We are crossing a huge item off the Baby Bucket List. As in HUGE.

We own a house!! I’m still in shock, and its been a week since we closed…Marmot and I still occasionally look at each other and giggle, because we own our dream house. OMG!!

Now there are some downsides to the house of dreams, most of it related to this picture below being one of the more organized rooms in the house.

But its our vintage wallpaper, and our disaster of a living room, and that’s so much better than renting!

And yeah, wallpaper stripping party at my house this weekend…no seriously, you’re invited.

Working towards the elusive Reach a Good Weight goal…

Walking 2+ miles every day this past week…

Maintaining my calorie intake within the suggested range (based on Harris-Benedict)…

Drinking eight glasses of water a day…

Eating eight servings of fruits and veggies a day…

ARE WE FRICKING THERE YET?!

The closing on the house is set for June 24th. That is in 16 DAYS people! I’m so excited I can actually SMELL the carpet that needs to be cleaned before we move in.

Many many ideas for once we get the house, that involve stripping wallpaper, painting (including trim and doors and ceilings), refinishing the hardwood floors, and decorating the living daylights out of it. Oh baby do I have ideas. Three and a half years of renting and I want to paint something. ANYthing.

We went over (the house is empty) and looked at the backyard- the snow camouflaged the amazing landscaping, and while it is really overgrown, its going to look amazing after a weekend or two of weeding and pruning. The thought of me with some pruning shears should scare the wits out of all plant matter in a five-mile radius. Especially knowing my issues with suddenly sprouting bangs anytime scissors are left unattended near the bathroom.

But in the meantime- because everything is still processing and isn’t 100% (honestly I won’t believe its real until they hand us the keys) could I ask for some prayers that the house stuff will go smoothly? Its been a rough road to get to this point, and we just want to sail through to the closing. The pessimistic side of me is just waiting to be told that it won’t happen and we’ll move to Plan B (the apartment) but the optimistic side of me is still hoping. Prayers would be appreciated!

I’m all about pressuring myself about having kids….seriously, I research and read and go to Babies R Us and think about babies and pretty much obsess, constantly. Just ask Marmot.

For the nosy people who don’t think school and house are a good enough answer, I usually turn to the snarky when people tell me that having kids does good things for their marriage and finances which pretty much ends it right there. Snarky response? Yes it is. Appropriate for people who have no business asking? I think so.

I’m one of those people that loves lists, especially crossing things off….and I’ll even write things down that I’ve already done, just to cross them off….so I’m putting an item back onto the Baby Bucket List just because I am SO excited to cross off A Job for Marmot, because as of today he is employed full-time!

With this and the house, we’re making huge strides on the Baby Bucket List….which means I should probably start dieting, because that weight one is staring me in the face….damn donuts…

Any one up for a dieting/fitness challenge…? I’m thinking about it…

I think its good to revisit the list every once in awhile- over time its not surprising that some changes are in order, both additions and subtractions!

Job for Marmot- the first to ever be removed from the list! This item is being removed from the Baby Bucket List because of some changes at work that affect me in such a way that Marmot working part-time or less doesn’t preclude us having a baby. He’s still job searching, but its no longer on the list as a Must Have.

Finishing my degree, buying a house, paying off credit card #1, and Marmot’s MBA are in the works and going well. Expected completion for all four is less than twelve months, some (like the house) in as little as three! I cannot believe we are so close to crossing some BIG things off the list. Wow!

Reaching a good weight is (sort of) in progress. I’m back on my diet, hating it, but back on it. {Note to self: use one of those twelve stupid yoga DVD’s you have!} 

The latest addition to the list, the acquistion of a new camera! I have my eye on this lovely Nikon D40 SLR Camera and I’m obsessively collecting my Swagbucks for Amazon gift cards so I can buy it. I want to be able to take good pictures of my future children, and I think I’m ready to advance beyond the point and shoot camera. {Why do I think I may eat those words?? lol}

The last two- Starting Graduate Classes and Trip to Europe- are still my Fantasy-Land items, and while they would be great to accomplish, babies won’t be on hold for their completion.

But the bottom line in all this babbling….the Baby Bucket List is going to have some big-hitters crossed off in the next couple months….and most of the list will be completed in less than a year….I’ve always wanted a spring baby….due date calculator says that if I got pregnant in August, I’d have a May due date….the must-have’s would be crossed off the list before a baby arrived….hmmm……anyone else thinking what I’m thinking??

{Suddenly feeling the need to find my thermometer….this baby thing could be on the road before too long….holy need-to-diet batman!!}

I’ve got babies rabies SO bad….

My niece Baby Belle is seriously the cutest thing I’ve ever seen…she makes me want one of my own!
Marmot has started pointing out cute babies when we’re out and about…it makes me think its so cute, he likes kids…he’ll be such a good Dad…awww…

I keep thinking….a lot of women get their master’s degrees at the same time they have kids…why do I think I’m so special that I should wait on kids until I at least get part of the way there??

It would be a really easy way to get rid of the cat…Snooty Kitty hates me, and I’ve already warned Marmot that if she so much as looks cross-eyed at my child she’s outta here….

I need new clothes….and since I keep wandering into the maternity section of Target anyway, why not?? Seriously, they need to have a partition between the maternity and the fat women clothes, because I can’t tell the difference!

And, because I just want one of my own…that’s why. I think it might be time to re-visit the Baby Bucket List, and check on my progress!

….to another item being crossed off the Baby Bucket List!

In December when the list was first written, we had two credit cards carrying balances of 90%. As of Tuesday, one of them is now down to 39%.

Getting closer, little baby steps getting us closer to baby!!

Well, we have a rerun. My attempts at dieting since January 1st with my New Year’s Resolutions have resulted in a 7lb weight gain. Resolution big fat f-ing fail. lol

So I once again, walked my butt into the local Weight Watcher’s center. I got in the door and paused, and I seriously couldn’t help myself, did a big huge sigh. I’m baaaaaack!

The leader said welcome back, gave me a hug, and said she was so glad to see me! I’m preferring to think of that as she’s glad I’m back, as opposed to my god you need a meeting chunky. She’s sweet, so we’ll go with the first thought.

I did the sign-up, got my gear (water bottle and materials) and I’m ready to go. I weighed. And since it was the first weigh-in I didn’t do my normal routine, which is not eat, #1 and #2 before I leave the house, and right before the actual weigh-in, I strip down to the least amount of clothing that is socially acceptable. This time I left most of my clothing on (they said I had to take off my sunglasses, pager, shoes and winter coat) but otherwise I pretty much wanted to be fat this week. Which is weird, but I enjoyed it while it lasted.

The weigh-in was as bad as I thought. Ok, it was worse. But lets be honest here, one day last week I wasn’t even at work long enough to have lunch before I blew the zipper out of a pair of dress pants. Nothing like needing to stock safety pins in your desk for fat-ass-related wardrobe malfunctions to motivate you.

But you know, I’m actually pretty excited? I saw someone get a Lifetime charm. I’d never paid attention to those before, but I want one. I want the 10% keychain. I want the charms. I want to see my goal. And I want to be skinny and cute when I get pregnant, as opposed to even at seven or eight months still looking like a fat lady after a trip to the buffet. Yay for the Baby Bucket List!

Anyone else restarting their New Year’s resolutions?

Don’t miss the 100th Post Celebration Philosophy First Snow giveaway!!

We’re going to look at The House of Dreams today, for the third time. God, we are those people that sellers hate! But we’re serious, and if all goes well we’re going to make the offer tonight.