Saving for Disney

Wanting to go to Disney World rather desperately but it is not going to happen this year. I am hoping against hope that next year will be the year! Even if it is a super budget trip. I am saving to go. I am saving every little penny I come across to go on vacation. Now, that sounds easy enough but I don't work outside of the home. My husband is a federal employee and is being furloughed which effectively cuts out 20% of his pay. Living on one pay check can be trying at times. So, I "find" money. I do a few rewards programs to pay for some things like a sit down meal at Rain Forest Cafe. It makes taking all those surveys worth it!

When I have a few extra dollars in my checking account I shuffle it to an interest bearing savings account. This way my money will make more money for me. Free money!

I do not like the school of thought that says to save your vacation money by purchasing gift cards. Sure, it makes it so that you cannot spend that money on something else. But it makes it so you cannot spend that money on something else. When a pipe breaks Home Depot does not take Disney gift cards in exchange for new tools and pipes. And yes, I have been there.  Plus your money doesn't make more money for you. I would rather put it in a difficult to get to savings account.

I am such a slacker. I have abandoned my blog!!! AHHHHH!!! LOL.... 2011 was a busy year. I got a bit ill earlier this year. I have had to learn to eat healthier. I developed high blood pressure very suddenly and am having some problems keeping it under control. My father just recently was diagnosed with high cholesterol so I am incorporating that into our diet too. For those that don't know, my father lives with me. Boyfriend and I decided to set an actual date to get married. We have always known that we would, just not when. So the big day is set for June 6, 2012. Exactly 6 years after we started dating. That date works for me since I can never remember dates. LOL. Sister is getting married next month. It is going to be a very busy year this year. I can't wait!!!

Here's to hoping that everyones 2012 is just a bit better than 2011!!!! Happy New Year everyone!

Menu

We shop biweekly so my menu is for two weeks at a time. I have to feed two grown men, a teen boy, myself, and one year girl that doesn't stop eating. We will also have company this coming week so I have two extra mouths to feed. We eat homemade pizza every Friday. The only staple is that there is always a pepperoni pizza.

Pizza- 2 pepperoni, 2 buffalo chicken
Pizza- balsamic chicken with red onion, undecided, pepperoni
Stuffed Shells
Spaghetti w/ homemade Italian sausage
Chicken Rollatini
Tacos
Asian foil packet chicken
mini meat loaves
Alfredo pasta w/ homemade Italian sausage
Roasted chicken and veggies
Chicken Fajitas
Chicken Parmesan
Roast w/ veggies in crockpot
Beef Enchiladas

We do eat a lot of chicken. My father lives with us and he has a cholesterol issue. Combined with my high blood pressure and need for low sodium, we are left with chicken. A lot. I do try to mix it up so we are not always eating the same sort of flavors. This cycle is bad. The guys must be craving Italian since we are eating so much of it.

Oh....as for my diet, well, I was doing great. I was down two pounds, got a little cocky with the calories, and gained one back. For the week last week, I am down 1.2 pounds. Much better than the nothing I was doing!

I have had a few health issues in the last few months. I was diagnosed with high blood pressure (really high!) and I am only 35 years old! I am on some meds that are controlling it. I am working on bringing it down by diet and weight loss. So far I have lose 5 pounds. Not great but better than nothing. A friend recently introduced me to calorie cycling and I am trying that. I am on my first week. Started Monday and I have already lost a pound!!! Another advantage to losing weight will be fitting in my clothes for vacation! Starting Monday, I will try to post my menus with the recipes for the week. Not all will be healthy but all will be yummy!