Update: $25 Challenge

Dear DC,

So that $25 Challenge was a huge success...for about four days.

Now we just don't have AS much for savings as we would have liked. HOWEVER I'm absolutely committed to not spending away my paycheck on food, even if it means forgoing delicious sushi on a warm Saturday afternoon. Buh-bye Momoyama. That's a sacrifice!

What was the straw the broke the camel's restricted budget back? Only the most amazing Irish step dance troupe and their famous farewell tour! I grew up watching Riverdance on VHS and always craved to see it in person. When I was 16 I saw the Lord of the Dance show (Satan's impersonation of the truth) so I've always wanted to see the real thing. I thought my chance was gone forever when they came to Salt Lake on their farewell tour and I missed it! So when I saw them playing near DC on Friday I jumped at the chance. And by jumped, I mean spent a lot of money to buy tickets and danced an Irish jig.

Woooo hoooo!

With "I only splurge on AMAZING dance performances" Love,

Julia

The $25 Challenge

Dear DC,

Apparently Kyle isn't writing much anymore, so you're stuck with me again.

In our nearly four years of marriage, Kyle and I have always been pretty good about having a budget...not so much with sticking to it. I have a spreadsheet that I created where I input every purchase under each category and the spreadsheet tells us how much money we have left in that category. The problem is that we often completely ignore that total. Whoops.

The little number sometimes (ok, a lot of times) goes into the red....digging into the money we are supposed to be saving/paying off debt with.

These past two weeks have been pretty typical with, as always, the majority of our "rainy day" funds going toward food and eating out. It's not like we even eat that well, we just eat a lot and often.

As a result of these past two weeks of gluttony, we have challenged ourselves to sticking to a $25 budget for the next two weeks. Not just for food, but $25 FOR EVERYTHING!

Fortunately we have a freezer full of food, a half tank of gas and a fairly funded metro card.

Can we do it?

With Cheapskate Love,

Julia

Birthday Adventures!

Dear DC,

My first birthday in the district came off as a big success! I know it was a big day for all of you so now that the excitement is over you can resume breathing normally.

Of course, all the wonderful plans and gifts that my amazing husband gave me were all upstaged by a birthday surprise from mother nature, and I'm not talking about her monthly gift.

We came home from dinner/shopping to our little basement apartment FLOODED!

Happy Birthday! You get to stay up late mopping up disgusting brown water (not sewage - thank goodness) saturating all your towels then throwing them in the dryer only to have to use them to mop up the rest of the water, over and over again. But wait, there's more! You also get the opportunity to move all items that were touching the ground into the "unaffected" part of your small apartment and asses the water damage (relatively limited). But wait, there's more!! Then you get to watch the weather forecast for MORE RAIN and look forward to doing this all over again....or rather watch your husband do it all over again.

Thanks mother nature....you're the best!

With "I like my water in faucets" love,

Julia

P.S. The rest of the day was really lovely and I am enjoying the beautiful flowers my husband sent me at work.

P.P.S. I found out that my husband really does listen to me when I am talking as evidenced by his thoughtful gifts....now he has no excuse for the future. HAH!

The Best Day of Birth!

Dear DC,

One week from today (or I think it's midnight now, so one week from yesterday) is the blessed day of my birth. I will be turning the big 2-4 on June 3rd!

I feel OLD. Seriously, I am watching the wrinkles deepen on my forehead and it's driving me nuts - I am not kidding, they are there. Even Kyle admits that they are there and he's usually too nice and loving to agree with me.

So as I look back on my long and sage life, I can't help but reminisce about my all-time favorite birthdays - or at least the ones I can remember in my old age.

5 years old - Princess and Prince Birthday. My mom made the princess hats as long cones with fabric hanging off the ends for the girls and crowns for the boys. She also made the most amazing pink ice cream cake in the shape of a castle. It's really quite easy if you buy the blocks of ice cream. You put three blocks vertical and top them with waffle cones and then use graham crackers to make the drawbridge. I still remember how excited I was to see it.

8 years old - I took a bunch of friends and went out to the Remington Carriage House Museum in Cardston, AB. We even got to ride in a horse-drawn carriage. Why I was so interested in carriages as an eight-year-old? Who knows - I've always been a huge nerd. I'm surprised I haven't yet had a Star Trek or Chess themed birthday. Heck, even a spelling bee birthday wouldn't be out of my nerd zone. We also ate at the '50's diner in Cardston called Pizza's 'n Cream. Oh, and I got baptized into my church...that was pretty cool.

16 years old - My friends came over to my house and filled up my entire room with balloons. When I opened my door they just came flooding out!! It apparently took them hours to do it. Not only was this one of the nicest things anyone had ever done for me, it was also a complete and total surprise. I think it's the only time I have been truly surprised! My mom also had a surprise party planned for that year me but she spilled the beans when I got mad at her because I didn't think she had planned anything. Teenagers are so awful sometimes.

23 years old - Kyle sent me flowers at work...so sweet! We also had a family dinner at Kyle's mom's house in Utah. Sometimes the simplest birthdays are the best.

So here's to another year and another birthday and another wrinkle.

With "One year older and wiser too" Love,

Julia

Broadway Here I Come!

Dear DC,

Watching TV last night, I was inspired to tackle my next project. Fox had a show on called Glee about a high school glee club (show choir). It was so infective I couldn't stop singing and dancing all night. I took a shower just to have an excuse (like I need one) to sing rock songs in a Broadway style at the top of my lungs. It was so fun I think I'll do it again today....

In spite of being disappointed that I will have to wait until fall to see the next episode of my soon to be favorite teen show, I caught the musical bug, fortunately not of the swine flu variety.

I became inspired to write a musical myself....U2: The Musical. Ok, so I'm still working out the title. And if any of you are even considering stealing this idea, I am 100% sure that it's not an original idea, it is based on the Mamma Mia! formula, and some guy already has u2musical.com secured. Bummer.

None of this will stop me from achieving Broadway producer/writer/star greatness. Rather, co-writer...I think Kyle will get in on this too as he is the resident U2 expert.

I have several story lines swirling in my head accompanied by possible songs such as the love torn duet "One", the stop-everything-and-dance-in-the-streets anthem "Get on Your Boots", and the everything-is-resolved number "Beautiful Day." Just imagine what wonderful Broadway productions these songs will make when matched with the essential overacting and cheesy choreography.

All I need now sign off from Bono and The Edge. Maybe I can get that through Oprah....or Obama!

With "I have copyright issues" Love,

Julia

Stuck in a Moment

Dear DC,

Well, as my great partner in crime announced, I am gainfully employed! Oh oh oh it’s magic! After so long, and so many resumes, and so much waiting it has finally happened. I can finally sit back at night and enjoy watching TV without stressing out a little during commercial breaks.

Some people get stuck in a rut. I suppose you could say that is what I’ve experienced. Last year I got a job, then not. Got a job again….then not. For a long time, it just seemed like I was stuck in a moment. Well, now I am happy. Extremely happy and couldn’t ask for anything more. (Unless someone wants to buy me an xbox360) I can start living life and enjoying it. Of course getting a job doesn’t mean that all the other stresses in life will just go away. But with the unemployed stress out of the way, I say, bring it on.

I suppose from all of this I have learned a great deal of patience. Patience is the key. Oh, and when you sit on a couch for a few months, make sure you rotate the couch cushions.

It feels good. I wouldn’t mind being stuck in this moment for a long time.

With, where’s my paycheck, love
Kyle

Celebrate Good Times, Come On!

Dear DC,

Do we have reason to celebrate!!! Let me count the ways:

• We visited Utah and Kyle's family...and miss Utah (who would have thought).
• Kyle officially graduated with the ceremony and funny hat and all!
  
• We had a yard sale in Utah and got rid of all the leftover stuff.
• We made money off the yard sale!
• Oh, and KYLE IS OFFICIALLY HIRED!!!!

Yeah, I couldn't forget that last one. It's been a busy and eventful week.

Each one of those almost deserves it's own post, but we'll lump them together for now.

So thanks Utah and thanks DC. We're even more entrenched in DC now that we don't have junk anywhere else and we are both gainfully employed here.

But we do miss family and friends so come visit....our tile floor and air bed in our little basement apartment is open to you.

With HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY Love,

Julia