September Progress Toward Goals

September was a whirlwind month.   We started off the month/Labor Day weekend with a trip to Chicago.  We were looking forward to cooler weather but it was still sooo hot!  We saw a lot in the short time we were there and I really enjoy the architecture tour in the river - probably my favorite thing we did.  I also traveled a ton for work - college recruiting trips to UT in Knoxville, WVU, and University of Florida.  We've also been to my parents and Adam's parents!  I need a weekend at home so I can get my life together and get back on scrapbooking!!

1.  Used up Products

•  On a whim, last Black Friday, I bought the large bottle of bliss fabulous foaming face wash from the Sephora $10 deals.  Not impressed with it at all.  Was so excited to use this up and switch back to my tried and true face wash by Philosophy.
• Blue Nyxx eye liner - HORRIBLE.  It doesn't work! No color combs off the stick.
• Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation in Hazelnut Beige.  I've been using this for 3 years!  I mix it with a lighter shade because there's no way I'm that dark.  I really like this brand of foundation - good coverage and long wearing.  Plus, it lasts forever.  They did reformulate it so the package looks different now.

2.  Books & Magazine

6 magazines and 4 Audible books -- I need to get back to reading the stash of books in my house but I really only do Audible when I'm traveling (cars/planes) or getting ready in the morning.  The Audible ones I finished up were:  The Selection #1, The Elite #2, The One #3 and The Heir #4 -- they're all part of The Selection Series and as you can tell, I was hooked!   

3.  Blog Posts

• 1 for the month

4.  Get More Exercise

• January = 40.71 miles
• February = 41.11 miles
• March = 49.59 miles
• April = 52.51 miles
• May =  50.86 miles
• June =  80.38 miles 
• July =  77.46 miles
• August = 72.02 miles
• September =  57.56 miles (not a good month, more on that in another post)

5.  Scrapbook Progress

• January = 30 pages
• February = 66 pages
• March = 31 pages
• April = 3 pages (bummer)
• May = 29 pages 
• June = 57 pages  
• July =  30 pages
• August = 88 pages
• September = 6 pages

August Progress Toward Goals

We spent the holiday weekend in Chicago and just got back a few hours ago.  We seem to be bringing the heat everywhere we go lately -- Chicago was having weather that was 15-20 degrees higher than normal for this time of year!  We had a few hot, busy, fun days.  We had some family and friends in Chicago at the same time so we were glad to get some squeeze in some time with them too.  

1 - Used up Products

1. Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion - This is the second or third one I've used up of this product and I swear by it!  I can't imagine wearing eyeshadow without this as a base.  It really bring the pigment out on the shadow and makes it stay on all day.
2. Blixtex lip gloss
3. Clinique Bamboo Pink lip stick -- of course one of my all time favorites
4. Glitzy Tarte Lip Surgence -- they decided to bring this product by! YAY!  Excellent lip color and product
5. Biomega Smoothing Elixir - I've got to be honest, I bought this hair product 5 years ago when i was living in Baton Rouge from the salon I went too.  Not sure if it really does anything which is always my struggle with hair products.  

2.  Books & Magazine

23 magazines, 1 book and 2 audible books.  The book I finished up was "Empty Mansions" and I highly recommend it if you like stories about the people with "old money".  Great read and so fascinating to learn about how the other half lives!  The 2 audible books were books 2 and 3 of the Chesapeake Bay saga by Nora Roberts.  I was able to read so many magazines because we had so many flights in August!  Perfect time to do some catching up.  

3.  Blog Posts

• 2 for the month

4.  Get More Exercise

• January = 40.71 miles
• February = 41.11 miles
• March = 49.59 miles
• April = 52.51 miles
• May =  50.86 miles
• June =  80.38 miles 
• July =  77.46 miles
• August = 72.02 miles

5.  Scrapbook Progress

• January = 30 pages
• February = 66 pages
• March = 31 pages
• April = 3 pages (bummer)
• May = 29 pages 
• June = 57 pages  
• July =  30 pages
• August = 88 pages

Under Sink Declutter

Ever have an urge on a Saturday night to clean out a cabinet? No?  Well.. sometimes I do and I had the perfect spot -- under the kitchen sink!  We keep most of our cleaning supplies under this sink and it was starting to pile up!

Here's the guilty cluttered cabinet

Everyone loves a good before picture...

I took everything out and sorted into type of product/type of cleaner

Cabinet with almost everything out -- the extra swiffer cloths and kitchen trash bags are still working for us in this back corner.  I took time to wipe out the cabinet and each of the baskets.

Everything put back away! 

I did add some additional storage containers I just had as extras that weren't being used to break down the categories.  From the left in the white basket we've got Lysol wipes, Windex, all purpose cleaners and air freshener sprays.  The pink basket has stainless steel cook top cleaners.  The clear shoe box behind the middle bar has all the wood product cleaners.  Then there's a row of dish type products.  The little shallow tray has garbage disposal cleaners and Goo-Goo gone products.  I also keep potatoes in this cabinet -- just really don't have a better option!  

I found a few things that didn't belong in here (plant food and plastic ice cubes) and tossed some other items and am really pleased with how it turned out!  Plus, it took only 30 minutes, tops.  Now, I'm inspired to find some other problem areas in the house!

July Progress Toward Goals

It's almost time for September which is a crazy month of travel for me.  That also means some of my goals will take a hit.  I have been doing SO much better on the exercise front!  I decided it was time to buckle down and lose some pounds and I'm doing decent so far!  I think I'm down about 6 lbs since August 3rd.  I've really been doing a combination of things - calorie counting, elliptical-ing several times a week for at least 30 minutes and the 21-Day Fix.  The DVD work outs with the 21-Day Fix are INTENSE.  I've been spreading them out in order to match up with my crazy work schedule this week and also with company being in town.  I also get bored easy so I like alternating the elliptical and DVDs.  We've been tied up so many weekends lately I haven't gotten to do much scrapbooking which is a bummer.  I've already started our Spain/Portugal trip and have about 3.5 days complete.  

1 - Used up Products

1. Bath Salts from our honeymoon to French Polynesia
2. Quiver Hand Soap from Scentsy
3. Lush Pink travel size Shower gel - great scent!  

 

2.  Books & Magazine

  

•  I'm on a roll clearing out my back log of magazines!  8 were tossed this month.  
• Completed 2 Audible Books - Sea Swept, Book 1 by Nora Roberts and Grey by E.L. James

 

3.  Blog Posts

• Only 1 for the month

4.  Get More Exercise

• January = 40.71 miles
• February = 41.11 miles
• March = 49.59 miles
• April = 52.51 miles
• May =  50.86 miles
• June =  80.38 miles 
• July =  77.46 miles

5.  Scrapbook Progress

• January = 30 pages
• February = 66 pages
• March = 31 pages
• April = 3 pages (bummer)
• May = 29 pages 
• June = 57 pages  
• July =  30 pages

July Update and Progress Toward Goals

We are back from an amazing 13 days in Spain and Portugal!  We got back at midnight Wednesday night and have been trying to catch up on life as I like to say - laundry, bills, work, housework, groceries, getting the animals back on schedule and everything else in between.  We had such a great time and it was so nice to get away, just the two of us.  I'll share more about our trip in another post.

at Coca Castle in Spain

It basically took me 2 days to get all of the pictures uploaded to Shutterfly - a - internet was so slow; b - I took a ton of pictures; c - I was trying to make folders and organize as I went to make scrapbooking a little easier!  I've also already started laying out the pages I want to make -- I want to get this in the books before I forget!  I also journaled the trip as we went and that will be helpful with scrapbooking too plus I always love to journal big trips.

I blew my walking goals out of the park!  All we did for 13 days was WALK!!! A lot of it being uphill too. I earned quite the blisters on the balls of my feet from it.  

Here's a quick update on my other goals:

1 - Used up Products

•  It's a 10 Shampoo - Good riddance!  I will not be repurchasing.  I don't think it's worth the money at all.
• Too Faced Mascara - LOVE.  Can't wait to use up some more mascaras so I can repurchase.
• Lancome Lash Primer - one of the better brands I've used.  Would repurchase
• Redken Satinwear 02 - I really love the smell of this product and it's a good heat protector when blow drying/curling.  Will repurchase once I use up some more products.

 2.  Books & Magazine

• 9 magazines cleared out this month! I still have SUCH a backlog to get through
• 1 audible book - Still Missing by Chevy Stevens.  Really good book full of twists.

3.  Blog Posts

• 2 posts

4.  Get More Exercise

• January = 40.71 miles
• February = 41.11 miles
• March = 49.59 miles
• April = 52.51 miles
• May =  50.86 miles
• June =  80.38 miles

5.  Scrapbook Progress

• January = 30 pages
• February = 66 pages
• March = 31 pages
• April = 3 pages (bummer)
• May = 29 pages 
• June = 57 pages 

 

Another Year in the Books!

Personal victory last night.. I officially finished scrapbooking 2012!!!  That makes me 2.5 years and half of a trip to Europe in 2008 behind!  I was able to get 2012 into 2 scrapbooks which made me happy - I'm running out of place to store these quickly!

June Update and Progress Toward Goals

Is anyone else crazy busy this summer?!  We are only 17 days into June and it's already been a whirlwind for us.

I spent the first week of the month at a work event in Niagara Falls, NY.  We took the group on a tour of the area and it included a ride on the Maid of the Mist - that was my first time riding and it was a cool (and wet!) experience.  Crazy how close it gets to the falls!

That weekend I got home was our TWO-year wedding anniversary!  Adam and I flew over to the Biltmore on Sunday the 7th and enjoyed the beautiful estate and gardens.  I'm also keeping the tradition alive of taking a picture every year with our wedding pic!  

We have a big trip coming up soon that I will share all about when we return.  Right now it's major last minute planning time and making sure all the reservations are made!!  Can't wait for this adventure!

1.  Used Up Products:

• Only 1 this month!  The Victoria's Secret Endless Love shower gel.  I'm glad to see this go!  I've probably had it for 4-5 years, won't be repurchasing and I still have to use up the lotion!

 

2.  Books & Magazine

• 16 magazines cleared out this month!  I ended up taking quite a few on vacation with us and tossing them as I went - hence the million pics 
• 2 mystery books - 1 from Mary Higgins Clark and 1 written by her daughter, Carol.  Ironically, I had randomly grabbed two books to take and they ended up being a sequel!  That will never happen again.

3.  Blog Posts

• 2 posts

4.  Get More Exercise

• January = 40.71 miles
• February = 41.11 miles
• March = 49.59 miles
• April = 52.51 miles
• May =  50.86 miles

5.  Scrapbook Progress

• January = 30 pages
• February = 66 pages
• March = 31 pages
• April = 3 pages (bummer)
• May = 29 pages