I Love Talking Finances

I think this is the first time in our marriage that Will and I have slept apart for more than one night while in the same house. Every now and then it's happened for one reason or another, but the last couple of nights he chose to sleep in the guest bedroom to keep Charlie and I safe from his cold. This is crazy to me because we've never let illness keep us apart or even stop us from kissing, and yet it's different now...As with everything else in our life, it's all about her and being healthy for her. I did try to take care of him when he would let me, and I even made Chicken Noodle Soup from scratch {homemade broth and all} to boost both of our immune systems. All I know is I'm going to snuggle him so hard tonight! 

Ooooh yeah, I'm two for two on the Choose Your Own Adventure Link Up! I guess it helps that I HAVE to be goal oriented during the biggest transition in our lives, so whatever works. Let's see how we did on April's Financial Goals, shall we...

Create a Baby Fund. CHECK. I haven't technically transferred the money into the Baby Fund, but the account has been set up and the money has been put away. Close enough.

Build a House Emergency Fund on top of our regular savings. Sort of CHECK. Again, the account has been setup, but I want to pay our savings back for some of the costs we incurred on top of Closing Costs. After a few months, we will be square and then the fund will begin. Until then, we have our regular savings and an extra mutual fund that's our 'emergency- emergency' fund worst case scenario.

Track every penny spent on CQB, and try to stick to the plan of buying the majority of the things we need after the second shower. CHECK. I could put sorta for this one too, because this next baby shower is more of a celebration for myself and another spouse {I'm stoked for a dual shower}, but will not be the type of shindig that warrants me worrying about buying stuff off the registry. However, I have been scoring when it comes to the Fort Rucker Classifieds sites, so we have gotten $100's and $100's of dollars worth of stuff for chump change. We even got a BOB stroller for $150. Whoop whoop!

Sell everything that's not nailed down in this house. CHECK. This has been going really well. My goal was to sell up to the amount that I thought we'd make at a garage sale and call it quits, but it's been so lucrative that I've kept going. I have been donating in the process, but I've pretty much offset all my baby spending with this income. The best part is that we haven't even gotten to the garage yet. Cha-ching.

May's Goal: READ I particularly like this one because I need to finish reading all the baby books I've started, make it through the stack of parenting magazines piled up, and catch up on blog reading. I should add go to the library as a goal, though. I have two pre-tty overdue books that need to be rechecked out asap. I wish our library charged us late fees because then I have a reason to be on time.
How about you? Working on any goals these days?

Choose Your Own Adventure

I've always wanted to participate in Steph's linkup for the simple fact that I used to LOVE Choose Your Own Adventure books. Does anyone remember those?

March's theme was relationships, and I can't explain how appropriate this was for me. With this whole...transition going on, relationships with family and friends are forefront in my mind right now. Most significantly, I'm finding this pregnancy has brought me closer to family and friends {especially the ones with kids} while taking our marriage to a whole 'notha level, but that doesn't mean I want to get so wrapped up that I lose other relationships.
o far, everything has been a positive shift that I never expected,

My main goals have been and still are:
Make sure that not everything revolves around conversations of CQB. It's so easy to let every conversation {and blog post} involve her, but I know that could end up allowing us to miss other important subjects in each other's lives, as well as put distance between us and our non-parent friends. It's easier said than done, especially when everyone else brings her up too, but I still think it's necessary. Luckily, we still have flight school, upcoming parties, travels planned, music festivals, and impending moves to discuss.

Continue to foster the relationships that have strengthened because we got pregnant. It is absolutely amazing how you automatically feel a stronger bond with family and friends just from getting knocked up. My childhood best friend and I now text daily, it has brought out a new side of my baby sister I've never seen, my grandmother that didn't speak to me after we eloped has already showered us with gifts and well wishes, and even just other mom's that are complete strangers will take the time out of their lives to give me their advice and wisdom. When they say there is a 'mom club', they are serious, and somehow we all gravitate towards each other. Don't ask me how, but sweet baby jeeeeeeesus I'm thankful.

 Will and I need to maintain an 'adult' relationship. In every sense of the term 'adult', I hope to maintain the mental and physical aspects of our relationship and always remember that we were 'we' before we were 'three'. Other than talking about her a lot, not too much has changed, but I really want to create the bucket list I talked about to make sure we are still making memories to share between just the two of us. I also feel like he's been doing so much for me during this pregnancy, and I want to step up my game and take care of him before she comes. I know it will be more difficult to juggle it all then, so I need to do everything I can now.

                        NO EXCUSES.                     

April's theme is finances. This is obviously important for us right now because, hello, we have a baby on the way. A baby on top of me being a stay at home wife the last year, buying a house, and an impending move. The mortgage is covered by our renters, but our savings did take QUITE a hit when we decided to put down 20% on a house before knowing le baby was on the way. As such, my current goals are:

Create a Baby Fund.
Build a House Emergency Fund on top of our regular savings.
Track every penny spent on CQB, and try to stick to the plan of buying the majority of the things we need after the second shower.
Sell everything that's not nailed down in this house.

If any of you have tips on relationships during pregnancy or finances, you know where to comment. I am so thankful for every bit of advice y'all have given me, and I WANT MORE! ;)

I'm Not 'Military' Enough

I've always been interested in Freelance Writing even before I began blogging, and I even had a poem published when I was in middle school. Since I started blogging I realized how easy it is to write on the interwebs, and I've been blessed to branch out with my writing. I pursue free and paid writing based on what I have a passion for, and in spite of getting less jobs than I apply for, I truck on because I know that a 'no' isn't always a bad thing. However, a few months ago I applied to write for a Military blog/website that shall remain nameless, and I was quite surprised when they told me that my blog wasn't 'Military focused enough' for their liking. Um...Essssqueeeeze me? I feel like I overdo it talking about military life AND I was offering my services for their site. Not mine.

I'm pretty sure they didn't even visit my blog, because you all know my world revolves around Will and therefore the military, but even if they did they could have at least asked for a writing sample or given me a chance. I was offering to write for FREE for gosh sakes. I've been turned down countless times, but when it's by other military spouses telling me that I'm not 'military enough', it's pretty hurtful. They claim to be an amazing site for military families to provide support, but they don't practice what they preach.




Maybe I let it bother me too much, but when Lauren and Jo mentioned that we should all speak out against spouse shaming, this was the first thing that came to mind. It's just an example of how some spouses have this hierarchy that they judge all MilSpouses by and it bothers me. We should all be supporting each other instead of comparing rank, claiming one branch is better than another, judging others for not having kids (and vice versa), labeling anyone a dependapotomous, or telling someone that they aren't 'military enough'.

I dedicate this to ALL the wonderful military spouses I know. I try to answer all military related questions and probably offer up more advice than I should, but I want to make sure that I can share my knowledge and love in the way that I've been shown. However, I would also like to thank all of you reading because your kind words and support help me more than you know. This life isn't easy, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.

A Lot Has Changed In Ten Years

At the reunion, our President had all kinds of goodies: Yearbooks, pictures from our last week of school, and these fabulous 'time capsule' questionnaires that we filled out high on hormones life and dreaming of freedom.

I giggled as I read the back of the envelope, "In 10 years I will be living in South Florida, having already started my career. I might be married, but I hopefully won't have kids yet." I had it all figured out, huh? I can say that a lot of my questionnaire still rings true, though.

What are your favorite phrases or sayings? Peace. For real. Don't be bitter.
Where is your favorite hangout? The beach
What is your favorite song? Anything by Sublime
What is your favorite Movie? Life Is Beautiful
If you could have any car what would it be? Elanor

How many children do you want to have? Two
Who will become President of the United States? Me, Janna
Who will be the wealthiest? Me! Just kidding
Where will you be working in ten years? My grandmother's company.

This life is completely different than my 18 year old young self expected, but when you let go...things can turn out better than you've ever dreamed. I don't really believe the whole 'these are the best days of our lives' nonsense. At every stage of my life I have enjoyed it to my fullest. Sure, I still have a long way to go, but I don't plan on ever settling for less than an adventure.

Childhood Memories of Pet Squirrels AND The Time The FBI Interrogated Me

I recently saw a story about a guy that rescued a squirrel and how 'amazing' it was. To this I say, been there, DONE that. I found an orphaned baby squirrel when I was little, and of course I made him my pet. My grandpa built a cage that allowed him to go in and out, while keeping predators away, and he actually stuck around. He could forage for his own food and be free, but when he saw me he'd come a runnin', and we would play or he'd watch tv on my shoulder.

I love that my grandma still has the following hanging on her fridge, and in case you've ever wondered- yes, my head has always been bigger than my body.

Now let's fast forward to seventeen year old Janna working in a jewelry store. It seemed like the perfect summer- piece of cake-job...until the FBI showed up to my house. Imagine my surprise when they informed me that I had been accused of stealing half a million in jewelry. Thankfully they had an ounce of brain power, because they thought that seemed a tidge fishy. But still, can you imagine the FBI questioning you in front of your grandmother? She told them her grandchildren want for nothing, and more importantly, I wasn't getting much off the Black Market if I still had to ask for pocket change to got to the movies. Long story short, the very same woman from the boutique that had accused me turned out to be the real thief. That charlatan had worked there for years and had been pocketing jewels for just as many!

At the time, I didn't find it funny. Luckily, now I can look back and it's as entertaining to share as my pet squirrel. Linking up with Helene! {I'm on a roll}

Blogtober Roundup #1

I will never blog every day within a month, but I do enjoy the prompts and fellowship of blog challenges. Luckily, there is no rule against combining the prompts as I see fit.



+ Dream job when I was little:

Well, other than wanting to be a famous singer, I've been a 'writer' as long as I can remember. When I was a kid, there was no doubt in my mind that I would be the next Carolyn Keene.

+ One thing I can't live without:

There should be no doubt in anyone's mind that my dear William is the only thing I can't live without. We have the kind of love that transcends all, and even when he is away for training or deployed he's still in my heart and a part of me. I also made him promise that I could die first, because I don't EVER want to live without him.

+ Favorite photo on Instagram:
I happen to think all of my IG pictures are the cat's meow, but here is one that just speaks to my soul. You mix the right angle, colors, and my love for the beach, and it's a winner!

Loading

Home.

View on Instagram

+ Fall Bucket List:

Drive In Theater...check.
Homemade Applebutter...double check.
New Fall Family Pictures {Preferably in a cotton field somewhere}
Family Reunion
Ten Year High School Reunion
Epic Halloween Shindig
Football, and specifically Florida/Georgia trip to J-Ville
Dothan Peanut Festival

Mostly, I will be relishing in the fact that we won't be getting any snow. Coloradans are already cranking their heaters, while we throw open the doors and windows to welcome a 'cold front'. Technically we don't throw them, but you get the picture. Is it cold where you live?

Things I Should Be Ashamed Of, But I'm Not

Confessions and guilty pleasures are pretty similar in my book, and this is especially true because I don't feel guilty for anything. Why should we feel guilty for things that make us happy? I guess that's kind of the point of blogging about guilty pleasures; the more we embrace them, the less stigma they have.

Confession
...I may be the only person in the world that DVR's 7th Heaven. I loved the show back in high shool, and I love it even more now. It's like revisiting old friends that you can always laugh and cry with- no judgement. Great life lessons too. Seriously.

...I know that I don't need new clothes or shoes, but I still find reasons to shop. I guess I do feel a little guilty for materialistic reasons, but at least I'm using my allowance and I still sell/donate old clothes too. I wish I could say that this is all of it, but I take up the whole Master closet too. Whoops.

...Hobby Lobby is like crack to me. I walk in those doors and could get lost for hours. Yesterday, I had to stop myself from buying Christmas decorations because I don't even know what I have stored. Talk about jumping the gun.

...I have cut my workouts down to 30 minute at home workouts. I may never see my abs again, but at least I'm consistent. I always go through phases so this could change again, but I'm not complaining. I feel like this is a much more realistic regimen for health vs. unrealistic goals.

...Speaking of never seeing my abs, I have never met a Chimichanga I didn't like. We tried a new Mexican restaurant last week, and even though we were trying to be 'healthy', I ordered the Chimichanga appetizer. Appetizer calories don't count, right?  If you are ever in the Dothan area, check out Cactus Flower for awesome 'California style Mexican'.

The last confession is more of a PSA turned novel. I don't care about the Facebook Messenger hullabaloo, but the Faebook/Instagram  problem is pissing me off. Ever since Facebook bought Instagram I have had a horrible time sharing photos between the two apps. I don't share every photo, so it wasn't a priority to figure it out, but I finally had to sit down and sleuth it out. It's not because you tag people in your photo, it's not something you need to change on Facebook,or any other lame reason I came across. It's within your Instagram settings!

But for reference, I won't be installing the FB Messenger app. I couldn't care less about all the rumors going around, I just don't want to give up more room on my phone for an app I would use once in a blue moon. No thanks. Now you should wish me luck as I try to put my house back in order. I kind of want to go back to work just to pay someone else to clean. Boy that sounds lazy, but maybe one day...one day ;)

While The Boys Are Away, The Girls Will Play

I planned on sharing some of my favorite products today, but that just wasn't where my heart was. Maybe it's that Will is gone or perhaps I'm just feeling cheesy, but my 'Favorite' today, is the community that I've found here in Enterprise. You see, this situation we are in- a small town, tight community, hard curriculum, and unknown territory for us all- lends itself to creating a bond that I never expected. Just as our soldiers are experiencing this process of becoming Pilots, we wives are having to adjust and learn as well. I know their bonding is happening in the field, but ours is happening over arts and crafts and wine nights.

One of my 'favorite' nights was our craft night with our FRG {Family Readiness Group}. You give me chocolate and a paint brush, and I will be your best friend. If our last FRG had done so, perhaps I would have been a lot more involved *winkwink. But seriously, we have so much fun together that it should be illegal.

Flight Class 14-014

I am truly blown away by our time in Enterprise so far, and I can't wait to see what the next year or so holds for us. Only THREE more days and I get my soldier back!! He's obviously my other favorite ;) Forever and always ha has no choice.

My Not-So-Nine-To-Five

My boss is a slave driver. He's demanding, sexist, needy, dirty, and makes me work long hours. He's so lucky that taking care of him is the best job I've ever had.

Since beginning this 'new job', I've realized that household duties are not 9-5 like I thought. I assumed that I would get the domestic duties, shopping, meal prep, laundry, etc. all done in time to put on lipstick and meet my hardworking hubby at the door, but boy was I wrong. Instead, laundry is usually done at night when Will needs something particular for work the next day, dinner always takes longer than I anticipate, making his lunch for the next day happens in the dark of night, and I clean whenever the urge strikes even nights and weekends. It's a really good thing I've always operated on a different and flexible schedule. I guess I could try to be superwoman like some of you and organize my time better, but that seems like a job in itself and I think being flexible is the only way I can get everything done and still have my sanity. Oh, and Will does the dishes. That's the other key to my sanity ;)

My boss does give me time for myself, which we have seen manifest itself into a Pinterest fest. Blogging also takes up a large part of my free time, and yet I'm still not able to do it as much as I projected. I had lofty goals of blogging five to six days a week again and commenting on every blog I love every.single.day, but I still can't figure out how some of you do it. Like Helene and Jen...how the heck do they comment on hundreds of blogs a day and have time to reply to every comment on their blog? Nope, not gonna happen over here. I'll just go finish another Pinterest project, like the following:

In closing, my not-so-9to5 is including, but not limited to, nutritionist, secretary, sexetary, maid, chef, personal shopper, and pseudo-psychiatrist. Basically, I have the best job ever, and I have zero room to complain. I'll probably get a 'real' job in the future, but for now I'm livin' large, and Will sure isn't complaining!

Sometimes You Feel Like A Nut...

Do you ever just not feel yourself? I'm pretty sure my problem has to do with new birth control I was on, but dang, I feel like I'm on a roller coaster. I'm feeling delusional, I've been on the verge of sickness for a week, and I have no appetite. Normally, I would be happy without any cravings, but instead, I'm eating crap food because it's all I feel I want to get down. I obviously stopped taking it now that I think it's the problem, but sheesh. Why can't they just make medicine without side effects? It's a racket, I tell ya. At least I think I've kept it together pretty well considering...I just remind myself that this is chemically induced and NOT the real me.

Allow me to vent, if you will...

+ I feel like crud after falling off the healthy wagon, but it's still pretty delish. At least my go to fast foods aren't really that bad...Chik-Fil-A is practically health food and the gyros I'm addicted to fall into the 'Mediterranean' diet category. If they are wrong, then I don't want to be right.

+ I love braiding my hair because it feels like cheating. I love the way they look, but they are so easy. I finally found a side braid that I like, so I'm pretty much going to wear it out of style.

+ We swore we wouldn't ever have Direct TV, USAA, buy the new Xbox One for full price, or cheat on Costco with Sam's Club, and yet now we have committed all of these indiscretions in a two month span. I feel dirty.

+ I spent $90 on Tupperware, and I don't even feel bad about it. In my defense, I got most of it B1G1, and I'm pretty excited about the Fridge Smart Containers. I can't stand throwing away produce, so hopefully these will help with that and save me a few trips to the store.

+ I don't have a conclusion today, I just hope that this medicine gets out of my system quickly, and I hope that it really is the issue. I just want to be normal again. I like normal.

You can't expect to be old & wise if you were never young & crazy. author unknown, probably crazy.

Linking up with Kathy!

These Are My Confessions

...I was supposed to post Will's graduation recap today. However, I've spent so much time piecing together the video that I still haven't finished the actual recap. Whoops.

...Will dreamt I was pregnant and I'm not entirely sure he was wrong. Don't freak out, though. I pretty much always think I'm knocked up.

...I can't wait for Nashville tonight. Wednesdays are adult TGIF for me.

...I've been taking Buzzfeed Quizzes on the DL. Apparently I've read more books than 95% of the population, I'm a Disney freak, I don't 'hate people', and I'm going to rule the world. The best, though, was how I don't have enough First World Problems. True story.

...I now want pizza.

...I'm completely off my eating schedule and have had a fierce sweet tooth!

...I'm secretly enjoying a workout hiatus. I'm still doing the #1800MinuteChallenge, but my shins are giving me trouble, and I'm not about to injure myself more by pushing too hard. I listen to my body when it tells me to slow down.

...I tried a fancy braid, which was a total fail.

I mean, if you look at it from either side, then sure it's okay, but from the front/top, I just see a lump of hair. Either I'm doing it wrong or my head just wasn't made for this style.

...I actually suck at hair. Hence why it's usually straight.

...I confess that I love you all, and I don't know where I'd be without all of you ;)

Linking up with Vodka And Soda!!

The Real Military Wives Of Blogland...We Ball So Hard

Today is one of the most exciting days of this Military life we live, because the day of Will's WOCS graduation is officially here! That also makes today the perfect time to celebrate the life we live with Samantha and Mallory, as they try to break the stereotypes that we Military Spouses are inundated with. As Sam puts it, Most people think military wife? You must be overweight, cheat on your husband, have 800 kids, and wed straight out of high school. Yes, this applies to some people I've come across during my time as a military spouse but majority of the time, this couldn't be further from the truth.

Those of you that have been around here for awhile know that Will and I don't fit into any of those stereotypes, and those of you that are new? Well, let me tell you a bit about our story. Meet Mr. Bogert via 2010 Basic training...

But really, we should go back a bit farther than that. I am originally from Pensacola, Florida, and I wanted to get the heck out of that 'Military town', heading straight to Florida Atlantic University post high school. About two years in, I happened to work with a cute boy named Will, and whodathunk, my life changed forever. He always knew that he wanted to be in the military, and I always knew I never wanted to leave Florida or date a military guy, so obviously, we were a match made in heaven.

Long story short, after two years of dating, I was ready to sign my life away right along with him, so he enlisted, he put a ring on it, and we eloped surprising no one.  Since then, we've been stationed in Georgia, Colorado, and now Alabama, and {other than the actual moving process} we love every minute of it. One day we may have kids, but for now? Raising my 29 year old man-child  and six year old fur-child are MORE than enough.

Now, we are only supposed to share one thing that we wish people knew about being a military spouse, but I could share pages worth of 'things' you should know. In order to maintain brevity, you should check out 35 Things We Want Civilians To Know, and then I'll just tell you that when you truly love someone, it doesn't matter where they work, where you will have to move, or how much time you will have apart. Sure, I could pick a guy that had a stable job, but there is no one else in the world I could love the way I love him. Somedays, I feel like I was meant to be a military spouse, and others, I was just meant to be his wife. I live a life I swore I wanted no part of, and now I wouldn't trade it for the world. You either satisfy your heart or your brain, but you really can't be happy unless you lead with your heart.

At the end of the day, we are just two people in love that live for each other. Take away the Military, the deployments, the stress of this high speed life, and we are no different from anyone else. The funny thing is, I wouldn't have picked this life six years ago, but now... I don't think I could ever go back to a 'normal' life. Home is where your heart is, and right now this #milspouse is heading to watch her heart become a Warrant Officer!

Wish me luck that I don't fall on stage when I pin on his new rank ;)

The Dog Isn't A Big Talker, But He Can Hold A Paintbrush

Just kidding, I wish I had a video of Weiser painting, but other than stealing a paintbrush off the table, I don't believe he's the next blind-painting dog. However, he is a great listener. I talk to him every time Will is gone, he just doesn't usually talk back. Usually. That's what's good about blogging, even though I'm technically talking to myself, you all leave sweet little comments and inspiration to keep me sane. In case I don't say it enough...thanks for that, and thanks to Shanna for allowing me to be random on Wednesdays.

+ We still haven't fully unpacked {go figure}, and I keep taking on new tasks before finishing others. I assured Will that I would have the house together before he graduates since all the family will be in town, but I'm going to have to buckle down and quit taking on new projects before I finish the last. I did finish the following, though. I decided I hated having these gorgeous photos of our loved ones stuck randomly all over the fridge, so I painted some frames, added magnets, and voila...

I already had the paint, so I just bought some cheap frames from Big Lots and Goodwill, and now I have a lovely de-cluttered fridge. Just call me Miss Crafty.

+ I've been writing A LOT. I joined a 30 Day Writing Challenge, and it's been quite inspirational. I've been a writer all my life, including having a poem published when I was twelve, and now I actually have time to do it. So far it's mostly been a journal {because I have no one to talk to}, but it's been sprinkled with some pretty deep stuff. I actually chose to do the challenge, because I wanted to create a habit of writing every day. Obviously, I'm creating content for the blog everyday, but I want to make sure I write for myself too. I think it's very important we remember to write for US.

+I mowed with a gas mower all by myself! Do you know how hard it is to hold the handle down and toggle the gas by the engine when you have short arms? Let me tell you, someone should have recorded me using cement blocks and practically pulling my arm out of socket. For a mere $45 smackers, I could have avoided this situation, but we all know I will take that $45 to my grave. HashtagI'mcheap. We actually entertained the idea of paying someone to do pest control, lawn care, yadda yadda, but I just can't bring myself to do it. We are young, able-bodied, and not lazy, so I think we should keep doing these things ourselves. Plus, I'd much rather have all that mon-ay chilling in the bank than in someone else's pocket. In two years, we will have saved ourselves about $2,000 on top of all the other stuff we do. Cha-ching. We've gotten our savings to where I want it to be, and I'll be damned to take money out for superfluous things.

I really need to write up a post about how we've been saving money, and how I've been making extra money. I'm feeling pretty good about how we've started out this adventure of me not 'working'. The World is my oyster, and I want to share my pearls.
Would you like some of my pearls?

No-Guilt Homemade 100 Calorie Brownies And Some Other Stuff

When you go home to invade your parents house for two weeks with a dog in tow, you pretty much have to bring baked goods. If you happen to be trying to teach your family how to eat healthy, then sneaking veggies, protein, and cutting out the bad stuff is the way to go, and the following recipe will blow their mind.

However, if you are like me and usually don't want to share, but feel guilty about eating the whole pan, THESE are for you! The entire 8x8 pan doesn't even contain a thousand calories, so a decent size slice only has 100 healthy calories. Yep, that's right...most brownies have 300+ calories, and these only have 100!

1 Can Black Beans  ||  1 Banana {Frozen works best}
1 Small Sweet Potato {Uncooked, cut into pieces}
3/4 C. Sweetener {Sugar, Splenda, Agave, etc.}
1/4 C. Coconut Oil { or 2TBSP Coconut Oil and 2 TBSP Coconut Butter}
1/3 C. Cocoa Powder  ||  1 TBSP Vanilla
2 TBSP Boiling hot water  ||  1 TBSP Applesauce
1/2 tsp Instant Coffee {more if you want a strong coffee taste}
1/4 tsp Salt  ||  1/4 tsp Baking Powder  ||  1/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 C. Carob or Chocolate Chips {Optional}

Preheat oven to 375.
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until it is a batter consistency. Bake for about an hour. Top will split apart, but that's okay. You just want to make sure the middle has solidified. 1/9th of the pan is approximately 100 calories, and even when you use the chocolate chips, it only gets up to 135.

It may seem like a lot of ingredients, but I made it up using ingredients I already had. That means you can play with it too. Personally, I think they are PERFECT, but you could put your own spin on it, if you are so inclined. I change every recipe I've ever used, so I can't blame you. I can officially say that the whole family approves of them, which was as surprising to me as it was to them. I call it a win.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hey...another linkup!
I pretty much always have a journal and I enjoy sharing little moments, so I think Kate's Daily Diaries is a pretty good idea. A lot of people do a weekly recap, so this gives you a great little way to connect and review with others. She's actually a Brit that lives in Germany, so maybe I just want to participate because she's so cool, and I'm enamored with her life.

Monday...

+My dad and my aunt spend Mondays at grandma's, so grandma made us lunch and then we weeded her garden. We're talkin' in the dirt, gloves on, pullin' roots, and getting ant bites- weeding. Perhaps weeding isn't a big deal for everyone, but I'm not a big gardener {I tend to kill anything that grows} and it was so fun to sit and chat it up with my aunt while we did it.

Tuesday...

+First workout of the #1800MinuteChallenge! I actually have a lot going on in my mind about working out, healthy eating, and the transition I'm in, but that will have to wait for another day. All you need to know, is that you should jump on the bandwagon and join us! It's so fun having all the support and motivation.

+I had lunch with a girl that I was born and raised with, I was a witness when she eloped, and have been through thick and thin together. I love that we think so much alike and will always be friends. You can't say that about a lot of people, because you never know what life holds. With Carmela, I know.

+That evening, I spent traipsing around town following my brother and two photographers while they captured his senior pictures. I mostly carried the equipment, but I also learned a lot from them and had fun with my baby brother. I still can't believe he's graduating.

Wednesday...

+Poor Weezy boo-boo was sick. He always gets a tummy ache while Will is gone, so it might have been separation anxiety or maybe he got into something. Either way, Grandma and I babied him and now he's better.

+Took grandma to get her car serviced. The guy only charged her $26.94 for a full service, and then only took $26. Obviously, I get my charm and hustlin' skills from her ;)

+Talked to Will! No explanation necessary.

Thursday...

+Picked up PB2 and chocolate tea trying to get my family to make healthy substitutions, which was followed by making dinner with the family. I snuck in BBQ cauliflower and they didn't hate it...Baby steps!

Friday...

+Going to volunteer at the 30th Annual Gulf Coast Regional Mustang Show! Mustangs are a pretty big deal in my family, so I'm happy to be home for it.

Everyone have a great weekend! If you go make yo'self some brownies, I know you will, and I'm positive I will, because I get to see my handsome soldier. Adios amigos!

Confession: I Was Once A Stripper

I have a major blog crush on Kathy from Vodka And Soda, so I decided to have a little confess sesh with her. Plus it always feel good to have a little confession.

I confess...I was an English major, but I couldn't teach you how to use grammar. My major mostly focused on Literature, so I could read and I write a damn good research paper {IMO}, but if you asked me to break down the nouns/adjectives/adverbs, past participles, or sentence structure I use, I would not be smarter than a fifth grader. I have saved my textbooks from ENC101-02, which means there is hope. One day, I will refresh those old skills that I bluffed my way through.

I confess... I found wine from my favorite vineyard in Napa and bought six bottles, and then saw my favorite ketchup at Kooter Brown's and stole one. Yep, you read that right...I took that ish from the table and stuffed it in my purse. Basically, I'm a lush that enjoys her lycopene. I guess you could say I'm a tidge bit of a ketchup freak that usually uses Heinz, but I just can't say no to Monarch Ketchup!

I confess... I had more fun with my Grandma at the senior center than I have in a long while. I mean, the sex talks made me blush, but as they pointed out- I'm married too.

I confess... I still run to Grandma's house when I'm having a bad day. It's THE best thing in the world, and I spent a whole day last week with BOTH Grandmas. It will go down in history as one of the best days of my life.

And last, but not least...

I confess... I was once a stripper. You see, someone at the grocery store once put a quarter in my diaper, and apparently, I got a kick out of it. From then on, all the cashiers would pass baby-me around and fill my diaper with change each time we visited the grocery store. Dad said he made out like a bandit, and just made sure my diaper was a fresh one before we went in. Don't hate the playa hate the game.

Poor Maddy will have to find some other way to pay for college, because she doesn't like ANYTHING in her diaper. Little miss priss is lucky she's so darn cute ;)

What's on your mind to confess? It's okay if you confess you want to steal Maddy. I wouldn't judge you for it, because I want to take her back to Enterprise with me ;)