I woke up happy this morning…

Last night I dreamed I was back in Courtroom 2 in the Cattletsburg courthouse.

I don’t want to be a trial lawyer.

I definitely don’t want to practice in Cattletsburg.

But I was in the courtroom.

And I woke up so happy.

I’m going to be a lawyer.

Frugality or Craziness?

On Tuesday our futon broke.

It was 11 years old, Brian got it when he was in junior high so it had a good long life. When our bedroom was infested with bed bugs last year we slept on it for a month…We actually lived in our living room for a month which is something I never care to repeat. The dogs slept and played on it and it was a great fit for our tiny apartment. 

Bye futon…you will be missed.

Actually only half of the futon is inoperable. The mattress is still in great condition and is resting in my living room floor at the moment. I listed it on Craigslist this morning and I’m waiting on someone to make us an offer.

After the couch broke we debated what to do. Furniture is expensive, I had no idea how expensive until we started looking. We decided we didn’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on something the dogs are going to climb all over. I’m notoriously clumsy too so there’s a good chance that it will have many things spilled on it. So we took a trip over to the Re-Store to look for a new couch.

The Re-Store is a store operated by Habitat for Humanity that exists to keep usable materials out of a landfill. It has everything from cabinets to toilets to furniture and dishes to lamps and TVs. Its a great to pick up gently used furniture. We went searching for a couch and ended up wit this beauty…

For $35.00

That’s our couch…and my chubby chubby legs.

Yep, its got worn spaces on the seats but at the moment I’m covering one of them, Bandit is covering another, and Harley is curled up in a ball on the other end of the couch covering the last one. Its got 2 recliners on either end…It doesn’t smell and its SUPER comfortable.

and did I mention we paid $35.00???

$35.00!!!!

I’ve been the thrift store queen since high school. I used to be a skinny little thing so I bought most of my clothes at goodwill and the Salvation army while the K and I cruised around in my car and I’ve taken to searching for Fiesta dishes at our local thrift stores (and I’ve found many of them). Last month mom and I took a trip to Ohio and stopped at numerous thrift stores along the way…

and did I mention I got my sweet vintage kitchen table at goodwill for $11?

I love a good deal. I try to live frugally (and sometimes fail miserably) but I feel awesome about this couch…and all my thrift store finds. I’ll keep hunting through thrift stores my entire life…because I am frugal…and crazy.

Let me tell you for a second how proud I am of my husband…(and myself)

So yesterday my husband and I had our first day off together in a while.

(Look at that sexy man…)

We spent the morning kind of goofing off around the house and at about 2:00 he let me know he wanted to go somewhere for lunch.

I’m generally okay with this but I said. “I’d like to go someplace healthy.”

I didn’t really think much about this. I just said it. I haven’t really been thinking too much lately about healthy living as opposed to beating myself up about my failure to live a healthy life every day that I was doing up until recently. Something changed in my mindset and suddenly I was concerned about making healthy choices.

I worked a show. With the Local 346 in Lexington.

Out of the blue I get called for a show. Its supposed to be simple, just an in and an out (with a full day off in between these two things). I happily accepted and went on my merry way and continued doing billing things until my phone rang an hour later and they asked if I would do wardrobe for the five shows in addition to the in and out.

I nearly wet myself I was so excited.

So I worked these shows and what I noticed most about it is I was annoyed with myself. I couldn’t drop to the deck quickly to pick up something and pick myself back up. I couldn’t run up and down stairs (on shows you RUN) and I found myself needing to take breaks and sit down more often than I used to. I could chalk this up to the fact I hadn’t worked a show in a year but I know the real reason. That 70 pounds I had gained since the time in my life I used to work regularly…they sort of slow me down.

So I survived the show and my body retaliated against me by slapping me with a hideous cold because I had been so abusive to it by going to Michigan and then coming home and working a show.

I’m better now, thanks for asking. The past few days have been spent in a cold medicine/Greys Anatomy re-run induced coma. Oh Alex and Izzie, why couldn’t you stay married forever! Oh PTSD Owen, why do I love you so much when I know I shouldn’t….

Maybe the meds havent’ worn off yet.

Anyway…back to yesterday. We went to Qdoba where I ordered the following off their craft 2 menu.

Naked Taco Salad with Grilled Veggies, Pico, Lime Cilantro Dressing, Cheese (Qdoba Calorie Counter on their website estimates this at 240 Calories)
Tortilla Soup with Chicken, Cheese and Pico. (285)

So this was not excellent…but it was pretty good. Wait a second…I ordered Grilled Vegetables to top my salad in place of meat. I KICK ASS!

Anyway…

So we carried on with our day after lunch which included going to evening church and going to a friend’s house to watch The Walking Dead. After the Walking Dead we took our friend Devin home and realized we were hungry. Lexington has an ABUNDANCE of fast food places so we could have chosen to eat fast food now and regret it later.

but we didn’t!

We went home and fixed food. He had soup and I had hummus, crackers, and string cheese. We stuck to our diets and finished our day under our calorie goals!!!!!

I couldn’t tell you how happy I was! We really convinced ourselves we can do this full time. We can make these choices and have a better life because of it.

Then we had spontaneous marital relations on the couch and went to bed. NO!! YOU DIDN’T NEED TO KNOW THAT!!!

Sorry…It was a good day.

Now to get myself back in to non-show related exercise and do more LSAT studying. I take the test December 3.

Until next time,

Liz

On A Beautiful Autumn Day…

Monday was a cold day in Michigan…

So we put on our sweaters…

And took a trip to to a grist mill

My father-in-law was more than happy to walk our boys while we bought homemade donuts and fresh apple cider.

Bandit says “Hi Mom!”

A family feast!

So good…

And so beautiful…

I love my husband, my in-laws, my dogs…and autumn.

Until next time,

Liz