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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So...I've got a paper to write.

So of course I reorganized my guest room closet this morning! Yeah, the whole procrastination thing is kicking my butt. Finals are next week, I haven't done my Christmas shopping and can't even get into the "Christmas spirit" yet. But I do feel so much better now that this closet is clean!! Check out my embarrassing before photos...

And after a few hours, here are the after pics...

And a few more...

I used this old hanging closet organizer to store our office supplies for easy access and used the empty space behind the organizer to store our beach towels since we don't have a linen closet (and the balls on the top are for pool volleyball games in the summer- so fun!). 

Each bankers box is labeled: one for each year of law school, one for crafts, photographs, cables, wedding items, etc. I also made a box for Noel and one for myself for us to keep any personal sentimental items that we just can't quite bear to part with.

After cleaning the closet I shredded a bunch of old paperwork and organized my file cabinet. Then I cleaned the kitchen and decided to make a few yummy treats too. Then I decided to share my day with you. Because well, I love you. And I still haven't started my paper. Lord help me.

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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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Remember when...

Hey hubby...Remember when we left for our honeymoon and before we arrived in FL our tire blew out and we spun around 4 times across 4 lanes of heavy traffic on the interstate and landed facing the right way on the shoulder? Or the time we packed all we had and moved to Wake Forest, NC with no jobs and only about $1,500 to our names? Or the time we went to Asheville and ate at the Early Girl Eatery downtown? Or the time we went on that cruise and won $140 in the casino? I do...and I hope that I never forget the travels that we have had together.

My travel maps are a total knockoff inspiration thanks to Young House Love. (I love those crazy kids!) All it takes are a few frames, printed maps, map pins, and a good memory to recall where you have been. I got my frames at Hobby Lobby- 50% of course. (If you buy anything at Hobby Lobby that's not 50% off you paid too much.) They are actually display frames so they already had a linen backing that I pinned my printed maps to. Easy peezy lemon sqweezy!

The top map is for our world travels (we stick pins in each country or region we visit) and the bottom one is of the US (we stick pins in destination places- not places we have traveled through, sorry- rest stops don't count!). I want us to visit every state and my goal is to try to visit a new state each year. Noel and I both love to travel and have both been all over the US and several places around the world but we decided to only indicate where we have been together. So hopefully in 50 years our maps will be full of pins!

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