Back and Milestones

Well that was a nice 2 month break from blogging. I had deleted my blog but un-deleted it, because Google can do that.

Let's see, a brief (ha) description of the events that have transpired these last two months:

I love the gym. I try and go at least 3 times a week, although we did get some snow/ice after Christmas and that prevented me from going for a few days (a week, actually)

I got a set of kettle bell weights along with Jillian Michaels' Shred it with Weights dvd... it kicks ass -literally! I do the 5 lb kettle bell and the next day I am so sore! I have a 10 lb and 15 lb ball that I have yet to touch.

If I go to the gym at least 3x a week, I do perfectly fine without my depression medication. If I don't go for a few days in a row or longer, it sets back in and then I need my pills or a quick gym fix. So far, working out has been fantastic for my depression and I hope that I can only keep going. Once the demotivation kicks in, it's very hard to pull myself out of it, and it quickly spirals into depression.

We got a cat, although that may be short lived now. Our friends moved to a new apartment, and didn't want to pay the pet deposit so we adopted their furball. They were also expecting their first child, but they had a miscarriage and now they want the cat back. We get to keep the furball for another month, until they can sort out the pet deposit, then he is going back to his home.

Christmas was insane. We had 3 of them this year. On the 22nd with my family, on the 25th I hosted for Brian's family, and then on the 27th we went to his grandparents in Valpo.

We had a smallish...medium?... get together on New Year's Eve. Our apartment has kind of become a hub on Monday nights anyway, where our friends all come over and I make some sort of delicious food and freak out about cleaning, and they play games or watch some retarded show/movie (Ancient Aliens, anyone?)

New Year's day is my dad's birthday and we took him to dinner on the Saturday before. Drake's first birthday was Jan 5, and he was truly spoiled.

He walks now. He runs, actually. Like a lot. Everywhere. We are eating with forks and spoons, and he is into climbing on everything. He plays really well with the cat (surprisingly gentle for a baby) and the dog always makes him laugh.

Speaking of running, I signed up for my first 5K in March, called the 5 Kilt, and it takes place on Saturday March 16. I am terrified and absolutely excited. I have never in my life thought I would want to run a race, but over the last few years I have really wanted to. It is on my Bucket List for 2013 and I am doing it. I have started training and my goal is just to finish. Preferably running, but finishing nonetheless. A huge motivator for me is knowing my son will be at the finish line waiting for me. It makes me cry now, thinking about it, I can't imagine what will happen that day. I will probably be so tired, exhausted, and in shock that I will throw up all over him. In joy.

I'm still a huge fat ass, but I have lost a few pounds and I am really trying to follow my personal trainer's advice. 2 days of heavy cardio, 1 day of strength training + moderate cardio, and 10K steps a day. I average a measly 500 at home all day, so that is really the challenging part.

I've been so far behind on EVERYONE'S blogs, the only one that I even manage to read occasionally is the Beer Bitch's blog, simply because she plasters it all over facebook so I click the link :)

We are doing so much better money wise. Not only were we really blessed at Christmas with money from nearly everyone, we started using cash-only. That means we cash Brian's paychecks and immediately put them away. Out of sight, out of mind. We only put money in the bank when we need to pay a bill, since most of them are online anyway.

We entered a 3 month payoff plan with Best Buy- they canceled 30% of our debt, and we owe them $310 a month, for three months. Then it's done, gone, poof! Paid off. At first we were freaking out, like how can we afford this, but since I said we do cash only... suddenly we are spending WAY less.

We get an awesome tax return this year for popping out a kid, and we will not only be able to pay off all of our credit card debt, but probably have enough left over to make a few extra payments on Brian's car.

My Goals for 2013 are very specific.

-Get out of all consumer debt (credit cards, car) <-- This is a priority
-Run a 5K <--This is to prove to myself that I can do anything
-Get a new/second job <--This is because I am a money whore and need more money.
-Lose 50 lbs. <--This is not negotiable.
-Learn to sew <--Because it is faster than crocheting.
-Make at least 1 quilt <-- Because I want to decorate my house in 8-bit video game geekiness.

So far, I look at my goals every day and I think to myself at the end of the day "What have I done today that progresses my goals? What can I do better, tomorrow?" and it's working. Especially when I am thinking about how badly I need that chocolate bar... and I say, nope, this isn't going to make me healthy, it's not going toward my goal.

Also, I paint now. Like, a lot. I've done two paintings. And I am actually really good at it. It's something I guess I have a bit of natural talent for and that makes me happy.

Anyway, there is my "short" update... aren't you all glad that I took a hiatus? No more, you say? Okay :)