A Successful First Week

Well I've been open for just over a week now. I was able to secure 4 sales which is amazing. It's really hard to put your work out there and when somebody actually likes it enough to purchase it the feeling is indescribable. I have wanted this for so long and it's finally happening. I've been working really hard but I'm really happy. Yay!

What I've been up to

Unabashedly Ashley! Where have you been all this time? You just dropped off the face of the planet without a trace. That was very unkind of you!

Yes, I apologize to all my fabulous blogger friends. My disappearance was rude. I was out trying to better myself and I needed to concentrate on a few things. So, what was I up to? I'm glad you asked.

1) I finished levels 0 & 1 in my French classes. I start level 2 at the end of August when I return to school.

2) This:

http://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/TonicAndLimeDesigns

What?!?! I opened my shop! My dream came true. It's been a lot of hard work and concentration. I just opened it a few days ago. I still have a TON of stock to upload but it's a great start. I'm so happy and excited to be at this point finally.

I'm still going to check in here sometimes and of course keep up with all of you on your blogs. You're like my mini internet family and I love you.

If you can't find me here I'll be on my FB page:

https://www.facebook.com/TonicAndLimeDesigns

On Pinterest:

http://pinterest.com/toniclimedesign/tonic-and-lime-designs/

Or in my shop as listed above! I'm so elated to share this with you guys. A little bit of shameless self promo never hurt anyone right? So if you're interested check me out and if you're Mr.Grumps at me for checking out I apologize.

Love Unabashed!

Updates

Hello All,

It appears as though I've abandoned this blog. For that I feel bad. I've just felt up to my ears in so many things lately that blogging seems the last thing on my mind. I miss you guys though. I thought I'd put together a little post of randomness.

* I'm starting to do better at school. I can form small sentences and communicate about 20% of what I want to say. I'm understanding when fellow students talk to me most of the time. I feel comfortable at school. My reading and writing is much better than my listening and speaking but I am very visual so I expected this.

* My sister has decided she wants to be married sooner than what I can be back home for because I'll still be in school so instead I'll be just attending the reception in August.

* My godson has tried to come far to early. My best friend was hospitalized over a week ago and they are hoping she can hold out until the end of the month. They are both ok but this has been a very stressful situation. I'm thinking of her constantly and sending her good vibes.

* I desperately want to move but BF refuses to move until summer 2014 which he says is when we'll be moving into our own home. This is a constant source of tension for us right now. I'm very unhappy where we are living and it really doesn't serve us well to be here for many reasons. *sigh*

* I've ordered my shipping supplies for my company and once it's arrived I'll be ready to open up shop. Very exciting and scary at the same time.

So tell me the latest and greatest with you. I've been trying to slowly make the rounds and check in on everybody. I miss all your stories and insight. xoxo

Something Fun

I feel bad for not blogging lately so here is a little something to make you laugh.

It's My Honor

I logged onto Facebook this morning to find a message from my sister. Since I've moved and haven't set up a phone line yet it's normal for me to communicate with my siblings this way most of the time. I clicked on it thinking it would probably be some info about coconut as my sister has recently discovered a new allergy. Instead I was moved to tears.

She is thinking of getting married this summer in our hometown and has asked me if I would be the Maid of Honor. I am so touched! My sister and I were very close when I was younger but have had some rough patches over the years. She also has two other sisters from her fathers side. So I was super taken aback that she chose me. It really means a lot. 

Of course I replied yes right away and have put in a request to throw a bridal shower/bachelorette for her. She didn't do either of these things for her previous marriage but I'm hoping she'll let me plan something this time. I really want to do something extra special for her. 

She is having a very simple ceremony and I'm ready to help her put it together. I've already sent her a bunch of links because I've been looking into something similar for BF and I. This is so exciting. I can't wait for my visit home in the summer!

*****

Update: She's getting married next summer, not this one. I sent her a bazillion links to which she sweetly replied that maybe I could calm down a little since it's over a year away. LoL. I was hoping to do something similar next summer so we'll have to see how things go. I don't want to step on any toes. 

Up To My Ears

Seems like time is just flying by and there's just not enough of it in a day. I haven't even opened yet, still prepping, and I'm super busy all the time. I'm just trying to be as ready as I can and stay organized. It's quite amazing all the things you must master to have your own business. I'm slowly getting there.

So for right now my posts will be scattered and random. Sorry guys :(

My Godchild

I am not sure if I mentioned this on my blog yet but my best friend is pregnant with her first child. I am so excited for her as I know this is something she's wanted for a very long time. She is having a boy which is also something she wanted. Of course all mothers are happy with whatever they are gifted with but I was happy she got what she hoped for.

When she told me she was pregnant I had to keep it a secret for awhile because she was waiting until she was past the first trimester before telling anyone. Right away though she told me something very special. She told me that she talked to the father and said that they wanted me to be the Godmother. Even though I'm not a religious person she wants me to hold that special title. I think of it as more of a special person in their life that is there to be an extra mentor and support for the child.

I've been doing a little shopping here and there to pick out things for the baby. This week she got one of my gifts in the mail. I sent her some of my favorite classic children's books. I sent: "Little Critter Collection Book", "The Hungry Caterpillar" and "Where The Wild Things Are". I explained that I wanted to share my love of books with the baby. It's my hope that they will snuggle as a family and read together. She told me yesterday she's already reading the books to the unborn baby which melted my heart. I also sent her my all time favorite book "Love You Forever" by Robert Munsch. It should arrive on Wednesday. That book always brings tears to my eyes. I also now know it's her favorite as well.

All this baby talk makes me think about the future. When I am cruising through the baby aisles and see all the expectant mothers glowing while picking out pieces for their new babies I can't help but smile. I wish I could be closer to my friend to help her out more. I'm in QC and she's in AB. I try to msg her a lot and let her know that I'm thinking of them. I'm just so happy for her.

Spring Break Where Are You?

So one more full week of school and then it's spring break for me. One whole week off of school and boy do I need it. I feel a lot pressure lately. I have to do lists all over the place.I was really sad when I found out I wouldn't be able to go home for the week off because of the price of flights but now I've realized I am going to need that time to just get myself organized.

BF and I have decided to put off our weekend in Ottawa. He told me if I wait an extra month or two we'll do a long weekend in New York instead. Since it's a long time desire of mine to visit "the big apple" I accepted right away. A long weekend away is just what we need.

So now I'm asking.. what's good to do/eat in New York? 

No School!!

I have no school today! Haha, I feel like a little kid on a snow day. The teachers are having meetings all day so  the students are off for the day. It's awesome. I'm planning on making the most of it.

I slept in this morning which felt great. I've been feeling exhausted lately. Just so much on my plate. I have a list of things to do today:

* Leave feedback for all my Etsy supply purchases - I've received some stuff that was not up to par. I've had this a couple times with this company and they've always fixed things but this time it was 3 separate items. I'm thinking of not purchasing from them anymore. It's just to much of a hassle even if the service is good. We'll see how they resolve this last issue before I make up my mind. I sent them an email this morning.

* Purchase domains for my company - So far I've snatched up: a Facebook page, twitter, pinterest, blog and 2 emails for my company. I think once I purchase the domains I'll be golden. At that point I'll be able to let you guys in on the name I chose.

* Email sketches of my logo to my designer. Thanks to my awesome friend Laura I have been connected with a recent design grad who is looking to expand her portfolio and has offered to do my logo in exchange for referrals and credit. How awesome is that!?!

* Spend 2 hours on my French. I have a booklet with a dvd and cd to work on at home that my teachers gave me that is in English. I've yet to crack it open yet so today is the day.

* Make a rad dinner for BF. I'm thinking my homemade chicken fingers. He loves them and we haven't had them in a while since we're both always so busy now. Then I'm going to make a chocolate cake for dessert. A little midweek pick me up ;)

* Work on some earrings and wine charms. I'm behind on getting stock ready to go. I still don't have a desk to work on so I've taken over the dining room table as my work area today. It's like working in a war zone though because I have two little furry rascals who want to jump onto the table right onto my bead trays at any given moment. They are napping right now though so I've got to work quickly. It's just like having children I swear.

* House chores. We did a MAJOR house clean on Saturday and now we're trying to keep on top of it. I've got some laundry going but I've yet to touch the dishes or tidy up at all.

*Prepare paperwork for Transunion. I found out there is an office close to us so I'm hoping we can swing by there on Friday when we have a little more time. I still have to mail in to Equifax as well. Student loan is just ridiculous  It's been a month since I called them and I still haven't received my letter from them. I bet they haven't bothered to flag my account yet either. I joined a FB group for people affected by the privacy breech so I can keep up to date on what's happening. Hearing other peoples stories makes me feel very uneasy about all of this. Especially when I've worked so hard to restore my credit and we are planning to purchase a home next year. Ugh...

So that's what I'm working on. With a million little things in between. Better get at it because it's lunch time already.

What's on your to do list today?

A Little Me Time

Today BF is heading off to watch his Habs game. I'm happy for him that he was able to have this opportunity. I know he'll enjoy himself. He's going to make it up to me tomorrow by taking me to a dim sum place that I love. He said I can pick all the dishes. (That is true love to me) We went last weekend but they were closed. My heart was broken, lol.

So tonight it will be just me and the furchildren. I think I'm going to pop open that chilled bottle of my favorite white wine in the fridge, put on some Dexter and pull out my beads. I've been feeling overwhelmed lately and haven't had a chance to let my creativity flourish. I really need to get some product ready for my opening that is only 2 short months away. Eek!

I also need to find somebody to do some work for me as in a new logo, banner, avatar and business cards. I have a fairly specific idea of what I want but don't possess the skills to pull it off myself. I did find a site where I could do a free banner. I was so proud of the one I created but when I showed BF he gave me that funny look that says "I love how cute you are when you're excited but that is lame". Hmm, ok well I'm sure I can find somebody to help me out, lol.

Oh! I just realized I also have two large envelopes full of supplies I ordered that arrived this week but I haven't had time to go through yet. THAT is fun. It's like Christmas day for a crafter. Yippee!

So what is on your agenda tonight?

Happy Anniversary

Yesterday was our 7 year anniversary. We count from the day we moved in together. It was very nice. Even though I was feeling under the weather we tried to make it special.

BF made reservations at my favorite restaurant. It's this tiny little Chinese restaurant that makes amazing food. There are NO Chinese places near our house which makes me so sad. I love this little place. It's in an area that is older and lined with amazing shops and places to eat. The interior is cozy with real tablecloths and candles lit on each table. We get to bring our own wine and I love that.

We chose a meal for 2 that lets us have a whole variety of stuff. I'm a girl who likes to try a little bit of everything. Usually when we go out BF and I will order meals we both like and share. This is how I know we're meant to be :)

Afterwards he asked if I wanted to take a nice stroll around the pretty streets all lit up with white twinkling lights. It was a joke though as it was FREEZING outside. I said I'd love to but maybe once the weather is a little bit warmer.

I had bought a nice dessert earlier in the day to share at home but once we arrived we were just so tired we went to bed. So we passed out with our two little furbabies and called it a night. I loved it.

Something big did happen at dinner though. BF said something out of the blue that brought tears to my eyes. No, it wasn't a marriage proposal. I'm not sure if I'm ready to discuss it here on the blog though. I'm kind of still processing it all. Sorry to be vague. I think I just need to spend some time sorting out my thoughts and feelings about it first. It's nothing negative. Just.. surprising.

Anyways.. we were planning to go Ottawa for the weekend but then BF was offered a ticket to join in with a few other guys to see a Habs game. Well.. I decided he must go. I mean the opportunity does not come around a lot and I knew how much it would mean to him. So I told him we'd put off the weekend trip until the first weekend of March. That way we can plan things out a little better.

So... any suggestions for what's good to do in Ottawa?

Sinus Infection

I'm home sick from school today. It really sucks cuz Fridays are the best day at school. So I'm on the couch catching up on all the happenings of my internet life. I could do without the pain from the sinus problems though. I have a pretty good idea of why it happened.

There are a LOT of smokers here. It's pretty gross. You can't go anywhere without running into people smoking. When I leave school I have to walk through what feels like a tunnel of smokers. There is literally about 40-50 people that smoke in that parking lot. I try to hold my breath but it's pretty far. People also break the rules and smoke just inside the double doors in the mall. That is where I wait for BF to pick me up every day. The smell is so bad it hits you 50 feet from the doors. Just walking through it as a nonsmoker you'd get a head rush. I try to stand back from that area and watch for him. Sometimes I go outside but it's freezing. Brr

I'm very allergic to cigarette smoke. If I'm around a smoker I will get immediate sinus problems. It really sucks. It turns out the woman I am supposed to share a locker with is a smoker. I can't keep my stuff in there because it smells awful. I asked to switch but the lockers are all taken. Between the smokers, the freezing cold temperatures and my super sensitive sinuses I think this is going to be a hard winter/spring for me.

When I had my wisdom teeth removed I was warned it could make my sinus issues worse. I don't think that it has. I think it's just the environmental issues. I'm thinking of emailing a letter to the administration of the mall regarding that doorway. It's kind of in a far off spot so I think that's why it's kind of like a hang out for teenagers. Until the new Target store goes in I think it will stay that way. Maybe if I send them a note they'll look into it. Who wants to chain smoke in a mall entrance anyways?

So that is my whiny sick post. Feel bad for me :( lol

So Tired

I sincerely apologize for my absence. I'm having a hard time adjusting to my new schedule. I used to stay up until 4am and sleep until noon. Now that I'm in school my sleeping patterns are adjusting and I'm still feeling exhausted all the time. I'm just starting my third week so I hope it kicks in soon. At least getting up in the morning is starting to not be so bad.

Here is my typical schedule now:

Wake up at 6am
Leave for school 7am
Arrive at school 8am
Wait one hour for school to start at 9am
School finishes at 3pm
Wait two hours for BF to finish work and pick me up at 5:15pm
Arrive at home at approximately 6:15pm
Prepare dinner, tidy up, prepare lunch.. feel like a zombie
Sleep

12 hour day but only 6 hours at school. 3 hours are spent waiting around because BF works 8am-5pm. 2 hours are commuting to and from school. Ugh.

Not really fun. There are a few exceptions. Tuesdays we leave at 6:20 so we can meet BF's cousins for breakfast at a restaurant before work/school. A tradition of theirs I'm now included in because I commute with BF. Everyone speaks French. I eat silently. Joy. Fridays BF gets off at 3pm so he can pick me up right away and I don't have to wait 2 hours. Woot Woot!

I'm hoping soon I'll figure this all out and become productive in some way. Stay tuned :)

Life Gets Crazy Sometimes

Hey my beautiful bloggy friends! I haven't forgot about you. This week was just more horrific "exciting" than I expected. I'll be back tomorrow to summarize for you. :)

First Day at School

Tomorrow is my first day of school. I'm feeling pretty nervous.
Where do I go?
What if people don't like me?
How I am going to survive 6 hours of French a day?
Is there going to be a microwave? I like hot lunches.

To be continued.............

I Have A New Business Name I Adore

I am the kind of person that when something is bothering me I have to fix it RIGHT NOW. I spent the whole day fretting. I had spent over 10 years with my previous business name. It was like a part of me. I like everything in perfect order so to find out I couldn't use my name of choice was heartbreaking.

I started to really think about it. Did I really love my name and logo THAT much? Could I find a name I liked better. Something more fresh? More me? That's when I started considering going with another name. Every other time I'd tried to come up with names it took months of thinking and hum hawing.

So I turned to my sister. We worked together, picked something suitable out but it was taken also. Dagnabbit! I was feeling hopeless all day. Jotting down names. Harassing my brother, sister and dear friend Nathaniel about how horrible the Etsy name game was. Just overall miserable.

Then a name hit me. BOOM. I loved it. Now some people were advising me to go with something descriptive and that let people know what I'm doing. For example : Ashley's Accessories. While that is perfectly fine I felt that if I was going to shake things up I really wanted to give it some sauce.

I searched my new name and didn't find a single thing linked to it. After a full day of searching this was a first. I needed somebody to give me the push. That little bit of confidence that I was headed the right way. So I'm pm'd Laura because I knew she'd understand me. She instantly gave me the exact response I needed.

I clicked onto the Etsy site.. inputted the name and it was mine. Hallelujah!

I happy danced all over the place. I found a name that I truly adore. It's fun, funky and best of all it's mine.

I can't tell you how relieved I am to have found it. I feel like this was all meant to happen and now I'm super excited. Crap day turned into pure AWESOMENESS!!

Thanks again Laura!!

I can't announce the name yet though. Now that I have it I'm going to scurry around like a nut crazed squirrel securing everything I can under that name. Woohoo!

Etsy Heartbreak

So my business name is taken on Etsy. It's one I had registered 10 years ago and is still under my name in BC. I have logo's and everything prepared under that name that include the initials as the overall design. I had done searches on Etsy for it but nothing came up. Today I went to set up shop and it said the name was taken. I did a google search and there it was. A graphic design company is using it on Etsy. I am so sad. I feel like I'm in mourning.
I'm totally distraught. I talked it over with my sister who has also had many businesses in the past and has gone through similar experiences. She basically told me it sucks but I have to embrace it and move on. I tried shortening the name.. adding an "s"... Etsy says no.
Boourns... what do I do? It's so personal to me. Ugh

Fun Mail - Book Hooks

picture from Etsy listing

I just love when I get fun stuff in the mail. I ordered these "book hooks" from Etsy a week ago and they are already here. When I walked down to the mail boxes I was so excited to see them waiting for me.

Oh the possibilities!!! I can't wait to add my own zest to them.

I already tried testing one out in the book I'm currently reading. It's perfect! I've had others that were too heavy or to awkward to fit correctly and would just fall out all the time. I'm going to bring one along on my errands today and see how it holds up. I just hate loosing my place when I'm reading. Lately I've been using a Halls wrapper, lol.

So this is another product I'll be offering in my store. Once I have a couple done I'll sneak peak one here. I've already sourced some at a cheaper price online now that I've decided I love them.

I'm excited to try something new. The other day I did about 17 pairs of earrings. It's nice to switch things up.

The Source Of My Irritation

I'm not sure if I've mentioned this but something very sad happened about a month ago. The senior woman above us passed away. :( She was a sweet old lady who loved seeing my kitties outside. I would always hear her talking to them outside when she thought I couldn't hear her. Of course it was in French so I didn't understand but BF always assured me it was adorable conversation. I would always see her popping out on errands with her cute grin always on display.

Her passing wasn't just sad, it was heartbreaking. It turns out that she had some debts so her family couldn't afford to lay claim to her estate. They were permitted to come and remove a few personal possessions but the majority of her things and her vehicle are being held for auction to pay debts. Horrible right? Well guess who had to take care of all these things? BF's parents who own the building. They had to wait until the end of December and then pack and store everything for the government. Yeesh.

Since they were leaving for a 3 month stay in the US at the beginning of January they had to find a tenant quickly or leave the apartment empty until they got back. This building has 4 units and the one that was hers is located between us. BF's parents above and us below. They promised they were advertising for a non-smoking retired person or mature couple with no pets.

Welp... that didn't happen. There is now a woman with 2 kids and declawed (ugh) cat above us. It has been HORRIBLE!!! This woman sounds like she is wearing wooden clogs as she bangs around. The noise from the kids running around is constant. It's so bad that when we were at the inlaws the noise was almost as bad and they are ABOVE her. They promised to call her when they arrived at their destination and let her know it was beyond excessive. I've had horrible headaches and it's made us both irritable at times.

Something funny happened though.. I think she must have joint custody though because the last 2 or 3 days the kids have not been around. So we've only been dealing with the noise of the woman herself. It's made me really miss the sweet senior woman who lived there before.

So this has had BF and I talking more seriously about our living situation. More about our plan later....

Setting Goals For My Small Business

So I'm just over 3 months away from launching my Etsy shop. Thank you for your awesome comments lately on all my little creations. It definitely helps me feel more confident that I am on the right path. I'm slowly coming to realization that I'm finally really going to make a go at having my own business. I've wanted this for so long and am excited for what the future holds.

I've been preparing my work space, ordering supplies, and trying to get feedback on a few things. So far things seem to be working out pretty good for me. I would like to set up a space in our bedroom away from the playful kitties where I can work without distraction and fear of little paws batting at my projects.

I had originally thought I would open on Facebook at first. Gain some fans and then move on to Etsy. Then I realized that's not the path I want to take. I've been observing other people and it seems its hard to get their customers to make the move with them. I see how much work it is for them to be offering their products for sale on FB. I like the more streamline approach to Etsy. Yes, there are fees but the customers are more serious about purchasing and all transactions are tracked and stored for you. It will take a weight off my shoulders having that info available to me at all times.

I have been reading up on Etsy strategies and success stories. Trying to figure out how everything works so I can give it a good go right from the start. I've already learned so much from reading about other peoples experiences. I enjoy the community feel of the website. I remember my brother recommending Etsy to me as a selling tool probably 8 years or so ago but I never grabbed the reins and went for it.

With my dream soon becoming a reality it's time to sit down and write out goals. I need to keep focused on what I want to achieve with my business. I need to sort out how I want to attract and keep customers. I have to decide on what products I'm going to release at the launch and what I plan to add in to the mix down the road to keep things interesting for both my customers and myself. I have to figure out what creates a great customer experience. I need a timeline for my goals and a plan for how I'm going to do this around going to school full time starting next Monday.

There is just so much rattling around in my mind right now. It's hard to put it all into one post. That's why I've decided I need to sit down and write things out. I will make lists of things that I need to have ready before the launch. I will write out short and long term goals for my business. I will do all these things with a smile on my face because this is what I have wanted for so long. Intimidating but thrilling at the same time.

Any thoughts or advice you would like to offer?

Sneaky Peek

I promised awhile back to do a little sneaky peek from the store. I made these in December for a work related party for BF. Earrings with a matching bracelet. Thoughts?

The earrings are a combo of white river shell with hematite and copper on sterling silver hooks. The bracelet is a hematite/copper deal with a magnet clasp (not pictured).

Cleaning My Act Up

 Today was the day I conquered the craft cupboard. It was becoming a dumping ground for all things crafty and possibly a few other miscellaneous items. It's been bothering me for a while so I decided to grit my teeth and get in there.

There are still a few things to sort through. I'd like to divide up my beads from my tools and wires. Things like that. There is also a little wicker basket and that grey bag that need sorting. I might leave the grey bag as a catch all for mystery items though. Everyone needs a little messy spot.

So this weekend it looks like I'll need to head over to Canadian Tire to buy another 10 set of those awesome see through bins you see in the "after" picture. I think I paid $10 for the set. BF will love an excuse to hit up his favorite store of all time. These bins are perfect as I can easily find what I'm looking for without having to open them all up and peek inside.

I put all my paper, shipping and general office type supplies up top. I also kept a binder to keep all my supplier and customer orders organized. There's also a little spot for supply receipts.

The second shelf holds all my rice writing supplies and my beading things. I'll be happier with this shelf once I get those beads all sorted out. That way I'll be able to track what I have better. Clutter and excess is not good for my creative mind.

The third shelf houses my sewing supplies (fabrics, pins, patterns, etc), wool, and the bottom bin in the middle is a few random craft ideas that may come into play later on. Oh, I also have a bin there with my bottle cap magnet supplies. The sketchy grey bag and curious wicker basket are tucked along side.

The last shelf is for all my display pieces and my sewing machine. The towel wrapped piece is a thick hard sheet of metal  I used to work with on hammering my sterling wire. Haven't done that in ages.

So there you have it. I have a few orders coming in the next few weeks of things I bought from suppliers to get me on my merry way to creating stock for my shop opening late April. I feel ready to get to work now. One more step in the direction of having my own little business set up. It will be a dream come true.

School Start Date Is FINALLY Official

Earlier this week I called the school to find out where I was on the waiting list. I was happy to find out that 4 spots had opened up and I was 4th on the list. The woman in charge of the French division said she would hassle the women in charge of setting up paperwork and contacting people to hurry up and call me.

Well today she called and talked to BF. I start January 21st. It seems so soon! I've been waiting since August and now it's finally happening. I'm a little peeved they didn't give more notice as I have to pay fees and do a lot of paperwork before next Friday. My MIL leaves today for vacation so I don't have anyone to help me get to different appointments so it's super inconvenient. If they had called even a few days earlier it would have been fine. It seems the administration at this school are a little unorganized.

I guess I'll be shopping for school supplies and maybe even a back pack this weekend. So strange to be going back to school after all these years. I finished my Pharmacy diploma Jan 2004. High School in 2000. It will definitely be a little weird at first.

I need to fix my sleep schedule. Since I have no responsibilities lately I stay up super late and sleep in every day. I'll have to try and slowly adjust this over the next week so I'm not sleepy all day. 8 hours of French every week day.... hmm. Yeah, better get that sleep, lol.

So I guess I'm going back to school. Finally I'll be able to communicate with people here. *sigh*

Savings Update

It's been awhile since I've posted anything about my savings goals. Welp I'm pretty excited today because my overall savings accounts have just hit the $4000 mark in total. This is a huge leap from where I was just a few months back.

One very exciting part of this is that exactly half of this is in my account earmarked for purchasing our first home. Depending on what type of property we are going to buy we will need to either save $10,000 each or $20,000. So I suppose I should set my goal right in the middle at $15,000. Very exciting!

Ice Fishing

Every year BF's siblings get together and give a a group gift to his parents. Something fun. This year they decided on ice fishing for the whole family. It worked out well because about a week go BF's father mentioned he would like to do that some time. He had no idea we already had it all planned because all the card mentioned was a "surprise" coming their way on a particular day. 

It was my first time ice fishing and I actually quite enjoyed myself. I would go again but without kids. It seemed the fishing was a lot better when there wasn't 4 pairs of little boots stomping around, lol. Speaking of boots. I bought my first pair since I was a child two months back to prepare for winter. Finding shoes in general is hard for me because my feet are oddly shaped. These guys were comfy so I bought them up at a great price. My toes were FREEZING part way through the day and never seemed to warm up. At one point I took them off and toasted my little piggies by the wood stove. Is that normal?

We started the morning off with breakfast at a restaurant the whole family seemed to be excited about and seemed to be familiar with. BF's Mom was super thrilled. Then we made our way to the river for ice fishing. BF made some excuse about having to use the toilet so we pulled off the road and down onto the river. Boom, we were there. 

Sorry for the lack of photos. I didn't take very many and most had people in them. I am only posting the one of my nephews waiting for fish because their faces are mostly covered. 

 Under the bridge in the Ice Shanty Town. I think BF said there's at least 100 where we were.

 Waiting for the fish to bite! We actually did pretty good. They are a quite small fish though.

 Hooks waiting to be baited. They were all the way along one wall.

 Our little shanty. I believe it was $25 per person which is a good price I think for a group activity.

The only thing that annoyed me was twice during our time there people selling things came into our shanty and started to bug us. I really felt it was annoying and it put a damper on what was happening inside. At one point there was also some weird looking guys going around outside checking out other peoples fish and carrying bags with them. I saw them take a bunch of fish from one cabin. Then they headed to ours. I saw them peeking in the window and I gave them the stink eye, lol. Finally they went away.

Besides the few weirdos and freezing toes I was quite happy with the overall experience. BF's parents and family seemed to enjoy it. We had two injuries though where people slipped on the ice and bumped their heads. Ouch :(

I would go back next year with BF and maybe do a couples weekend or something. I think it would be fun to try again.

Have you ever been ice fishing before?

Down With The Sickness

I am so sick AGAIN!!! In my family if you are sick you stay away from family events. This seems to not be the case for BF's family. I haven't been this sick in many moons. My throat is absolutely horrifically painful. I missed New Years but BF was sweet and arrived home just before the stroke of midnight. I've been pegged inside but am feeling too gross to do anything except read and watch movies. Last night was cheap night at the movies so BF talked me into going to see The Hobbit because he knows how badly I was to see it. More on that later. For now I'm going to lay back down and sleep my way to health.