And the final numbers are....

So the other day I mentioned how I only had a $20 grocery budget to hopefully make it through to next payday. Here is what I bought at Smith's (top) and WinCo (bottom): 

Care to guess what my total was, and if I stayed within the budget?? The answer is.....

....

....

....

Yes! I spent a total of $17.93! I only used cash, so I'm grateful I came under budget :) Hooray for spending smart (and having recipes to cook from)!! 

Bread and other shenanigans

If you're not my friend on Facebook, or part of the curlynikki forums I participate in, you wouldn't know that today I made Amish white bread for the first time!! Well I've made white bread before, but this is SO much better! I got the recipe from allrecipes.com. 

Here are the two loaves I made today. One is in the freezer, and the other is almost halfway gone (it is THAT good, people). I'm going to have to buy some more white bread flour to make that again (and maybe make more loaves next time). 

Also, I realized today at work that my upper body strength sucks, and I need to get back into shape! So I went searching on bodybuilding.com, and came across this one woman's program that I'm going to use. I can't remember her name, but her initials are JNL. I think it's Jennifer Nicole Lee or something like that. Anyway, I'm going to try her fusion at home circuit workout starting tomorrow (which is hard for me, because when I do workout I like to start on Mondays so I can do the M W F workout schedule, but then I never get around to actually doing anything. But this time I put it on my to do list!). I want to do it three days a week, and mix in some cardio on the other days somehow. I just know that I can be in way better shape than I am now, and if I ever do wear a swimsuit this summer, I want to look awesome in it, dang it! Lol. 

I think that's really all I wanted to talk about... Having this blogger app on my phone really makes blogging handy sometimes, especially when I don't feel like being on my computer. 

Oh! My classes start next week. I'm taking an intro to online classes course (something everyone starting at American Military University has to take if they're doing online classes, even though I've been doing online classes for a few years now), and an African American history class. I'm actually excited about that one, because I was looking up the textbook for it online, and it got really good reviews and it seems like it's not outlined like other textbooks. So I'm interested to see how that class will go. I also test for Staff next week, so hopefully that goes well (3rd time'a a charm, right?). 

Okay now I think that's it. I might be coming down with something... My throat has been sore all day, and it's still sore :/ Hopefully it doesn't get any worse than this. 

Good night/morning!! 

Budgeting!

I think it's safe to say that I fail at budgeting. Well not fail necessarily, because when I decide to keep track of my bills and paychecks and how much will be left over (which isn't always all that much, or anything at all for that matter lol), I do pretty good at budgeting for a good month or so. So! I'm getting back on back with that, and keeping track of bills and paychecks on an Excel spreadsheet. Although (thanks to Google), I did come across a program called mvelopes (http://www.mvelopes.com/). It's basically an online version of the envelope budgeting system that's most known by Dave Ramsey. So! This week, I'm working with a $20 dollar grocery budget. Which may seem practically impossible, but thanks to http://www.budget101.com/ I was able to get a pretty good list and a few recipes! It probably also helps that Smith's is having a sale on a few things I needed to get... So! On Thursday I'll go grocery shopping (my plan is to shop at two stores, Smith's (where I have a reward card) and WinCo), and we'll see if I stick to my $20 budget (which I REALLY will try to stay with, the items I plan on picking up from Smith's have prices on my shopping list)!

I'd really like to stick with my blogging, because sometimes typing really is better and quicker for me than  writing! Also... I might also be addicted to the show How I Met Your Mother... I LOVE this show!!! Thank you, Netflix!

Back to Basics hair challenge

I'm taking part in a hair challenge this summer! It's mainly to (like the title says) get back to basics in our hair care regimens, because sometimes we do get carried away in how we want to take care of our hair. I'm not going to lie, there's so many things we can do! I'll have to go back and get the rules for the challenge, but here are the products I will be using :

Deep conditioner- Shea moistures deep treatment masque

Conditioner: HE hello hydration and v05 island coconut moisturizing conditioner 

Leave-in: garnier fructis sleek and shine

Stylers: Shea butter mix (w coconut and evoo added) for twists/ twist outs on blown out hair; taliah waajid curly curl cream and Eco styler gel for puffs and other "curly" styles 

Oil: Africa's best ultimate herbal oil

Heat protectant: Pearatin fortifying repairative serum

I plan on wearing twists for a week and then twist outs the following week, with washing my hair every two weeks. 

Here are the rules! 

So, here are the rules:

• Only the bare basics should be used with the exception of 2-3 nonessential products. 

• Styling should be limited to 2-3 times a week. 

• List all products you will be using throughout the challenge. These products should be listed as either essential or nonessential. 

• Check in weekly with your progress. 

• While pictures aren't necessarily required throughout the challenge a before and after picture would be nice. 

Bare Basic Essentials include:Oils (such as olive, coconut, hemp, grapeseed, etc), butters (such as Shea, cocoa, horsetail, etc), H2O of course, RO condish (which double as LI's), clays - for those of us who use them, whatever products you use to make your clays and shampoo - for those who use them. 

Nonessentials include:Twisting creams/butters, gels, spritz/mists, serums, puddings, curling creams, pomades, etc. 

Note:Even though oils are considered essentials, please pick your 3 favorites and use those for the duration of the challenge. Or if you're partial to butters, select your top 2 and use those.

Also, if you are taking HSN (hair, skin & nails) vites or Hairfinity, etc. those do not count as essentials or non-essentials; they are merely a personal decision.

This challenge will run from 1 June-1 September.

This challenge came from the curlynikki forums :) 

The day I recieved a copy of The Book of Mormon

So... I've been thinking about this ever since it happened. I was at the clinic last week (?) for my back, and was waiting at the pharmacy to pick up my prescription, when an older woman walked up to the couch I was standing behind. Thinking she wanted to sit, I moved my hat and wallet so she could put her purse down. I kinda stopped paying attention to her and zoned out, and then the next thing I knew she was handing me a Book of Mormon, and explaining that she felt I needed to take it, and bore what I think was a brief testimony about the church, and pointed out that she also put it in the actual Book of Mormon. I wasn't really sure what I was supposed to do aside from take it and say thanks, because 1) I was in uniform, and 2) I just wasn't expecting it. Then she walked away. So basically she went over to the couch just to give me a Book of Mormon. Why me, I have NO idea. I haven't been an active member of the LDS church for a little over a year. It was sitting in the back seat of my car for a day or two, and now it's on the floor of my bedroom, next to my Bible (which is only there because I have no space on my "nightstand"). I'm not sure what to do with or about it. I've been trying to figure out why this even happened. I'm not even sure why I posted this. Hm. Well, now it's out. Well this was a weird post...

I wish I knew what to do about this.

Heather Lindsey's Pinky Promise

This is my number one goal. I got it from Heather Lindsey's blog. I definitely recommend reading it, she has a lot I uplifting and eye opening posts! This is from her Pinky Promise Movement:

The Promise

I will always honor Christ with my body.
Whether I’m single or married, I am content with my portion and I always keep my eyes on Christ.
I refuse to get into unhealthy, emotional/physical relationships.
God wants my heart and I am committed to giving it to Him!
Meditating on and living Romans 12:1 daily.

Holidays and new relationships (or relationship)!

So! I figured, while waiting for my next batch of bread dough to rise (I thought I'd try another recipe and see how it turns out! I like it so far...WAY easier than the first loaf), I would do some blogging!

Anyway- CHRISTMAS! I think this is the first Christmas I was ever physically...alone. No family here, I didn't hang out with my coworkers and their families, and I also didn't go to some random church member's house for an awkward Christmas with people I don't know. Not to mention that I'm single so there wasn't a significant other to spend moy time with either. So I was fully prepared to spend this family oriented holiday by myself. I mean, I knew I was going to try and call home and talk to my family, but it's just not the same as being there or being able to see them. Cue my brother calling my phone via FaceTime (an Apple version of video chatting between Apple products like Iphones and Ipads)... I was confused (didn't know he had an Iphone to begin with), but then I was happy because I could SEE my family! I could see Arianna (who by the way, has definitely gotten taller, and also reminds me of me haha)! It was great being able to see and talk to everyone, and watch Arianna open her present from me (I got her some clothes, a Dora DVD, a toy smartphone, and a microphone), and see the other presents she recieved as well. It was just so great to see her be her. And she's so HAPPY, I could tell. I'm happy that she's able to be around famioly that will love her in ways that I can't right now. I can't wait to see them next year (just not sure when... ) before I go to Korea for round 2. So basically, what I thought was going to be a depressing Christmas, turned into a pretty AWESOME one :)

While reading up on the CurlyNikki Forums that I particpate in, I came across a post that mentioned a Christian female blogger, who writes about spending time with God daily, allowing God to show you His purpose for you, different posts on courting...There's a lot. Her name is Heather Lindsey, and you can find her blog {HERE}! I've been reading every one of her posts, and I've learned A LOT. The most important lesson? Before I even THINK about a relationship with another man, I NEED to work on my relationship with JESUS CHRIST. In every single one of her posts, she mentions how important it is to spend time with God EVERY DAY, and to make it a PRIORITY. That is the relationship that I need to work on. My relationship with Christ. I've been feeling so lost with my life, not sure what to do or how to go about doing it... I need to build my relationship with Christ, get as close as I possibly can to Him, let Him lead and guide me to where HE wants me to be... I need to make spending time with Him a PRIORITY. I'm not sure how much more I can emphasize how important this is. Anyway, point is, my new relationship is with Jesus Christ! :D

Well I guess that's all I wanted to blog about. Time to go finish making bread! :)