Yes, one day I will have a life again and apparently that day arrived. I've just been too busy doing things to have time to blog. Also, since my new job is pretty intense, the last thing I feel like doing when I get off (or with my few free weekend hours) is to get on the computer. If I have free time now, it's usually spent doing something with the dog, reading, and sometimes I just veg and watch bad tv.
There has been SO MUCH going on lately... but let me start with the most important thing first...
#1 on my list for my 25 things in 2014 --- I PASSED MY SERIES 7 EXAM!
It was a huge accomplishment, AND a huge relief. I found out after taking the test that I am the first to pass with my company in our region in about a year, and that lately they have had a 90% failure rate for first-timers. I was pretty damn proud of myself. The morning of the test, I was already planning on how I was going to do a better job studying for my next go at the test, and that this time I was going to take a test prep course. But all of that was unnecessary. I hugged the test proctor when I was finished. That happy.
And since I'm going through my 25 things list anyway, I can check off some more items on my list:
- Housebreak our dog.
Puppy brother hasn't had an accident inside in probably over a month now, and the last few times he's been over my girlfriends' house, he has also not had any accidents. So yeah, he knows what he's supposed to do.
- Finish the fence.
My awesome husband finished the fence about a month or two ago. I wish that it had been completed when we were housetraining the puppy... life would have been much easier (and less cold). Along with finishing the fence, he also replaced our back door, which the original contractors did a shitty job with. It hasn't shut properly in several years, so we would keep it deadbolted and unopened all winter, since I can't physically get it shut or locked. Anyway, we now have an awesome functioning, easy to open, shut, and lock door. We should have done it years ago... it only took Jay a few hours to do it and was well worth the cost of the new door and supplies.
- Finish at least one closet of the two unfinished ones.
Jay took care of that, too. Having a baby helps to speed along some of those unfinished projects.
- Rearrange upstairs bedrooms.
This also happened and is why there is now a queen-sized mattress and box spring sitting downstairs in our living room. Now we have the futon in the baby's room (we figure if the kid is sick, it will be useful if one of us need to stay in there), a double bed in our front office/guest room, and a queen size in the guest bedroom. Along with our king size bed, which I love.
- Get my wedding ring re-sized.
I had this done in January. However, with the warmer days causing swelling, plus extra fluid from pregnancy, it's starting to get tight again. I'm going to have to find a cheap replacement band to wear soon.
- Come up with new savings goals & reallocate funds.
This was completed... my maternity savings goal will be complete hopefully within the next month or so. The balance sheet has some sizable accounts receivable which is going to make a big difference in the savings. And then I can start redistributing the funds that I had siphoned away from the emergency savings fund. Around year end, the Emergency Savings Fund should be fully funded, so that we can start saving for other fun things. More on that in my next post.
- Complete an obedience class with our pup.
Of course, that is the least of our problems with him... the biggest challenge has been getting him enough exercise. An ideal day to get him to normal (and not crazy) dog status involves playing fetch for an hour or two and taking him on at least a 45 minute walk. He has definitely made a lot of progress from where he was, and I have to remember that he's still a puppy. We will be signing him up for an intermediate training class, so that we can work on his manners. He's incredibly smart, but he gets distracted easily when he's around a lot of people and other dogs. It's also tough because everyone gives him lots of attention whenever they see him, so he wants to be everyone's friend. Getting him to ignore new people is a bit of a challenge. And then of course there's the well-meaning strangers who encourage him to jump up on them.
More to come in my next post. And more photos!
