In A Rut

For the last couple of weeks I've been trying to decide what to blog about and honestly can't come up with anything. I feel like I've been stuck in a rut lately. Get up, go to work, cook, clean, spend a few precious moments with Jeremy in between his own crazy busy work and school schedule, go to bed, wake up and do it all over again.

I need something new and exciting to make me feel alive! Any suggestions?

I am getting excited to go to California in a few weeks for my little brothers wedding. And, as long as we're going on a roadtrip Jeremy and I are thinking we might spend a few days on our own. . .possibly in Yosemite National Park. Neither of us have been there before and the more I learn about it and see pictures the more I want to go! It's not for sure that we are going but these pictures help inspire me and maybe visiting this beautiful place will be just what I need to be revitalized. Any knowledge of Yosemite and what we should do there would be greatly appreciated!

Early Birthday Present

So yesterday Jeremy told me that he purchased my birthday present. I thought that was a little strange since my birthday isn't until JULY! I told him not to give me any clues because I love surprises. Well today we were out to lunch and I was telling him that I saw Boise Broadway was doing a rendition of Wicked May of 2011 and thought it would be fun to get tickets. (I'm kinda obsessed with Wicked and have been bringing it up almost daily about how I'd love to go see it.) Well I guess he was worried that I was going to buy tickets on my own for 2011 or for this May when we go to California for my brothers wedding and so he blurted out of nowhere, "THAT'S WHAT YOUR BIRTHDAY PRESENT IS, WE'RE GOING TO SEE WICKED!" It took me by surprise and I sat shocked for a minute. Then the excitement came, YEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We have tickets to see Wicked at San Francisco's Orpheum theatre Saturday, May 29th, and I can't wait!!! Kinda funny that it's my birthday present since that will be two days before Jeremy's birthday and the day after our year and a half anniversary, but whatever it is.... Happy birthday to Jeremy? Happy Anniversary? Happy birthday to me?....I'm going to see Wicked!!!!! I have the best husband ever and love him to death for always doing these sorts of things to make me happy!

Total Savings $100!!!!

So it's always a thrill when Albertsons has their doubler coupons out. So for the last day I've been planning my shopping spree. I woke up excited for all the free food I was going to get. And this my friends is what I came home with today. . .
How much did it cost me you ask? Well drum roll please. . . $10!!!!!! I'm pretty pleased with myself right now but even more so when I added up all the savings and it came up to $100 saved!! Even though we are very poor college students we now have a full corner of our spare bedroom stacked full of food storage. Last month we literally spent a hundred dollars less on groceries than previous months, and we are getting WAY more food. YES, I'm addicted to couponing!!!!!

My husband is an addict...

Yes, Jeremy has a problem...he is completely addicted to CHOCOLATE!!!! It's kinda funny how in our relationship the roles are reversed and I rarely crave chocolate but he feels he needs it daily or else the world will come to an end. Okay maybe it's not that serious, but pretty close! I blame it on his mom, who feels a meal is never complete without a piece of chocolate afterwards. Well last weekend his parents gave us two snickers bars after our Sunday night visit with them. Jeremy ate his the next day but I was saving mine for when I really felt a sugar craving. By mid-week he was begging for my Snickers, and I caved in and let him cut it in half and have half. Who needs a full candy bar anyways, right? Well this morning I got up and had a rare craving for chocolate and remembered I had half a candy bar in our treats drawer. I rushed downstairs to get it and this is what I found in it's place...
Good thing I love him so much!!! :)

It's back to school time for me...

So back in December I decided to go ahead and chase my dream of getting my masters in social work. It was a spur of the moment decision and I rushed to get all my application material put together and sent off before the deadline of New Years. Jeremy is attending Boise State as well and has about two years left, so I knew it was now or never. If I didn't get accepted for this fall we would be moving away for dental school before I'd have the chance to re-apply to the program and finish my studies. I submited everything and expected to hear back within a few weeks if I'd been accepted. Well January passed, then February passed, and weeks went by in March and I figured that maybe my application got lost in the mail somewhere. I e-mailed the program director and the school of social work and didn't hear back from either of them. Then FINALLY to my great joy I received a phone call yesterday directly from the program director congratulating me on my acceptance into the Boise State University Masters of Social Work program. He apologized for the delay in telling me I had been admited but that they had to wait until they'd made all the final decisions about admissions before they could notify anyone but reassured me that I was "DEFINATELY ADMITABLE, THERE WAS NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT." So after a FIVE year vacation from formal education it's back to school time for me. I am so excited for many reasons:
1) It's going to be so cool to go to school with my husband! AND we will graduate at the same time!
2) I LOVE and excel at school.
3) With my MSW in social work I will be able to work as a social worker to help get us through dental school.
4) Working as a social worker will probably help us to adopt a little easier if in fact we aren't able to have our own children.
A big thanks to everyone who encouraged me to follow my dreams and to everyone who helped me with all my last minute application documents and letters. GO BOISE STATE!!!!

Couponing isn't just for crazy ladies!

So I have to admit that I'm guilty of being one of those people who thought only crazy people do couponing. I said things like, "That would take up way too much time looking for deals and coupons and my time is worth more than saving a few dollars on groceries." or "That's so embarrassing to have to use that many coupons, or have multiple transactions." Well after hearing all the amazing deals my mother in law was getting and seeing all the masses of food she was acquiring for basically nothing, I figured I better learn to like this couponing stuff so we could save some money. Well it hasn't taken me long to LOVE every bit of it. This was my latest steal, 20 boxes of cereal and 6 deodorants for $6.50 total! Can you believe that!?!?!?! It totally made my day and I couldn't stop smiling all day. I mean look at all this stuff I got for basically nothing...

Earlier in the week I stocked up on 20 juices, 10 Breyers ice cream, and tons of soups for basically nothing. Not only have I repented of my ways, but I'm now addicted to the high I get while couponing and getting free food! I'm still learning all kinds of new stuff but one of my favorite websites in thekrazycouponlady.com. Check it out! I'm getting the feeling I'll never again want to pay full price for anything!

Dear Banks and Businesses

Dear Banks and Businesses,
I felt it necessary to get my frustrations out in letter form so I don't rip someone's head off soon. First, I don't appreciate being sent my statements AFTER the due date and subsequently getting charged a late fee that is as big as our monthly payment.
Secondly, I really hate it when you make promises that you will take care of something only to have to call back REPEATEDLY and find out it still hasn't been taken care of.
Thirdly, I'm currently super-duper angry that you never told me I could only have 6 transactions a month in my savings account and charged me $10 a transaction over that. Your interest rates suck and I now see no purpose in having a savings account if I get penalized for saving!!!!
Despite, what you may think I don't enjoy hearing your voice daily, so please take care of things the first time. I work hard for my money and do not enjoy giving it away to so-called fees. In conclusion, I'd really appreciate it if you would stop taking advantage of me IMMEDIATELY!
Sincerely,
Kim Walker