I've been thinking lately...
I'm not crazy about my blog title.
I actually put off writing a blog for a long time because the title was the hardest part for me. I somehow feel like SOMEONE is going to judge me no matter WHAT I come up with. Silly, I know.
I tried to come up with something that I felt described me, and settled. I don't like it because it's too long and doesn't really 'go' with what I usually have written about.
Therefore, I propose a change. :)
I usually write about infertility and saving money. Plus wifey things. Plus humor. So I need a slightly humouros title that includes all of that. No biggie, right??
Here's my faves so far:
*Cheapskate Conception
*Coupons and Conception (theres some variances here)
*Frugal and Infertile
*Frugal Mama Wannabe
*Baby Bargains (this one makes me lol)
Anyone have any other suggestions? I'd love input! Saying you like my existing name is ok, too. But only if you mean it. And only if you like it better than all of the above. :)
Monday, February 20, 2012
Saturday, February 4, 2012
I must be crazy.
I have NEVER been one of those people to create a hypothetical travel idea just for fun. You know the type. They start playing around with flight dates and planning, with no intention to actually go.
I became that person today.
Round trip tickets to Paris for our 5 year anniversary- $2,900. Ryan, pack your bags!!
As if. I MUST be crazy.
Monday, January 30, 2012
January in review
Whoa. January went by fast. Like, so fast. We celebrated Ryan's 24th, we had 2 (!) fertility appointments, and we were just all-around awesome.
My goals for January were pretty simple, so I'll keep summing them up simple.
1. Try a new dinner recipe: gross
2. Try a new dessert recipe: delicious
3. Stick to a set cleaning schedule: alllmmoossttt
4. Obey "15" minute rule: hardly
5. Stick to a grocery budget: $40 grocery/ $15 stockpile: excessive
6. Pay $200 worth of debt.: success
The dinner recipe did NOT go over well. But that's okay. Live, learn, don't use recipes with not enough cheese. Life's all about balance.
The dessert was AMAZING. I think I'll eat it all by myself.
The set cleaning schedule was good in theory, tough in practice. I stuck with it pretty well, but also let it slide towards the end.
"15 minute rule" came in handy before bed. Sucked rocks when I tried it after work-- my feet get so tired from standing on them for 8+ hours!
Groceries were in abundance, so I ended up cutting it down to $20 and $20, which was perfect, so that will be next month's goal.
Debt pay down went well- and it increases drastically next month. Weeee!
FEBRUARY TIME!!!
1. Read all of Psalms (6 a day, 5 days a week should do it)
2. Grocery Budget: $20 grocery/ $20 stockpile
3. Pay down $700 (!) in debt ($85 a week--Crazy. So crazy. But it CAN be done!!)
4. Eat breakfast everyday
5. Work out after practice on Mondays and Fridays (gotta start somewhere, people!)
Weird that there's less homemaking stuff. I think it's because I ended up doing way more than what my goals were last month (i.e., I made about 4 new recipes, so it doesn't need to be a hard and fast goal, just an inkling and apparently I'll get it done!)
Wish me luck! <3
My goals for January were pretty simple, so I'll keep summing them up simple.
1. Try a new dinner recipe: gross
2. Try a new dessert recipe: delicious
3. Stick to a set cleaning schedule: alllmmoossttt
4. Obey "15" minute rule: hardly
5. Stick to a grocery budget: $40 grocery/ $15 stockpile: excessive
6. Pay $200 worth of debt.: success
The dinner recipe did NOT go over well. But that's okay. Live, learn, don't use recipes with not enough cheese. Life's all about balance.
The dessert was AMAZING. I think I'll eat it all by myself.
The set cleaning schedule was good in theory, tough in practice. I stuck with it pretty well, but also let it slide towards the end.
"15 minute rule" came in handy before bed. Sucked rocks when I tried it after work-- my feet get so tired from standing on them for 8+ hours!
Groceries were in abundance, so I ended up cutting it down to $20 and $20, which was perfect, so that will be next month's goal.
Debt pay down went well- and it increases drastically next month. Weeee!
FEBRUARY TIME!!!
1. Read all of Psalms (6 a day, 5 days a week should do it)
2. Grocery Budget: $20 grocery/ $20 stockpile
3. Pay down $700 (!) in debt ($85 a week--Crazy. So crazy. But it CAN be done!!)
4. Eat breakfast everyday
5. Work out after practice on Mondays and Fridays (gotta start somewhere, people!)
Weird that there's less homemaking stuff. I think it's because I ended up doing way more than what my goals were last month (i.e., I made about 4 new recipes, so it doesn't need to be a hard and fast goal, just an inkling and apparently I'll get it done!)
Wish me luck! <3
Mind. Blowingly. Awesome.
I've never posted a video onto here before... so hopefully it works. This video blew Ryan and I's minds. It was so encouraging and inspiring... and kinda hardcorely awesome. Check it out, it's only about 20 mins.
http://youtu.be/9XRPbFIN4lk
Did I lead-in with too many too-good adjectives?? Ha!
http://youtu.be/9XRPbFIN4lk
Did I lead-in with too many too-good adjectives?? Ha!
Infertility by numbers
Okay dokey. About a week ago we went to the fertility doctor for our follow up. Originally, my husband and I had a little chat about what was shareable on my blog. Those views have since changed, with no provocation from me. So, thanks, honey. Being able to talk about it in plain terms is nice and cathartic. Since he doesn't mind anymore here's our 1-2-3 on our fertility 'stats' for anyone interested. A list will help keep me overly whiny, so we'll go with that. :)
a. Number of months we've been off BCP: 22
b. Time since we've "known" something was wrong: 9 months
c. My DH's sperm count: .3million/per mili (yes, point 3 million. As in 300,000)
d. A normal sperm count: 20million-90ish million/per mili. Can be higher, depending
e. Number of months we get to try taking Clomid to see if it helps: 4- plus another round after that if we see some improvement
f. Our "chances" of conceiving on our own: No doctor has estimated it, but from what I've been able to put together it's around 1-4% (Infertile people never ask this. Only the fertile-myrtles. I mean, I get it. It's nice to quantify. But I think once you're in the midst of it, you understand how variable and random things can be-- not that I mind this question. Just a funny observation.)
g. Price of an In-Vitro cycle (or two--apparently they sell in a sort of package deal) at our fertility clinic: $10,000- $13,000.
h. Amount of time it will take us to save up for an In-Vitro cycle: 3.5 years. That'll mean: no debt except our mortgage plus enough money to stay home for a few months, plus the cashola for the procedure. It's a long ways away, but being free and clear would be sooo nice if we had one (or two) little ones coming our way! Now all the posts about "budgets" makes way more sense, eh?
f. Number of times I've been "glad its him and not me": 0. Not that I wish it WERE me. It just doesn't change the results, and I would gladly take on the stress if it meant he didn't have to. He really is the most amazing and wonderful man. I'm so lucky to have him. And his .3 million sperm. ;)
a. Number of months we've been off BCP: 22
b. Time since we've "known" something was wrong: 9 months
c. My DH's sperm count: .3million/per mili (yes, point 3 million. As in 300,000)
d. A normal sperm count: 20million-90ish million/per mili. Can be higher, depending
e. Number of months we get to try taking Clomid to see if it helps: 4- plus another round after that if we see some improvement
f. Our "chances" of conceiving on our own: No doctor has estimated it, but from what I've been able to put together it's around 1-4% (Infertile people never ask this. Only the fertile-myrtles. I mean, I get it. It's nice to quantify. But I think once you're in the midst of it, you understand how variable and random things can be-- not that I mind this question. Just a funny observation.)
g. Price of an In-Vitro cycle (or two--apparently they sell in a sort of package deal) at our fertility clinic: $10,000- $13,000.
h. Amount of time it will take us to save up for an In-Vitro cycle: 3.5 years. That'll mean: no debt except our mortgage plus enough money to stay home for a few months, plus the cashola for the procedure. It's a long ways away, but being free and clear would be sooo nice if we had one (or two) little ones coming our way! Now all the posts about "budgets" makes way more sense, eh?
f. Number of times I've been "glad its him and not me": 0. Not that I wish it WERE me. It just doesn't change the results, and I would gladly take on the stress if it meant he didn't have to. He really is the most amazing and wonderful man. I'm so lucky to have him. And his .3 million sperm. ;)
Monday, January 9, 2012
The Super-Duper Dr. L
For anyone who might be keeping track: we still are a no-go on the b-a-b-y. We went to a fertility specialist today. And here's a little peek at how the appointment went...
In walks a short, youngish guy in a mustard yellow shirt and brown pants. He has a kind of skittish excitability that is sort of likeable in a manic kind of way. He introduces himself to us, and I like him right off the bat. Until he says to Ryan "Oh, so this must be your daughter" Really, dude? A paternity joke at a infertility appointment? Whatevs.
So basically this is the conversation that followed. Verbatim. Ok, not verbatim. But close.
Fertility Doc. (We'll call him Dr. L from this point on): "Oh, whoa, hey. So how long have you guys been goin' at this thing?"
Me:"Almost 2 years."
Ryan: "It's been a while." Way to undersell, honey.
Dr. L (while looking at our file) "Yeah, whoa, well, you guys are super-duper infertile" (Are you allowed to say 'super-duper' if you have a medical degree? I'm guessing not and I actually just added that myself.) "Yeah, well, ok, so the Naturopath you guys went to was a quack, and I don't really get why he made you do half the stuff you did" (Yeah, caught that, thanks. Let's also skip the part about how he misread our test results, mmk??) "So basically we have to figure out what's going on here or your only option is ICSI. You can't even do an IUI at this point unless we get this stuff lookin' better, ya know?" (Yeah, actually, I did know that. And the thought of an ICSI makes me want to punch myself in the face. Don't know what an ICSI is?? Oh, only THE most hardcore fertility option out there. FOR 16 THOUSAND DOLLARS!! I added a link for anyone who wants the deets. "So here's what we're gonna do. We're gonna repeat a test you've already done 5 times (awesome, all of which we've paid out of pocket for, but sure lets repeat it, what the heck!) and do some blood work, and come back in two weeks and we can talk about all our options"
Ryan nods, and I just blink at him.
Dr. L: "Oh, and thanks for the $200 bucks for the 20 minute appointment!" Ok, he didn't actually say that last part, but that's basically how it was.
Brutal.
So we know basically no more than we did before the appointment, we have to wait another 2 weeks, and we're out another $200 bucks. With a couple hundred more to shortly follow by the time we get even close to figuring out how to avoid an ICSI or IVF if at all possible. Super. Duper. (See, I can say it because all I have is a Bachelor's).
I'm making this guy sound like a total jerk. He really, truly wasn't. It's just a crappy situation and it's nice to be able to put the blame somewhere else. He and his mustard shirt get the most of it today.
Though, towards the end of the appointment it came up that Ryan cant swallow pills. Which I tease him for mercilessly. So when Dr. L hears this he pauses for a second, looks at Ryan and says "What are you, six??" And I laughed the whoollleee way home.
Partly because it was funny.
And partly to keep myself from crying.
Life's funny, isn't it??
In walks a short, youngish guy in a mustard yellow shirt and brown pants. He has a kind of skittish excitability that is sort of likeable in a manic kind of way. He introduces himself to us, and I like him right off the bat. Until he says to Ryan "Oh, so this must be your daughter" Really, dude? A paternity joke at a infertility appointment? Whatevs.
So basically this is the conversation that followed. Verbatim. Ok, not verbatim. But close.
Fertility Doc. (We'll call him Dr. L from this point on): "Oh, whoa, hey. So how long have you guys been goin' at this thing?"
Me:"Almost 2 years."
Ryan: "It's been a while." Way to undersell, honey.
Dr. L (while looking at our file) "Yeah, whoa, well, you guys are super-duper infertile" (Are you allowed to say 'super-duper' if you have a medical degree? I'm guessing not and I actually just added that myself.) "Yeah, well, ok, so the Naturopath you guys went to was a quack, and I don't really get why he made you do half the stuff you did" (Yeah, caught that, thanks. Let's also skip the part about how he misread our test results, mmk??) "So basically we have to figure out what's going on here or your only option is ICSI. You can't even do an IUI at this point unless we get this stuff lookin' better, ya know?" (Yeah, actually, I did know that. And the thought of an ICSI makes me want to punch myself in the face. Don't know what an ICSI is?? Oh, only THE most hardcore fertility option out there. FOR 16 THOUSAND DOLLARS!! I added a link for anyone who wants the deets. "So here's what we're gonna do. We're gonna repeat a test you've already done 5 times (awesome, all of which we've paid out of pocket for, but sure lets repeat it, what the heck!) and do some blood work, and come back in two weeks and we can talk about all our options"
Ryan nods, and I just blink at him.
Dr. L: "Oh, and thanks for the $200 bucks for the 20 minute appointment!" Ok, he didn't actually say that last part, but that's basically how it was.
Brutal.
So we know basically no more than we did before the appointment, we have to wait another 2 weeks, and we're out another $200 bucks. With a couple hundred more to shortly follow by the time we get even close to figuring out how to avoid an ICSI or IVF if at all possible. Super. Duper. (See, I can say it because all I have is a Bachelor's).
I'm making this guy sound like a total jerk. He really, truly wasn't. It's just a crappy situation and it's nice to be able to put the blame somewhere else. He and his mustard shirt get the most of it today.
Though, towards the end of the appointment it came up that Ryan cant swallow pills. Which I tease him for mercilessly. So when Dr. L hears this he pauses for a second, looks at Ryan and says "What are you, six??" And I laughed the whoollleee way home.
Partly because it was funny.
And partly to keep myself from crying.
Life's funny, isn't it??
Monday, January 2, 2012
Homemaking Love...
Here are the recipes I will be attempting for this month. :)
I'm making chicken pesto lasagna, with the pesto from scratch. I've made lasagna before, but the pesto will be an adventure for me! Here's the recipe I will use. Looking forward to THAT! (Even though I'm sure everybody on the face of the planet has made pesto before, but still!!)
And for my dessert recipe, I'm thinking either a Berry Cobbler, or Berry Cheesecake (I got a big bag of berries from Costco that I'd like to use up to keep the grocery budget down. Not very exotic, but it will still expand my repitoire a little). Though this recipe uses a shortbread crust, which would be new for me, but the only new ingredient that I don't have in my cupboard is cornstarch, so it's budget friendly!! We shall see how it goes, but it looks good, no?? If you want to try it to, here's a link to the recipe for that!!
Also, lastly, I made my own homemade laundry detergent this week and I LOOOVEEE it. I was super skeptical at first. But it seems to work just as well as any other detergent I've ever used, and it is a PENNY a load (!!!)
Happy Homemaking! xo
And for my dessert recipe, I'm thinking either a Berry Cobbler, or Berry Cheesecake (I got a big bag of berries from Costco that I'd like to use up to keep the grocery budget down. Not very exotic, but it will still expand my repitoire a little). Though this recipe uses a shortbread crust, which would be new for me, but the only new ingredient that I don't have in my cupboard is cornstarch, so it's budget friendly!! We shall see how it goes, but it looks good, no?? If you want to try it to, here's a link to the recipe for that!!
Also, lastly, I made my own homemade laundry detergent this week and I LOOOVEEE it. I was super skeptical at first. But it seems to work just as well as any other detergent I've ever used, and it is a PENNY a load (!!!)
Happy Homemaking! xo
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