The crazy life of ME!

Tightening the Belt

2012-04-28T14:25:00.001-07:00

Well its been awhile............ Ive had a birthday, been on a girls trip to Queenstown, gone to OZ with my sister, I'm almost finished SBM102 with only one more assignment due then onto the last block of course work, both kids have had chicken pox and Jeff finally got soo sick of his boss he quit.

So here we are, Jeff job hunting and me tightening up the budget. I have gone through the food we have (well started to I still need to record what is in the pantry) and I think I may have a food hoarding problem lol. I think aside from topping up a few basics like milk, bread, cheese and eggs we could probably feed ourselves for at least a month! more if I really tried to stretch meals out. I have cancelled sky and other things and will use the situation to get more motivated into selling off the stuff I don't use anymore. Thanks to simplesavings.co.nz I think we will be fine as they seem to have living on tight budgets down to an art.

Kids are arguing about something so I will stop here for now but I will be back with updates on my new more frugal life something that I think we will try and keep up even when Jeff does go back to work so we can put the extra money saved towards the house and savings.

More Progress

2012-01-11T22:58:00.000-08:00

The best thing about holidays is that Jeff has random bursts of motivation and things get done on the house! The last day of public holidays he wakes up early and suddenly decides it time to paint the house..... it was a bit of a fail since there was only one bucket of paint so only the back of the house got a coat. I looked really good tho

Until you saw where it was the paint run out..........

A quick paint order the next day and some more motivation and assistance after work and over the New Years holidays and the house progressed ...........

and currently looks like this.......

Pretty awesome aye! Hopefully there wont be a long wait until the roof is painted but WOW what a difference it has made.

I'm Back

2011-12-20T18:54:00.000-08:00

Well the Yates Spring Garden Challenge has finally come to a close so fingers crossed I will have more time to jump on here instead.......... at least until the Autumn Challenge.

Since I've been gone I've tidied up my back yard a fair bit. The fence has been painted and the garden shed that was damaged in the snow is also gone to a new home. I also got sick of looking at stripey wallpaper from the 80's and painted the walls in the kitchen. We also got a new family member Ben the Rotti Mastiff x. I will try and add pics but will play around with it first as a lot has changed here since I last posted.

Christmas is just around the corner, the tree is up and almost all the presents are organised. I've started thinking about the new year and some resolutions. Its going to be a busy year with going back to study starting in Feb and I'm going to Oz for a week without the kids (YIPEE!!) for a break in April. My resolutions are to get the house sorted and de-cluttered as well as savings some serious $$$ and renovating. I've joined the simplesavings.co.nz website and I'm hoping it will help me save and stop spending as much.

Well I better get on with it and stop procrastinating on the computer. The washing pile is giving me angry looks and the dishes are calling for me from the kitchen not to mention the weeding I need to keep on top of and the boxes and boxes of stuff I need to sell or dump........................

Until next time :)

Yates Spring Vege Growing Challenge

2011-10-07T02:12:00.000-07:00

I know I never post in here. Its gunna be one of those blogs ya just keep checking in case there has been a new post - you know for suspense........... Ok so maybe not. I am HOOKED on the Yates Growing Challenge!! No not hooked...... OBSESSED! I'm really enjoying it because it keeps me motivated to do stuff and I am LOVING seeing my name at the top. If you haven't already VOTE FOR ME!!! 1 because you love me, 2 because I'm awesome and 3 because you know you want too.

Yates Challenge - wrxchic

Other than that what is up with my ad selection? I know that the google ad's throw up things that could interest you based on your browser history but seriously engagement rings and anti aging cremes???? Is it hinting at something? Im getting too old so im going to need the anti aging cream if i want a chance at an engagement ring??

Short post I know but after all this Yates gardening and blogging I'm tired............. at least its keeping my typing skills up to speed and making me at least think about my spelling.

X Factor for winners

2011-09-22T01:35:00.000-07:00

The best thing about watching the x-factor - knowing im more awesome than 99% of their contestants! Why you ask? Cos i know i cant sing.......... that and i would never wear heels and a fishnet top if i was a man.

Actually count out the fishnet top for either sex some things just shouldn't come out in public!

...... and that people is my tip of the day.

I LOVE THE SUN

2011-09-20T19:18:00.000-07:00

Wow for the 2nd day in a row the sun has been out and Ive had the doors and windows open all day. I love the sun it makes me feel soo much more motivated! I even have clothes hanging on the drying racks outside (yes we did buy a new clothes line and no its not put up these things take time but it looks awesome just lying on the drive annoying me with its current lack of useability)

Ive started my vege garden for the summer........... ok so ive put in all of 2 plants but its still early days and they have been in the ground overnight now and still haven't died so that's a bonus. I've joined the Yates garden challenge so VOTE ME

http://www.yates.co.nz/vegie-challenge/spring-2011/gardeners/wrxchic/3264-starting-the-challenge

its a link to my first post. Ive only planted a capsicum and zucchini plant so far but have plans for tomatoes, lettuce's, peas and more. Ive already got a bunch of strawberry plants, a lemon tree, boysenberry and rasberry bush, blueberry bush, celery, potatoes, chives, colourful silverbeet, spinach, spring onion, leeks, turnip and the worlds largest parsley bush. Most of it is winter crop (well at least what actually grew from my winter crop there were soo many more seeds put in!) so i should really pull it out and get some other things planted like carrots but gardening like your suppose to isn't really my style. I'm very hit and miss with my methods which are basically based around impulse trips to the garden centre and then a week or so before I actually get motivated to plant.

Enough garden details tho....... I started this blog to keep friends and family up to date on what we have been up to and haven't even posted achievements! Aliya is walking now! Crawling is still the go to method of transport but if she isnt in a hurry she will toddle around on her feet. So cute! Josh is in the big room at daycare where they gradually transition them to school. He seems to really enjoy it except for when i'm leaving he still puts up a fight but its getting better. He seems so smart and picks thing up really quickly but man he can still push your buttons and act like a real little brat when he wants.

Well that's enough for now, I have another load of washing to hang somewhere and kids stuff to organise so we can head to mum and dads tonight for dads birthday.

Laters

Springtime

2011-09-07T19:17:00.000-07:00

Well the weather is getting better and better so ive been getting busy in the garden! I have some pics of the outside of the house and garden

Here is when we brought the house (cant find a photo of the back yard so will have to track one down and add it later)

Now i suck at gardening so we have opted for a much more private (so people cant see how poorly i kept up the beautiful gardens and to contain the kidlets) and easy care yard.

So now our yard looks like this

A bit different aye!

All that's left to do outside is
- Paint house and garage
- Paint Roof and Fences
- Build a deck in the back corner of house (when we upgrade the lounge/kitchen we will have doors opening onto it
- Build a wee cubby out the front for kids outdoor toys

Boring!!!!!

2011-08-17T02:51:00.000-07:00

Well I know I've been slack with posting but it got a bit hectic around Aliya's birthday - I need to get some photos off the family of her party and cake which wasn't quite the masterpiece i envisioned with all the extra people in the house but that's ok.

Basically I have nothing interesting to post after everyone left town again I got a head cold and have done a whole lot of nothing and have just realised I've become so boring I am actually reading Martha Stewarts home-keeping tips on her website!!! Now some of you are probably thinking 'good on you everyone should have a well ordered clean house' I think that too when I'm reading all these tips or plans to 'turn your house around in 1 year using easy steps'. Reading this makes it so easy and do-able and me......well motivated UNTIL it comes to actually doing it! I seriously need to stay off these sites!!! Now not only do I go to bed with a list of things to do the next day like groceries, laundry, dishes.... you know the usual stuff but now I'm losing sleep over how to organize the gazillion clothes i have, what to keep, sell, biff or donate, items i want to replace and the items i cant afford to replace them with as well as crazy things like how often i should be cleaning the oven, the vacuum filter (which i only found out it had after i lent it out) or the washing machine - seriously you would think a washing machine of all things would keep itself clean.

How the heck did I not die of the plague or other disease during my flatting years when i didn't know about any of this 'essential cleaning' that Martha has on her daily, weekly, monthly and seasonal to do lists!

Oh well now that I've bored you all and sounded like a crazy person I'm off...............................yes straight back to Martha or the next site that makes it all sound easy until i actually have to get off my arse and stop reading about it ;)

Goodbye Ugly Peach Paint Door Frames

2011-07-26T21:09:00.000-07:00

Well finally got motivated and undercoated the ugly peach coloured paint around all the door frames and skirting in my hallway! I was just going to paint around the front door which had never been painted but once i got started i ended up going the whole way round.


Ugly peach before pic (the only frame still not painted as it has the kiddie gate on it)

I should have taken some proper before pics but ill do that next time its the after shot that really matters anyways :)

Looking down hallway from front door

Looking back toward front door (into kitchen)

Looking slightly different angle

This is only the undercoat but can kind see how it will turn out when finished YAY

SNOW!!!!!!!!!!

2011-07-24T16:37:00.000-07:00

I know slack its been ages since i posted but no-one reads my page so get over it! haha

Yesterday we had lots of snow showers although it didnt really settle which was disappointing until i got out of bed this morning and the ground was covered!!!!!!! Its awesome I LOVE SNOW! We dont get it heavy enough to settle very often in Invercargill so its a bit of a novelty to me.

House smells great being a bit domesticated today and have Corn and Bacon Soup in the pot for lunch (Although jeff doesnt like soup so my mate nicola is over to share it with me) and tonight ive got a cranberry and orange stuffed chicken out to roast YUM YUM YUMMO.

I was naughty the other night! Pumpkin patch had a sale and Josh desperately needs new shoes as he has worn completely through the front of the last pair of shoes! So i ordered him some boots and slippers and got distracted and brought a CUTE dress for AliPali (Aliya). They arrived today and im gutted the boots and the whole reason i made a purchase were sold out! Oh well ill have to look for more ;)

Well better go hide my purchases before Jeff gets home for lunch

Thought i better add a pic of Aliya's first snow fun

Tent City!

2011-07-14T17:02:00.000-07:00

Ok so I opened the power bill from last month and sensed Jeff have a heart attack across town at work. Over $400 AGAIN! He spit tacks after the previous bill so i made an effort to cut back during the day which resulted in me save a whole $20ish :( So after fudging the details of this months bill when talking to Jeff (fortunately prompt payment discount dropped it down to around $370ish i think
so i gave that figure him) ive decided to make a much bigger effort.

Ive changed power companies thanks to powerswitch.co.nz and i've dragged out the clothes racks hence my home resembling some kind of hobo tent city!. Unless there is some kind of washing emergency (such as Jeff not having work socks AGAIN opps) i will NOT use the dryer this month and watch out Josh your hot showers are being put on a time limit! That boy will run the water cold every night if we dont drag him out!

My attempts to stop using the heaters so much have been destroyed by the weather gods giving us this crap wet weather with snow showers which basically means freezing cold temperatures but no settling snow to at least make it look pretty and worthwhile suffering. Therefore being home all day with kidlets means heaters are cranked sucking more power than i'm saving most likely *sigh*

To top it all off now that we have very close to no $$$ in the bank the BEST sales are being dropped in the mailbox daily!!! Toy sales full of awesome stuff i could put away for Christmas and Bed Bath and Beyond have awesome deals on towels and bedding all stuff i really WANT to replace but dont NEED to buy damn damn damn! The credit card has very little on it and its sooo tempting AND in the words of the shopoholic it would be an investment.............................hmmm dont think Jeff would agree unless of course i can find a giant metal chicken

Oh well off to list stuff on trademe and hope it sells quick so i can get my shopping fix...........

1st Birthday Party

2011-07-14T16:58:00.000-07:00

Well Aliya turns 1 in a few weeks so i need to plan something............ i know slack i should have been planning this for the past few months but being bubba #2 i'm in denial that my wee girl isnt going to be a baby anymore :(

We have family visiting for her birthday so a small morning tea at our house is pretty much impossible its too cramped and being a wintery time of year the garage isn't a very good idea so i'm thinking a morning tea at my parents and then maybe going to the pool in the afternoon since i haven't taken her swimming yet and she loves bath time.

For her birthday cake i'm going to make cupcakes with a small cake kind of like this (if i can work out how to insert a link or pic)

Awesome aye! Dunno if i can pull it off may need to have a practice run ;)

I guess i really should get sorted and work everything out. I have 3ish weeks to organize her birthday, finish my last assessment for the semester and clean house before the family come to visit so time to get off here and do something