Happy Thursday!

Today was one of those mornings when it just seems like everything is coming together. As I sipped a delicious cup of chai this morning (one Cocoa Chai teabag, one Vanilla Chai tea bag, sweetened with Stevia and a touch of chocolate almond milk to add creaminess), I had to smile... because, a few days short of my 50th birthday, I can say for the first time in my life, "I have a glue gun and I know how to use it!" LOL, I've been doing crafts for decades, but never had a project before that needed hot glue. A few weeks ago, I found a pattern for a flowered headband that I wanted to try making for sale on Etsy. First I needed to get the glue gun, get the headbands, and check out online instructions for a new crochet trick (the magic loop). All those pieces came together, and this morning, I finished up my first headband. I'm one step closer to opening up my Etsy craft shop!

Good thing I put down newspapers! I dripped a lot of glue!

The finished project

I got to work on time, and remembered everything I needed to bring with me: mail, shopping list, lunch, purse, cell phone, camera... I even remembered to put in earrings and check the shelves in the basement for cranberry sauce (got it, no need to add it to the shopping list). We're having a turkey dinner tonight, one last big family meal before Candy's all-too-short summer break ends. 

I think we finally found the reason why my computer kept crashing (a faulty power cord), and moved the broken-up mat from under my office chair, putting in a new one. 

I'd say this should have been replaced a long time ago!

I'm making good progress on crossing stuff off my to-do list, and feeling quite organized this morning! So, I hope you're having a Happy Thursday too! 

After a week in paradise, reality & recovery...

So, the party's over... our 25th anniversary trip to Hawaii is done, and it's back to real life...

Like piles and piles of laundry...

We came home to a huge pile of mail... there were some nice surprises in the pile: the lunchbag I won in a sweepstakes, a refund check, payment for some puzzle-proofing assignments, and some gift cards I had ordered from MyPoints, but there were a few bills and a bank statement showing a pretty low balance that brought me back to reality: it's time to get back to a very disciplined lifestyle, in many areas of life: eating, exercise, and spending! 

So, I guess I won't be getting a birthday present for our pet goldfish's 5th birthday... Sorry, Nemo! You'll have to settle for wearing my tiara for a while... (this is what we found when we got home... the girls gave Nemo the royal treatment for her birthday):

So, I'm working on a plan... just taking it day by day. For each day, I will have five goals:

• To stick to healthy eating
• To get in at least 30 minutes of exercise
• To drink plenty of water (5 bottles)
• To keep my purchases to the bare minimum... planning meals around what's in the freezer/pantry
• To work on getting my Etsy shop open and stocked - working on a craft each day

 

Current Project: Granny Square Purses

I also want to develop my blog more. I have a few product reviews in mind, just need to find the time to fine-tune them!

June is right around the corner, so I'll start my new resolutions today, and carry them through the month of June. At the end of the month, I'm hoping I'll be able to say the following:

• I'm back down to the lowest weight in more than 20 years
• I don't wince when I look at the checkbook balance and worry if I can pay the bills
• I have my Etsy store opened and I sold something! 
• My blog made more than last month! (considering I made $8 in May, that shouldn't take much!)

I'm off to a good start! I uploaded about 200 pictures from the cruise to various photo sites and used up from credits I got for free prints, ended up paying $5 for the whole lot of them PLUS a personalized mug with some pictures from the trip... but don't tell Ron! It's a Father's Day gift!