Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Try a New Position!

I hope that my blog title for today grabbed your attention. It took me a whopping 42 seconds to decide on that title- and I thought it was eye catching...and mind guttering.

But, unfortunately, this "health" blog isn't about the "position" your mind takes you to...it is about your sleep position!

Every night, Gage (my 15 month old) and I lay back in the recliner and enjoy a bit of TV while he falls asleep. More often than not, this tired mama falls asleep too only to wake up to my husband rolling with laughter! Why is he laughing? Well, he states that I sleep with my mouth wide open. He calls it "catching flies." His laughter occurs on a nightly basis and usually ends with a chuckle on my end too. I mean, he drools when he sleeps- his pillow proves that!

I thought it would be interesting to see what sleeping positions say about our personalities and here is what I found from the "Healthy Living" section on Yahoo! (it was the one that was most interesting and most realistic...who sleeps standing on their head? NO ONE!).


Here's what the site says- I think it's talking about me!-  
These days, the way that I sleep simply says, "I am happy to be single and spending five to seven hours sprawled out in the center of my bed alone."

At other points, my tightly squeezed eyes and curled-up body would have screamed, "I know the baby will wake up/someone will start snoring/the alarm will begin blaring as soon as I finally, finally, finally get to sleep."

Years and years ago, the corpse-looking college student still in her clothes would have mumbled something like, "Finals. Boys. Beer."

Our lives, the amount of sleep we get, and how well we actually rest during those nighttime hours may change drastically over time. However, one sleep researcher says that our body position in bed could say something about who we are, not just what else is happening in our lives.

Professor Chris Idzikowski, director of the Sleep Assessment and Advisory Service, says that a study of 1,000 people revealed that the six most common sleeping positions are indicative of personality types.

If this sounds ridiculous (and honestly, I'd love to see information on this study and the analysis fleshed out further than any of the reports I could find), consider that Idzikowski says it comes down to body language.
"We are all aware of our body language when we are awake but this is the first time we have been able to see what our subconscious posture says about us," Idzikowski said. "What's interesting is that the profile behind the posture is often very different from what we would expect."

The research also links certain sleeping positions with health risks. Some aid digestion while others spur on snoring and restlessness.

Here are the six common sleeping positions and correlated personality traits and health implications, according to this study.
[graphic via BBC.com]
  • Fetus position - A whopping 41% of participants sleep in this curled-up manner. Women are twice as likely to rest like this and it is listed as the most common position. These sleepers are said to have a tough exterior but are still sensitive and may appear to be shy but warm up quickly.
  • Log position - If you sleep on your side with both arms down, you are a social, easy-going person who is trusting, sometimes to the point of being gullible. The study showed 15% of people sleep like a log.
  • Yearner position - A close third is the side-lying position with both arms out in front of the body, with 13% of participants sleeping like this. Yearners are noted to be open-minded and still cynical, suspicious, and stubborn about sticking to decisions once they are made.
  • Soldier position - These sleepers lie on their backs with arms down and kept close to the body. This 8% study is said to be reserved, quiet, without fuss, and hold themselves and others to a high standard. Soldier sleepers have a higher likelihood for snoring due to the flat-back position, which may not cause them to wake up often but may result in a less restful night's sleep.
  • Freefall position - Those people who lie on their bellies with arms under or wrapped around a pillow with head turned to the side, make up 7% of the population studied. Freefallers are brash, outgoing, and are very uncomfortable with criticism.
  • Starfish position - Sleepers who lie on their backs with arms up near their head or the pillow account for 5% of participants. These people are good listeners, helpful, and are uncomfortable being the center of attention. People who sleep in starfish position are more likely to snore and to suffer from a poor night's sleep more often.
If you think you are one of those people who move through all of these positions, that's not likely to really be the case. Idzikowski said the research reveals most people stay in the same position all night and only 5% lay differently night by night. Also interesting is that the study showed only one in ten people cover their bodies entirely with a blanket, with most people exposing an arm, leg, or both feet.

So, what type of sleeper are you?


One of my *favorite* candid pictures...Gage napping with our Furry Baby (Roxie)

Happy Sleeping!
Erica

Friday, November 25, 2011

He Gets It From His Mama!

If there is one thing that my husband and I argue over (in a fun way) the most- it's who does Gage get his smarts from?

Of course, it's his mama! And, since he doesn't blog- I'll have the final word on here!

Just as proof, here is a video I shot this week of him...showing off his zillion animal sounds. And, lets remember, he's only 14 months old.

I hope to get a video of him up soon reading...that's right, he can read too! I'll let you believe it when you see it.

And, why is this on my "happiness" post? Because nothing makes me happier than having a smarty pants baby!!!!

Enjoy the video: http://youtu.be/3DRK1AeHKP4

He's an artist, too!


One p-r-o-u-d mama,
Erica

Thursday, November 24, 2011

The CRAZIES Are OUT!

One of my favorite shopping days is right around the corner...BLACK FRIDAY! Or, I think it should be called "Tromp you over Thursday" and "Frenzy Friday."

In our area, a few stores are opening on Thursday night. So, a few of us girls are leaving to shop at 10 pm. I "hope" to be back by 10 am- that's 12 hours of death defying, gift grabbing, punch the other person in the face shopping.

This year, I'm on the prowl for a Powerwheels car for the main man and possibly a LeapFrog learning tablet too. Of course, not just "any" Powerwheels will do- I'm looking for a tiny, high-end car (hoping for a Range Rover!). Also, mom wants a Kindle Fire- but if I have to, I'll buy it on Amazon on cyber-Monday and not fight anyone over it (electronics are the WORST on Black Friday).

In my excitement about what my future shopping excursion will bring, I was reminiscing on my past experiences. My college roommate and I shopped at the beach for a few years on Black Friday. We'd leave at 11 pm, hit up the Tanger Outlet Stores then we would go sleep in the dog beds at Walmart and wait for their 4 am opening. That's right, we'd SLEEP in DOG BEDS! Then, once the 4 am bell rang, we fought (yes, tugged and pulled until victorious) for a flat screen TV. After strutting out as the "winner" we went to the mall, struggled to stay awake and finally arrived back home (delirious) at noon. We saved a lot of money and saw a lots of crazies- so it was worth it!

My veteran advice: take a list- stick to it. Have a budget- don't break it.


Our 1st Christmas
Enjoy the fight,
Erica

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Its Liquid Gold

It's the newest birthing health craze- and I'm a huge proponent!

While pregnant, we received information in the mail regarding cord blood banking on a daily basis. We looked over the information and weighed the pros (all of the life saving options) against the cons (#1 con= it's E-X-P-E-N-S-I-V-E!).

Here's our list:
The pros (straight off of viacord.com):
- Treatable diseases include 12 cancers, 16 bone marrow diseases, 8 blood disorders (including sickle cell anemia), 18 metabolic diseases, and 17 autoimmune diseases
- They are SUPER close to finding the cure for diabetes, cerebral palsy and brain injury using cord blood.
- There have already been over 200 successful cures of diseases in children using their cord blood
- There is absolutely 0 risk to you or your baby during collection. It's totally non-invasive.

The cons:
- Having to make certain that the doctor collects the blood correctly. Its a pass or fail procedure. If they do it wrong, there's no going back and you've already paid to have it collected...
- It's super expensive and there's no "end date." The initial collection fee was around $2500 (which you can pay off monthly for 6, 12 or 18 months) and there is a annual $125 fee that pays for storage for the next year. That means $125/year for the rest of your child's life...and I'm hoping my kid lives to be 100- so that's $12,500.00.

With Josh being a diabetic (although there is no current guarantee that it's a familial trait), and cancer running throughout both sides of our families, I couldn't take the risk of NOT saving my baby's cord blood. Honestly, I think that I would pay almost anything to have the ability to save my child's life. We chose the 12 month payment plan so we've already paid off the cord blood and now we're just paying $125 annually. It's great. And, to know that I could possibly save my child from having an insulin pump attached to his side for the rest of his life- yea, that's a pretty good deal.

Oh, and you can put it on your Baby Registry! I didn't know that when we decided to buy the service- but, I do for the next kid!

If you're pregnant or know someone that is, please look into this service. You child's life is always worth saving- there is no dollar figure that you can attach to it...

The link: http://www.viacord.com/
The phone number: 866-668-4895

Fresh Out!

Thankful for the availability to save a life,
Erica

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Don't Forget the Hubby...

On today's post about happiness, I have decided to remember the hubby.

When us ladies become wives, sometimes we forget about our friends...but, when we become mothers we ALWAYS forget about the hubby!

During marriage counceling (we had to complete a 6 week course before we could get married at our church), our family pastor warned us of this- forgetting the husband/wife once kids come into the picture. "Yeah, right!" I thought. But, oh so true the fact is.

To remember my hubby, I have penciled in recurring appearances every Tuesday until the day we die- DATE NIGHT! That's how we remember each other- by scheduling a date night every single Tuesday.

Date night before kids happened often- we could run over to the movies, we could go out to eat in peace, we could go shopping (my husband's favorite activity- cue sarcasm!)...ANYTHING. But, once you add a little life into the picture going to the movies is impossible due to a wiggle worm (sit still for 3 hours, are you kidding?!?!?), going out to eat is not in peace (lots of toys, books, food throwing, etc.), and shopping- ha! I haven't bought myself or my husband anything since August 26, 2010 (the date of Gage's birth).

Every Tuesday, Josh's mom comes to keep Gage and we leave...only for a few hours- but these few hours are a LIFE SAVER (aka: marriage saver). We don't always do something romantic, but we always have a good time. We try to limit the conversation to nothing work related and nothing involving problems (but that's pretty impossible too, what woudl we have to talk about??) and we also try not to look at our phones unless the text/phone rings- just incase it's a problem with Gage.

Date night makes me one happy girl. Last night was date night and we went to a "new" restaurant (really its been there for years, but we've been too scared to try it!)- Chopstix. YUMMMY! We highly recommend it! We also did some "Santa" shopping- something that is hard to do with a kid in the buggy!

Our other favorite hot-spots for all you locals reading my blog are:
1- Mezzaluna (downtown Statesville)
2- 1849 Pizza Factory (on Hwy 21)
3- Olive Garden
4- Outback

So, for all you mama's out there (current or future) remember you were a wife first. Give your husband some attention...at least for 3 hours a week!


Josh and I- about 7 months pregnant...

Josh and I in 2009 on the Oregon Coast (b-e-a-utiful!)

Have a fabulous weekend...and get out with your guy- you'll be a happy girl too!
Erica

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

It Was the Bomb- Like Tick-Tock

All of my posts thus far regarding "wealth" have been about how to budget and save money. However, there are a *few* things that I refuse to budget on and refuse to "limit." One, is vacations (however, I will post later on how I book exotic trips) and the second is birthdays.

Baby boy turned one this year and around 9 months BEFORE his birthday, I started the planning. I did set a budget, one that is too extreme to even post in good conscious. I did stay *close* to budget (my husband will NEVER know the true outcome!) and I did manage to save some money by doing shopping when sales were happening, cutting coupons, etc.

How to throw a bomb diggity party:
1) Enlist help!
2) Start planning early
3) Have a theme and STICK TO IT!

#1- HELP HELP HELP
You have friends and family for a reason. God put them in your life to be free help! Ha! Honestly though, if you're throwing a huge party, your friends and family would love to help (or at least mine did). I asked my parents for help paying for the train...I asked my mother-in-law to get the 120 cupcakes...I asked my father-in-law to bring 150 meatballs....I asked Gage's godmommy to bring her world famous spinach dip....I asked Ashley to be the photographer....Vickie ran the video camera...and Meg mixed the train CD....then I asked all of Gage's aunties (6 of them- they're really my friends- but he calls them "aunt") to run the stations.

#2- PLAN EARLY!
If there is any chance under the sun of saving money, plan early. I did this and saved a bit (not much- but enough to be proud!). I knew that I wanted to "build" a train for Gage so I saved old UPS boxes and created a train (pics below). Then, I knew that I wanted fruit cups, small bags of chips, and LOTS of candy- so I bought these when they were on sale and checked expirations to make sure they'd still be good. I also HAD to have a REAL train at the party- so I booked it 9 months in advance- did NOT save any money- but DID secure the "pretty" one! I had gifts at each station (and/or tattoos) so I bought these from Oriental Trading when they were offering free shipping/discounted product.

#3- THEME IT OUT!
Gage's party was a train theme and here's how I incorporated a train into all aspects:
- The invitations looked like a train boarding pass and included a train schedule and a train CD
- The entrance was a boarding station where all passengers checked-in and all kids under 10 got "luggage" which included a train hat, whistle, and Gage Dollars (to spend in the gift shop)
- The food station was called "Box Car Grille" and food was served off of the cardboard train I made out of scratch.
- There were 3 other stations: "Shops on Main", "Tattoos-R-Us", "Molding Magic Workshop" (play-doh station). Not only did the stations look cool, but the parents LOVED me for having things to occupy their kid's time.
- Of course, we also had the REAL train that ran outside the entire time of the party. Guests could hop on and off as they pleased to take a ride around the 5 acre facility.
- All decorations were in primary colors- and kept clean- not cluttered.

All in all, we had a BLAST. Everyone that came commended the party- which wasn't the purpose- but it made this mama feel good! I've already been asked about the extravagent theme for next year- I'm thinking a circus. With real acrobats and, of course, a real tiger!

The birthday boy had a good time too...the pictures are evidence of that.









Save a little...splurge a little...it's all good!
Erica

Monday, November 14, 2011

Yea, popping a pill does not fit into my lifestyle...

When we got married, there was a few things that we knew:
#1- We had to start managing our money wiser...bills?!?! Really!?!?
#2- We had to be responsible...even though my mentality was "I'm married- not dead!"
#3- We DID NOT want babies to be created on the honeymoon...reflect back on #1 and #2- #1 we could not afford babies and #2 we were not ready to be responsible thus #3 we DID NOT want babies!

So, when you don't want babies, what do you do? Take a pill? Take a shot? Ehhh- none of these sounded good to me. The pill scenario was ok- but I am terrible at remembering things like that unless I put it in my planner. So, was I going to have an alert and a highlight for "TAKE YOUR PILL, ERICA" every single day? I can hear it now, my Blackberry doing the "notify beep" while having dinner with my grandparents. They always question what the phone is doing...so, what would my response be? Oh, that's my pill popper reminder! Not to mention, I have heard far too many horror stories about how them small little orange/green/blue/white pills do not work. Then, the shots. Ok, so a shot...once every six or so months? I already dread going to the OB-GYN, I couldn't imagine my dread KNOWING I would be given a shot! Yikes! That was out of the question!

About the time that we got married (2008) a new (or maybe a more advertised) form of birth control appeared- the IUD. We studied IUD's at Wake Forest, there were positives (not having to remember a pill!) and there were negatives (they were RARELY used in women that had never had a baby). So, I asked my family doctor about it and she recommended doing the pill but I recommended that she refer me to an OB-GYN (I told you in an earlier post that I'm impatient, maybe I should have added that I am persistent too!).

After a meeting with the OB-GYN, we seen if my insurance (BSBC-NC) would cover the costs (its about $700 out of pocket). After a week, the insurance company said they would pay all of it except a copayment for the office visit. If you do the math (enter budget queen Erica), even the $700 is a deal. Why? Well, the IUD lasts for up to 5 years (unless removed). Five years worth of birth control (at $30/month) is $1800.00. So, even paying $700 would be $1100 cheaper than the pill. If you did pay the $700, to "break even" with your cost of paying for the pill...it would take you 23 months- not a bad deal! However, paying the $30 copay for the office visit was right up my alley! This means that I would saving money after having the IUD for only 2 months.

Even after calculating the money saved, there was still a hesitation. It was rare to put an IUD in women that had never had babies. The risks were that the IUD could permanently block the fallopian tubes (thus you could never get pregnant naturally) or the IUD would not "fit" in the uterus because it had never been stretched thanks to a child fitting in there! But, the risks were rare- and since 2008 they are significantly rarer.

So, a month before we got married, I went to get the Mirena. After a 20 minute visit and insertion I was on my way home. And, I was baby free!

We enjoyed 1.5 years of marriage before we resolved #1 and #2 from above. We were financially and mentally prepared for a kid- so the next appointment I made was to get the Mirena removed. After a 5 minute visit and removal I was on my way home. And, I was told that it would take up to a year to get pregnant after having an IUD (they said it took longer for your uterus to prepare itself after having an IUD)...fabulous we thought! We'll have another kid free year and time to prepare ourselves even more. WRONG! Exactly (to the day) one month later, there were 2 lines...we went to Vegas being a married couple, we came home knowing that we were parents! YIKES! So, what happens in Vegas does not always stay in Vegas- we have a baby to prove it!

I would HIGHLY recommend the Mirena for anyone and everyone. #1: It's a money saver. #2: It's more reliable. #3: You don't have to remember to take that darn little pill!

For your reading pleasure, here's the link to my favorite IUD- the Mirena. That little piece of plastic is a life saver (we could never handle TWO kids at the moment!).

Christmas in Vegas...

Our Vegas Jackpot! Our 1st Ultrasound Picture!


Have a great day!
Erica

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Painting and Smiling

If there is one thing that I find peace doing, it is decorating our home. Whether it be adding a photograph, or rearranging furniture, I LOVE DECORATING.

An unlimited budget makes decorating even more sweet- although this is not a reality- ever! So, I try to find deals when decorating. AC Moore always has 50% off coupons- Z Gallery in North Lake mall has sweet deals weekly and beautiful (unique) products.

Just a snippet of a decorating project I did (over a year ago...but the only one I have photos of) is Gage's nursery.

I started with an empty room and lots of ideas. The first step in decorating is establishing a color pallet and/or theme. With Gage's nursery I did both. I found the bedding I wanted and then I stuck to the greens/browns/blues within that bedding to create the other pieces added to the room.

I knew that I wanted to have large paintings hung instead of painting the room- why? Because the paintings can be taken down within 2 minutes. The walls would take weeeeeeeeks to change and I'm an impatient person! I started with VERY large canvases- 20 x 30's I think- and I took them to Auntie Janna's work (she's a teacher) and blew up photos on the overhead to trace onto the canvas. From then, I painted and painted.

I also knew that I wanted book shelves- however, knowing that I would have one messy/into EVERYTHING child, I took precautions and decided to go with floating bookshelves that are far too high for him to reach (as of now). This not only reduces messes, but it also reduces the hazard of him using the bookcase as a ladder to crawl into the heights of the sky! On the top of the bookshelves, I wanted to add his name in those cute block letters; but who wants plain white letters? So, I used painters tape to create cute patterns on these letters to spell out his name.

The room turned out fabulous; and it's still comfortable and clean (keeping the decorating clean and not cluttered adds to a less stressful environment). A few focal points are much more strong than overwhelming knick-knacks everywhere!


One of my paintings of a lion...

The finished nursery...


Soon I will add more ideas on decorating; perhaps I will put up information on how to choose appropriate frames and groupings for professional pictures....another LOVE of mine.

Happy decorating!
Erica




Wednesday, November 9, 2011

It's Illegal to sell Mints with Crack

Last Friday, Gage and I went shopping. For what? Oh, nothing in particular. In all honesty, we just had to get out of the house. I had a few coupons/gift cards/vouchers that I wanted to use- AND my grandmother just gave me our Christmas money to start shopping for gifts that she will give us (gotta LOVE that mentality!).

Anyways, as we strolled through the mall, there it was. The angels of the Heavens started singing. The lights started flashing. I think I even heard it call my name. That's right, the Hickory Farms booth is UP!

Of course, the sausages, the cheese, the nuts, all of that is great. But, those darned "Melt Away Mini Mints"! I just CAN'T RESIST! They are small pieces of glory. I honestly think that it was God's plan to put the inventor of those mints on this earth just so that I would have 1 thing that I 100% cannot pass up during the Christmas season.

So, there I stood, at the Hickory Farms booth. The nice lady running the station asked if I would like to sample one of their Mints. Uh, was this really a question? It's rhetorical if you ask me! OF COURSE! And, nice Hickory Farms lady, my 14 month old would like 2...or 7...to "test" also.

Against my greater will power, I gave in (as always). I bought one, small, overpriced, delicious bag of "Melt Away Mini Mints" that now sit, in a beautiful bowl, on my kitchen counter. Everytime we walk by, we eat one....or two...Gage even stands at the counter and says "mmmmm" and "gree gree"- that means (in baby talk) that he wants a green mint! I think I've created a little addict- to mints made with crack. It has to be made with crack- it's addictive- it's impossible to walk by and not take a hit...a hit in the mouth with that yummy goodness that is!

Here's their website: http://www.hickoryfarms.com/ They are offering 3 day shipping for $3- but, don't worry. You can't buy the Melt Away Mini Mints on here- they're already sold out! So, you'll have to get your Mint/Crack fix by going to the mall. Tell them their #1 Addict says hi!


My mouth waters just looking at this picture!



Have a Merry Mint Eating Day!
Erica

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Ugh- is it 5:10 am already????

Every morning my alarm goes off at 5:10- an hour much too early, especially on Thursday night's with Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice keeping me up until at least 11 pm (even later if I have a Grey's date with my girlfriends). But, that oh so dreaded sound is needed; it signals the start to the day- my workout!

I'm sure you knew that the day was coming when my "Health" blog would be about working out. A hated subject, especially among us women species- however, it's a subject that is very important to me and my life.

My workout journey started my freshman year in college as I was DETERMINED not to gain the freshman 15. My friends often joke that I am the only one that exited college smaller than the day I entered. I started Wake Forest a size 10 and left a size 2. That's right, I dropped 8 sizes in 4 years. It was/is/will forever be hard work, but it's do-able.

From the beginning, I have worked out in the wee hours of the morning. Why? Not because I am insane (although that would be a nice excuse) but because I found that if I put my workout off until later in the day that I would conjure up every excuse under the sun as to why I couldn't go to the gym (too tired, too much homework (then) or too much housework (now), no one to watch my yeast grow in the lab (then) or no one to watch the baby (now)...and the list would go on and on and on).

Since Wake Forest, my workout schedule has not changed, however I do have a workout partner- my mama! Yes, she hates me for it and reminds me on a regular basis- but it's my desire to keep her young and healthy so she can tend to my baby boy! During my pregnancy, working out was a #1 concern and I continued to workout until the day that I was put on bed rest. I did cardio, weights, everything (minus abs- which was pretty useless at that time!). After my c-section, I was forbidden to workout for 6 weeks, but I HAD to get those 62 lbs off so I went back after 4 weeks (shhhh- don't tell Dr. Kepley). And, don't judge- I gained 62 lbs- while working out every morning AND eating ice cream ALL day EVERY day. I enjoyed my pregnancy and just in case you're curious, I lost it all and some. I'm 3 lbs smaller today than I was the day I got pregnant. And, as for the size 2? Of course I'm back in them! I had a whole wardrobe that I couldn't let go to waste!!! I have since purchased some size 4...but, that's just 2 pairs of jeans...the rest is the old Erica. As a new parent, I couldn't afford to buy myself AND my new child a closet of clothes- it's a great incentive!

I found some interesting facts regarding fitness via webmd.com (I love this site). Here they are for the sharing: 1. Exercise Boosts Brainpower
Not only does exercise improve your body, it helps your mental function. All that makes for a more productive day.Improved productivity not only makes you a better worker, it makes things better for everyone in the workplace. Companies with less wasted work hours and less sick time end up with lower health care costs -- and an improved bottom line.
2. Movement Melts Away Stress
As much as it may stress you out just to think about exercising, once you actually start working out, you'll experience less stress in every part of your life.When you're less stressed, you're less irritable.
3. Exercise Gives You Energy
You might be surprised at how, say, popping in a workout tape for 30 minutes in the morning can change your whole day. When endorphins are released into your bloodstream during exercise you feel much more energized the rest of the day.
4. It's Not That Hard to Find Time for Fitness

Now that it is a routine in my life, I love it! I love days that start off at the gym- it helps me get mentally prepared for the day, it helps me vent my frustrations (to my mom/workout partner) from the day past, and it keeps me looking like one hot mama (hahaha!).

Baby Boy doing his morning workout...lifting a 5 gallon water jug.
Yea, he gets those muscles from his mama!

Have a great day- and try working out and challenging yourself. You won't be sorry!
Erica

Thursday, November 3, 2011

30 Days of....Happiness

As I look down my Facebook news feed, all I see are posts about what people are thankful for on that particular day. What a heartwarming message- I love it when people are actually remembering how very blessed each and every one of us are to a) live in a free country b) have a loving and forgiving God c) have people out there that care for us.

For my "happiness" post for the week, I have decided to outline my days of thankfulness- that's right, you'll get to see ALL 30 days in one sitting. Don't sigh, just sit back and relax. Some of them may be kinda funny (I mean it IS on my happiness blog!).


The picture from our "Thanksgiving Card"- very thankful for this little man...

I am thankful for. . .
1) My AWESOME God. That's right, forgiving, loving, eternal. AWESOME.
2) My beautiful baby boy- or should I say toddler (a small tear just fell from my face)
3) My caring husband. He told me on the day we were married that I am the peanut butter to his jelly. Oh, so true. We compliment each other very well and I love him for it.
4) My daddy. He's a provider, he's an enricher...and he's my boss. Gotta love him!
5) My moma. She's the friend that I'll always have. She may not have given me a sister, but she's close to being one.
6) My papaw. He's, what shall I call it? My rock. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this man and do NOT know what I would do without his wit, his humor and most of all- his prayers.
7) My baby's Godmommy. Carrie. She's become such a part of my life and for that, I am always grateful.
8) Auntie Meg. The love I have for this girl is very unique. She has DEFINITELY added spunk to my life.
9) Auntie Jan. She and I have been friends since we were embryos (really) I had no choice in our friendship, but it works!
10) Bekah, Ally, Ooooolivia- each are a girlfriend that I can call on any time and (hope) they answer! They complete our friend circle and I am thankful for the points of view they bring along with them.
11) Anyone that cares for my baby so I can actually get things done- Mawmaw Pam on Tuesday nights, Danna on Wednesday's, Maw on Tues/Thurs. And my moma whenever I call! 
12) My job. Many people are without one and I have one that I absolutely LOVE. It's trying at times, but I persevere and learn a lot daily.
13) My education. I am very lucky to have had the opportunity to go to school and even earn my master's.
14) The Wake Forest Family. It's great to be a graduate of such a small school where you feel like campus is a 2nd home.
15) My flat iron. Enough said.
16) "My Baby Can Read" videos. I can pop one of those suckers in and, BOOM, instant entertainment AND learning at the same time! Not to mention, he actually CAN read (or recognize) the words.
17) Our home. It is close to town, it is roomy, and it has equity! Gotta love that!
18) My Tahoe. Having a 6'9" husband + a baby in an Acura TL was too much to handle!
19) Computers. If I didn't have a computer, I would be lost. It's how I conduct day-to-day business at my desk.
20) E-mail. What is the post office anyways?? I'm not sure that my child will ever know what the post office is!
21) Online banking. This thing is wonderful. It allows you to do every kind of bill paying imaginable- from your desk! Heck yes...and SAVE A STAMP! I'm a no snail mail advocate!
22) Excel. It is how I budget our personal and business finances. It is how I track millions of dollars worth of inventory. It is WONDERFUL!
23) K-Love Radio station. Mmmmmm- wanna have a nice, relaxing ride home? Turn on K-Love!
24) On the flip side of that, our DVD player in the Tahoe- that thing is worth it's weight in PURE GOLD!
25) Calculators. When you're having to figure board footage on a daily basis- yea...one of those come in real handy!
26) My age and experiences. I would not be where I am today without the experiences that I have had in life- good and bad. If you would have asked me in 2000 where I would be in 2011, I would not have answered the situation I am in- but I LOVE IT. Thank you life, for leading me here.
27) My blog! I actually have a lot of fun writing on here, and I hope that at least one person out there finds my blog informative, useful and humorous.
28) My ability to vote. Again, enough said.
29) The world that God has placed me in- as in everything. My location, my family, my health, my life, my everything. I know that God has a perfect plan for each and every one of us. Sometimes, it takes a while before people realize and understand their purpose. I know mine- and I'm 100% satisfied.
30) Last, but certainly not least, I am very thankful for the people that protect us selflessly on a daily basis. Stop to think about the soldiers that are away from their family. Think about the spouses and children who are moved around all of the time simply because their "better half" has chosen this career path. I pray for these men and women daily- I especially pray for one of my very best friends Ashley as she and her girls support her husband and their daddy in the Marines. Hooorah!

I hope that each of you think about what you are thankful for not only during the Thanksgiving season, but all year long. Our blessings do not just occur one time per year- but all the time. We are blessed all the time.
Erica

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Budget. Wait! What budget?

As promised- today's "wealth" blog is on budgeting. I know, it's your most favorite topic, right? (big BIG sigh).

Most of us find ourselves **thinking** we have a budget, when really, all we have is a knowledge of our bottom line in our checking account. We know we have enough money to cover the bills that are sitting on our kitchen counter, but we have no idea how much money will be left in our account at the end of the month.

For the Goodnight household, I know EXACTLY how much money will be left in our account at the end of each month, heck- I could tell you within a couple of dollars how much we should have on December 31st.

Creating a budget isn't all so bad if you have the handy dandy Excel program on your computer. I adore Excel- I use it for practically everything! It adds for me, it color codes for me, it is wonderful! By the way, my accountant LOVES my Excel use too! I just burn my annual banking information for her and BOOM, she has every single transaction- deposits, debits, the WORKS! She knows my color coding system (which you'll be introduced to) and she knows that everything is to the penny. My taxes are done pronto and my refund check is mailed out before tax season truly begins!

Now, how to budget....

First, please take a look at a screen shot of our budget for this month. This page is used every single month and starts clean on the 20th of the month (that's when our check and visa ledger is mailed to us from the bank). I like to start the month clean after I've balanced all of my transactions to my ledgers (checking and visa). Don't let this screen shot overwhelm you, and don't analyze my numbers (I changed them a bit so that you couldn't judge the money we make and/or how much our mortgage is!)


Here's how to set your own up:
1) Open excel and create your budget sheet by....
     a) Making five columns- transaction (where/what the money went to), date, type (remember, you're listing your visa transactions too so that it's not a "scare" when that visa bill comes in), deposit column (so that it's easy to see that money coming in!), and the transaction amount (remember to put a negative symbol in front of the debits!)
    b) The first line needs to be your original balance from your last checking statement- for us, this was $500.00 (not really, but for the sake of this example)
    c) The following lines needs to list your transactions as they occur
    d) Then, at the bottom of your transaction list, use the handy dandy "SUM" button in excel to add up all of your transactions in that column. For us, the balance to date in our account (for this example) is $418.21. Now, keep in mind that this includes ALL Visa purchases since the 20th. So, if I look at my online banking, I actually have more than 418.21. I have 418.21 PLUS all of my Visa transaction amounts. But, since I don't want "Visa Shock" I take out these transactions as they occur.
2) Create a separate section at the bottom of your spread sheet for your monthly bills.
    a) You can see that we have 10 bills that occur on a monthly basis- whether we like them or not! I like to color code these bills so they're easily found at the end of the year. The lime green is anything medical and/or tax deductible. The yellow is insurance, purple is our satellite bill, etc. I like colors- this isn't necessary, but it's easier for me to find my transactions!
    b) In the next column over, list the amount of these bills per month. I have my bills set up on a budgeted plan through the provider so that my bill is the exact same every month. If you do not have this set up, use an average...or your best estimate. And, this doesn't mean just bills that are paid from your checking account- if you'll notice, I pay a lot of these bills with my Visa...I gotta get them points!!! Use the handy "sum" button again to see the sum off all your bills in the month. Ours is $4,367.06.
   c) In the 3rd column over, list these amounts AGAIN. Why? Because as you pay these bills, you'll remove their amounts from this column (I put **'s). Use the "sum" button again to see the current amount of bills you have LEFT to pay for the month. We have $1,785.65 left to pay.
3) Now, my favorite part. The "INCOME INFO"!
    a) Put the dates of your pay date. Ours is weekly- yours may be bi-weekly...monthly...etc.
    b) In the next column over, put the amounts that you'll receive on these dates.
    c) I also have a line for "Insurance" income because I get a stipend for this amount. So, if you have any additional, non-payroll income, place a separate line for that.
    d) Then, have a line for "INCOME BALANCE"- use the handy "sum" button and choose to add the lines for your income. Once you've been paid, put **'s in that slot...the Income Balance is what you're still owed from your employer.
    e) Then, have a line for "CURRENT BALANCE" and in this slot type in "=" and choose the slot with your current checking account total. For us, this is $418.21. As this amount changes, it will automatically update if you use the "=" button.
   f) Finally, have a "Amount Remaining POST Bills"- in this slot type in "=" and then choose the "Income Balance" + "Current Balance" - "Bill Balance". So our formula for this slot is "=6716.32+418.21-1785.65". This totals $5,348.88 meaning on the 20th of November, we should have that much money left in our checking account. Of course, this isn't true...because of all the extra expenditures we'll have that are not "bills"- so, I like to look at this number as being the amount of money I can spend without going in the hole! I like to think about taking 1-2k out of that and putting into a savings account each month....thus my mentality is...I can spend 3,348.88 this month and still be good to go!

Phew, a LOT of information, right?

It's confusing to set up at first, but once you get it going, you won't be able to live without this spreadsheet.

If you need help with setting up a sheet for yourself (or if you simply find these directions far too confusing), let me know by commenting your e-mail address. I'll be more than happy to set one up for you that is blank and you can download it and fill in the appropriate information for yourself.

I use this same exact system for my job as a CFO....yes, it's a bit more detailed (well, A LOT more detailed) but it works. The president of our organization loves it...he loves being able to see how much money we have/need by December 31st (I run it on an annualized basis).

Happy bill paying, happy spending, and most of all- HAPPY BUDGETING!
Erica

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Chocolate Wasted

As I unpacked my child's first trick-or-treating bucket filled to the brim with all things imaginable (a pencil included) I sorted through the candy I will let him have (soft, easily chewed things) and put the other stuff (hard candy, candy I know he doesn't care for, etc) in my husband's emergency sugar low stash. Also while unpacking/sorting, I couldn't help but think about the millions of trick-or-treaters that visited door to door throughout the United States- we had a whopping 50-75 kids visit our home.

I decided that I would write my first blog of the week regarding "health" on Halloween candy- the yummy, gooey, goodness...yet calorie and sugar filled.

Here's some of the neatest stats I found:
- There were an estimated 41 million trick-or-treaters out last night
- The average American consumes 24.7 pounds of candy per year (I believe that our family at about half that much last night!!)
- The highest calorie popular candy is the fun size Butterfinger- ringing in at a whopping 85 calories
- The lowest calorie popular candy is the 2 pack Starburst- coming in last at 40 calories

(thanks to calorielab.com and factmonster.com)

I wish that I could say that I limited myself and my son when it came to consuming the Halloween candy- but I didn't. Both of us consumed three pieces...my favorite are the fun size Twix and Gage's favorite are the Reece cups. What I can say is, Halloween comes one time per year; eat up! Enjoy those little pieces of chocolate heaven. Get chocolate wasted.


Our "One-Eyed Monster" on his First Trick-or-Treating Adventure!


Here's to staying up late with your kid that has a sugar rush, all the extra miles on the eliptical, and finding a good dentist....
Erica