Connor's such a trooper!

 

 

Last night, Connor was in tears as he was really nervous about his dentist appointment. I explained that it's OK to be nervous and that everyone is afraid of the unknown. I tried to ease his fears by reassuring him that he can ask the dentist what he's going to be doing exactly and I would be there right next to him, holding his hand...which I didn't end up doing since there wasn't much room for me to do it. :(

Why did he have to go to the dentist, you ask? Well Connor went in for a check-up last week and the dentist found that he had a very mild ("almost a cavity"?) on his bottom left molar. So today, Connor went in to get it taken care of and they used nitrous to take the edge off. I've never used it before so I was kind of worried how it was going to affect him. Surprisingly, he wasn't loopy or anything like what I've seen those kids do on "Ellen". LOL. The whole procedure took less than 20 mins and Connor did awesome! Dr. Cottrell said that most boys are a little more "active" in the chair and Connor was pretty mellow. Shocking. Connor and mellow in one sentence. LOL. :)

The real test will be next Friday. He will be having oral surgery. Apparently, he has an extra tooth growing upside down in the middle of his two front teeth. Imagine that! (Totally explains the monstrous gap between his 2 front teeth!) It's causing such a protrusion and is preventing his smaller upper teeth to come in that it has to be removed soon. I am really nervous about the whole thing and I KNOW that he's going to do just fine, but you know how it is. You just want to protect your baby from anything that might seem painful. He's going to be put under so please pray that he doesn't have any complications. Thanks! :)

Isabella, you little stinker!!!

This morning was just like normal: wake up, give kids breakfast, something to drink while I take my vitamins and get myself to wake up by washing dishes, etc etc.

Isabella asked for some water in our special light-up cup (you know, one of the ones you get at the concerts at the fair). Isabella and Connor were sitting at the dining table chit-chatting about this and that, arguing about something (like usual) and laughing REALLY loud about silly things (like usual). Ofcourse...as usual, I had to remind them that Daddy was sleeping and they needed to shush it a little. They're still cracking up about something and then next thing I know Connor just walks away.

I asked Connor what happened (as I noticed his fruit cup was still full). He said that Isabella swished some water in her mouth and spit it into his cup. YUCK. This whole time Isabella is cracking up and is just happy that now, she gets to eat the fruit cup. Yeah, you know, so it doesn't go to waste. Ingenious! Ofcourse, I had to quickly remind her that wasn't a nice to thing to do, yada, yada, yada.

Anyway, a few minutes later I picked up the light-up cup she was using and drank from it. As I'm doing this, she's just laughing and just had this sly look on her cute little face. After I finished drinking, I asked her "What's so funny?" In between her snorts, she tells me that she was swishing the water in her mouth and spit it back out...back in the same water cup I just drank from!!!! Ugh, GROSS!!! Then she had to add a little detail and again through her snorts, "Haha, I made you drink my slobber lemonade!!" HAHA, real funny. You little stinker!

*Don't worry, I will get her back*

 

I have to admit. I am probably the luckiest mom in the world to have such beautiful children, inside and out. :)

Go Connor Go!

 

Daddy decided it was time to teach Connor how to mow the lawns. Our electric lawn mower is super easy to maneuver & the blades are hidden well so it's safe to use. Connor didn't think it was a great idea but after a little persuasion (well ok, he didn't really have much of a choice), he did it and he did awesome! It was kind of a hot day so he did take multiple breaks to sit in the shade ("It's soooo hot! I'm all sweaty.") but we are super duper proud of him. The lawn looks great and he did a wonderful job! Go Connor Go!

Kids say some of the funniest things sometimes...

CONNOR

We were driving by Dove Creek Church yesterday and Connor noticed the banner they have posted in front of the church.  It said "FREE FAMILY FAIR FESTIVAL"... 

C: "Look Mom, that church is having a carnival on August 13th!"

M: "Oh cool, maybe we should go.  That sounds like fun!"

C: "You know Mom, I don't know about going to these free events."

M: "Why would you say that?  I like free events."

C: "Well you know, they say it's free, but all they really want is your money."

(I'm just about as shocked as you can be hearing this coming out of my 7-year-old son's mouth)

M: "Oh really, why do you think that?"

C: "Because every time we go somewhere that's free, they make you spend money there by making you buy things or if you want to do anything."

M: "Yeah I guess that's true, come to think of it."

Funny kid...

ISABELLA

So Isabella and I were snuggling on the couch this morning and talking about things we want to do for the rest of the week.  We're planning to go back to the Mid State Fair on Friday with Daddy (we went yesterday to ride the carnival rides while Daddy was at work) and the kids are super excited to go back.  Well Isabella fell in love with this nail polish set called the "Migi Nail Art" set that a vendor was selling at the fair.  She really really really wants them for her birthday...which isn't until September.  But there was just noooooo way I was going to spend $25 on a set of nail polish for her 5th birthday.  Mind you, I thought it was pretty cool too, but handing out that much money for something incredibly overpriced (and those who know me, I have a tough time buying anything without a coupon to begin with!) is just insane to me.  So Isabella was trying to reason with me and trying to persuade me to buy the nail polish...

I: "Mommy, I really want the nail thing.  Didn't you like it?"

M: "Yes I really liked it too.  But it was kind of expensive."

I: "Well you can get it for me for my birthday."

M: "You're right, I could, but I don't think so..."

I: "Well maybe I can give you 10 kisses and then you have to buy it for me."

M: "Really? 10 kisses huh?  How about 10,000?"

I: "Oh Mom, come on, I can't do that."

M: "Why not?"

I: "Ummm Mom, I can't count that high!"

LOL!  :)

Wish there were just 2 extra hours more per day!

I feel like I am always playing catch up with everything.  Now that school is over and summer vacation is here, I once again have a full schedule. We just ended Awanas, T-Ball, and Cub Scouts.  Then here we are, all signed up again for a whole summer of "fun".  It sounded good months ago when I signed up for everything but now it is just exhausting just thinking about what we have going on this summer.  Between swim lessons, reading class (for Isabella), VBS @ several churches, going to the Ravine (we got season passses), and making sure we have other "fun" in between...I just wish there were just two more hours per day so I can catch up to basic necessities (you know, like organizing coupons, grocery shopping, cleaning, etc.).  I wish I wasn't so addicted to Facebook, blogs, and Words with Friends either.  LOL.  That probably explains what happens to all my extra time! 

I am just amazed at how much we try to accomplish in a given day.  To think, mothers back in the day had to cook food from scratch every day (I try!), had to wash clothes by hand, give their children real baths as there were no showers, and at some point in time...they had no hot water or electricity!  Talk about accomplishing a lot, THEY accomplished way more than I ever have in my lifetime and here I am complaining about all the fun times we get to offer our children.  Maybe this is a good reality check...maybe my kids just needs me to bake them cookies and play board games with them all day?  Ever wonder how simple life COULD be?!

Interesting (but funny) conversation...

So the kids and I are going through their bedrooms trying to collect stuff to sell at our yard sale.  Connor is doing awesome looking for things to sell (and donate to Goodwill).  He is breezing through his room stuffing boxes with toys he no longer plays with.  Isabella, on the other hand, is a hoarder like me so she is having a hard time letting go of things and is actually asking Connor if she can take some of the stuff he's willing to let go of. Go figure.  Lol.

Connor decided to donate his blow-up dinosaur he got at the Dollar Tree not too long ago.  He says he never plays with it (which he does by the way) but is willing to let go of it (and just about everything in his room because he "wants to make room for more toys that he will be getting for his birthday in a few weeks").  As he puts it in the box, Isabella picks it up and decides it's now hers.  It's a fun toy, so what the heck, I let her keep it.  Fast forward a few hours later, Isabella's walking around the house, shoving the dino in Connor's face...

I: "Hi, my name is Cutie!"
C: "His name is Dino.  It's a boy."
I: "Well I changed its name to Cutie.  It's a girl now.  I like to snuggle it and it's Cutie!"
C: "Well it's a boy.  It was born that way and you can't change it from boy to girl.  So his name is Dino."
I: "Well it's a girl now."
C: "Nope sorry, but it doesn't have a vagina. It has a penis."
I: "Well I'll just take it off.  Now it's a girl."
C: "You can't just take it off.  It's always been a boy and that's that."
Isabella walks away "Cutie is soooooo snuggly and I looooooove snuggling with her."

Those kids crack me up!

Triathlon Training

The Triathlon Training Center Swim Better at MensHealth.com

A great guide for Triathlon Training! I am really really hoping to be able to do the SLO Triathlon this year. I have been "training" for about a month now, not hardcore or anything, but enough to build my endurance. I'm able to do interval runs of 5 miles in 55 mins and swim 32 laps in a 25 yard pool within 11 mins. Not too bad. I am having problems with my right knee still but it has gotten a lot better since I've lost 10 lbs and been working out more. I was able to run 25 mins straight the other day w/ no pain! I was so ecstatic. I tried to push it but I could feel my knee start giving out so I started doing interval runs after. I ran 35 mins total so enough to do a 5K. I figure if I can push both kids in the BOB stroller and run a 5K in 30 mins or a 10K in 1.5 hrs then sheez, I can run a 5K now in less than 30 mins! It's just so frustrating when I know I CAN do all of this and in good time, but my body is failing me. Sucks getting old. Well, I can't really blame age entirely. It's my fault for always going into hibernation (eating all I want and barely working out) during the winter months. I can't expect that my metabolism and endurance will always snap back like usual. Now that I am getting older, I am finding that it's not as easy as it used to be. I used to be able to pick up right where I left off from 3 months prior but no such luck these days. Well, I just realized I have to swim 36 lengths at the Sinsheimer Pool (where the triathlon is held in July) so I need to start doing that. Off to go for a run then swim in the cold! Brrrrr!

Product Review: Canopy Anywhere Console Table, Mahogany Finish

I looked for over a year trying to find an affordable buffet to store my extra kitchen items and more expensive dishes. I had the toughest time finding anything selling for less than $600! I traveled near and far to try to find this piece of furniture but to no avail. Then one day, it occured to me to look on Walmart.com and here I found the best bargain of all! A "buffet" for less than $300, shipped to the store for FREE. Gotta love Walmart for that.

It took a lot longer than expected to put the whole thing together. The instructions are very easy to follow except for the fact that the way it tells you to put it together is NOT the best way to put it together. It says to attach the two main side pieces to the front and back pieces then place the middle pieces into the buffet (the pieces that would hold the drawers in the middle). Well much to my dismay, the pieces didn't go in perfectly, they would attach to the front piece but not to the back. I almost broke the whole thing due to my frustration.

I looked online and found a different instruction manual. If you are thinking of purchasing this item, follow these instructions instead! Trust me, it will make your life a whole lot easier.

Anyway, I waited a whole hour before I went back to putting it back together again. To my amazement, I was able to FINALLY put the console together. Wow, it just looks absolutely beautiful. Just like those $800 pieces I was looking at that! It has a lot of storage and it looks great in my living room! :)

I gave the Canopy Anywhere Console 5 stars out of 5!

Product Review: Body Fortress Super Advanced Whey Protein Powder Chocolate, 2 lbs

As of May 1st, I have been working hard to lose some weight. I was hoping to add some protein shakes to my daily routine to help build some muscle and help me get toned. I purchased the Body Fortress Super Advanced Whey Protein Powder Chocolate online from Walmart.com for $14.98 plus tax with free shipping. As always, I used Shopathome.com to get 2% cash back.

I have never been a huge fan of protein shakes. I always thought that you can still taste the powdery texture and the flavors were never that good. But I have to admit that this one is a lot better than any of the other ones I've tasted. I like the chocolate flavor and the texture isn't gritty like most other protein powders. I have made different kinds of protein shakes with this (1 scoop of powder with frozen or fresh fruit and soy milk w/ ice and/or greek yogurt). I have found that this tasted best with frozen blueberries, soy milk and a banana! I give it 4 out of 5 stars!

My review can be found HERE.

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Stop Putting Down Your Kids

I read this great article today titled "Stop Putting Down Your Kids" and it made me realize just how much I really need to think before I speak. Most of the time I forget that when I'm talking to my husband or other people, that my kids are old enough now to be listening to everything that I'm saying.

I like to vent sometimes, especially when I've been having a rough time (usually at the end of my husband's 4-day work week stretch...a time when I feel like a "single mom"). I talk about how my children are being such pains in the butts and how frustrated and irritated I am with them. Then I notice how quiet the kids are being and realize that they had been listening to me talk the whole time.

My husband and I usually don't spend much time together when he's working (since he's working night shifts and is sleeping during the day) so when we finally do have some time together, we kind of just let it all out on the table. We don't think anything of it, we just sit there and chit chat.

But some days, the kids will ask us questions about things, things we didn't realize they even knew about (since we never talked to them - at least not directly - about them). Then it's like an A-HA moment, like whoa, they really are listening to everything we're saying.

I feel bad, knowing my kids have sat there listening to me bitch about them. They must think horrible things about me. They must feel like I don't really like them and for that, I've got to really make some changes for the better. I don't want them growing up thinking I think so negatively about them. They are the love of my lives and can't even imagine how much that hurts hearing me "vent". Thanks for this article Mrs. Wood. It has helped remind me just how important it is to be good role models for our children!

Nature's Touch

I am so sad that Connor came to me today and started crying because he "hurt nature". I asked what he did and he said that he played with a butterfly today at school w/ his foot and hurt it (by accident) then it couldn't fly anymore. He was so sad by it and he was scared that I wasn't going to love him anymore because he hurt one of God's creatures.

We've had many talks about before but making sure to be careful not to hurt God's creatures. That every living thing has a family, has a home to come home to, has a life that is just as precious as our own. I just told him to pray about it and that he needs to promise to himself that he will never hurt a butterfly ever again. It just makes me feel sad that he would even think I would stop loving him because of this?

Have I done anything to make him think that I would ever stop loving him? Have I become that kind of mother to make their kids think that they have to do "good" things to be able to be loved? I had a long talk with him tonight to reassure him that I will always love him no matter what, that I will always love him for the rest of my life and nothing will ever make me stop loving him. I just don't know how to make him believe and honestly, it hurts my heart to know that he thinks that there is even a POSSIBILITY that I could ever stop loving him. :(

Season Premiere of "MY WEIGHT LOSS JOURNEY" Chapter 6.5

MARCH 1, 2011 = 165 lbs


APRIL 1, 2011 = 155 lbs


GOAL = 135 lbs


WEIGHT LOSS JOURNEY...AGAIN
I am finding that it's getting tougher and tougher to lose weight each year. I've never really had any problems with my metabolism and I certainly have never really had to watch what I ate. Yes, I was one of the lucky ones. WAS, keyword.

But after having children, my oh my, how things have changed. It's definitely a different world I live in now. Always paying attention to nutritional guides (caring about them is a whole 'nother issue though), getting my ass moving, drinking more water and making sure I don't binge too much on cookies and cake. This is what my thoughts consist of now..."must eat...good food", "must work out...sweat it out", "must make time for playtime with kids...chores...running errands...cooking...eat...drink water...exercise". My thoughts are running all day long about being healthier. It's a constant battle, every single day.

As of March 1st, I devoted myself back to being healthy. It's never easy giving up the sugar, the carbs, the good stuff. But the South Beach Diet has proven to be successful for me and it's the best way for me to jumpstart my journey back into the healthy bandwagon. 2 weeks of eating only protein, dairy and some vegetables (no peas, carrots, corn...you know the yummy ones). The best way to detox and honestly, not so bad after the 1st day. I actually don't have a hard time giving up the bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, all that stuff. It's the sugar. Damn that sugar. But honestly, I must admit I still have a little sugar here and there. That must be the culprit as to why the fat has decided to stick so darnly well to my body.

As of March 1st, I also started doing the Chalean Extreme workout program. It's a really bad ass kick your butt type of program but totally doable! All you have to have is a towel, water, weights or bands and a big smile. :) So far so good. I love the workouts. They make me feel good and I sure do sweat a lot. Every single workout, I SWEAT profusely. That must a be a good sign right? Lol.

Well, I've tracked my progress and I have to be honest with myself. As frustrated as I am with my weight loss journey so far (it's just such a sloooowwwww process and all who know me know I have no patience whatsoever), I have to be accepting of the fact that it's only going to get harder as we get older. I have lost 10 lbs so far (even with cheat days in between). 10 lbs is a lot to be proud of, but I still have a long road ahead. After gaining 25 lbs in a course of 4 months, 10 lbs is a very small number. :(

August 2009 = 135 lbs
August 2010 = 140 lbs
January 2011 = 165 lbs
March 2011 = 155 lbs
Short-term goal = 145 lbs
Long-term goal = 135 lbs

This is my way to keep mysef accountable. More progress to come!

Happy 7th Anniversary!

7 years ago, I married the man I've always longed for. A man who truly understands me and loves me & accepts me for who I am, a man willing to let me be an individual w/o compromising our partnership, a man who lets me be me but does not let me get away with sh!t. A man who makes me laugh every day and never fails to tell me he loves me on a daily basis. I love you Jeramy. Happy Anniversary!

"Resolutions"

Now that January is over (wow, time flies fast!), I have finally compiled my list of new year's "resolutions". I know some people think it's lame to even create a list of what seems to be impossible, but I have managed to keep them every year (well MOST of them). I like having goals to work towards, it helps me accomplish things even if it means I scramble at the end of the year to get them done. But hey, procrastination is what drives me. It keeps me on my toes.

So far, I've created a list long enough to keep me busy this year. I've got lots of ideas and as we move along each month, I might just add to this list. For now, here they are!

1) LEARN TO SAY NO - I'm not saying I'm the nicest person on earth or anything because those who know me well know that's not true. LOL. But I always feel compelled to sign up for everything, go to every single event I get invited to and volunteer anytime help is needed. I feel good being able to be of service and be of importance, but in the end I just feel overwhelmed and guilty when I can't keep my end of the bargain. So this year, I vow to be a bitch...only when necessary. Just kidding, well kind of. I can't be a Scout Mom, a Soccer Mom, a Room Mom, a Mom at home, a good friend and a wife all at the same time. I've proven to myself that time is valuable and I need to set aside time for myself. I need to learn to say no. Instead of running around like a chicken with its head cut off, I can relax on my couch and sip my coffee instead.

2) BACK ON THE WAGON (again) - Every year, I hibernate for about 4 months. Winter just makes me want to cuddle in my Snuggie and eat like a pig. Every year, I gain X amount of pounds which I cuss away come January when it's time to get off the couch. BUT as I'm getting older (especially this year), I have realized it's not going to be easy anymore. I used to be able to lose most of the weight I gain those 4 months in just one month. Don't get me wrong, I work my butt off to lose the weight. These past few weeks have been an eye opener for me. I have worked my butt off to lose the weight and that scale isn't budging DOWN, it's going UP. So imagine me shock when I actually have to try even harder. Grrr. It's taking all the energy I can muster to exercise and eat healthy-er. Yeah, ok, I'm still having a few cookies and some candy, but usually, I CAN. Not so much anymore. So boo. Back on the wagon I go! South Beach Diet begins March 1, 2011. Season premiere coming soon.

3) BE MORE CRAFTY - I always used to be a lot more creative in my younger years. I used to be able to draw, knit, paint, etc. But after having kids, those all go on the wayside and well, yeah, I'm kinda rusty in the artsy department. I have all these great ideas of what I want to do this year to be more creative and it's going to be great (at least that's what I tell myself). I have done quite a few arts & crafts projects with the kiddos. Just yesterday, Isabella and I made a princess castle out of construction paper. Connor made a "dream catcher" out of old Tinkertoys. Now it's time to work on the adult versions!

4) LIVE SIMPLY - I hate to admit it but I am a bit of a hoarder. I love stuff. I can't live without it. Every single thing has its purpose in my eyes. I can't seem to find a reason to let go of things. I mean, I have gotten way better at letting go now that we live in a small house and don't have room to store things. But I still need to work on it. I can find an excuse as to why I need those 30 extra photo frames sitting in the closet in the past year. They can be GIFTS! They can be that one special thing I can give to that one special person when they have that one special event in their life! Trust me, I can come up with something for any particular item. The worst (or best) part is that I like to find bargains so Craig(slist) is my best friend. Thrift stores, yard sales, Ebay...all good friends. So you can only imagine...as I find more bargains, more stuff has to be moved around in the house (or garage) to make room for it. But this is the year I will learn to LIVE SIMPLY. That means, I need to go into that garage, into those closets and rid myself of those special stuff. Stuff I love and will sorely miss. Stuff I'm sure my husband would like to put in the burn pile. I will organize this house. I started yesterday and it's oh so NOT fun. Blah.

5) FORGIVE & REMEMBER - 2010 was a rough year for us (particularly me). With Jeramy's bad back, my Mom's heart attack, stroke & cancer, my step sister and her husband's family drama, etc. I have eaten away the stress and shopped away my sorrows. My fat ass and hefty credit card debt are proof that that isn't the best methods of dealing with your problems. I probably would have been better off paying a therapist...at least I get drugs. I can't control some of the things that happen in my life, especially when they are outside sources that are affecting me. Aside from my husband's bad back, we have dealt with so many problems not even pertaining to US. We've dealt with so many negative forces this past year. Ugh. I need to learn to forgive myself for putting myself (and my family) first and not feel guilty for not succumbing to other people's crap. This is the year I am going to stop letting people walk all over me. I need to remember how important I am too and learn to realize it's OK to be selfish sometimes. I need to keep my sanity somehow, right?

Such a short list, right? Probably the most challenging list of "resolutions" ever. A lot of soul-searching to be done this year. But it can be done, I just know it!!! It all starts with the mind and my mind says "JUST DO IT".

Cultural differences in parenting...

Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior by Amy Hua is causing quite a stir. I had heard about this article days ago but had no interest in really reading it. Until I kept seeing it being re-posted over and over on Facebook, so I finally had to take a look.

Such an eye-opener. I was raised this way (we're Filipino). But growing up in Western society with an Asian mother was like playing a tug-o-war game of life. Now that I'm raising my own kids, I feel like I need to find a good balance between both and that's challenging, knowing I'm being judged. But should I care???

 

I think it's time to plan our next vacation. Last time we visited any kind of paradise was in Sept 2009. Maui is sooooo beautiful! I wanna go back! But I want to vist other places too, like Bali, Fiji, Bahamas, St. Maarten, etc. Where to go this year?!?!

Money-Saving Resolutions for a Healthy Happy New Year

According to a recent survey by TD Ameritrade, the top New Year’s resolutions for 2011 reflect a new focus on quality of life. Saving money is still one of the top three resolutions though, and there are many ways to do that with just a little effort. Here are our suggestions to combine money-saving ideas with your plans to improve health, reduce stress, and have fun this year.

1. Avoid impulse shopping. Shop end of season sales. Always check for coupons for your planned purchases. That should be easy for Buxr enthusiasts, who already love coupons! Never leave the house until you’ve made a shopping list and had a chance to check out the available coupons. There will be even more savings options in 2011, as merchants offer more mobile coupons, as well as coupons loaded onto grocery store loyalty cards.

2. Lose weight and save money, too. With this plan, you can reduce your waist line and your bottom line at the same time! If you resolve to eat more healthy foods, consider eating at home more, and pay cash when shopping at the grocery store. A recent Dunn & Bradstreet study found that people who pay with credit cards spend more, and those who pay cash at the grocery store buy less junk food. Augment regular shopping with the many online offers for free samples. Frequently you’ll get full size samples, and there are plenty of opportunities to request deodorant, coffee, dog food, lotions, or detergent samples. Brown bag your lunch or take a hot meal in a thermos; brew your own coffee instead of buying expensive lattes. And when you want to eat out, you can cut dining costs with group buying deals or discounted restaurant certificates.

3. Save gasoline or find cheap fuel. The best way to save gasoline is to use public transportation. If possible, take the bus or the train to work and leave your gas guzzler in the garage. If you live too far away to take advantage of city bus services, try park-and-ride services or a carpool. If you do have to drive, find the best fuel prices in your area with Gas Buddy, Fuel Me Up, Automotive, Gas Price Watch, Mapquest Gas Prices, or the MSN Gas Station Finder.

4. Conserve energy. Turn off or unplug unused lights, appliances, computers, and other gadgets when you’re not using them and encourage your family to do the same. If you want to cut costs even more, switch your incandescent bulbs for some long-lasting, high-efficiency compact fluorescent bulbs. While you conserve energy, you’ll save on your utility bills.

5. Bank online to save time, paper, and postage.

6. Cut down on disposables, and replace them with reusable items. Repurpose old clothing and recycle jars or containers for storage. Clean out your closets to donate, swap, or sell your old clothing.

7. Quit smoking to improve your health and save on your insurance premiums, too. Insurance companies offer lower rates to nonsmokers, and you’ll save the cost of buying tobacco products.

8. Trim your expenses by canceling unused memberships and magazine subscriptions. Get your exercise by riding a bicycle or walking instead of working out at the gym. Read the news online and take advantage of free or discounted magazine subscription offers.

9. Pay down any credit card balances to save on costly interest charges. Transfer your credit card balances to a card with a lower interest rate.

10. Set a budget. If you choose a moderate plan, it will be easier to stick to it. Try a 50/30/20 budget – use 50% of your income for necessities, spend 30% for extras, and set aside 20% for savings. Some mortgage lenders allow “recasting” so you can cut your mortgage payments. If you pay a lump sum toward the principle and keep the interest rate and loan term the same, the reduction in principle can result in lower monthly payments and savings on interest. Then, with these savings you’ll be able to start an emergency fund to cover a few months’ worth of living expenses, like re! nt or mortgage payments, car payments, utilities, and food. You can compare your expenses and possible investments with Bankrate’s finance calculators.

Choose the plans that you can easily implement. By making a few small changes you can happily reach your long term goals for physical and financial health.

This blog post was kindly borrowed from Buxr.

Happy New Year!!!

After this most long drawn out year, I am sooooooooooo happy that 2011 is finally here. I didn't make any resolutions this year, atleast not yet. I created some goals and hopefully I will be able to list them all in this handy dandy blog sometime soon. But in the meantime, I thought I'd share some awesome photos of our New Year's eve celebration. :)