my old tennies were about a year old and I wear them nearly every day.
I went online and purchase some fleece fabric today because I got an email coupon for Hancock Fabrics and my boys want me to make them extra blankets for the camper. I got enough to make one for myself, too. I made one for my husband, why shouldn't the rest of us have extra blankets for the camper? Even though my husband and I share his. Well, okay, mine can stay at home. I picked out the fabric to go in our living room.
Isn't this pathetic? I can come up with what is to me, perfectly logical reasons to spend money. It's probably an illness. First World problems.
As I look at this now and realize that I need to stop. I honestly don't NEED anything now. I have the new shoes. I got my hair cut, however badly. My kids have a couple of new toys that they are playing with, at least. I have good music to listen to in my car, I have books to read, I have classes to attend.
This will have to be a better wake up call than my just saying I'm going to do something. I'm really more aware that I was when I left the house this morning to run errands. Besides, if I stop getting all the extra stuff, I can go back to Tasha and have my hair done RIGHT.
By now it should be fairly obvious that my family doesn't hurt for money. We're not rich by any stretch of the imagination and my husband works an extremely demanding job in order to provide us with what we do have... which is plenty. However, I really wanted to try to stop my extra spending on crap we simply don't need and I'm going to be honest with you: I'm not doing very well.
Oh, sure, I went to Fantastic Sam's and got cheap hair cuts for myself and the boys and I have always colored my own hair (which is back to auburn). I'm not thrilled with my cut. It's just not the same as when I go to Tasha and spend $50. It's not. I don't know why, but there's just something not quite right.
So there's that.
My boys had a birthday party to go to the other day and what did I do? I got the kid a present, then got one for each of my kids. FOR NO REASON! Don't get me wrong, my kids do stuff around the house for me when asked and are generally good, kind kids who follow the rules, but they didn't do anything extraordinary to earn these toys. I will say, however, that they have played with them quite a bit. At least they aren't laying in a heap of dust. Yet.
Tennis shoes. I needed new tennis shoes. I went to Famous Footwear so I could get some name brand shoes on sale instead of Target cheapies, which make my (already busted) knee really hurt. Besides, my old tennies were about a year old and I wear them nearly every day.
I went online and purchase some fleece fabric today because I got an email coupon for Hancock Fabrics and my boys want me to make them extra blankets for the camper. I got enough to make one for myself, too. I made one for my husband, why shouldn't the rest of us have extra blankets for the camper? Even though my husband and I share his. Well, okay, mine can stay at home. I picked out the fabric to go in our living room.
Isn't this pathetic? I can come up with what is to me, perfectly logical reasons to spend money. It's probably an illness. First World problems.
As I look at this now and realize that I need to stop. I honestly don't NEED anything now. I have the new shoes. I got my hair cut, however badly. My kids have a couple of new toys that they are playing with, at least. I have good music to listen to in my car, I have books to read, I have classes to attend.
This will have to be a better wake up call than my just saying I'm going to do something. I'm really more aware that I was when I left the house this morning to run errands. Besides, if I stop getting all the extra stuff, I can go back to Tasha and have my hair done RIGHT.
Sunday, June 22, 2014
A Year of Make Do and Mend
Well, I'm a proud step-mama. My eldest step-son and his wife are both graduating with their PhDs next May! Keep in mind that these "kids" are 2 and 3 years younger than I, but that means we actually get along really well because we all grew up with the same stuff and we have very similar interests, which is super cool.
What does this have to do with "Make Do and Mend"? Well, my little smarty-pants darlings are having their graduation party at Disney World! Woohooo! My guys and I are so excited! However, this does mean a year of living frugally and going after the best price and foregoing things I'd normally get without thinking about it too much.
To be honest, we don't need anything. We have enough clothes and toys and movies for now. The boys are growing, of course, so they'll get stuff as needed, but I will be scouring the sale racks for school clothes. There never seem to be many boys things at the thrift stores. Maybe because they're harder on their clothes, or perhaps because they don't have as many clothes to begin with - I have no idea, but I sure have a hard time finding stuff for them at the thrift stores.
Besides, I have so many projects I could be making to wear. Sadly, last year I put on some weight and I don't fit most of my patterns. Part of me thinks I should just make the stuff anyway and sell it. Another part of me wants to lose the weight, while yet another part of me figures I could probably modify the patterns to fit my current size. The sum of these parts gets overwhelmed and freaks out and does nothing, but since I have some motivation, e.g. Disney World, I may actually get a move on to do these things. I know, I know. You've heard that before. We'll see how that goes.
By the way, I now have blue hair. I'm not sure I like it. It's a pretty color, and I've always wanted to do something out of the reds/pinks, but it seems so dark. I'm not a dark person. I put it over my natural hair color as well as the part I already had pink and bleach blond. The bleached area is the prettiest part of it. The rest looks sort of green and sad. Maybe I'll like it more once I get a trim. The pretty part is the color of the Caribbean, so I don't mind that. It kinda makes me want to go SCUBA diving, though. I haven't been in over 2 years and I really want to get back in the ocean.
Oh, no!
Speaking of hair and getting it trimmed, I'll have to go back to Fantastic Sam's for my haircuts if I'm living frugally. Sad sauce! I finally found a stylist I really like, but she costs $45, $50 with the tip. Dang it. I may have to consider her a necessity. I really like her work on my hair.
I also have a website for my massage therapy student business, www.catalystbodyworkbytracie.com. Be sure to go visit it. I'll be adding some updates shortly, since I'll be learning a new technique in Shiatsu after this week, I'm really excited about it. It has more of the karate chop type massage that you normally think of when someone mentions eastern massage modalities. Even though my thumbs have gotten stronger over the past 6 weeks, they do get tired when I have a lot of clients. Or when my clients wear jeans. That hurts like crazy the next day!
Well, I've gotten off topic quite a lot in this entry. Don't worry, I've taken my medication. I just have a lot on my mind. Like coupon clipping and getting groceries while avoiding WalMart, keeping the bills down and reminding the boys that we can't buy a bunch of toys if we want to afford Disney World. All while keeping up with my studies and the household (thankfully, my mom is coming up this summer during my school days to help out around the house. I really couldn't do this without her). First World problems that I'm grateful to have, really.
So, where shall I start on this Make Do and Mend year? Well, my little flowerpots, I think I'll start with the Sunday supplements and clip the coupons and look for deals. Though I'd like to know why there are never any coupons for the stuff I actually use...?
What does this have to do with "Make Do and Mend"? Well, my little smarty-pants darlings are having their graduation party at Disney World! Woohooo! My guys and I are so excited! However, this does mean a year of living frugally and going after the best price and foregoing things I'd normally get without thinking about it too much.
To be honest, we don't need anything. We have enough clothes and toys and movies for now. The boys are growing, of course, so they'll get stuff as needed, but I will be scouring the sale racks for school clothes. There never seem to be many boys things at the thrift stores. Maybe because they're harder on their clothes, or perhaps because they don't have as many clothes to begin with - I have no idea, but I sure have a hard time finding stuff for them at the thrift stores.
Besides, I have so many projects I could be making to wear. Sadly, last year I put on some weight and I don't fit most of my patterns. Part of me thinks I should just make the stuff anyway and sell it. Another part of me wants to lose the weight, while yet another part of me figures I could probably modify the patterns to fit my current size. The sum of these parts gets overwhelmed and freaks out and does nothing, but since I have some motivation, e.g. Disney World, I may actually get a move on to do these things. I know, I know. You've heard that before. We'll see how that goes.
By the way, I now have blue hair. I'm not sure I like it. It's a pretty color, and I've always wanted to do something out of the reds/pinks, but it seems so dark. I'm not a dark person. I put it over my natural hair color as well as the part I already had pink and bleach blond. The bleached area is the prettiest part of it. The rest looks sort of green and sad. Maybe I'll like it more once I get a trim. The pretty part is the color of the Caribbean, so I don't mind that. It kinda makes me want to go SCUBA diving, though. I haven't been in over 2 years and I really want to get back in the ocean.
Oh, no!
Speaking of hair and getting it trimmed, I'll have to go back to Fantastic Sam's for my haircuts if I'm living frugally. Sad sauce! I finally found a stylist I really like, but she costs $45, $50 with the tip. Dang it. I may have to consider her a necessity. I really like her work on my hair.
I also have a website for my massage therapy student business, www.catalystbodyworkbytracie.com. Be sure to go visit it. I'll be adding some updates shortly, since I'll be learning a new technique in Shiatsu after this week, I'm really excited about it. It has more of the karate chop type massage that you normally think of when someone mentions eastern massage modalities. Even though my thumbs have gotten stronger over the past 6 weeks, they do get tired when I have a lot of clients. Or when my clients wear jeans. That hurts like crazy the next day!
Well, I've gotten off topic quite a lot in this entry. Don't worry, I've taken my medication. I just have a lot on my mind. Like coupon clipping and getting groceries while avoiding WalMart, keeping the bills down and reminding the boys that we can't buy a bunch of toys if we want to afford Disney World. All while keeping up with my studies and the household (thankfully, my mom is coming up this summer during my school days to help out around the house. I really couldn't do this without her). First World problems that I'm grateful to have, really.
So, where shall I start on this Make Do and Mend year? Well, my little flowerpots, I think I'll start with the Sunday supplements and clip the coupons and look for deals. Though I'd like to know why there are never any coupons for the stuff I actually use...?
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