TRAINING

So today marks the "official" beginning of my half-marathon training! I am so excited to announce that me, my BFF Megan and my good friend Courtney, along with her good friend Lindsey are all going to be running in Disney World's Wine and Dine Half-Marathon in October. Megan is married and has a little 5 month old and lives in Colorado. She is training out there and then flying in to Alabama the week of the race. Then the four of us (and possibly more) are driving down to Orlando for the weekend race. Luckily, we have 17 weeks to prepare and today is the first step of my journey. I will begin today with my "long" run and do 4 miles. Then throughout the week I will do 2 shorter runs, a rest day, a stretch and strengthen day, and a couple days of cross-training (think Zumba, fast walking and random gym cardio/weights). I am so excited and will post more tidbits along the way!

GIRLFRIENDS

I love these ladies! And they did NOT dissapoint last night, either! My mom and I went to see the new Sex and the City 2 and LOVED it! I mean, we were seriously in stiches the entire time. The movie was 2.5 hours but it flew by because it was so funny/sweet/cute/perfect/etc. I definitely recommend it. The costumes are to die for! It was so neat seeing everything they would put together and accessorize with. Both me and my mom loved the moving so much we want to go see it again! Nothing like a great excuse to get dressed up and drink a cosmo!

VACAY

Last week Greg and I took a last minute vacay to South Florida! One of Greg's best friends from high school (they have known each other since they were six)Tyler, graduated from Georgia Tech and invited us to join him and his girlfriend, along with another couple(all Harrison High Class of 2006 alums btw) for a week at his Dad's place down in Ft. Lauderdale. We had such a blast! I can't remember the last time I had that much fun with such great people. We got to do a bunch of super fun things like lay and play on the beach, have nightly cookouts, eat Dunkin' Donuts for breakfast, go dancing at Lulu's and the Elbow Room, visit the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida and spend a day in South Beach, Miami! I seriously loved every minute of it. Getting to spend some quality time with Greg was great. And getting to know some of his high school friends was a blast, they were just so much fun! Here a few pics I snapped from our day in South Beach. Enjoy!

BAD

So over the last few months I have finally grown tired of receiving horrible, rude, and just plain BAD service everywhere I go! Soooo...I finally started complaining. And not to managers who don't care or supervisors who are simply "warm bodies," but to CORPORATE! Check out what I have received for FREE in just the past few months:

*$30 gift card to Olive Garden
*$20 gift card to Chili's
*3,500 Delta Skymiles (This put me over the 25k limit to get my FREE award ticket!)

Now, I haven't gotten all corporate-complaining happy and just complained about every last little thing just to get freebies, BUT, I have gone out of my way to notify Olive Garden, Chili's and Delta when they have had remarkably horrible service. I have realized the best way to contact a company and simply go to their website and find the "Contact Us" button and then send them a short e-mail. I usually get a response within 2-3 business days and voila!

What do you think? Have you ever complained and gotten anything for free? What methods work best for you?

LEGAL?

LEGAL VS. ILLEGAL

You have two families: "Joe Legal" and "Joe Illegal". Both families
have two parents, two children, and live in California .

Joe Legal works in construction, has a Social Security Number and makes $25.00 per hour with taxes deducted.

Joe Illegal also works in construction, has NO Social Security Number,and gets paid $15.00 cash "under the table".

Ready? Now pay attention...

Joe Legal: $25.00 per hour x 40 hours = $1000.00 per week, or
$52,000.00 per year. Now take 30% away for state and federal tax; Joe
Legal now has $31,231.00.

Joe Illegal: $15.00 per hour x 40 hours = $600.00 per week, or
$31,200.00 per year. Joe Illegal pays no taxes. Joe Illegal now has
$31,200.00.

Joe Legal pays medical and dental insurance with limited coverage for his family at $600.00 per month, or $7,200.00 per year. Joe Legal now has $24,031.00.

Joe Illegal has full medical and dental coverage through the state and local clinics at a cost of $0.00 per year. Joe Illegal still has $31,200.00.

Joe Legal makes too much money and is not eligible for food stamps or welfare. Joe Legal pays $500.00 per month for food, or $6,000.00 per year. Joe Legal now has $18,031.00.

Joe Illegal has no documented income and is eligible for food stamps and welfare. Joe Illegal still has $31,200.00.

Joe Legal pays rent of $1,200.00 per month, or $14,400.00 per year.
Joe Legal now has $9,631.00.

Joe Illegal receives a $500.00 per month federal rent subsidy. Joe
Illegal pays out that $500.00 per month, or $6,000.00 per year. Joe
Illegal still has $ 31,200.00.

Joe Legal pays $200.00 per month, or $2,400.00 for insurance. Joe
Legal now has $7,231.00.

Joe Illegal says, "We don't need no stinkin' insurance!" and he still
has $31,200.00.

Joe Legal has to make his $7,231.00 stretch to pay utilities, gasoline, etc.

Joe Illegal has to make his $31,200.00 stretch to pay utilities,
gasoline, and what he sends out of the country every month.

Joe Legal now works overtime on Saturdays or gets a part time job after work.

Joe Illegal has nights and weekends off to enjoy with his family.

Joe Legal's and Joe Illegal's children both attend the same school.
Joe Legal pays for his childrens' lunches while Joe Illegal's children
get a government sponsored lunch. Joe Illegal's children have an
after school ESL program. Joe Legal's children go home.

Joe Legal and Joe Illegal both enjoy the same police and fire
services, but Joe paid for them and Joe did not pay.

Do you get it, now?

If you vote for or support any politician who supports illegal
aliens...You are part of the problem!

It's way PAST time to take a stand for America and Americans!

What are you waiting for? Pass this on!

VOTE

Help me win an $1,000 Kroger gift card by clicking here, (you then may have to click the KROGER symbol and the my bag should show up)saving it to your favorites and voting EVERY DAY for my bag! It would be so helpful to me and it seriously would only take about six or seven seconds of your time, every day. Thanks guys!

By the way, I think it's super cute and I can order one, so if you want one, let me know!

$2.39

So I am still working at getting a good hang of this coupon and free thing. But I must admit I am getting quite good at it. Last Thursday I made a trip to CVS and here is what I came home with.

Transaction 1:
Listerine $3.99
- $1.00 manufacturer coupon
- $2 ECB
.99

Complete Solution $8.99
- $8.99 ECB
FREE

Stride Gum $.99
-$.99 ECB
FREE

Vitamin Water $1.69
- $1.69 manufacturer coupon
FREE

Skintimate Cream Shave $3.99
- $2 ECB
$1.99

Colgate Total $2.99
- $2 ECB
$.99

SpeedStick Stainguard $3.49
- $3 ECB
$.49

I paid for this transactions using a $25 CVS gift card I got for transferring my prescription.
My total OOP w/ tax: $.53

Transcaction 2:
Oil of Olay Lotion $8.99
- $8.99 "Quench for Clunkers" mail in rebate
FREE

Schick 3 Pro Razor $8.97
- $6 ECB
$2.97

CVS Paper Towels $1.29
- $1 off CVS paper product (machine in store produced this coupon)
$.29

CVS Apricot Travel Size Scrub $1.49
- $1 off CVS skincare item (machine in store produced this coupon)
$.49

CVS Disenfecting Wipes $2.99

2 Cover Girl Mascara $7.99
- B1G1 50% off
$11.98

Body Scrubber $2.99

- $4 CVS purchase of $20 or more
- All ECBs from first transaction
Total OOP: $17.73

BUT, I still have $6 ECB for next week and I mailed in my rebate form for the Oil of OLay for $8.99, combine that with the fact that my Chase Rewards Card pays me 5% for drug store purchases and when it is all said and done I only paid $2.39 for everything purchased and seen above!!! The funny part is I actually had two more manufacturer coupons I could have used but I goofed up and forgot and I could have done my ordering a little bit differently and saved even more. But all in all I am very, very pleased!

$17.73
-$8.99
-$6 ECB remaining
-$.88 (my 5% cash back from my Chase card)
+.53 OOP for first transaction
= $2.39