2011 Planning

It's a futile search...every year I'm on the hunt for the perfect planner, but I never seem to find one that works perfectly for me. So this year I decided that I would take elements from planners of years gone by and create my own customized planner that would work for me this year. 115 pages and a few hours later I was done! Here are a few of my favorite elements that I included...

1) A large monthly planner. I'm not good enough to keep up with a detailed weekly planner- I do much better if I can see the month all together. No kiddos to keep up with...just a husband and crazy school schedules so I don't need too much room. One month spread over two letter size pages works best for me- I'll print these out and have them spiral bound so each month is easily accessible. 

2) Monthly Financial Checklists! I've always kept a checklist of bills that need to be paid each month so I decided to incorporate that into my planner this year. I can simply check off each bill as it is paid and I also listed my bills that are auto-drafted so I don't forget that money is flying out of our bank account as fast as Devo's fame faded in the 80's. I also listed our savings goals for the year so I can record our balance and keep track of our progress.

3) Meal Plans! I've added a smaller calendar on the next page that is dedicated to menu planning for that month. I don't bother to plan out breakfast or lunch. (It's always cereal or poptarts and the standard soup or sandwich making ingredients since we pack our lunches.) This smaller calendar is just enough to jot down what's for dinner each night so I can remember what to buy at the store and what to take out of the freezer each morning.

4) Shopping List! I usually do one large shopping trip each month. I can buy all our meat in bulk and separate it into freezer bags and most other ingredients/ snacks/ fruits/ veggies we will need for the month. I also make a short trip every week or two to get milk and bread and to take advantage of any good coupon deals that are going on. It makes it really convenient to have my menu plan on the opposite page as I create my shopping list. And the coupon check list keeps me straight while I'm at the store because I can note how much each coupon is for and if there are any conditions such as buying 2 of the item or a particular size without having to stand in the middle of an aisle and search through my coupon bag.

5) Christmas Gift Giving List! Thanks are due to I Heart Organizing for this idea. I used Jen's downloadable Gift Giving Plan this year and absolutely loved it! So I've added a modified version to my planner to use around Christmas time so I don't forget what I've purchased for who!

6) Address list! I hate searching for addresses when I want to send a card. Inevitably, I can't find an address right away and I forget about what I wanted to send so my friends end up thinking they are unloved. Sad. I really do love you guys and think about you often! I'm just forgetful. *sniff* So maybe this address list will help. I've also added a portion that will allow me to keep up with those who send me Christmas cards and those I send Christmas cards to. It's on my 30 before 30 list. I only have one more Christmas to actually get cards out...the pressure is on!

7) Days to Celebrate List! A place to list birthdays and anniversaries to remember.

8) And last but not least...extra pages for notes are essential!

And because I love you and I hope someone else can use what I've created...here is a free printable version for you! You can print it back and front and have it spiral bound for probably less than $10-15...enjoy!

2011 Planner -

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A little off the top please!

I can finally mark #2 off my list! I ventured to the Richard Joseph salon today to chop about 9 inches of hair. I'll mail it in as a donation to Beautiful Lengths. Why not Locks of Love you ask? (I know that question was just burning in your brain wasn't it?!) Well, simply because I couldn't take it anymore and the minimum for Beautiful Lengths is 8", whereas Locks of Love is 10". Also, Beautiful Lengths donates to both women and children, whereas Locks of Love only donates to children. I realize its a traumatic experience for either women or children to lose their hair and appreciate that it will go to someone in need.

Here are the before pics:

I have to say that Noel has been going to Richard Joseph Salon since we came to Birmingham a year and 1/2 ago. He raves about it every time, but of course I've been growing my hair out for 1 1/2 years so I was excited to finally see what all the hub bub was about. Here is the salon:

And here is the cafe where I sat and had coffee (Noel usually has a meal when he goes but I was running late and anxious to get my hair cut!) Oh- and by the way- all food and drinks are complimentary.

And here is where Kevin cut my hair after I had the MOST AMAZING shampoo! Seriously- I've been to spas before but this was awesome. Full head massage, hot steamy towel, even a neck rub with some seriously yummy smelling, cooling peppermint oil. Oh- and they also cleaned my wedding rings for me while they spoiled me rotten. :)

And (drum roll please!)..........here are the after pics:

Whatcha think?

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30 before 30

It's not so far off...my 30th birthday is approaching like a runaway train. I only have a little over a year to accomplish everything on my list and there are some biggies! Then again, I might just stay 29 forever. It would be nice to stay under 30 forever right?! No wrinkles, no body aches or joints popping when I get out of bed, no early bedtime....wait. No. That's me at 28. Nevermind. I haven't really decided yet. But that's not the point. Where was I? Oh yeah...the point is that 30 is quickly approaching and I have a few goals I'd like to see happen. Some are silly, some are serious, some are close to impossible. The due date? January 3, 2012.

1. Cook at least one recipe from each cookbook I own
   (I counted...that's 11 cookbooks, 25 if you include the magazines I've saved and marked recipes in. I just said "books" right?)
2. Donate to Beautiful Lengths (I'm getting there...I'm officially tired of long hair, tangles and getting hair pinned under my bag straps or in the car window- yeah, that hurt. I think a few more months and I'll have 8 inches without having to go too incredibly short.)
3. Buy a DSLR Camera (Nikon S3100)
4. Bake croissants from scratch
5. Graduate with an MBA 
6. Consolidate and organize student loan payments
7. Visit Washington DC with Noel
   (He's never been! Can you believe it?!)
8. Move out of Birmingham, AL
   (yes please!)
9. Keep a plant alive longer than 6 months
   (I may have to invest in a cactus. Seriously. It's bad.)
10. Switch to Truvia or Splenda in my coffee
11. Run 20 minutes straight without dying
    (Yes- literally, dying. I see it as a very real possibility.)
12. Create travel map display
    (Done! I started writing this list a few weeks ago and couldn't wait to finish this one.)
13. Sleep in until 9am I slept until 9:03am over Christmas break- then got up and did a happy dance! :)
    (It's harder than it used to be. I'm usually up no later then 7:30 when I try to sleep in.)
14. Sell something(s) I own for at least $200 (to be used for #3!)
15. Take my nephew on an outing
16. See a ring on my sister’s finger
    (No pressure here! Just want you to know that I wholeheartedly approve. So Andrew- make it a big one!)
17. Buy a party dress Received one for Christmas and wore it out for New Years!
    (I don't think I've ever really owned a fun party dress. Sad, I know.)
18. Get Noel to take me to Ikea
    (This is the one that seems impossible-but I'll make it happen! Just wait and see!)
19. Read a book of Noel’s choosing
20. Visit 3 places in our travel book
    (We have a travel book we leave on the table in our living room. Anytime we see a place we want to visit on TV we write it down. It's mostly restaurants from the travel channel! What can I say? Food inspires us.)
21. Visit Janine & Josh and meet Keagan
    (He's the cutest rollie pollie kid ever! I mean Keagan, not Josh. :) Check out their blog here.)
22. Have a couponing trip where I save at least $25 and spend less than $5
23. Create my own home management notebook
24. Get a massage…make that 2 massages
25. Sell something on Etsy
26. Organize the office closet (It's scary in there.)
27. Host a party in our little apartment
28. Update address book and send Christmas cards
29. Complete a Rubik’s cube without removing the stickers
30. Buy multi-colored Christmas lights
    (I like white lights, Noel likes colored lights. I told Noel we can buy colored Christmas lights when we have kiddos.)

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Organizing/Procrastinating: It happens often in my house.

I recently had a week where I had a Management presentation of a paper (Tuesday), Marketing group paper and presentation (Wednesday), and a Finance mid-term (Thursday) all in one week. PLUS a lectureship at work which lasted three days. Guess which days? Yep- Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

So what do I decide to do on the Saturday before this awful week?

Yep, you guessed it. I reorganized my buffet! Procrastinate much?

What can I say, I work better under pressure.

Our buffet holds all my cookbooks, our junk drawers, fine china and my morning drawer which includes my hair dryer, makeup bag, mirror and flat iron. (I get ready in the dining room so I don't wake up Noel with my hair dryer.) Hey- when you live in a little apartment you do what works and combine things like junk and fine china. Don't judge.

Here are the cabinets on each side:

And here are the three drawers:

Junk, junk and more junk. I even found a disposable camera from 2007. Who knows what's on it?!

Jasper decided he would help too. I hope his little tail knocked some dust out of that cabinet.

Here are the beautiful after pics- side by side with the before pics for comparison:

The left cabinet holds my cookbook collection and a Longaberger basket that holds all of my coupons (thanks to my bro and sis-in law for that Christmas gift!) and extra recipe cards, etc are neatly stacked next to it. 

The right cabinet didn't change a bit but did get a good dusting so I won't bore you with that. 

Here are a few pics of the drawers:

Also, on top of the buffet, a little plate holds out keys and don'tforgetthisasyougooutthedoor stuff. I make Noel's lunch most days and leave it in the fridge for him. He forgets it sometimes so I try to put a sticky note above the doorknob to remind him as he goes out the door. I hide my sticky note under our plate so I can just re-use it. I love post-its. Seriously- love.  :)

I don't know about you but I can breath better when I'm organized. You? 

No?! Just me? 

Ummm...k. 

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My current crush...

My sister-in-law once said she would eat poop for a Nissan Altima, and while I wouldn't quite go THAT far- I would totally work a second job to afford this beauty! I've been saving since my birthday last year for a camera. The Nikon D3100 was just released in September and is getting great reviews from the amateurs out there. It not only has 14.2 Megapixels but also has video capabilities to record in Full 1080p. Maybe one more year of saving and I can share some awesome pics with you. I heart it.

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When did this happen?!

When?! When did I lose the ability to touch my toes, when did my muscles go on vacation and leave me with, well, flab? I woke up and I'm 28...kinda freakin' out after the fact here. It's easy to glance over my birthday (Jan. 3)- it comes right after Christmas and New Years so I can usually attribute festivities to these holidays and effectively ignore another year gone by. But alas, time has caught up with me, muscles have atrophied and flexibility has gone the way of the dodo.

In hopes of getting toned for our cruise coming up in May I have decided to get healthy. Not necessarily lose weight- I don't care much about that but just to build up some muscle and not get winded every time I run up three flights of stairs. So I popped in a ballet conditioning video and decided a few plies and tondues would help. I got about 15 minutes in when the husband awoke from his morning hibernation. Ah heck- 15 minutes was better then nothing right? Well I am ashamed to say that a few round of demi and grande plies was enough to make my muscles complain. How pitiful is that?!

But I have decided...no matter how short or pitiful the exercise is I will get out there and do SOMETHING. So here I go...off to run around the neighborhood. If you hear sirens don't panic...it's just me passing out.

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I made it!

This first semester of law school for my husband has been a breeze for me. Ha! My poor hubby. I feel like these last few months have been the first time in a really long time that I have not had any big stressors in my life. Most people told us that the first year of law school would be hell (and well- it may be for my hubby but he's takin' it like a champ!) but I have an easy job and I'm not going to school. I don't have a crazy boss anymore and we are living closer to family which makes things a bit easier for me.

The only goal I have had this semester is to study and do well on my GMAT test so I could start the MBA program here at Samford. Well, I took the test on November 7th and (needing a 480) walked out with a 670. Yay!! Exactly one week later I received my acceptance letter into the program. So hello late night classes, coffee runs and cramming for tests, and goodbye stress free weekends, early bedtimes (which I oh so love!) and free time.

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