30 Day Challenge Days 13 & 14

Goals:

I'm not much of a long term goal setter...probably something I should work on but I'm kind of a live in the here and now kind of girl. Odd because in everything else I'm so methodical and well planned.

The goal I've kept the best - maybe in all my life  - is my weight loss goal. I originally set out to lose 35 lbs and have since lost somewhere in the 55 lb area. My "ultimate" goal is to drop down another 7 (give or take) to bring my total weight lost to 64 lbs.

People have been telling me lately that this last little bit must be for vanity because THEY can't see where I need to lose more- but I know that this last little bit will be completely healthy for me especially since the first 45 or so seemed to just fall off and the last 10 I lost hung on for dear life so I know this last 9 is going to take some time and a lot of work!

So there's a goal. Get to the 64 lbs lost mark ( and keep it off)

More generally than that:

1. Be successful and respected in my new community
2. Pay down debt with my husband, pay off his parents and actually start padding our savings
3. Buy a house
4. Travel LOTS more
5. Own a Louis Vuitton Bag (not on credit)
6. Christian Loubitan sky high black pumps MUST BE MINE SOMEDAY!
7. Become fluent in another language
8. Write a novel
9. Star in a musical
10, Babies? Someday?
11. Learn to play the guitar and piano
12. Be financially sound
13. Make sure my our parents are well taken care of throughout their lives
14. Have a wonderful marriage that withstands the obstacles of life

And I could go on and on. Not that these are SMART goals (you know specific, measurable, etc.) but they are goals- and when the time is right... I'll either figure out a way to achieve them- or move on. That's just the kind of girl I am.

A Picture I Love:

I had no idea what picture I was going to use here until this morning when I logged into Facebook and I discovered that my uncle had posted this picture of me to my wall:

I have NEVER seen this picture before and right off the bat of course I thought it was stinkin' cute. Then as I studied it more I fell in love with it.

Look how happy. Unashamed, unassuming, head thrown back, chipmunk teeth baring, chunky, little happy, curly headed baby. It almost brings tears to my eyes thinking about it- I love what this picture captured in me and I am so glad I have it to remind me forever.

I actually think I'm going to get a print of it and frame it in my office- because I don't think I'll ever be able to look at it without grinning from ear to ear.

Never saw it before today...but yes, I love this picture.

Much Love Always!

Miss Amber Lane

The One Where I Skip Catching Up On The 30 Day Challenge for Some Monday Musings

No, I'm not giving up on the 30 day challenge...I've just been promising a more substantial blog post for quite some time now and thought that I would deliver on the promise today. So without further adieu:

1. I've been sitting on some very big news for the better part of a week and a half now- I've kind of been wanting to write a big post because its such momentous news in my world- but the timing just never seemed to be there (probably because last week was a giant cluster f*ck for me..more on that in a minute). So I guess the time is now.

Can you guess the news I'm about to break?!?!?

Did you guess that I was pregnant?!?!

Well......................................................................................................................................................................................









YOU'RE WRONG!!!!!!!!!

I want to be married 5 minutes before I procreate and the idea of having another human being to take care of on top of the 5 felines we own and 1 too-busy-to-be-bothered to clean husband makes me want to put a campfire out with my face. (9 million cool points if you know where I got that expression).

So the news.....

I'm changing jobs!!!!

Well, actually I'm keeping the same job, and the same company (from before my current building was sold) and changing locations to a community that's MUCH closer to home and practically in the back yard of both my mom and my sister's homes. So its a new, old job that's going to pay me slightly better AND cost me about 200 less a month in gas! Hooray! More money for the Smiths!
 My last day at my current job will be a week from Wednesday and I'll start the new,old job a week from Thursday- no down time- just go time!

I'm going to miss a ton of people here but I've always intended to transition closer to home and now is that time! Yay me.

2. Any one try any of those Lean Cuisine steamer bags yet? I have and I love them! It's like real food from the freezer. Slightly more costly but so worth it. I recommend the portabello ravioli...my fave and only 5 points!

3. So, remember how I said last week was a cluster f*ck. Here's why: Saturday night whilst out celebrating the Halloween holiday- my little black, bar purse slipped off my arm and fell into a bucket of mop water outside in front of the bar. Had I been ..uh...sober I probably would have immediately complained to management about ill mop water placement...however...being a little out of my head I just tried to dry everything in it out...no dice. Droid incredible...ruined. Nikon camera...ruined. Balls. Then Sunday night my car fizzed out. So come Monday morning I had no cell phone, no camera, no car. Then I get to work Monday (my FIL drove me) and the internet is down at work because the new company was in process of takiing over and setting up there internet- I literally had NO connection to the outside world or control over anything. Long story short; phone had insurance- new one delivered Tuesday- car got towed and I picked it up Friday (long week of bumming rides and borrowing cars) internet eventually got restored at work and well, I still don't have a camera. Oy.

I made an awesome Medusa though- however pics will have to wait until I'm home.

4. Time change is killing me- I just want it to be summer all year long. I can't deal with the sun only being out a handful of hours a day

5. Not looking forward to the holidays this year. Changing jobs, and the in-laws going out of town and having to work Christmas day for the 3rd YEAR IN A ROW- just take the wind right out of my sails.

I guess that's really all I have to muse about. I'm definitely excited about the job change- but all the transition with the new company at the current job and getting ready to go into a new community overall just has me stressed out. It will get better though. I know it!

Ok well that's all for now- seriously Halloween pics soon and I will resume the 30 day challenge too...hopefully.

Much Love Always!