New year, new beginnings, new goals

I'm not one for New Years resolutions.  The excitement of the new year fades quickly and most of the population does not stick to the resolution(s) they made.  But I guess you could say this year is different for me.  I feel more resolve to change certain things in my life.

I've decided to do a scaled down version of 101 in 1001.  Let's face it, a lot of things can change in 2.75 years.  So many things on my old list be came unimportant or things that just weren't attainable any more with a new baby.  But, I did complete quite a bit of it, and as a list maker, it made me feel good to cross off a few things here and there.  So, I decided that this year I would make 27 goals for the year.  One for every two weeks of the year.  They don't have to be completed weekly, I just wanted to scale down the number of goals.  I originally started with 52, but I trouble coming up with that many.  I'll start with 27 and if I have more to add I'll add more.

I've decided to make some of the goals more long-term and therefore, more difficult to achieve.  But others will be quick and easy.  That way I can feel like I'm accomplishing *something*.  So, here they are.

1. Get on a budget, and try to stick with it for good!  I've lived out of my/our means for a while.  Living on credit and not really having a solid plan to pay it off.  Right now I'm using Mint.com for budgeting, and I recommend it, it's pretty cool! (0/12)
2. Pay off credit card 100% and keep the spending within a limit that I can pay off *every* month- I'd say $500/month.  I paid the card off a few days ago using a lower (than the CC) interest rate loan that we already had.  But now the challenge is to keep the spending down every month so that I can keep the balance at zero. (0/12)
3. Lose 6 pounds.  I've got 6 pounds of baby weight left to lose! (0/6)
4. Lose 4 pounds to equal a total of 10 (0/4)
5. Lose another 5 pounds to equal a total of 15 to put me into the middle of my BMI range. (0/5)
6. Save for  and buy new camera (monthly goal $150).  I've got my eye on this one!  ::love::
7. Take pictures of Sofia monthly.  This one should be easy as I'm already doing it, but I want to make sure I continue it! (0/12)
8. Go to the dentist every six months.  To some this might seem silly, but I, sadly, have not been to the dentist in years.  It just wasn't something that was instilled in me in my childhood. (0/2)
9. Finish Sofia's growth chart
10. Hang curtain rod and curtains in Sofia's room
11. Get Bandit's claws clipped or filed every 3 months (0/4)
12. Buy and start a compost bin.  This is something I've been wanting to do for a while.  I really want to be better about not being so wasteful.
13. Try to finish C25K program- 9 weeks.  I don't know if this will be feasible for me because of my knee, but I think it might help me to get back into running. (0/9)
14. Sell maternity clothes, put that money towards camera savings
15. Start savings account for Sofia
16. Sell Sofia's no longer used toys and "gear".  Put that money into her savings account.
17. Get cloth diaper inventory up to 24 diapers and/or GroVia inserts (16/24)
18. Fill Sofia's month-by-month picture frames, 13 total pictures in each (0/13 x2)
19. Have a small, successful, and cute first birthday party for Sofia.
20. Buy an external hard drive, keep all pictures and important files updated on said drive.
21. Get house "baby-proofed" (stove button caps, oven locks, doorknob locks, cabinet locks, toilet seat locks, etc)
22. Try to be consistent in using coupons (i.e stockpile non perishables)
23. Work on my photography skills (do any one or more of the following- complete my photography book, complete the 12 weeks to better photography, and/or take a photography class)
24. Buy a chest for my Grandmother's silverware, polish said silverware and store correctly
25. Buy and install fireplace doors or screen (kind of counts as baby proofing)
26. Buy and install a ceiling fan for Sofia's room
27. *Possibly* re do fire place hearth and surrounding area with new glass tile
    

Trash the Dress

At the end of July I will be participating my very own Trash the Dress shoot with Elyse of Constance Elyse Photography, so excited!

We're shooting at Laguna Gloria and my "theme" is spanish-esque. I found this on etsy for my hair piece, love it!



All that's left is to find shoes and jewelry!!

Made my day!

So, I'm at the tanning salon. Yes, I know, I know. It's bad for me. BUT I like to be tan and I don't have a swimming pool, therefore I have no option.

ANYWAY... I'm at the tanning salon slathering on this amazing smelly tanning stuff that I bought for an obscene amount of money. I look over and realize there is a full length mirror on the back of the door. I think "Ugh, I loathe full length mirrors when I'm (less than) half naked." But as any girl would, I stare and criticize every piece of my body, and wish I were 20 pounds thinner... maybe someday. I go on about my tanning session, leave, and head over the Starbuck's next door for my favorite, Iced Chai Latte, yum! I get my drink and as I'm leaving said Starbucks an older woman is looking at me and says something. I didn't understand her so I asked her what she said, thinking she had a question. I mean, I was in the Starbuck's close to the school I teach at. She could have been one my students grandparents or something. But, alas, she wasn't. You know what she said? She said, "You have very pretty legs!" Literally, MADE. MY. DAY!

We are definitely too hard on ourselves sometimes. :D

NEW HAIR!

I FINALLY got my hair cut, YAY!!! I ended up having 10 inches chopped off. I plan on donating it, but am having a hard time finding a charity that doesn't require all this stuff. If you have any questions, other than Locks of Love, please let me know. Anywho... here's a picture

Sephora

Yes... two posts in one day. I'm just trying to make up for the lack of postings :)

Anywho, I am in big trouble. This store is completely ADDICTING! Every time I go in I spend at least $75. I think my shoe addiction has been squandered by a new make up addiction.

I never really considered myself a make up gal, but ever since I got my face issues in check I've really started to become addicted to buying make up and make up related items. I still don't wear make up except to work and when I go out, but I just keep buying things.

My current absolute FAVE is this. I was actually pleasantly surprised by this purchase, because I bought it based on a recommendation from a magazine. I usually never buy something suggested by a mag... it usually turns out to look horrid on me. But this blush looks great! Not to mention that every time I go to Sephora I get a little sample (beautyinsider program) and I typically buy at least 1 out of every 3 things I try. Not good.

I think I'm going to have to limit myself to the amount of times I can go into this store... and NO online shopping either!

I'm addicted.

Plain and simple. I CANNOT stop! Shirts, bags, pants, jeans, dresses, SHOES, bracelets, the list goes on. I can't stop searching through the thousands of pictures and picking different outfits. And the shoes... OH THE SHOES!

If you like shopping and putting together outfits you HAVE to try this website. Make an account, get addicted, and then add me as a friend (lpark1044) so I can stalk your "looks"! GO! NOW!

My current favorites:

What I really wish I could wear to my wedding

Now... don't get me wrong. I love my dress. And I love my ring. But I mean... how can a woman pass up a Tiffany ring that looks like that?? Ahhh, love!

More wedding stuff

It's almost over I promise. Well... for two weeks at least. Kino made me promise that I would not schedule any wedding appointments over the one week that he's going to be home. So, I kept my promise. Which brings me to the point of this post. To keep that promise I had to schedule my hair and make up trials before he got back. I had them both today and I couldn't be happier!! They both turned out JUST the way I wanted and I FINALLY feel like a BRIDE! Ugh, I was wondering when that would happen?! :D Here are a few pictures.Those are the earrings I will most likely be wearing. My aunt has graciously offered her exquisite (and EXTREMELY expensive) jewelry for me to wear, but I REALLY love these earrings. I'm just gonna have to take a look at what she has. And the flower in my hair will probably change to this one...

New Hair... eventually

I've been attempting to grow my hair out since I got engaged back in Dec 06. It has probably grown at least 5-6 inches, but I'm quickly getting bored and irritated with it. Partially due to it being so damn hot. But I think I now realize (remember) why I kept it shorter for so long. Anyway... on to the point. So since I've been growing it out I have simultaneously been thinking about cutting it off (after the wedding of course!). Recently I've found a few pictures that I like, but today I found an awesome website and I think I have now chosen the hair cut. This website allows you to make yourself over with hair, makeup, etc. It's probably one of the better make over sites I've seen.

So, here's my "masterpiece"


<--I REALLY love the cut and actually like the color as well.

^Here's the second one I'm considering. I like this cut as well, but since I can't see it on myself, it's harder to choose.

Which one do you like? I'm ready for something drastic, even though I haven't had my hair that short since I was a kid. I'm pretty sure that it will look good and I'm really looking for a hair cut that will make me look older and more sophisticated.