Archive for the year 2013
My New Flip Flops
Posted on September 15, 2013 by Ching under Shopping.
When I was at Beau Monde getting my waxing yesterday, I noticed that they had lots of products (mostly summer items) marked down to 40%, 50% and even 75%. As luck would have it, I found flip flops, that matched my Sorbet Spots smart phone wallet, for just $5. I couldn’t pass it up. LOL.
The flip flops also match the small duffel and cross body bag that I got earlier to take with me to 2013 Zumba Instructor Convention in Orlando. I didn’t even get to use either of them so they’re still unused and in storage.
Once I started packing, I realized that the duffel bag was too small because I had to pack a costume, etc. If I was just packing for three or four days of working out, that wouldn’t have been a problem. However, I was packing for workouts and parties. There were several people at the ZIN Soiree with really elaborate costumes and props. I can’t imagine what their bags must have looked like.
The cross body bag idea got nixed when I found out that we were getting these nice Zumba backpacks at convention because I wouldn’t need my cross body bag then. So the only piece of the whole Sorbet Spots collection that I’ve been using is the wallet and I’m not even going to be using it much longer. Since summer is technically over, it’s about to be retired.
Perhaps next summer I’ll get more use out of these really colorful bags. I doubt that I’ll be wearing all of them together simultaneously though because that would just be overkill; not to mention look ridiculous. LOL. As for the flip flops, I know that summer is over but I had to get them. They were only $5. Besides, Brian and I have been traveling a lot lately. I can bring them with me when I travel so I don’t have to walk barefoot on hotel carpets and they will bring me happiness and sunshine wherever I go. I just know it!
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MaMac’s Peach Cobbler Recipe
Posted on September 15, 2013 by Ching under Family, Food and Drink.
We had a full day of Brubakers today. First, we had grandma over for brunch. I had a waxing appointment at Beau Monde so I just picked her up from her place on my way home. Brian had our wonderful breakfast spread ready by the time we arrived.
Later that day Brian’s parents stopped by to borrow the pickup truck. We figured they would come back to return the truck so Brian made dinner for us. Donna brought the ingredients for MaMac’s peach cobbler so she could show me how to make it.
It’s actually really easy to make. I’m posting the recipe here for you guys and also so that I won’t ever forget it.
1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup self-rising flour
3/4 cup milk28 oz can of peaches in heavy syrup (drain and reserve the syrup because you’ll need it later)
1 tablespoon cinnamon
4 tablespoons sugar
- Place butter in 9 X 13 pan. Place pan in oven approximately 5-7 minutes so that the butter melts. Remove from oven.
- Mix sugar, flour, and milk. The batter will be lumpy but that’s okay. Pour batter into the buttered pan.
- Spoon peaches over the batter. Pour peach syrup over the peaches and batter. Do not mix or stir.
- Mix sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle mixture on top.
- Bake in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes to an hour (or until done). Ovens will vary so remember to check periodically.
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Serendipity
Posted on September 14, 2013 by Ching under Movies.
I showed Brian this TED talk today…
And then tonight when his parents came over for dinner they brought Now You See Me
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Life and Debt: How We Got Here
Posted on September 14, 2013 by Ching under Life.
Larry Winget
Anyway, I listen to pros like Dave Ramsey
Brian and I haven’t carried any credit card debt for about seven years. We pay our credit cards (we used to only have one, but now I have one that I specifically use for my Amazon purchases because I shop on Amazon quite a bit) off to zero each month because we don’t believe in paying any interest. Interest is money you pay that gets you nothing. Blech. If I could have gotten around paying mortgage interest, I would have. But who does that? The only way to pay cash for a house is to either win the lottery or buy a mobile home. LOL.
We haven’t had a car payment for about five years. When we bought my car in 2006, we financed it through Toyota Financial who charged 4% interest over a 60 month term. I wasn’t about to have that so we paid off the car as soon as we could. It took a couple of years. When we bought Brian’s ’04 little Mazda truck in 2007, we didn’t finance it at all. It was used so we just wrote a check for it.
Even though my student loans had very low interest, I still didn’t like it so we paid them all off earlier this year. Our goal was actually to pay them off in 2012, but Christmas happened so we missed making our goal by a couple of months.
Monthly payments tie you down. No car payments, no more student loans, and no credit card debt means Brian and I have more freedom to do the things we really want to do because we’re not wasting money on interest. Believe it or not, at one point in our lives (about ten years ago) we were paying over $600 a month on interest between various creditors. Never again.
Anyway, we don’t follow any one philosophy. We read and listen and watch and we do what makes sense for us. Here’s a funny one from Larry Winget.
This video made me reconsider having a gym membership. At one point Brian and I had four different gyms we could workout at — we were members of both Genesis and our local YMCA and our wellness center at my work and our apartment complex had a pretty good gym at the apartment clubhouse. Seriously. Now that Brian and I have our finances under control (read: no more debt) we have relaxed our spending a little. We are still very frugal in a lot of ways, though.
Brian and I realize that we have gotten a bit too relaxed over the last couple of years and we need to start following our budget more strictly. We are still putting money away in savings, but not as much as we could if we were really putting our heart and soul into it as we did back in the days when we were trying to get out of debt.
The first step was to trade our pricey Genesis Health Clubs gym membership for a cheaper alternative. Enter the YMCA. This also helps me because as a YMCA member, I saved $100 on the 8-week land instructor training that I started this week. Although, I’m thinking, why stop there? Our YMCA membership cost us almost $600 for the year (we prefer to pre-pay on things as much as possible because we don’t like monthly commitments) but my membership to the gym at my work only cost $240 for both me and Brian. So I’ve decided not to renew our YMCA membership when it expires next year. I think Brian is on board with that. Besides, if I teach at least two classes a month there I get my membership for free anyways. And isn’t that part of the plan? That’s why I’m sacrificing eight weeks of my life to get certified as YMCA instructor.
Speaking of plans, those who know us know that we are planners. We are constantly setting and achieving goals. I think Dave Ramsey has a quote that goes, “If you aim at nothing you will hit it every time.” That is so true. I’m really kind of anal about my goal setting. I reflect on my life at least once a year (sometimes every few months) to see how I’m doing relative to my goals and I’m not satisfied if I don’t see any personal or professional growth of some sort. Luckily for me, that hasn’t been the case over the last decade so I’m trucking along the somewhat predictable path that I’ve created.
Sometimes we obliterate our goals (like when I finished my MBA in two years while holding a full-time job and when we set a three-year goal to buy our house after moving to the townhouse in 2010 and we did it in less time), sometimes we miss them (like when my student loans took longer to pay off than we anticipated); however, one thing remains constant. We are always setting goals.
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Taste & See
Posted on September 13, 2013 by Ching under Food and Drink.
Some coworkers and I had lunch at Taste & See today to vet them for a work function next week. It was really Amy and Faith’s thing but I ended up inviting myself because I had the connection. I was joining them so I could make the introduction. That, and who would pass up Taste & See? Seriously.
Anyway, Mel ended up joining us and then the four of us peer pressured Isaac into going. LOL. It’s been a while since I’d had a fun work lunch like that. I’m really grateful that they let me crash their lunch.
Amy seemed to really enjoy her gaucho churrasco steak. She thought it had great flavor. Mel had a bite of it and thought it was a little chewy. I figured it was the cut of the meat, but she had other theories. She said that it was a strip-lion (instead of strip-loin). I’m pretty sure it’s beef. We’d have had to pay extra for that exotic stuff. LOL.
Faith had the ceviche tacos, which she loved. Her meal came with a side of Chef Jason’s delicious hummus.
I had the ultimate paella, which lived up to its name. It was the ultimate blend of mussels, shrimp, scallops, sausage, and chicken. Yum!
Isaac got the real Cubano, which is the only thing he ever gets at Taste & See. I can’t blame him. It’s really good. It’s actually Brian’s favorite there as well.
Mel had the oceanic mac and cheese, which is my other favorite at Taste & See. Except she found the sauce too rich and was disappointed that it was made with linguini instead of macaroni. Though I think they’re just using the term “mac” to loosely represent the pasta portion of the dish.
We had to sample the dessert, of course. Amy loved the nutellini. I think that’s what it’s called. They’re like banana lollipops.
My favorite, the cuatro leches cake, didn’t fare as well. It’s delicious but it was outshined by the s’mores pie thing. Isaac liked it so much that he actually asked about ordering a pan for his family of four. LOL.
I think the best part of the s’mores thing, besides actually eating it, is watching them torch it. LOL. Though, I think Isaac would have preferred to do it himself probably.
Everyone seemed to enjoy their meal overall. I think Faith is sold. The fact that the chef is “easy on the eyes” (not my words, but I wouldn’t disagree) is just a bonus.
The biggest downside is the location which is kind of far and not really in the best part of town, but I think it will be worth the drive for the group. At least it’s something different. I’m sure many of the people who will be attending the meeting next week have never been.
The only thing that could’ve made this a better fit would have been if the Old Town location was already open because then it would be walking distance from the meeting. The new location is still under construction, though. Chef Jason keeps posting progress pics to get everyone amped. I know I am. I can’t wait for the new location to open.
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