Get your finances in order with a FREE BOOK DOWNLOAD

One of my goals for 2009 is to increase my emergency savings fund. This year I plan to add 3-6 months of actual living expenses to our emergency savings account. Should something unexpected happen, I want to know that Tim and I are covered. Most of you probably already know that I actually enjoy making (and keeping under) our household budget and finding more ways to save. No, really- I do! It's a game to me & I love it! Sticking to our spending plan brings me peace of mind and really keeps us from making financial mistakes.

If you visit Oprah.com today (Thursday, January 8, 2009) you can download Suze Orman's latest book, Suze Orman's 2009 Action Plan, FOR FREE! The free download expires Thursday, January 15th @ 11:59pm Central Time. The book covers topics such as credit, investing, savings, spending, real estate, and more. I haven't read the book yet (I just downloaded it), but am eager to get some more information to make 2009 even better for our finances.

What a great way to kick off a prosperous 2009!

A Very Merry Christmas!

It's been a while since we last posted anything on our blog. Oh, how time flies... It's hard to believe that this year is practically over and 2009 is literally just days away. This year has been busy, but wonderful!

We enjoyed a great Christmas with our family. It's nice having both of our families so close to each other- Tim's family & Jenn's mom & sister live about 2 miles fom each other, so that makes it convenient for us on holidays!

We stayed up late Christmas Eve installing our new TV in our bedroom, and enjoyed sleeping in on Christmas morning. So relaxing! We had a feast of a lunch with Tim's family, and then stuffed ourselves with more food and good company with Jenn's side of the family for a nice Christmas dinner.

Our 5 year old nephew was the photographer for the night.

Just us

Our nephew, Cristian. Isn't he adorable?

Brian & Annie

Lisa

Jenn & Gabriel

Mom & Grandpa

Advanced Screening of Twilight!

Yesterday, my friend Beka & I got to go to an advanced screening of Twilight! We had to get there a bit early and hope to get in. We ended up getting to the front of the line, thanks to one of her co-workers who got the passes for her. We had a great time and got to enjoy Twilight 2 full days earlier than we had anticipated! We're still going with the girls to the midnight showing on Thursday :) Woohoo!

It was SO good! While the movie had to cut out several parts from the book for time reasons, we really thought they did a great job. Plus, there were some new parts not originally in the book. I won't give away any specifics since most everyone will be at the theater on opening day. I hope they make enough money to start filming the rest of the sequels!

Thanks for inviting me Beka! I had a great time!

A Wonderful Birthday

Tim & I both took the day off of work to celebrate my birthday. Every year I seem to have pure chaos at work and end up having to stay super late on my birthday. Murphy's law, I suppose. So, we took the day off and relaxed! It was so nice to sleep in and enjoy the day. We didn't do a single bit of cleaning or other housework, even though it did need to get done. That alone is reason to celebrate!

Tim made me a yummy breakfast and we played some WiiFit for a while. While I don't have a picture to prove it, my WiiFit age is 25. Woo-hoo! Compared to Tim's 44, I felt pretty good. I mean, if it would have told me I was in my 50's, well... I guess that may not have been the best way to start out my birthday.

We hung out, went to lunch, and caught a good double-header of basketball games on TV. Tim gave me an iPod nano- yay! With as much time as I spend in the car for work, I have been wanting one for a while! I got Tim an iPod a few years ago. He uses it all the time, so I never wanted to borrow it to use in the car while he would use it during the day. It was a gift to him afterall. But, now I have one of my own- it's all loaded up and ready for the meetings I have to drive to tomorrow :) Thanks Tim- I love it!

We had a fantastic dinner at BJ's, one of our favorite spots, and finished the day with a delicious chocolate dream pie! Mmmmm!!!

While most dread turning another year older, each year keeps getting better and better for me! I'm looking forward to another great year!

WiiFit

We just got a new toy today- the WiiFit. Nintendo describes the WiiFit as "a combination of fitness and fun, designed for everyone, young and old. By playing Wii Fit a little every day, you, your friends, and your family can work towards personal goals of better health and fitness." Tim just set it up and is trying it out. We are already burning lots of calories from all the laughing we are doing! There are activities and games, and even a trainer to help reach your fitness goals. You first get weighed and "assessed". Here is the result of Tim's first test: Balance.

I couldn't stop laughing when these results came on the screen.

Tim's WiiFit age:44. Ouch!

Headbutting soccerballs

I never thought I'd see Tim doing Yoga!

And the best part? The videos of course!


Look! It's Hula-Hooping Tim!

Dodging shoes and headbutting soccer balls!

Tomorrow, it's my turn to try it out! Uh-oh!

Abby's Baby Shower / Girls Lunch

To celebrate Abby's soon-to-arrive 2nd daughter, we had a fun girl's lunch. Great food, great company & really yummy chocolate- can't go wrong there! Abby, we are so excited for you & can't wait to meet your sweet little girl! Wish we would have taken the pictures earlier while Jaycee was still there. I guess that's what Photoshop is for!

Lake Tahoe

Two weeks ago, Tim & I headed up to Lake Tahoe for a quick weekend with my family. Tim's brother house-sat and took care of our dogs, so we could enjoy a quick, but much-needed break in beautiful Lake Tahoe. Thanks Nathan! The weather was wonderful, aside from a night of bitter-cold (yes, Tim, I know you think I'm a wimp, but it was COLD for me). Good thing I brought layers of warm clothes! But, the weather during the day was perfect! We joined my mom, sister, brother, sister-in-law, and two nephews.

We had a beautiful view way high up in the mountains. Isn't Tahoe pretty?

My brother brought his Wii and hooked it as soon as they arrived. What Tsukamoto/Hahn gathering would be complete without a Wii tournament? I couldn't figure out why my right arm was sore a few days later. Ah, yes! A case of Wii-arm. At least Tim & I remain the champs at tennis. Seriously, we need some better competition! Tim earned a new nickname as "the computer", since he never seems to make any mistakes and always wins.



Here are some pictures from our trip:

Tim on the balcony

Tim & Jenn

Tim & Lisa

Gabriel & Brian

Cristian & Annie

Tim & Jenn

This picture just makes me laugh. Can you tell we got a little restless on the way home?

It was nice to get away, if even for a short trip!

My 2 Scholars

I snapped this the other night as Tim was preparing his lesson for Seminary.

It reminded me of the first day we brought Echo home. I love this picture- Echo looks like a little scholar...

Hmmm... maybe Echo is absorbing something from all of his reading? If only it were that easy!

Girls weekend in Seattle

Super early on Friday morning, I, along with 3 of my friends--Beka, Shauna, and Jaycee-- headed off to Seattle for a fun-filled 36-hour girls trip to Seattle. We left the husbands, kids and/or pets at home. It was just the girls. Thanks to Beka's husband, Bill, who works for Horizon Airlines, we got to fly for practically nothing. Plus, Bill was able to get us upgraded to 1st class on the way there! It was so much fun! We LOVED the perks that come with 1st class- a meal on a 90 minute flight, served on a fancy (and warm) plate with real silverware, a real glass- not plastic, a fancy cloth napkin and placemat, and a yummy breakfast. The other 1st class passengers looked at us like we were crazy, but we were already having the time of our lives and we hadn't even landed in Seattle yet.


We arrived around 8:30am, so we had all day to spend as we pleased. We shopped, ate, laughed so hard we cried, saw the sites, got pedicures, and laughed some more. We laughed so much that when I woke up this morning, my throat actually was a bit sore and I could hardly talk.But, it was SO worth it! The weather was sunny and beautiful. We scored a great deal at The Edgewater, a 4-star hotel, on Priceline. Located right on Elliott Bay, we had an amazing view. Speaking of amazing views, we went to the top of the Space Needle and could see the entire city

At Pike Place with the famous fish-throwers

We love getting pedicures!

Our View from the Space Needle

Late Friday night, we happened to stumble upon a fantastic local Seattle artist, Mycle Wastman. He was playing at the hotel lounge and we all LOVED his music. We were treated to a free concert & had a great time. We were definitely sad to say goodbye to Seattle and come home to the real world. We had so much fun that we decided to make this an annual event. I can't wait for our next girl's weekend. Thanks girls- I had a blast!

Here are some more pictures from our trip:

All of us (Jaycee, Jenn, Shauna & Beka) at the Space Needle

At the hotelHear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil, and um... Jaycee? I'll let you explain this one.

The end of our trip... at the airport

See... I didn't forget about Tim!

Flashback to the 80's

Last night, we went to a surprise 30th birthday party for our friend Bill. Beka decided she wanted Bill's party to have an 80's theme, so we all dug through our closets and hit the thrift stores to find all those hidden gems. Back in the 90's, I had rid my wardrobe of all hideous pieces that even resembled the 80's, so off to the thrift store I went. I was still a child in the 80's, but nevertheless fell victim to the fashion trends that were oh so cool back then. Looking back, I think anyone who lived through the 80's (and has seen pictures of themselves) has asked themselves, "what was I thinking?"


When I think of the 80's, I think big and dramatic. Big hair, dramatic make-up, and unflattering clothes. I had so much fun browsing the thrift store, finding my totally 80's pieces. I found Tim a Member's Only jacket. Yep, that's right, Tim was an official member last night! That, along with his stonewashed jeans with the pantlegs rolled up- he was styling.




Me, on the other hand, decided to channel Jennifer Beals in Flashdance. Oh, how rad I must have looked in my oversized sweatshirt with the oh too big neckline, stonewashed denim skirt, leggings, and legwarmers. The big hair and way-too-much 80's makeup was a pretty funny sight.




Here are some other pictures from our flashback to the 80's:

The 80's girls... how cute would we have been 25 years ago? I love how even little Jada got into the 80's spirit!

Not to be outdone, the guys came through looking true to form Hard to believe, but my hair was actually bigger at the start of the night!Bill & Beka
That's a lot of candles Bill!

Hope you had a great birthday Bill. We all had fun!

1930's test

Don't know what this means about me... Old fashioned? I guess Jenn and I were meant to be. Good in the 30's or the 21st century. Seminary starts tomorrow... Gotta go to bed.

74 As a 1930s husband, I am Superior Take the test!

1930's Quiz

This was an actual quiz from the 1930's. Apparently, a wife if expected to "Keep self dainty, perfumed, and feminine". Really? When I'm at home, I'm all about kicking off my shoes, throwing on some comfy clothes and putting my hair up. At least Tim is all about comfort too- he lives in his basketball shorts & t-shirt... and neither of us could care less! I would have had a tough time in the 30's! Good thing it's 2008!

76 As a 1930s wife, I am Very Superior Take'>http://www.magatsu.net/maritaltest/">Take the test!

I won! That was easy!

As most of you know I work for the corporate division of Staples, the best office supply company on the planet. I have been working REALLY HARD lately and putting in more hours than normal. Things are crazy busy for me at work, but it's all good stuff! As anyone in Sales knows, the more you put in, the more you get in return. In addition to the increase of business I have been experiencing, the greatness just keeps coming! All my hard work is paying off! Literally. It seems I have been winning contests left & right! Last month I won a $500 bonus and the month before that a $350 gift card to Raley's- all for doing things I do on a regular basis-- things that are part of my job! I received a phone call this morning informing me that I won a LAPTOP... for FREE! I even get to pick out the one I want! Tim got a new laptop for his birthday and we have been talking about replacing our desktop computer for a little while now. It is old and super slow. I guess I don't have to worry about that anymore. We'll each have our own! Woo-hoo! Thanks Staples!

Where's my copy of Breaking Dawn? No one really knows...

Like many of you, I have been anxiously awaiting for my copy of Breaking Dawn to arrive in my mailbox today. I re-read the other 3 books of the 4 book Twilight series) so that I would be completely refreshed and ready to dig in to Breaking Dawn today. To my dismay, it was not waiting for me in my mailbox with the rest of today's mail. So, I hopped online to track the package on the USPS website. It said my package was undeliverable. So, I called them. No help there either. After a LONG time on the phone with the postal service & Overstock (where I pre-ordered the book), they basically told me that the driver couldn't read my address and sent my book back to Overstock. So, now I have to wait another WEEK (at best) to receive it, possibly longer depending on the processing time. SO, if you were one of the fortunate ones to receive your book today along with the rest of the world, PLEASE don't tell me what happens. I'll be ready to chat about it after you've likely read it the second time around...

Happy Birthday Tim!

Happy Birthday Tim! I can't imagine life without you...

Here are some of my favorite things about you (in no particular order):

1. You make me laugh every single day.


2. You put up with and understand my numerous "Friends" references, and have even gotten pretty good at it yourself. Ikea? Yep, you are probably the only other person besides me that finds that funny.


3. You do the ironing- and never complain.


4. You pick up after the dogs and never ask me to do it instead.


5. You always wash my car for me without me ever having to ask.


6. You rub my shoulders every morning when I am getting ready for work- just because.


7. You always fulfil your church callings and then some.


8. You always support me and my decisions, no matter how crazy they may be.


9. You are willing to try anything I cook- and eat every bite, no matter what it is.


10. You are the best husband and friend I could ever ask for!

And a few of my favorite memories- so far... (once again, in no particular order):

1. The time we left the play during intermission and didn't realize there was still another act. We had no idea how it ended!


2. The time we drove home from Ikea with the bed frame on top of the car. My fingers were freezing. That was um... interesting.


3. The time you sanded the wall so our TV would fit because you just had to get that thing to fit that night.


4. Staying up all night painting our new house. Do you remember how exhausted we were?


5. Moving the treadmill and elliptical upstairs on our own. I was convinced we were going to get trapped on the stairs with the heavy machines crushing us, or the dogs. I'm so glad we survived that! And, yes... we did it all by ourselves!


6. Assembling the basketball hoop in the garage in the freezing cold. How many hundreds of unlabeled parts were there? And the awful instructions? But we did it, and we only ended up with a few extra parts. If only we knew where they were now. The rim is a little crooked.


7. Getting engaged- You caught me way off guard!


8. Getting married- Best day ever!


9. Dropping the top layer of our wedding cake in front of the Sheraton after our wedding reception. We were covered in cake and couldn't stop laughing! I'm so glad I had already changed out of my wedding dress!


10. Our cruise to the Carribbean- what a great honeymoon!

I hope you have a wonderful birthday! I love you!