Financial Friday

Now I am no financial genius. My dad handled all my finances until I moved to So Cal. When I moved in with Hubby, I finally got my own bank account, because they didn't have my bank down here. When I was in college, I lived the good life. Mani/pedis, tons of new clothes, going out to eat all the time. Now that I have my own bank account, all that as stopped. I am the spender in the relationship though and he is the saver. I think its probably because he makes more than I do. I have learned a lot living with Cheapo (Hubby) and was able to support myself (seriously, no money from Hubby or Dad) through three month of unemployment. My husband and I are completely debt free. How many other college educated people in their mid twenties can say that? We were really lucky we didn't have to take out student loans and have gotten help along the way. I am so grateful because it is a very secure feeling.

I think people have figured out how to save money and not get into credit card debt. But there still seems to be a lot of people making mistakes with their money. My poor friend became a victim to a "financial reality check" courtesy of me recently.

Here are some of the things I wanted her to realize and hope you learn something from too. If you all don't need help in this area let me know and we can come up with something else to discuss on Fridays. Hopefully, its a good reminder before we go blow all our cash partying this weekend!

This friend was telling me that they were going to buy a house. I personally don't like to discuss how much money my husband and I make or how much money we have saved from what we have made, but this friend has told me how much money they make. I have used this calculator before to find out how much of a house we could afford, just out of curiosity http://cgi.money.cnn.com/tools/houseafford/houseafford.html. I learned from using this calculator that we could afford more of a house if Hubby paid his car off (which he has since done). I also learned that we could not afford a house in the crazy expensive city we live in. I knew that my friend would not be able to afford a house either.

They have a car that is not payed off. They have student loans. A little credit card debt. This is one people need to consider more, a car that is 10 years old or has 100,000 miles on it. That car is going to need to be replaced soon. Will you still be able to afford your mortage payments and a new car payment? These friends were also not preparing for the worst. I just started following a blog of a lady that experienced the worst. http://aboneill.blogspot.com/ She lost her husband to cancer. When I told my friend that she can't buy a house just because her husband makes good money because something could happen to him. She said, "You can't think like that". Well, you might end up with a big financial problem if you don't.

I know that there are deals out there right now, but that doesn't mean everyone should buy a house. This friend actually went to the bank to get a loan and was told what I had already told her, that they can't afford a house. Now don't go do the calculator, find out you can't afford a house, and stop saving! Save up an emergency fund, save for a house, save for that car you might have to buy, pay off your debt!

I am going to be an "auntie" again!!

Remember lovely readers I am an only child. I have to adopt my friends' and cousins' babies as neices and nephews.

One of my bridesmaids is pregnant! So I am very excited to be an "auntie" again and ooh and aah and give kisses. And buy baby clothes! My favorite!

We are super close, so we have discussed, in detail, the whole process. A few of our friends are into the Chinese birth chart. You can check it out here: http://www.parents.com/pregnancy/my-baby/gender-prediction/boy-or-girl-ancient-chinese-birth-chart/ For those of you that have kids see if it is correct and let me know. When we were looking at the birth chart for S before she got pregnant it said she was going to have a boy if she got pregnant with in the next 6 months or so. In her imaginary planned life which is probably about as acurate as the chinese birth chart, she is having a girl. So in September at her birthday I bet her $20 its a boy. I'll let you know in 9 months who wins. Actually they might be finding out when they can. Sonograms are so good now you can see the thing anyways!

She goes to the doctor in 7 weeks and then we will get the official due date. We are hoping by some weird freak of nature she will be able to attend our friend's wedding June 18th. The internet said her due date would be July 3rd and the wedding is an 8 hour drive away. So its not looking good. I don't think she reads my blog. But if she did, she would probably mad that I am about to say this. I don't think her husband and she will be going to his brother's wedding in July either. We live in Cali, they live in New York. With an infant? Not happening! I'll keep you guys updated! Have a lovely Thursday!

Roommates

This story has to be told for you to get to know me better. Sorry things have been a little dark lately, lightening the mood tomorrow, I promise.

I could probably blame Saved by the Bell the colleges years for about 51% of my motivation to go to away to a four year school. It is 75% to blame for the off campus housing option I chose. I wanted to have the same set up as them. Two rooms with a middle common area. 20% was my picky eating habits that made eating at a cafeteria frightening. 5% was I did not want to live in a tiny room.

I was assigned to live in University Village. Like I said it was off campus, but still owned by the University. If I hadn't been assigned to live there I never would have met the hubby. Some other bad things may have never happened either. It was basically a studio apartment. We had a big living space for beds, and desks and a tiny kitchen and bathroom. I was assigned a roommate. We lived upstairs. At the top of the flight of stairs were 4 rooms. 1 was ours. The others belonged to Lorne and Chin (the only boys), Michelle and Corinne, and Katherine and Emma. We all became fast friends. We spent all our time together and I thought I was the luckiest girl in the world.

When firguring out where to live for the next year, we all wanted to live together, with a few additions. Lorne's girlfriend and Michelle's friend. We rented two townhouses down the street from University Village. I lived in the townhouse with three other girls. As I now know, and have heard from many friends, this is usually a recipe for distaster. Some of the girls were loud, some were light sleepers.

In January of the first year, I started dating Hubby. I think I got so involved in the new relationship that I was being distanced from my roomies. That summer, some rearranging was done and I moved to the one bedroom downstairs. This further distanced me. I can't remember when but a couple of them decided to put locks on the doors when they weren't there. We maintained until the winter.

Since I was dating Hubby, and he was a local, I did not move home for school breaks. All my roommates did. Every year at Christmas I put up a tiny fake tree and put my presents underneath. I think it was a few days before Christmas, Hubby and I went to a family friends for a party. When we got home I was doing something in the kitchen and Hubby went into my room. He yelled from my room something about moving the computer. I walked into my room and my laptop computer was gone. I don't remember the order of things after that. I know at some point I called my parents and the police. Realized that the presents had been taken from under the tree which about brought me to my knees. My roommates doors that had the locks had been kicked in. One had left a laptop that was stolen.

We had a back slider that had a stick in it for safety. The police assumed the person had been able to knock the stick out. We had maintenance come the next day to change our front door lock just to be safe. We put locks on all the doors to protect us if someone came in while we were there. We got a new stick for the slider and put an alarm on it.

I drove home to be with my family on Christmas. I couldn't make it. I was in tears. My parents met me half way and my dad drove my car and my mom drove me. I was in school and needed a computer. After the holidays, we packed up my dad's desktop in a black trash bag. We assumed no one would take a desktop and just wanted to make sure no one saw me take the computer in. I don't know how soon after, but when I was out again for awhile and came home they took my desktop. Police were called again. This time there was no forced entry. The locks had been changed. The burglar was watching our place and had a master key.

My poor dad felt so helpless. It was a very quick and easy decision to move asap. Some of my roommates didn't want to move! Can you believe that? We discussed all moving together but they didn't seem too excited to live with me again. I got a place of my own. I saw a few of them again after that. We have all pretty much lost touch.

I have gotten better, but am pretty paranoid still. I didn't put the presents under the tree the next year. I have been able to recently. When I come home every day I notice if things are different than they were left. I can't really watch scary movies any more.

We later came to find out that 20 other townhouses in our complex were broken into over that winter break. Great job Chico PD. They never found out who did it. We will always suspsect the managers of the complex. I know none of you would ever do such a horrible thing. I wonder if the people realize how much it changes the lives of the people and families they rob. The only humor in the story was that I was going to give someone the book "The Five People You Meet in Heaven". We hope the robber read it.

Weekend Recap Wednesday!

It was nice to have a weekend back at the tiny apartment. Pretty much every gift we got is still in the box. Just thinking about all those boxes and scrapbooking I need to do is stressing me out, again! We have got it to bareable, but we need to move, BAD!

We didn't do anything Friday night. Just caught up on our many tv shows.

Saturday morning we went to a cousin's volleyball game. It was a crazy big gym with like 6 games going on at one time. We walked around some games and through some nets over to grandpa, grandma, and uncle. The game lasted two minutes. Then we were standing on the court chatting with the fam and of course a ball hits me dead in the head! I try to tell people that balls are attracted to my head but they just laugh and think I'm weird. Seriously, I think I have been hit in the head way more than the normal person. I recovered and got the heck out of the danger zone. I had an eye doctor appointment to go to. It was nice to have an appointment on a Saturday. Bummer there was fun stuff I could have been doing.

The eye doctors visit went ok. I told him I have been getting a lot of headaches recently, but he didn't think it was eye related. He then proceeded to force me to strain my eyes a bunch. Numbed them and put weird contacts in my eyes. Guess who had a headache!

My appointment was done around 12 which meant my tummy was rumbling. Called hubby to find out what the plan was for lunch. He told me I had missed out on Round Table (cruel I know). So since there was no hope of food at the volleyball game and I was hungry I headed home. Got to catch up on some of my girly shows. Had left over tacos. Hubby got home around 2. He wanted to go shopping for boy stuff. We were given so many wonderful wedding gifts and some people were very generous with the $$. We had some left from the honeymoon so Hubby wanted to buy something big and fancy. Read yesterday's post to understand why I am too paranoid to tell you what we got.

Saturday night we went to a comedy club. Free tickets were dropped off at work and a coworker said it was a fun place so we decided to mix it up and not do the usual beer pong for the boys/girl talk for the girls night. It was pretty fun. My favorite joke was, "With all the technology we have, and the amazing things cars can do, why can't we figure out how to make what appears in the mirror the distance that it appears?!" We had some laughs and then went over to our friends' house for pie (the hubby had some) and beers/girl talk. They have the new wii sports game with frisbee golf and wakeboarding. So after Hubby kicked some butt in bowling I played around while the girls went to bed. Then we took off.

Sunday morning was watching football. Lunch at our fave mexican restaurant Fred's with our friend Jake. We had to thank Jake for doing an awesome job bunnysitting while we were on our honeymoon. Sunday night we had bbq chicken and rice-a-roni for dinner.

This weekend is halloween! Not sure what we are going to do. We actually have several options. In the past we have made it a tradition to watch the lastest saw movie that is on dvd and cuddle on the couch. I like tradition!

It doesn't feel right to blog about anything else

As I mentioned in my first blog ever, my dad is the oldest of eleven. Which means I have a ton of aunts, uncles, and cousins. I am not the oldest of the cousins. Some of the older ones live on the east coast and aren't really in touch with the family. I would guess if you ask some of the kids in our family, they think I am the oldest. Being an only child, I have felt like my cousins were my siblings. Being the oldest I feel it is my job to be like an older sibling to them. When I was younger it might have been bossing them around or babysitting them. Now as some of them are getting older, one even got married a couple months before me!, I plan to go out to bars with some of them, when they are old enough, and most importantly, keep this crazy family of ours together.

Our family is built like the Brady Bunch, but that is about as far as the similarities go. We have got problems! But we have also got some much LOVE! I know I can call anyone in my family at any time if I needed them. Even though I live several hours away from them facebook is helping to keep some of us a little more connected.

There are several reasons I feel like I have been slacking on being the big cousin. I was busy with my own life. College, getting married. I live so far away. Recently I have been blessed to spend a little time with some of them at the weddings this summer. Can you believe I met my two year old cousin who lives in Texas for the first time this summer?! When we were going to be in the same general area I made it my number one priority to see my aunt and her kids because I thought it was so wrong! that I hadn't even met my cousins!

I have found in life, when you get too wrapped up in your own stuff and you put things that are important on the back burner that sometimes it whacks you in the face. Well, I got a big whack in the face this weekend. One of my cousins', that has been distanced from the family for a few years, passed away.

I do not know the appropriate emotion to feel. I don't know what I am supposed to do, if anything. My uncle at Pleonastic Rants of CS Daley wrote a blog about how he is feeling. Like the title says, "It doesn't feel right to blog about anything else". It feels like not blogging about it, is ignorning it. I can't ignore that this big crazy family of mine lost a piece. So much of a tradegy is sad. What is sad for me is that little cousin I just met, will never meet him.

You always think you have time to get in touch with people. Well I got a news flash. You don't have time. My focus now, as big cousin, is making sure this family is ok. Trying to check in with everybody. Its hard being so far away at a time like this. I have to do everything I can to get in touch with those family members I barely know. I feel like its my job to keep this next generation in this family together.

What is going on today?

Ok I checked but its not a full moon. What is up with people today?

As a receptionist, I take a ton of phone calls every day. I get weird ones, but today has been especially werid.

Weird call #1-Guy says Hi, asks me how I'm doing. Starts off normal. Wants me to look something up for him, ok. Hasn't identified himself and unless you have called me like 30 times and have a distinctive voice, I usually don't know who is calling me. Then he goes, "Do you want to come to my halloween party?" I say, "Uh, where do you live." Hoping its far away so I can use that excuse. He said a town not too far. Dang. Me, "Are people dressing up?" Him, "Yeah, I'm gonna be Jack Sparrow." Then I change the topic and transfer him to someone else. Phew. Was a little worried he was going to call back and give me

No posing

I've decided this is probably the funniest most awkward thing someone has said to me today. And I work with my husband and like 18 other guys so I hear a lot of funny awkward things every day. But we I think you will need some back story for the full effect. Hope its not too long.

First you will need to be reminded that I have worked at day camps and in schools for the last 10 years. This lovely state feels the need to fingerprint you every time you work with children in a different county. I am all for fingerprinting people that work with kids. Fyi a lot of districts don't fingerprint volunteers (maybe need to leave that for another blog). I think when I needed to be fingerprinted in Chico I went to the campus police station at Chico State where I was going to school for the joyous experience. The lady took like an hour fingerprinting me. I was starting to think I didn't have any. She was making me rub weird stuff on my fingers and everything. This experience obviously scared me. I hate being fingerprinted now in fear that my prints will disappear.

I decided to get the whole name change thing over with today. I was literally in line before the Social Security office opened. I thought my visit to the Social Security office would give me something to blog about, but it was pretty boring. Sit and wait. Number gets called. Give guy papers. Get receipt and go.

Then I went to the DMV. Again sit and wait. Number gets called. Give guy papers. Oh more back story...(eye break) I wasn't sure if I would have time for the DMV today and also wasn't sure if they would be taking a new picture. I was hoping they were since my old one is grody, but I hadn't properly coifed my hair. Its been a pony all week. Haven't had the energy. Still recovering from honeymoon. Anyways, so when the guy tells me I have to go over to window 1 to get my picture taken I have mixed feelings. How can I make this pic good? So its my turn at window 1 and you have to sign the tiny box. Tried to do my best. Then he tells me I have to stick my thumb on a screen. Panic sets in. He is taking my fingerprint? Then of course the machine makes several beeping noises. He puts his hand over my hand to try and get the thing to work. Then he asks, "Are you always this difficult?" Due to my past fingerprint difficulties I answer, "Yes". By this time the machine has recognized my alien print and he tells me to step back so he can take my picture. I stand in what I think is a normal position. Trying to look cute and like I have hair cause remember its in a pony. Then he tells me, "Oh, no posing. Look straight at me." I almost died! Does he not know how mortifying handing your id over to bouncers and sales people is when you don't have a good picture! Then after he took the (we are hoping still ok front facing) picture he said, "You really are always this difficult!" I wished the man a good day and left. Still thinking about it 3 hours later.

No time to blog

Been busy at work. Making lots of copies.

Trying to get everything in order to change my name! Such a headache and its only just begun!

Will probably have time tomorrow!

xoxo

I'm back bloggers!

Here is a picture from our beautiful wedding! The weather was perfect! Everything was perfect! I definitely took my groom's breath away when he first saw me. He said he thought he was going to cry. My poor dad was super nervous and emotional walking me down the aisle and I had no idea. We got a little confused during the ring part but our family and friends just laughed. The reception was so much fun. Had technical difficulties cutting the cake. No one really noticed except they were bummed we didn't shove cake in each others' faces. We didn't have enough!


The honeymoon was everything we hoped for. The trecherous drive down highway 1 on the coast of California during a rain storm was scary. A cloudy day was spent making great friends on a wine tasting tour. The sun came out mid week in Santa Barbara. We went for a gorgeous bike ride and got a couples massage. Had a pool (ocean view) day and a visit to the Santa Barbara mission. Just relaxed in our robes getting spoiled in our little cottage at the Four Seasons. Had amazing ocean view meals!


Now its back to work and scrambling to get all our paperwork turned in and my name changed. Missed you all! Gotta read and catch up! xoxo

I'm getting married tomorrow!

I am so excited to marry the love of my life tomorrow! I know I have made a few points here and there to describe how awesome he is but I don't know if you guys get it! Let me count the ways: (if you need to throw up go ahead, sorry!)

1. He is hilarious. He makes me laugh until my face hurts.

2. He is caring. Even though I always have something wrong with me (headache, stomache ache, etc.) he will rub my back or whatever hurts and try to make it better.

3. He is loyal. He is a loyal employee, friend, and future husband.

4. Drop dead sexy!

5. He tries to be healthy. I know a lot of friends and family that struggle with keeping healthy because of their significant other and I am so blessed that he is down to try wheat bread and pasta and exercise.

6. He can pig out. Also love that he loves great food and doesn't mind splitting a pizza with me.

7. He loves children.

8. He loves animals.

9. He loves me for me and every flaw and crazy thing I do and say.

10. He is supportive. Even though he wasn't excited about working together he still got me the interview.

I could go on and on. But I'll stop there and get some sleep! I can't wait to tell you all about our honeymoon! Don't expect any posts for awhile I will have the do not disturb sign up!!

My first award!

Somehow I have gotten into this blogging community that seems to give a ton of awards around and around. I love these awards because bloggers you follow get nominated for awards and then they pass the award on to other bloggers. I love to read these new blogs and often end up following them. So it widens the circle! I had hopes that someday I too would receive an award! No idea it would happen this fast! http://ladytruth-happilyafterever.blogspot.com/ gave me this award. She is so funny and I love reading about her dates that her mom is making her go on!

The award is to 'honor those who write from the heart'. The rules state that I should tell you 10 things about myself you don't already know and then pass it on to 10 bloggers of note.

1. I am currently working as a receptionist.

2. At my fiance's office.

3. I'm 5'10 and everyone asks me if I play basketball, the answer is no!

4. My pets are usually fat and live a long time. Cat lived to 19, bunny going on 6 or 7.

5. My fiance proposed on Valentine's Day on the beach

6. I have an excel spreadsheet to keep track of what I wear to work so I don't repeat too often

7. My freshman year of high school a boy asked me if I wore the same thing every day

8. I do the dishes and my fiance cooks dinner and makes cookies

9. I am the pickiest eater on the planet!

10. I adore Jessica Simpson

Wow, that felt good. Love getting all those random tidbits out. Now to pass on the award:

1. http://blalockm.blogspot.com/

2. http://witheyeswideopen2.blogspot.com/

3. http://www.ambarsthoughts.com/

4. http://tudorcitygirl.blogspot.com

5. http://deepikagupta1987.blogspot.com/

6. http://www.csdaley.com/

7. http://complicatedv.blogspot.com/

8. http://everydaydistractions.blogspot.com/

9. http://emersonmerrick.blogspot.com/

10. http://www.clevergirlgoesblog.com/

Sorry its kind of a ghetto post I am still learning how to do all the stuff on this site. Enjoy! Can't wait to read!!!

10 followers!

I am so excited! I had no idea how much fun I could have in the blogging community! I am loving reading about everyone's lives and opinions. I hope to be able to keep up with everything and entertain my followers! Please don't be shy! Let me know if you have any questions or story requests. I am so new at this and can use any suggestions!

Another cool day here in Southern California. I love it! My wonderful fiance turned the heater on for me this morning. I was kind of dissapointed there wasn't too much first time heater smell. I love the smell of the heater being turned on for the first time.

Had a wonderful, relaxing evening last night. I wish the Packers had won, how can we fix the O-line? Snuggled up on the couch with apple cider, my blanket, and bunny. The fiance was in the kitchen making chocolate chip cookies. Pure bliss!

Aren’t you guys busy with wedding stuff?

No! We aren’t! I know I should be patting myself on the back because I got everything done in a timely manner. But not having anything to do is driving me crazy!

The things to do after the wedding are stressing me out too. Writing thank you cards, getting my name changed, scrapbooking, and making an album. This stuff is bugging me because I can’t do any of it! Don’t gasp in horror if you are one of my wedding guests, but I have even started writing the thank you notes already. I did this for my shower and it made things super easy.

Luckily, I know that these things won’t haunt me on my honeymoon. I am able to relax when away on vacation. Its just sitting in the apartment with nothing to do that makes me feel like a bad bride.

Football!

As I am fixing my fantasy football team for this week I have an urge to have people over to watch the games this weekend. Then I remember the last two weekends. I love having people over to watch the games. But what ends up happening is we drink beer and eat junk food. Two weeks ago my fiance made brats and hot dogs. I think I ate a whole bag of chips that day too. Monday night we had sandwhiches and pizza from Dominos.

Besides eating junk food, the house gets messy! Two weeks ago Sunday there were beer cans and bottles everywhere.

I love having people over and relaxing. I wish football was on Friday or Saturday so I would have a day to clean up afterwards.

What are your plans for the weekend?

Yawn!

I am having a slow work day. I have been tired ever since Vegas. Everyone today is making comments "You look tired" "Need a pillow". So I finally went to get myself some coffee and there was only a little left in the decaf pot. We have one of those industrial coffee maker things. I am afraid to touch it. On my way back to my desk I thought oh I could blog about that. Then I was looking for pictures of people yawning and they had animals and I thought oh I wonder if there are pictures of bunnies yawning. Sure enough there are a bunch. We have a bunny and when he yawns that is the #1 cute thing he does. This is not a picture of Blue. But pretty cute little guy. Don't know how they were able to catch this pic. The yawns are difficult to predict and quick.

#2 on the cute list is sneezing. There aren't any pictures of this cause its mostly just a noise and then a surprised look after.

#3 is washing his face. Again, not Blue. So cute though!