The Proudfeet: February 2010

February round up

It's officially the end of February, so iiiiit's recap time!

This round wasn't too hard on me and I feel really good about that. We've limited the amount of money being spent while still buying something when it was the right time. We had actually bought this pillow since the Mr. was keeping me up at night, but it turns out he's a stomach sleeper, so it was returned. I also bought frames to replace some art in our master bedroom, but the colors weren't right so they went back as well.

The only things we did buy were some primer and paint for my super secret project, which I'll be revealing tomorrow, books and some photo albums. Not bad.

Sadly we weren't as good with our grocery and food budget, but I attribute that to later work hours, being away from our house and just general hecticness (it's a word now) in our house. I completely understand why people who get home at 5-6pm are so much more tired and aren't in the mood to cook or clean. I was beat last week and didn't want to lift a finger after walking in our front door.

Anyway! The no spend period is up and things will go back to normal. As usual I'm not planning on going wild... especially after seeing the money we saved. It will really make me think about my next purchase.

Tomorrow I'll reveal my latest project and then I'll also post about my gorgeous new chairs. Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

Do you see what I see?

SQUEE!!! More pictures to come tomorrow :)

Weekend to do list

Last weekend we were able to relax and have some fun, but this weekend will be more about chores. Some should be fun and others just need to get done. The list?

1. Return some purchases that didn't work out

2. Buy some paint

3. Use paint for my new super secret project :)

4. Put together the chairs my amazingly sweet hubby bought for me (story to come!)

5. Freecycle a bunch of books and other stuff we don't need/use anymore

6. Keep an eye on Macintosh's ailments and see if they're getting better

7. Work on and hopefully finish the photo albums

8. Prepare for my second week of work

My only real non-chore involves my sister and a delicious lunch. Yay!

I know it's only Thursday, but this week has been so long and I really needed a reminder of all the fun stuff I'm looking forward to. Also- I apologize for all the boring posts. I haven't had the energy to take pictures or do anything interesting, so you're getting what little energy I have left. Hopefully I'll get used to my schedule sooner rather than later and I can start back on the goodness that used to reside here!

Someone wants to say "hi"

We took Macintosh to the vet today for a couple vaccines and to get his belly and fur loss checked out. He was a good pup and let the doc poke and prod. Luckily the vet (and owner of the hospital, I found out later) *loves* boxers, so it was cute to watch them interact. He's not sure why he's losing fur (could be mange, alopecia, bacterial infection, etc.) so we're trying out a couple treatments now. Hopefully it's fixed with the antibiotics and we can call it a day.

Of course Aspen couldn't let Macintosh get all the attention so she popped in to say "hi", too. She just doesn't know she's got her vet appointment set up for tomorrow... Muahaha ;)

What you've been waiting for ;)

The recap of my first day! Obviously I can't share too much (privacy and all), but I'll do my best.

So... I was scheduled to meet with a lady at 9am on Monday and arrived where I needed to be with plenty of time. Unfortunately, the lady didn't know I was coming. Luckily one of the men I'll be working with saw me and brought me up, but it was a scary way to start the day! Did I mess up? Did I really write the day/time wrong? I was so worried.

Turns out the snow wreaked havoc on a lot of people and she just missed over the announcement of my start date. Sadly this meant my computer and phone weren't set up, so there was a lot of figuring out as we went.

Minus the administrative glitches, the day went really well. I shadowed the girl that will be training me and learned a few new things. Unfortunately I found out that she'll be taking a job in San Francisco soon (decided over the weekend!) so I'll be "on my own". Not scary at all.

Overall it was a good day and I think I'll really enjoy my time there!

Good first day!

Today was my first day at my new job and it went really well. I'm drained, so I am going to go relax with my hubby, but rest assured I'll be back soon with a somewhat comprehensive review of how it went.

Curling like Olympians

Yesterday we went to a curling open house and had a ball. Watching it on the Olympics you don't realize just how difficult it is, but now I have a deeper respect for curlers. The ice was less slippery than I expected (I still wiped out once), the stone was super heavy (42 pounds), and sweeping was incredibly exhausting.

We met up with a few of my friends, and it was even more fun in a group. Luckily there are no pictures of my fall, but I still captured a few of others ;)

The Mr.'s ready!

Handle at 2 o'clock

Annnnnd release

SWEEEEP!

HAAAAAAAAAARD!!

Then it was ieatdc and her husband's turn to sweep

Then inkpad came up to give it a whirl

Photo op!

After the instruction on throwing and sweeping, we were given one shot to throw the stone from hack to tee (42 yards!). You can read the basics of curling here, if you want to understand what the heck I am talking about.

Darn near perfect form

It's amazing to me how little strength is needed to get that piece of granite all the way to the end, but I did it. I even got a patch for getting it in the four foot circle. Olympics- here I come! It was a really good time and I definitely recommend it for all those interested in learning the basics. (This place has open houses twice a year.)

Talk about bittersweet

Today was my last day at my current (previous?) job and I am drained. My first interview, which resulted in a job offer. My first job out of college. My first published research. So many firsts! I'm moving on to my next job on Monday, and it's nerve-wracking and exciting all in one.

It was really hard to say goodbye to all my friends and coworkers. Much harder than I ever expected. I'm pretty sure my (male) boss was a bit scared when I started crying ;) Luckily my new job is only five-ish miles away so I can sneak away and have lunches with them. Even though I'm being a crybaby today, I am definitely ready for the new challenge.

You know what else I'm excited about?? My weekend! We're going to try out some curling (thank you inkpad for showing me this) and see some family. We're also going to see Avatar on Sunday since the snowstorm inhibited us from going when I had originally planned. It's been awhile since we had a fun packed weekend planned, so this should be good.

Happy FRIDAY!!!

Product raves

If you're like me, you see a lot of TV commercials touting products that work 20x better than anything out on the market already. Most of the time I disregard them, but there are some things I bookmark to try at a later date. As expected, 99% of those products are duds. Either they don't work or they are the exact same thing as something else I already use, so it's pointless to share them... But these two things have changed my life. (Dramatic, no?)

Purex 3 in 1 laundry sheets are the bomb. One sheet has detergent, softener and anti-static on it. Just throw the sheet in the washer (HE front loaders work, too) then move it to the dryer with the clothes, and ta-da! At the end of the load, you'll just throw away the remaining piece and go on about your business. I love it because it's more environmentally friendly and there is no need to measure out detergent or anything. Our clothes are just as soft and clean as before, but much less fuss. Two big thumbs up!

Next are these fancy schmancy Swiffer Dusters. I was really skeptical about these (the lady shakes the duster with a thing full of dust and *nothing* comes off?!) but was really surprised. I actually tried the same maneuver after dusting our house and had the same result. I dusted our entire house with only one duster and didn't have a single problem. Not to mention it's awesome with blinds and smaller knick knacks since the dusty-things retract easily. I wish I'd bought the long handled one so I could reach the fan more easily, but I'll make it work.

So if you're detergent is out or you're looking for a new way to dust, I'd definitely recommend either of these. And no, I'm not getting paid for this- I am just sharing the love with those I love ;)

House love

One of the blogs I read featured a guest blogger and her kitchen makeover. Her absolutely, drop dead gorgeous, totally drool worthy kitchen. It seriously looks like something out of a magazine and I want it. Every last bit of it.

So welcoming

The plants! The window! The sink! The white dishes!

And of course the gorgeous silver trophies

I'll be honest- after seeing this picture, I looked for vintage trophies on Etsy and Ebay. I love this look and want to recreate it somewhere in our house.

Another angle

::drools all over keyboard::

I cannot get enough. It's so light and airy, yet still masculine (the whole point behind the makeover). Don't get me wrong- I love our kitchen and the bold colors, but this is so soothing. You'd get such a different feeling having this in your home.

Fat Tuesday already?!

How did this happen? No really- how? I haven't even figured out what I'm giving up for Lent this year. Last year was fast food and shopping. The year before that was shopping. I have my "fall backs" of giving up soda or chocolate, but I just don't know. I just. don't. know. I'd really like to try something new this year.

I don't smoke. I rarely drink alcohol. I don't need caffeine to function. Starbucks runs happen sparsely. Same with any beauty event like a manicure or haircut. I'm not really into gossip or juicy magazines. I don't watch too much TV, but my husband would kill me if he couldn't watch "our" shows the day after we DVR them.

My vices would include shopping (usually for the house), home improvement projects, surfing the internet and this blog. Then of course there are the occasional vices like eating out, cursing or skipping my gym workout. So of course I could give up cursing or take up one more day at the gym per week, but that seems so cliche.

Feel free to throw out some suggestions if you've got one. Maybe there is something I'm missing. I only have ~12 hours to figure something out!

On another note, I got The Love Dare and today is Day One of our 40 day journey. I'm not sure who is interested in this so I'll keep my blogging recaps to a minimum, but I just want to say I am really excited about this process. Maybe I'll do a weekly recap with the challenge for each day. Or maybe I'll keep this between us, since this is meant to strengthen our marriage by opening our eyes. We'll see!

For now, I'll pop a Lindt truffle into my mouth and enjoy the "Fat" part of Fat Tuesday.

Macintosh's ailments :(

I don't know if this is a freak coincidence or if Macintosh is turning into an old, almost five year old pup. He's had a rash on his belly for the past few weeks, and aside from licking it, it hasn't seemed to bother him. Some days it's worse while other days it's barely pink. Today is one of the worse days, since it's almost black with white bumps. Almost like razor burn. I'll spare you pictures ;)

Now he's also got little patches of fur that are missing. And I do mean little- like less than a square inch each... It's only near his hip region, but it's starting to freak me out a bit. This also doesn't seem to be bothering him at all, which again is good, but I think we need to take him in to the vet and figure out what's going on. Scabies? Hot spots? Seasonal alopecia? Allergies? So many things to worry about!!

Right now he's cuddled up on the coach with me so he's loving life, but I worry about my little guy. I want him to feel 100% and I just don't think he is right now.

My computer is all fixed!

I was really worried that I would have to replace my computer when it was having problems charging, but luckily it was just due to an old and "bad" power adapter.

We took my Mac in to the Genius Bar today and they diagnosed the problem pretty quickly. I was somewhat sad that I didn't need a new and shiny Macbook Pro, especially after playing around with them in the store, but less sad that I could keep that money in my pocket... For now. :) The Mr. was vying for a replacement since it's sooo old in the computer world. One day, I suppose.

Otherwise it's been a day of running errands and getting much needed stuff done. That usually happens after being cooped up I guess, since every place we went was packed... Now we're settled in and getting ready to watch some more Olympic games! Yay!

Oooh, "my" chairs are on sale!

Remember the ones I posted about back here. Yeah, they're on sale- 5% off! Should I buy them?! ;)

Don't worry, I'm not. But keep your fingers crossed they keep getting cheaper and cheaper... because they are doggone perfect.

Tap, tap... Is this thing on?

I have an announcement to make. I feel horrible because there are people who read this blog that will be finding out this way instead of by a phone call from me... but I am having a hard time remembering who I told and who I haven't. Plus I'd rather them find out this way than not find out at all.

So, for the announcement. I'm... NOT pregnant. Ha, sorry ;)

But really. I... am leaving my job after three and a half years and will be starting with a new company on the 22nd of February. I had been looking for a new opportunity for quite some time and a great one finally came along. My commute will be marginally shorter (5 miles), my pay will be drastically higher (about 35% more), and the morale of my team will most likely be worlds better (ie the big guy won't be saying "find a new job because yours will be obsolete in x years").

Of course it's going to be hard to leave my friends at my current company, but I won't be so far away that we can't still meet up. In fact, I'll probably make them pinkie swear that we'll still have lunch once a month. Potbellies, anyone?

I'll still be in the same field, working with an astounding team on the forefront of groundbreaking research. You may think I'm talking them up, but you can't even imagine the work these people have done. And I'm going to be a part of it now!

Alright, that's it. You can move on with your day, now :)

I saved $45 in gas...

But spent that (and more) on stuff this week. Yeah, I'm convinced being cooped up does this to people. Here's a recap of all my purchases (and naturally my rebuttal).

1. These gorgeous silk 12x12 picture albums. The Mr. and I have always had a ton of pictures, but they've never been organized. It got even worse after we brought home more pictures and newspaper clippings that we found in his dad's apartment. I love pictures and memories, so it only made sense to organize them and present them in a way better than a box or stack of pictures.

2. Books, books and more books. The Mr. finished reading the Twilight Saga a few weeks ago and he's been on his usual espionage thriller kick since then. Enter Alex Berenson, Brad Thor, and Matthew Reilly to the rescue. I also bought The Love Dare- a marriage improvement book that was recommended by family- so we can do some couple reading.

3. I bought some gifts for a baby shower we're going to in a couple weeks. I've known the couple since freshman year of college and I am so excited that they're expecting a baby girl so soon. In the off chance they read this I won't post what I got, but let me just say it's hard not to spend a ton when you're dealing with mini everything!

4. Lastly, I bought some new hand towels and some other paper towel replacements. Most of our kitchen towels were from before we got married and they were starting to show their age.

I guess reading over this post it doesn't look like I'm doing well with our no spend Jan-ruary, but if you break it down it's really not that bad. I would have spent the same amount of money on a baby shower gift regardless of the day or month. Reading books is good for your mind, and I imagine it's normal to replace linens after three or four years. The only thing that was really a splurge and not necessary would be the picture albums... But if you remember- the point wasn't to spend no money, it was to spend less. And we definitely have been doing that. Some of it forced and some based on weighing the price versus if I really needed it. (Gorgeous 5x8 Pottery Barn rug on clearance for less than $100, I'm lookin' at you.)

So... I'll take it :)

Day four of work closures

My company follows the Federal Government when it comes to inclement weather policies, and tomorrow will mark day four that our offices have been closed. There are theories we'll be closed all week, which I can't say I'd hate. Take into account the fact that I left at 10am on Friday (due to a four hour early dismissal) and I've been off for almost a week.

Unfortunately others haven't been so lucky. The Mr.'s company hasn't closed at all, even though there's an unspoken rule that you should really think it through before coming in. Another friend hasn't had the same luck- she's been guilted in to working through much of the storm. Poor girl :(

Many are dealing with cabin fever right now, but the Mr. and I were lucky enough to get out some on Monday and Tuesday so we're doing OK. Chalk our luck up to a great neighborhood plow company and a jacked up truck we're "watching" for my dad while he's out of the state. I know of many people that didn't see a single plow on their street until the next snow started... three days later. Meanwhile, our street was plowed four times during the latest 24 hour snow period. Doesn't make driving any less treacherous- especially when you see a car or two per hour get stuck in nearby intersections.

This story is truly legendary. Records set in 1898 are being broken. Records you don't really want to break. Records that involve 54.9" (give or take, depending on your location) snow.

Anyone up for a tropical vacation next week? :)

Ice ice, baby

Yes, this post is about ice. Namely the ice that is inhabiting our roofline. Let's investigate, shall we?

Exhibit A: our roofline

Let's zoom in a little

And a little more... Do you see it?

Yeah, it's kind of impossible not to see it. Two foot icicles dangling precariously above our car. Fun stuff! The Mr. was also worried about the weight on our gutters, so he decided to do something about it. Here's that story ;)

Eyeing the prize

Do you see the crazy in his eyes? ;)

The demo

video

He was a happy boy. He also tackled some of the smaller ones...

Timbeeeeeeer

Here's a closeup of the medium sized ones so at least you can see the girth of these puppies.

Monster icicle piece!

The saddest part? Even though we cleared our roof at like 4pm tonight, the icicles will be back (and that big) within 24 hours. It's a constant battle :(

And for those that don't know, we're expecting more snow. We got about 30" over the weekend and now they're anticipating another 10-20" tonight and tomorrow. If I wanted this kind of weather I'd live in New England... At least work has been cancelled for the past two days so I don't have to deal with driving.