March Madness!

Congrats to my Blue Devils on their big ACC Championship!!!! They had a lot of close games, and I have to give Tech a lot of credit for beating UNC and Maryland to make it to the championship game. They showed a lot of heart, and kept things really close with Duke the whole game.
No, really - I wish the Tar Heels the best of luck in the NIT! I kid, I kid ;)

Are you guys filling out brackets for the NCAA tournament? I'll probably do one for work, and then one with SB....loser buys dinner at winner's choice restaurant. Here's hoping that Duke can continue their winning streak!!!!!!

....and in other financial news....

I totally jinxed myself by posting about how the no shopping thing was going! I broke it this weekend! Ugh! Ah well, I thought long and hard about it, and I needed some new workout stuff, and found a bunch of tops that I REALLY liked at The North Face. They fit perfectly (long enough, not skin tight), and I can wear them with shorts/skirts that I already have, so I took the plunge. My favorite ones aren't online which made me worry that if I didn't buy them now, they might not be available come 4/4. Oh yea, and my crazy husband convinced me that we needed the crazy expensive blender from Costco. He bought that one, but still! I failed this weekend....but I guess that happens. I'll be good again starting tomorrow :)

One 2010 Resolution....Done!

One of my 2010 Resolutions was to read a book about finances that my dad gave me (titled The Only Investment Guide You'll Ever Need, written by Andrew Tobias) , and to take a more proactive approach to investing money. I finally finished it yesterday, and I think it is a great book for anyone who is ready and wants to invest, but can be overwhelmed by all the various options (like moi!). Tobias starts off the book with a chapter called "A Penny Saved is Two Pennies Earned." He firmly believes that one of the best ways to multiply your money is by doing things like buying in bulk (just another reason to love Coscto...we loaded up yesterday on tp, paper towels, gatorade, etc), or using internet services like priceline.com to get the best bang for your buck (and leaving some extra for you to invest later). Here are a few more pointers from him to help you save more money:

• Get rid of debt....only buy things for which you can pay now (it doesn't make sense financially to pay 18-20% more on everything you buy).
  
• Cars: Pay for your car in cash (if you can...b/c cars depreciate, & car loans aren't tax deductible like a mortgage)......buy used (new car smell = most expensive smell in the world), buy an economical car if possible (think mpg), resist temptation to lease, drive smoothly (better on the car, uses less gas)
• Insurance: shop around, remove insurance you don't need, raise premiums if you can to reduce monthly costs, skip appliance insurance
• Misc: Use the library, get netflix instead of going to the theater, get TiVo (if time is money, this appliance saves you time!), drink tap water, buy the store brand, quit smoking (if not for your health, then for your wallet!), save energy (simple insulation, energy-efficient appliances and light bulbs, etc.) .

Now in terms of actually investing, he offers a lot of easy definitions, and explanations for all of the various different types of investments that we can make. That is always the part that totally stresses me out, but he explains that for beginners, the best way to invest is to find a good mutual fund company, and buy a few *diverse* mutual funds -- think US, international, low cap, high cap. He also explains that it is far more advantageous to monitor your own investments than to use a financial advisor. "No one is going to care about it as much as you, and no one is going to manage it for free." Here are a few of his pointers:

1. Only invest money you won't have to touch for many years. (and DEFINITELY invest in a Roth IRA annually. You can contribute as much as $5,000 yearly right now - that number can change year to year) - and when you retire, you can take it out without any tax penalties.
   
2. Buy low and sell high. (definitely worth watching the market to make sure you adhere to this one)
3. Diversify over time by not investing all at once.
4. For the most part, stick with it once you've purchased it.
   
5. Diversify over several stocks in different industries.
6. Ignore the noise. Stocks move up and down all the time, you are in it for the long haul.
7. Be wary of high-fliers and stocks that "everyone" likes. Chances are they're already "up," and it will be hard for it to continue to rise at the same rate.
   
8. Invest -- don't speculate. If you can afford the risk, it may reward you handsomely (ie: stocks). The risk is what totally freaks me out about investing....I like when the money goes up, but I hate when it goes down. Buy value and hold it.
9. Minimize your transaction costs. He's a big proponent for etrade. You can also do a lot of it online now, directly with the fund -- which also cuts down the transaction costs.

Ok - so there you have it! The book was very helpful, and I'm looking forward to letting my dad know that I finished reading it.

Shopping Hiatus & Running

I am just over 1.5 months into my self-imposed "shopping hiatus," and I'm happy to report that it's been a great experience. Since January 18, I haven't allowed myself to purchase anything outside of birthday presents for a handful of nieces/nephews, household "necessities" (ie: food, tp, etc.), and one pair of running shoes yesterday because my knees started to get that achy feeling when I know my shoes need to be replaced. I have felt good about not having as much of an urge to browse my fave shops online, or in the stores over the weekends - and as a result I'm sure I'm saving some dinero. I bought the running shoes yesterday, and there were so many cute spring-ish running clothes out there that I really wanted to buy!!!! I even tried stuff on. I managed (somehow?) to walk out without anything but the needed new running shoes, but now I'm craving some new workout stuff!







As good as I feel about the hiatus, I'm already looking forward to April 4 -- Easter -- the end of lent, when this 2.5 month shopping embargo will end. My birthday actually takes place during the freeze, and I've told SB that will mean no presents for me this year......well at least not till April 4 ;)

More puppy eye-candy

Here's one more shot from our day at the breeder's.

It's feeding time for the chocolate labbies!! I love how some of them put their whole body in the bowl, and some of them could barely find it. They were just so, so cute!

Health Magazine

I found this little survey in the March edition of Health Magazine (somehow I got a free subscription to it...it's a good little mag). Anyways, I thought I'd give this a whirl:

My favorite home-cooked meal: Grilled steak, baked potato, yummy salad......or anytime I try a new recipe and it actually works!!!

Three things always in my pantry: Peanut butter, chocolate, olive oil (in order of importance)

The single best thing about working out is.... the way it makes me feel -- happy, sweaty, and fulfilled.

The body part(s) I like the most are my.... shoulders (is that weird?)

My go-to at-home spa treatment: pedicure....it's not nearly as good as the real spa version, but it will get me by in a pinch!

Whenever I'm nervous, I psych myself up by... Probably with some combination of going for a run, cuddling my dog, and talking through everything with my husband, my parents, and my sister.

If I could change one thing about the world... I would end war altogether.

My best quality: I like to think I'm a kind person.

I wish I had more time for: travel (there's never enough time to visit all of our friends and family members who are spread out across the country)

My happy-life motto: All you can do is the best you can. My dad used to remind me of that all the time before tennis matches, big tests, you name it....and it's true.

Is it just me...

...or is anyone else experiencing issues with their cotton knits and front-loading washing machines? I keep finding tiny little holes in my cotton t's -- always in the bottom middle of the front of the shirt. It is so strange, and incredibly annoying! It's as if I have cotton-eating moths....but those don't exist as far as I know. I googled the issue, and have found a few forums with people who have experienced the same problem. Some say it's the motion of the front-loading washing machine, some say it's the detergent used in those washing machines.......but there isn't really a resolution for the issue. So! please let me know if you have any ideas on what I should do to avoid getting the little holes! I have started sewing them together, but who knows how long that quick fix will last...

Athens, GA Restaurant Recommendations

Usually when we visit SB's hometown of Athens, GA I give him free reign to pick every restaurant we go to because it's "his city." That means that we typically visit Willy's, Zaxby's, some kind of Southern country cooking place, and a few biscuit joints (which also means that I pack on a few lbs!). Well, fortunately when we were there last week, he'd actually been there just the week before and he'd already hit up all of his standard places......so this time we expanded our repertoire! SB did a little research, and picked out a few places just for little ol' me! If you live in the area, or ever travel to Athens, GA - you have to try one of these:

Taqueria del Sol -- The original Taqueria is in Atlanta (there are actually a couple there now), and this one is just as delicious! We used to go there all the time because it was so close to our Atlanta office. I absolutely love their memphis tacos, shrimp corn chowder and sweet tea. They are sooooo to die for. And if you're in the mood for queso, theirs is the best. The atmosphere is casual, and the prices are super good for the high quality of food they serve.

Last Resort Grill -- This place is beyond amazing. I could seriously eat there every day of the week, and I could have something different each time (if I weren't totally and completely in love with the chicken tortilla salad). We went there twice for lunch in the five days that we were in Athens....it was that good. Between the two of us we tried the chicken tortilla salad, tomato basil soup, corn chowder, enchiladas, and 'oscar blow' sandwich. Everything was outstanding.

Puppy News!

SB and I are home, safe and sound. Thanks so much for your sweet comments - you guys are the best. SB's stepmother died after a long battle with lung cancer. The funeral and burial were both beautiful, and I'm glad that we traveled out there to be with SB's family (plus the 10 hour drive actually went by in a snap with a fun new playlist....well that and a Waffle House visit, McDonalds egg mcmuffin, a quick run around the Chattahoochee River trail in Atlanta on the way down, and a 4:30am departure time!).

On a happier note, we drove to Augusta, MO today to pick out our pup! It was so much fun to see the tiny baby labs. They make these little peeping sounds, and squirm all about as they can't walk just yet. They were born February 26, just eight days ago...and they are getting cuter and cuter by the day. There was also a new litter of chocolate labs - and they were a few weeks older, and just as adorable as can be!I think we'll take this one!!
Look how little she is!She's already a big-time snuggler! Daisy sniffed us up and down when we got home. She could definitely tell that we had been around other puppies. She was very curious! Look at how roly poly she is!!! I love that round little belly!

An unexpected little break

Hi friends! I'm in GA right now. SB and I traveled here for a family funeral last Sunday, and will be returning to MO shortly. I'll get back to the blogging world this weekend. xoxo!