operation: skinny jeans.

Diets and I have a love-hate relationship.  Well, actually… we mainly have a hate relationship, and I think that’s ok. 

Last night, I was going through my closet and attempting to gather up old clothes to give away.  As I was peeling away the layers in our closet, I was more amazed by the minute just how many clothes we were able to cram in there.  It reminded me a little of the clown cars at the circus… I mentioned that comparison to Josh and he just shook his head and sighed.  I dont think he likes clowns.

The highlight of the quest was when I parted the last row of clothes and found an entirely new row of clothes that I hadn’t seen in 3 years!  I’m talking old favorites here, things that I used to wear all the time.  Somehow, they had gotten lost in the great clothing abyss that is my closet.

So- in my excitement, I immediately grabbed my old favorite jeans and tried them on.  They were.. ehem… slightly snug.

Considering my budget is also a bit snug these days, finding old clothes is pretty much the closest I will come to shopping (cry.)… and what fun is it to buy clothes a size too small?? i will fit into those jeans again.

Enter: Operation Skinny Jeans.  Yessss! another blog challenge.  You will notice that I give myself alot of challenges because they motivate me, and I lovegoal setting… almost more than chocolate.  Considering my current predicament, I think it’s safe to say that chocolate has a special place in my heart.

Let us take a moment to travel back to my former “diet” days.  I ate so many rice cakes and grapefruits.. I’m not sure either of those things will be consumed by me ever again.  I was that type of dieter. 

So, considering I hate diets- I’m coming at this from an “un-diet” perspective…  The plan is to take it a month at a time- I am just going to focus on healthy choices and consistent exercise.  I figure I will weigh myself once a week, but if that gets too stressful, I may just wait until the end of the month.

At the end of the 4 weeks, I will re-evaluate and see if it needs a little tweaking 🙂 As always, I will keep you posted!

Man, I love challenges.

operation: learn to cook southern food.

Let me preface this by saying that I am italian and was born in New Jersey.   Remember that before you judge 🙂

Tonight I embarked upon a mission to cook my very southern hubby a southern meal.  I got the brilliant idea during my lunch break today and proceded to ask my southern belle coworkers what to include on the menu.  the verdict: chicken and dumplings with biscuits and gravy.  easy enough, right? ha.

I am slightly limited in the kitchen, so foods that explain their components in the titles are good choices for me.  I mean, who really goes wrong with biscuits and gravy or chicken and dunplings? it’s like “lettuce and tomatoes” or “peanut butter and jelly.” 

Well- no one explained to me that biscuits and gravy did not mean pillsbury biscuits covered in turkey gravy.  In all fairness, the name of the dish should be “biscuits and mayonaise with sausage”.  I would have done better.  There is more than one type of gravy?? oh my land, I have alot to learn.

Moving forward, as if that was not enough.  I somehow created a picture of chicken and dumplings in my mind, and now- looking back, I am not sure where it came from.  I probably should have looked for a recipe, considering I have never seen or eaten chicken and dumplings.  I created a vision of some type of ravioli filled with chicken and dumped in cream of chicken soup.  wrong again.

I took the store bought frozen dumpling sheets and proceded to create my ravioli vision.  you should have seen josh’s face when I presented him with my creation.. priceless 🙂 I am pretty sure this is one of those stories that our grandkids will laugh at.  My cute man ate it all without complaints, hehe.

looks like it’s italian food for the rest of our lives.

operation: it’s all about the benjamins.. baby.

So, the hubby and I have been slacking in the tithe department.

By  ‘slacking’,  I mean, we pay our bills and spend our money.. then give God what’s left at the end of the month.  Let’s just say that Josh and I have not yet perfected the art of having much money left over at the end of the month.

Terrible! I know.  However, I am confessing it to the blog world and am determined to turn this around.  Our pastor had a pretty honest conversation with the congregation last Sunday.  It was one of those sermons that has you squirming in your seat and looking around to see who might get up and leave…but! it was gut wrenchingly real and honest.. and that is why I love my church.

As I am sure is the case in most churches, since the recession- giving has been down almost 50%.  My church has a great philosophy around spending- one of the reasons Josh and I both love it so much.  They give away so much money. Community outreach, sponsoring orphans around the world, building churches and schools.  Unfortunately, most of that has had to come to a halt because the church barely has enough money to cover electricity, the mortgage.. the basics.

There are members of our church who have lost their jobs and who are still giving.  Josh and I have both been blessed with amazing jobs (josh has two!) and yet we have not made it a priority in our lives.  ugh.

At this point, I feel ashamed.  Almost like the bratty teenager who takes everything her parents give her for granted.  scratch that- I feel exactly like the bratty teenager who takes everything I’ve been given for granted.

There are children out there that my church can no longer support, because I needed a pumpkin spice latte on my way to work.   Ok, so that is a little bit dramatic… but it’s true.  I have put my wants and daily comforts over God’s commandment.   Worshiping the gift instead of the giver.. blah.

All that being said- we re-worked the old budget.  I cant believe how much money we were wasting!  the goal for grocery spending was 50 dollars a week.. we have been averaging (cringe) $150 a week!  for two people!  in addition to that, we have completely slacked in the saving department, too.

oh my land.  Now, the first bill we pay is to Jesus, the next is to our savings… then we fit the rest in.  For the next two months, our aim is to tithe 10% and save $2,000.  To accomplish this, we are cutting waaaay back.   Our budget for this month:

• $200 for groceries
• $100 for entertainment
• $200 for gas
• $25 for dogs expenses (new countertops not included 😦 )
  
• $100 for “extras”

Hello, coupon clipping.  Goodbye, cute new autumn clothes.  I will miss you, but I know that the money we will save and give to God will be worth it.  Maybe I can buy you in 2 months when you are on the clearance rack.

So- that is the plan.  After these next two months,  Josh and are going to re-evaluate the savings goal and see if it needs tweaking.. and I promise to confess if I’ve gotten off track.  Keep me accountable.. thanks 🙂

gnight!