30 Sucks.....

Or so they say! I'm not quite there yet, but so many I know are reaching 30! (I should note I only have 8 months left in my 20s- better start living them up!!) anyways, one of my best friends J threw a surprise 30th for her fiancé P. the party was great! He had NO idea! I made him a little gift card holder..... It turned out really cute!! Of course my inspiration came from Pinterest I just modified to make it work for me! Enjoy! 

Overall it was really easy! I used a small box, cut to size- filled it with spray foam, cut the expanding foam down to size, wrapped the box, an stick the lollipops in, 30 of the suckers are shoved in the box, along with a dowel rod holding an envelope containing the gift card. Such an easy gift! 

Now to figure out what to do for the rest of the 30th birthdays over the next year.... 

Suggestions are welcome! 

Update to 30X30

I'm not going to sugar coat it but I'm also not to dwell on it.... The last five months have been challenging!! 

However, I am happy to report my list is getting accomplished! 

1. This is HUGE!! I. HAVE. TRIM. My life is close to complete! The pic below shows the outside trim, but i have it inside also!! Now if I can just get the curtain rods hung up and curtains up.....

2. I was doing SO good with this, but then Matt's company went on strike and he didn't work for two weeks..... Ugh- so what little I had put away- we used to cover his loss in wages--- so now I'm trying to get my savings built back up to where it was... And grow it from there! 

3. I just finished my fourth book of the week! I'm at 6!! Only 24 more to go....

4. See #2 and the small set back......spending is shut off for now! 

5. I'm working on this-- I've gotten rid of SOOO much so far- I've probably cleared out 1/2 my clothing, 1/4 of my jewelry, 1/2 the yarn that I had and SOOOO MUCH MORE!! 

6. Right now I have 48 auctions up- I don't know if I will ever clear $100/month- but I'm trying!! I think at this point if I clear $50 one month I will consider myself a success!! 🏆

**** I did it!!!! Free and clear- after all fees $100+++ 

7. As I mentioned earlier I substituted jewelry with Tupperware! I must say- its been good to me so far! :) I just earned an IPad!! I can't wait for it to come in! Yeah me!! 

8. I definitely haven't stared a Facebook page yet, and I definitely haven't crafted any thing recently. I really need to get back to crocheting! Winters coming and I have 'orders' to fulfill!! 

9. Blog posts- I clouding this one I'm up to 11! 

10. I'm hoping in November to take a Saturday trip to Ohio. September is over and October is Upon us and just tooo busy, So November it is!! 

11.Niagara Falls is just a dream--- I tried to plan a weekend trip here but Matt said 'No'. 😥 Anyone want to go with me?!?!?

 

12. Matt's Grad Party 🎓was August 24- and we had such a good turn out!! So much of his family and mine were able to make it!

13. Landscaping is started!! Matt borrowed my dads tractor and destroyed the yard, but definitely got a lot done!! He landscaped in front of the front porch and out by the road, along the driveway! It's coming along..... 

14. The addition fund is lacking.. See #2- and how Cleveland Brothers got in the way!! 

15. I've had some interest in a Pinterest Party--- def need to get that planned-- SOON! Maybe in November with a thanksgiving or Snowman craft! 

16. I'm pretty sure I could get at least 5--- I just need to get on the ball and planning!! 

17. I still didn't order a Pens Jersey- less than a month until Hockey games start.... I can't wait!! The Pens have already reported for training camp!! LGP!!

18. My sister in law Liz and I had a yard sale in July. We did really good!! I made over $100! We are having another sale this coming weekend, so if I make another $100 I will be SOOOOO satisfied!! But first I need to clear out some more 'treasures' to sell! 

19. Accomplished!! Plus FIVE!!

20. I really want someone to follow my Blog. Soon, I can feel it- a couple more posts and I will take off!! 😋

21. Still need to try this! 

22. Ugh- every time I pick up yarn and crochet hooks I get distracted and just can't work on anything. We are heading to Florida in October and I will try to finish up some projects on the way! After all, I have 14 hours in the truck! 

23. It will be three years on October 15 since my Granny's death. I need to get these done, yet I can't bring myself to finish them! The boxes are all laid out, they just need the items attached! Soon, very soon, I WILL finish them! 

24. I found the command light hooks on clearance at Walmart yesterday!! So now I really have no excuses!! 

25. Christmas Party- I really want to host but we shall see- it may just be a small gathering of friends! 

26. I now own TWO pink Elephant Vera pieces! I bought a purse on EBay and a duffel bag off of my friends sister in law! Yeah for social media and reselling sites! They have the best deals! 

27. I'm such a procrastinator and I really need to get on this! But it's pumpkin season..... I need to get my will power in check and start restraining before I gain another 15 pounds!! 

28. Well the garden didn't do so hot this year. I tried to keep up with the crab grass but it kicked my butt! We did get zucchini, watermelons, kohlrabi, onions, beets, and some beans! 

29. Again, because of the strain of the strike this is slightly delayed! I'm hoping soon! I'm not getting any younger and I don't want to be an 'OLD' parent, NOTHING against that- it's just not what I want!! 

30. So far I've been trying to have as much fun as possible! Taking life to seriously is for the birds these days! You have to live life to the fullest for the last year of my 20s! 

✌💗💋

~Amanda

"B"

Last week while my mom and I were on vacation my brother's two dogs got out of his yard and went on an adventure. Daisy, the younger of the two, returned without her older counterpart Brittany. We feared the worst as Brittany is known to attack anything that crosses her path (she has had more than one run in with a porcupine and snakes and well a chicken)! We feared she may have met her match. However, two days (Wednesday) after Daisy returned there was hope as one of my brother's friends saw a picture of B on Facebook with a posting from a girl who had found her.

The rejoicing didn't last long. When the girl was contacted, she said the dog had been claimed the day prior (Tuesday). The girl said a man  had called her from a blocked number, said he lived in Youngwood, and that the dog was his. He made arrangements to meet her at her work that day and he came and took Brittany. The girl knew very little about him, other than he drove a green car, said he lived in Youngwood, PA, and was probably in his mid thirties. He called the dog 'April'. The girl did say that B growled at him and did NOT want to go with him. Proof that dogs really can sense awful human beings when they encounter them! Poor B.

We have been told two theories. One she was taken and used to train pit bulls for dog fighting, in which case I hope that the dog they are training one day turns on the vicious excuse for human beings training them and they get everything they have coming to them. The second is people are snatching dogs and waiting for reward money to be offered and then collecting the money. Either theory is sick and twisted and the person responsible deserves every bit of bad unfortunate luck that is thrown their way.

Regardless of what happened to B, I just hope she did not have to suffer, and I can only hope she first turned on the poor excuse of a man that stole her from my brother and my four year old niece, because frankly, explaining to a four year old that her dog 'ran away' and you don't think shes coming back isn't easy. Especially when *Sparkles* my niece dreams B came back out of the woods every night and she gives her dog treats and puts her back in her pen, but B always escapes by morning and Sparkles gets sad all over again.

Beach Therapy

My mom and I are heading to Rehoboth Beach Delaware on June 16 for 4 days!! I can't wait!! I'm long overdue for some beach therapy!! 

Although I had some amazing vacations and experiences last year throughout Europe, none of them involved me laying on a beach soaking up harmful sun rays!! 

Progress......

I'm working on my 30x30 goals. So far I haven't made that much progress.... But I did make some (along with some modifications also!!)

2. I put my last check directly into savings!! My goal for one check a month!

3. I've read 1.5 books. Although it wasn't a paperback book that I finished, I did read a book I had waiting on my Kindle. Only 13.5 more books to go!!! I promise, the next 13 will be actual print books, not the electronic kindle books!

7. I decided to sign up with Tupperware for now! My sister in law Liz wanted to do it so we signed up together. It was a win, win situation for us! It only cost $30 to sign up and as long as we have $900 in sales by July 15, we owe nothing else! I already have 2 parties booked from my friends and Liz has been collecting orders from the hospital! Although I really like jewelry, I will probably stick to Tupperware for now, and maybe add jewelery in the future!

9. This will be my 3rd blog post since my goals were laid out! Only 27 more to go!!

12. I started to get a list together of people to invite to Matt's graduation party. I'm trying to talk my mother into hosting at her house, but she doesn't seem to be biting the bait!

13. I started to build a rock wall, to do something with all the rocks, but so far that is the extent of where we have made it.

17. I still didn't get myself a Jersey, but I did get a James Neal shirt since they made it to the second round of the playoffs (and now the third!!! 4 more wins to the cup finals!!) Its a black and gold Eastern Conference Finals! Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Boston Bruins. GOOOO PENS!

26. This is huge!! I FINALLY won and EBAY auction for a BRAND NEW VERA BRADLEY PINK ELEPHANTS PURSE!!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! I'm so excited!!!

28. The garden is planted and starting to grow. Here's hoping it continues!!


Matt found out I made a 30X30 list and he now wants to make one. HA! He doesn't even have time to go to dinner, let alone make a goal list and complete it! I can't wait until August when he is done with school! Maybe we can actually spend some time together and have a life again!

Until Next time~
Amanda

One Stepping Stone at a time...

$66.30... That's what I need to earn by May 31 to put myself on target with my 2013 goals of earning an additional $50/month for the first 6 months of the year, and then upping it to $75/month the last 6. I had a great week last week on eBay, almost everything sold. Now I just need to get some more auctions started.

I must disclose also that if I hadn't bought as much as I have this year off of eBay I wouldn't be so short of my goal. Oh well, you learn and keep going forward!

This year is all about goals for me. I have set goal after goal after goal for myself to accomplish. Here's to hoping I make it through some of them sooner rather than later!

Let the playoffs begin.....

LETS GO PENS!!!