Paul + Jenn

[Due to my husband's comments that this post was too dramatic and in an effort to keep this a melodrama-free zone (drama still allowed...melodrama? no.), I have deleted this entry from my public blog. Moving on...]

Ok.

I originally meant to post anothing blog yesterday documenting the rest of our original snow day (Monday). However, I didn't.

But not because I was too busy. No. I've been working from home all week (thus far).

That's right. It's Wednesday, and I'm still here. ...at home.

Don't get me wrong; it's really great. I just know that at some point I'll be going back to reality...it's like the longest holiday break of all time.

Anyhow, I'm here to post the remainder of my pictures from Monday. I don't think we've gone back outside since then.

How sad is that?

[Paul's attempt at a snow angel on our snowed-in-iced-over driveway. You can see how successful he was...]

[A comparison of our snow footwear. Yes, I was wearing heels...they're the only boots I own. I live in Georgia for crying out loud]

Finally, I found a bush that was covered in snow, but when I tried to grab some, I realized it was iced over in one big sheet. So, I started shaking the bush back in forth in awe of science and nature and all that stuff. Then it cracked....so I had to destroy it.

Yay.

Three hours.

Glorious three extra hours.

Snow day means I don't have to drive my normal 2-hour (roundtrip) commute...or spend my lunch hour paralyzed at a desk.

Snow day means I can wake up at 6:45...almost TWO!HOURS! after my normal wakeup call.

So what did I do with all that extra time?

Baking bread. Pancakes for breakfast. New hobby. Snowplay. Relaxing by the fire.

Great day. : )

Well, here, let me give you a fix:

Please find my dear family's attempt at Christmas portraits in 2007 below.  If you cannot decipher why a particular photo was kicked out of the running, please direct your attention to the dishwater blond in the red sweater. I assure you he is almost always the culprit.

Also, you know what else is funny?

...Christmas portrait outtakes 2010. : )

Because I need a little accountability...

Because it might be fun to check back in on this every once in a while...

Because I like to write things out....

And because you know I love to make a fool of myself...

Here are some of my 2011 goals (I actually have a much longer list for each category which is then delineated into monthly goals...only because I haven't had time to break them down into weekly goals yet):

Exercise:

Run a 5k (one planned for March)

Run a 10k (one planned for April)

Train for a Half-Marathon

Creativity:

Fix sewing machine

Learn to knit

Blog M-F

Learn how to use my camera

Finances:

SAVE! (um, because we paid off all our debt!!!!!!!)

Begin couponing

Update Spending Record daily

Food:

Track eating daily

Make one new healthy recipe a week

Brain:

Learn Hebrew

Learn Greek

Learn HTML

Read at least one book a month

Heart:

Reinstate daily time in the Word

Begin “Family Prayer Time” each night

Reinstate Thankful blog

Do at least one selfless thing for my husband daily

A few notes:

1) I broke "Health" into "Exercise" and "Food" because I want my running goals to be performance-driven...not "scale"-driven. I know you were wondering about that...

2) My "Update Spending Record daily" goal will make more sense (possibly) if you read this post.

3) I didn't share all of my goals because:

      a) (Ooo! Sub-bullet) some of them are private

      b) I really like surprising my blog (so stay tuned!)

4) I just ate a slice of Domino's Philly Cheesesteak pizza, and it was possibly the most delicious thing I have ever ingested.

What are your noteworthy 2011 goals?

...I know, everyone else is doing it...

[January 1: New Year's Day 2010 - Fondue Celebration]

[January 21: Paul turns 24...and requests blue teddy bear cupcakes]

[February 13: Valentine's Day Weekend...it snowed]

[February 27: Aunt C gets married...my first (and probable last) bridesmaid gig]

[March ??: That dog visits...]

[March 19: K to the ayla gets M to the arried]

[April 2: Jenn makes marmalade]

  [May 15: 2nd Anniversary : ) - Strawberry Picking/World of Coke/Georgia Aquarium/Strip/Iron Man 2

[June 23: Jenn turns 25...and gets an apron]

[June 25-27: Wedding Weekend in Ohio]

[July 23-24: Jake visits Paul and Jenn...before heading off to his first year of college *tear*]

[July 31-August 7: Trip to Canada...Paul's homeland...not really...but kinda]

[August 13-14: Newly Engaged Zach and Meg visit Paul and Jenn]

Apparently nothing happened in September...except for my mom's birthday...and Paul's dad's anniversary.

[October 1-3: Weekend at the Cabins on Lake Hartwell with Paul's family]

[November 24-28: Thanksgiving in Augusta]

[December 18-20: Christmas in Augusta]

[December 22/24: Christmas with the Byars]

-um, yes. we did sleep in the living room...so what?

Paul reading the Christmas story...

[December 25: Christmas]

[December 31: New Year's Eve 2010 - Yes, we are already in our pajamas...just documenting the evidence]

So...maybe there are a few more pictures in December. We got a brand new camera on December 17...maybe you can forgive us? ....maybe in 2011?

Happy New Year!

This is what my husband was doing earlier today:

Oh what's that? You can't see what he's looking at? Here:

Thaaaaat's right. Paul was hoping for a package from the UPS man. Unfortunately, not only did we not get one today, but the UPS man caught us looking like creepers, what with the blinds drawn, me with my camera, and Paul going all sniperish. Quite a sight, I'm sure. Sorry UPS man!

That's not what Christmas is about anyway, right?

"And the angel said to them, 'Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.'" (Luke 2:10-11)

Merry Christmas!

Paul and I have goals.

I know. It's a shocker. But we do.

Our goals included: paying off debt, purchasing some items of which we made a strategic list, saving up 3 months living expenses, and saving up for a down payment on a house.

We are now about halfway through that list. And I'm here to share what made it to our "strategic list of items".

Paul and I decided a long time ago that if we were ever to stay fit, we needed a way to do so at any time. Thus was born the dream of a treadmill. Oh sure. Laugh. But SOME of us have trained every week for a 5k since September on it. Yeah. What then, naysayers?

We made that purchase before paying off debt. I know. We're terrible. But it was our list of goals, and it worked for us to adapt it.

As for the rest, they did wait until debt was paid off.

In August of this year, I "sold" my old Mac to my littlest brother. It was my only computer. Somewhere in time, Paul's PC, which he built with his own bare hands (ok, and maybe sometimes equipped with a screwdriver) is on the rocks.

Lucky for Paul, he has a phone that can access the internet. I used to.

So, our computing situation was a bit dire for this day and age...and also for individuals such as ourselves. We are charged with a monthly eNewsletter for our church, as well as a few *ahem* blogs and a ravenous appetite for learning HTML.

Computers for one and all made the list.

In 2006, Paul Byars bought Jennifer Cady (that's me) a refurbished Fujifilm Finepix camera. Digital, but not SLR, and still quite impressive. However, upon recent study and recommendation, it came to our attention that perhaps we should think about our current memory-catching methods.

A decent DSLR camera for posterity and such made the list.

So, with one item down, we were determined to get the rest by Christmas...which meant paying off our debt first.

It also meant that once all debt was paid off, we had to have enough left over for gifts for family and our necessary personal purchases. Because of this, we decided to cancel Christmas.

No, not really.

But we did set out budget at $10 per person for stocking stuffers. After all, two new computers and a camera is a pretty nice Christmas (but keep in mind, if we had not made our goal, we still would have made these purchases at another time).

Because we don't believe Christmas is about gifts, we were more than ok at the possibility of receiving $10 in stocking stuffers on Christmas morning.

But guess what.

[We got a deal on this because Nikon is backwards.]

[The Aftermath]

[Apple Certified Refurbished Laptops]

And, not that this is a question in anyone's mind, but everything is paid in full. : o)

...DEBT FREE!

The Stats:

• Total debt: $35,000 (in student and auto loans)
  
• Total time to pay-off: 2 years 7 months
• Total months of unemployment (one person at a time): 8 [Catch that? Of 31 months, for 8 we weren’t able to pay more than minimum monthly payments on loans]
• Total Money Saved (paying less interest by paying off early): $2,134 (approximation)

I don’t want to be a brat, but man, it really feels good to be out of debt.

Now, granted, we haven’t purchased our first house yet. And unless we find a “decent” one for under $10,000, we’ll probably incur some debt there. But seriously.

So there it is. Debt-free for Christmas. Probably the third best gift...wait, no fourth, fourth best gift I’ve ever received [1=Eternity (from God), 2=Life (from Mom...and Dad), 3=Paul (from...Paul, and also maybe Paul’s parents...), 4=Financial Freedom (from/to Paul and Jenn!)]

I may love Paul more than life though...so those are possibly interchangeable. :o)

The percentage meter will be reset tomorrow for our next goal, which I will reveal when we reach it, so stay tuned!

For more info on how we handle our money, check out this post.

Guys. GUYS!

Listen.

I have some news. But I can't tell you...

Until the countdown is complete.

You wanna hint? ALRIGHT. It involves me...and P-Butta...and a number of other things.

That clock over there on the right is counting down to a very big change.And when it's done, I'll tell you what it is.

Yay! Secrets!

*Just for the record: I am not pregnant.

**Also, just for the record: if you know what it is, please don't comment about it. But you don't know what it is...because I don't even have it all figured out yet....but IT IS happening!

Guys?

Oh and also, that percentage is counting up to 100%. It's for something totally unrelated. I'll tell you about that too...when it's at 100%....which will be very soon!