It's been a WHILE!

It's been a long time since I updated this blog..first and foremost because I forgot about it :( and then when I remembered, I couldn't find it..D'OH!

Well, now I am back and will be updating more frequently with lots of different types of posts...!

C-ya then!

INDY 500

I LOVED IT! That's all I can really say. It was awesome to be 10 rows away from the most awesome race of all time. I actually found myself getting so excited for the drivers, I was yelling and screaming for them to hurry up when they had pit stops. I screeched alongside the teenage boys in front of us rooting for Danica Patrick (for obvious boy reasons ofcourse). I wanted her to win too, but she got 3rd place which was pretty spectacular. I'd like to make this into a tradition. Every May, we must make the trek to Indianapolis to witness one of the most exciting sporting events of the year-the Indy 500. We had a blast!

It's been a while

So, it's been a while since I last posted. I am very bad about making things a habit, so if I can at least post once a week for 6 weeks then I should be good to go w/ blogging! Life has been going well- I was in my friend's wedding this past weekend and so far I have been in 5 weddings in the past year, and have one more to be in the beginning of December! WOWZA! That is a lot of weddings, but hey, they are fun, and it's great to support my friends and loved ones. Although-they can be quite expensive.

Next week, my hubby and I are making the trek to Indianapolis to see the Indy 500! I am very excited. I will for sure blog about this experience. I was never into racing before, but ever since I met my husband, I love it. It's very exciting stuff! So, we will shop, eat, go to the zoo, eat some more, and go to the race. Plus, I get Monday off. I can't wait.

What's on your life list?

Do you ever just sit and think..WOW..i really want to do so many things and then...I have no clue what to do first or where to start? I am like this a lot..there is SOO much I want to do. Here is a list, not in any particular order:

-Live in NYC
-Travel around Europe
-Make a huge difference in public health/health policy
-Get my MPH (currently I am doing this)
-Possibly get my MHA in conjunction w/ my MPH (we'll see if I can stand it)
-Have 2 or 3 kids (sometimes I want kids right away..but then I think..oh no..let's wait 5 years..I can't make up my MIND)
-Move to a cooler city in the Midwest..Peoria is okay..but not so cool most of the time. I have looked at some other "cool" cities in the Midwest like suburbs of St. Louis, Kansas City, Des Moines, and so on..but don't know which one is best. I just want to live somewhere with at least 500,000 people in the metro area, lots of shopping, restaurants, etcetc
-Get a daschound..or another dog..doesn't have to be a puppy, I just want a dog (this will come before the babies)
-Go to Costa Rica (hopefully next Spring 2010)
-Get my teaching certificate so I can teach middle school or high school health
-Learn how to put on eyeliner (I so can't do this now-I'm horrible)
-Freelance write health articles for a magazine
-Live abroad again for at least 6 months

So, I have a lot I want to do. What about you? Have you ever made a life list? It's a lot of fun-I used to do this all the time when I was younger. I'd tear out my favorite articles from magazines and past them in a book..it was kind of like my dream life book. In my opinion, it gets the creative juices flowing and helps you realize what is really important to you. No regrets, right?

Ready for spring

SO, I am totally ready for spring. many exciting things coming up: my 25th birthday, trip to see my sis in Los Angeles, the Indy 500, weddings that I'm in, bachelorette parties, etc! Lots of fun things! Mostly, I'm sick of the snow and the cold and the pesky runny nose that I've had since November....and now my throat is hurting really BAD! ugh!! :(

Well, last night out of boredom and some excitement to plan something,anything (i love planning), I made a budget for the hubs and I. I never really made a budget that was very specific-just listed monthly income, monthly bills (too many), fun money, etc...well last night I decided to do what I've read is good advice.

You take 60% of your income and that if for your fixed expenses and food (so house/apartment payment, groceries, utilities, car payments, loans, insurance, etc) and then 40% goes something like this: 10% to paying off debt and then short-term savings when that is paid off, 10% to e-fund (which should be 3 or 6 months fully funded), 10% to retirement, and 10% for your fun money (going out, latte's, clothes, concert tickets, etc).

So, I did this last night and it works out pretty well!! Except I used the 10% retirement for the short-term savings because the hubs and I both have retirment accounts at work and would like to use the short-term savings for our vacations.

So, now we are ready to see the fruits of our labor! I have to say this is a great plan because before I did this (and I'm sure this is like most people), i spent way too much on random things here and there. I'd go shopping and buy whatever and not really budget. Now that the hubs and I have a fixed amount for our fun money, i will make sure i love whatever I use it on!!

Try it out with your finances and see if you like how it looks! It will also help you to see if you are paying too much in your house payment or car payments, and then you can scale back accordingly!

So today isn't the best...

Today has just been a crappy day. period. Taking 6 master's credits, working full-time and on average 45 hours a week (and doing two people's job while we wait until someone else is hired), trying to stay in shape, getting enough sleep, etc....is stressful. I really need a break....moving to the Marshall Islands with world teach sounds very, very tempting right now. I'm sick of the rat race!! Hopefully tomorrow will be better...

link to World Teach: http://www.worldteach.org/

This day in history..

Today is Obama's Inauguration Day..I never thought I would see this day! It is amazing! I was lucky enough to be Obama's senate page in high school. Although I didn't see him a whole lot, I did get to talk with him a couple times. Even back then, in 2002, you could tell he was different from everyone else. He had something..charisma...but you could also tell he really wanted change. He didn't want to simply argue back and forth between the two main parties, he wanted to unite people and bring CHANGE.

Today is an awesome day. I hope the next 4 and possibly 8 years we will see this change. We surely do need it.