Healthy Journey Day 250

sWhat a busy day....we woke up late and then didn't stop running.

My son had the halloween parade today at school so we went.  Then I took breakfast up to the office where we spent several hours picking apples.   

I ate a banana and breakfast pastries

half a green smoothie.  Wasn't so tasty today.

more pastries and a couple pieces of hotdog

chili, bread, cookies 

I don't have a plan for tomorrow...Halloween is upon us and we still have not carved our pumpkins!   It'll be another busy day!

Breakfast food

?

Wingstop

i got my water and 10k steps today even though I didn't exercise officially.   2 fruits but only one veggie.  

Off to bed now...I'm worn out!

NoSpendtober Day 29 & 30

Yesterday's mission was to write up a budget, today's was to find ways to pay down debt.   

I've had a busy couple of days with preparation for the holiday weekend and have not written up a budget yet.   I also didn't research ways to drop my debt.   We don't have a lot of debt.   Mostly our mortgage, and we hope to pay it off early.  

I like to pay myself first...ala Dave Ramsey.   When we get our paycheck, we have 10% that goes to charity...a tithe.  10% or more to savings and then the rest to what we want to...or bills...

Because our income can sometimes be a little uneven, I figured out how much we usually spend in a month and started transferring it from savings once a month.   I then put all of our income directly to savings.   This seems to work better for me than transferring money to savings at the end of the month.   We are truly paying ourselves first, and giving an allowance with this method.  

So in a way I already have a budget, as well as a debt repayment plan.   A Savings plan as well.   I just did the work prior to this challenge.    It has taken me a lot of time to figure out what works for us...remember there is no failure, only progress and learning.   I've tried giving myself a cash allowance to spend on food and housewears and clothing.   Didn't work.   I attempted to figure out the Dave Ramsey Envelope system as well.   Having that much cash and having to get it from the bank monthly just really didn't work.   I would forget it was in the envelopes too...bonus when I found it, but not good when I needed it.   

The biggest thing I have decided is to be aware.   Know what you are spending, pay attention to what you need and use.   Make lists and stick to them at the store.   Before you swipe your card, look at how much you are spending.   I don't know how many times I have left a store and had to look at the receipt in the car because I didn't know how much it was before hand...not the best form.  

Be aware!  A little appropriate for halloween isn't it.  :)

So what works for you?  Have you tried using cash, any great debt reduction stories?

Healthy Journey Day 249

Intentions for the Day:
Clean house, do laundry.   Budget for next month.  Look beautiful for the concert tonight.

Gratitudes:
A trainer.   Feeling sore and tired after a workout...feeling stronger.


Thoughts/Comments on the Day:
Snacked on pumpkin chocolate chip bread for breakfast.
Green smoothie after my workout.
Enchiladas and Carrot sticks
Chocolate chip cookies
veggies, jalapeno popper, chicken strips, cake, other snacks

Stitch Fix #6

I received my stitch fix the other day.  I was really excited for this one.   It looked like it was going to be great!  Opening it up I was excited as well.  I really liked the look of everything.   They sent me some skinny jeans as well.  I don't have any skinny jeans...really have never tried them so was excited to see what they would be like.    So here is the breakdown of what I received.

Above, the Papermoon Rhode Embroidery Detail V-neck Knit top  $48

Healthy Journey Day 248

Intentions for the Day:
Clean up, pay bills

Gratitudes:
Food to eat,  Warm house,  my kiddos


Thoughts/Comments on the Day:
My Blood sugar checker's battery died.  :(
Had a great, run/walk chasing my son on his bike around the neighborhood.  It was great fun.  Even though it was a little chilly out. 
Had oatmeal for breakfast
smoothie after workout
A piece of pizza italiano at the office...hubby invited me to bring pizza up and stay for a presentation
Pumpkin chocolate chip bread
Enchiladas carrots

Got in my water.  Not the veggies or fruit ( I got 2/1)   Almost have my 10k steps...I'll go finish them up now.

NoSpendtober Day 27&28

I woke up this morning and realized I had totally forgotten to write this post last night.  Oops.   I ended up getting too busy to write and finish it for the day, so I figured I would combine posts.

Yesterday's mission was to find something to do together as a family that is free.   I didn't do that yesterday.  But this morning my son and I went on a walk/run/bike ride together.   It was a lot of fun, and I realized that it is something I could do more frequently with all the kids.

Healthy Journey Day 247

Found this quote on Facebook yesterday...boy I need to remember this!

So the time has come to Change things up, again.   What I am doing isn't working, so it is time to make it work!   Today's bootcamphub.com video was about getting angry about what you have not accomplished.   I am definitely angry (see yesterday's post!)    It is time to quit thinking about the past, quit thinking about the future, and think about right now.   If my right now is in a good spot...healthy.  Then my future will be too.  String a lot of right nows together and you get a day, a week and then years until you get a lifetime.  Right now is fleeting.  Right now passes, Right now is all you have!  I can only impact right now.  I can only make a difference Right NOW.  My time is RIGHT NOW! 

Easy Turkey Dinner

I made this one up when I had turkey lunch meat that really needed to be used in the fridge.   It has become a staple that we really love throwing together.  It kinda reminds me of school lunch turkey dinners.    If you want you can use homemade versions, but this is meant to be really quick so we pull out the cans and boxes from storage.  :)

Quick and Easy Turkey Dinner

Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 15 min
Total Time: 20 min

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 ¹⁄₂ lbs sliced deli turkey meat
• 2 pcts turkey gravy
• 1 pkg stuffing mix
• 1 can cranberry sauce
• 1 pkg dinner rolls
• 1 can green beans
• other veggies as desired

Directions

1. Make stuffing according to package directions (microwave)
2. In large skillet make gravy according to package directions.  Add sliced turkey meat and continue to mix until heated through
3. Prep veggies, and open cranberry sauce.
4. Serve meat and gravy with rolls sauce and veggies on the side.

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Healthy Journey Day 246

I keep forgetting my plan, and stand in the kitchen wondering what I should eat.   Just typing it up in here isn't working, so How can I eat the foods I plan and enjoy the process?   (This is a total Erikism, How Can I______ and Enjoy the process? is the question he encourages you to ask instead of Why Can't I.)

NoSpendtober day 26

Today is plan a free date night day.   Hubby and I did this without really planning it ahead.  It is nice when it works out even though you didn't make it a plan.   I made my easy turkey dinner.    (I found a turkey breast in my freezer that I thinly sliced for sandwiches)   It was yummy.   We watched a movie and talked for a while as the kids watched some of their shows.   We all went to bed early...which was really nice.  I didn't get all the dishes done, but oh well.

Healthy Journey Day 245

Stayed up late, slept in.   I like to sleep in.  Sometimes I find myself thinking I should get up and actually will have the energy for it but then talk myself out of it.  I don't know why I do that. 

As it is Sunday, I spent a lot of time preparing myself and the kiddos for church.  

Green smoothie for breakfast.  It was pretty tasty.  
After church we snacked on chips and queso dip.   Yum.

NoSpendtober Day 25

As it is Sunday, it's a low key day for this challenge.   The challenge for today is to try bartering.   Trade one object for something you need.   At this point I don't have anything I am missing desperately or need.  So I may just be in the category of someone who has way too much stuff already.   I may possibly need to continue this challenge into the next month just to use up what we have.  I have been feeling as though I have a lot of clutter.  This may just be why--I do!