Tag: Blog

Wow! It has been a while!

On By jackiblosblackisIn PersonalLeave a comment

I have not been on here in a hot minute! I LOVE blogging and just some how it fell to the complete back. I miss it and I 110% plan on getting back here regularly. Now, about the time I fell off here, I entered the world of Instagram. I suppose it still gave me taste of what I was missing out on. However, I can get much more in depth here. That is what I am completely lacking. I am coming back with the same post I write up at the beginning of every year.

Looking Back on 2019 and Looking Forward to 2020

Since I dropped the ball with my site. I did not keep track on how I was doing with my goals in 2019. Let’s see how I did without making myself accountable at all.

  • Renovate two room in the house (if I can I would like to include both bathrooms as well).

HA! I actually fairly quickly dropped this off. I will do some kind of catch up post I am sure. I got my Little Monster’s room done in total. Little pieces here and there have been done but not what I was planning on doing.

  • Get the outside cleaned up and the driveway redone. The yard had been started and it just needs an actual attempt.

I got some real progress here but its not quite finished. I also did not get the driveway done. Some financial things came up and I just did not have the money to get it done.

  • Missy in swimming lessons (locally).

Finally! I did this goal. My Little Monster very much enjoyed going and she passed!

  • Start taking the weekly local yoga class in the fall.

I forgot about this but no. I am still happy doing it at home when I have a chance. I might get to the class but I am not pushing for it to be honest.

  • Have Missy enrolled in some programs.

We have done a few things (aside from swimming). She had an awesome friend and unfortunately they are moving a way.

  • Visit NiaNia and YeaYea.

We were not able to do this. I am aiming again for this year. No matter what it has to be done by before she gets into school. Which in reality is only a couple years,

  • Continue working on myself and striving for an organized (realistically) life.

ALWAYS. This will always be there. This is not something that is ever done for a person. At some point and at some time, a person grows in some fashion. We evolve.

  • As always try and keep the blog updated ha-ha.

We all know how that worked out…

  • I have always had something about debt on here. Now that it is paid off, I still would like to have a money goal(s). The big ones I want to do are making the maximum extra mortgage payment and to match what I have in savings. This is very ambitious of me and as long as I get part of each I will be happy. That mortgage payment though I need to make by June so it is not like I have a full year to save up for it.

No, rather I went backwards on this. Things happened and well. I will get things figured out. I just need to get a break really. Even if that does not happen I will make it work. I always have and no reason to quit now.

For those who may not know. I do not make resalutions but rather goals. Maybe they are the same thing in the end. I do not feel heartbroken when I slip up. I feel sad about some of the things above but not defeated over it. With that being said. Lets come up with some goals for 2020!

  • Immediately I want to put my Little Monster back into swimming lessons come summer.
  • I am looking to get the remainder of the outside finished. The parts that do not have to be contracted out. Plans just need the action now.
  • Really trying to make it to China by the end of this year.
  • I want to be more organized time management wise. I am not ashamed that this is an area where I need much more practice at.
  • I want to get back to this blog regularly. I do not want to lose my foothold with Instagram either. I am there and just need to at least keep up with where I am while bringing this back into the picture.
  • I need to get this whole financial situation thing sorted. I mean I just want it sorted once and for all. I hate having the back and forth. I want a happy medium!

Really I think that is it for now. It’s all pretty achievable and I may decide to add more as the year goes on. Life can be unpredictable and sometimes we just need to roll with the punches. Bring on 2020!

Reviews Coming Soon!

On By jackiblosblackisIn ReviewLeave a comment

I shall be getting back into reviews soon enough here. I have been meaning to but life gets in the way of plans all the time. Definitely something I have been thinking about. I did quite enjoy it when I was I was writing them. To be fair most of them were subscription boxes which does not fit into my current financial plan however I do try quite a few different products and for me some of them are simply amazing. Besides you can never have to many reviews out there ha-ha

Half Day Wasted!

On By jackiblosblackisIn PersonalLeave a comment

I could have gotten so much done in the last three hours. What I managed to complete is a different story. I am dressed, the dogs have been let out, and Bullet has had his nails cut. I suppose I did eat lunch and make pasta salad but that does not feel like any kind of accomplishment.

There is quite a bit I still want to get done (and yes writing this post was one of them). I veered off from doing my Container Gardening series. I do have the three tomato plants in the house right now and they are flowering right now. I will do an update when I have them situated where I want them to be.

I have decided though I will stick to the once a week post for sure. I made up a random list of topics. The plan is to pick one and write on it; I did choose ones that I could write on and were not series type ideas/topics. There is no guarantee that this will actually work but will not know until I give it a shot.

Fingers crossed that I actually like this process and it makes things a little easier with balancing everything.

My First Time Container Gardening – Week Ten and Eleven

On By jackiblosblackisIn Gardening, vegetablesLeave a comment

I missed last week although I took pictures. I will post both sets. As soon as I think things are up I tend to take a step or two back. All that time I sat there wondering of I should switch to vlogging I could have just written this post. I really do like blogging I just need to get my rhythm back. Anyways onto the topic.

Week Ten
Week Ten
Week Eleven
Week Eleven

My beans are nearing the end of their life. I f there were only two of the plants in the pot they would have done even better. I have gotten a decent amount from the plants and there are still some coming in. I think for my first time planting any kind of beans I have done quite well.

Week Ten
Week Ten
Week Ten
Week Ten

I got about five off the plant in week ten. This last weekend I picked closer to ten. Galaxy is in love with beans though. She stole a few of them this past weekend. These ones initially have a sweeter taste than the green and yellow ones mom grows. I have yet to actually cook them though.

Week Ten
Week Ten
Week Eleven
Week Eleven

The Black Yum Yum has made a huge amount of growth. There are no signs that is getting to cold for them at night either.

Week Ten
Week Ten
Week Eleven
Week Eleven

These ones as well have made quite the growth spurt too. However now that they have gotten bigger. I believe they are two different tomato plants. I will know for sure if they ever come to harvest. There leaves look nothing like each other though, I will try to remember to get close ups this coming week.

Every time we go out back Galaxy has to check on the plants. She has not tried to eat directly off any plants excluding berry bushes (knock on wood).

Week Ten
Week Ten
Week Ten
Week Ten
Week Eleven
Week Eleven

She does steal everything after it has been picked though. So far beans seem to be her favourite. She did really seem to like the peas at moms last week too.

That is it for today. Don’t forget to follow and like us on facebook at Chocolate Milks Cows!

Halfway into the Year – Taking a Look Back

On By jackiblosblackisIn PersonalLeave a comment

Now that we are halfway through the year, I think it is time to look at what my 2016 goals where and how I have progressed. You can see the post here. Here are the things that I wanted to see happen in 2016:

  • Cutting my debt by 1/3 at least
  • Effie and Little M moving up here with me
  • Continued research into adoption
  • Bringing my blog follow back up (as well as keeping current with those I follow)
  • Creating and continuing the stability in my life
  • Entering the next step of my career (my own clients and taking on payroll for the office)

Starting at the first bullet point; cutting my debt by 1/3. Halfway through the year I should be halfway to this goal right? Unfortunately that is incorrect. I just tried checking my most important debt and unfortunately the site is going through maintenance. So with a quick estimate of what the debt was owing at the beginning of the year I am actually 1/3 of my way to my goal. Funny how that works out. As long as nothing happens this goal will be completed.

Talking about paying off debts. I have no current subscription boxes, the dogs food budget is as small as it can possibly get, and pretty much all of the extras have been cut out. I get take out twice a month on payday ( I am paid semi-monthly which I love), every couple months I may grab pop or dessert from the store, and I buy wine only a couple times a year. Now I have kept Netflix, Shomi, and my credit protection subscriptions. That is pretty much my ‘play’ money as other would call it. I am also getting my hair done this week but for me that is a reward. I cannot say how excited I am to for the day I have no more debt payments to make!

The second bullet point did happen and things didn’t work out this time. The future is unknowing though. I am not going to get in to anymore of that (mostly because it is someone else’s business as well).

Bullet point three is continue research into adoption. I am still doing this and I am also a member of Adoption Council of Canada. There is not much more to elaborate on this subject yet.

Brining my blog follow back up. This does not really have a set number or anything. So it is kind of hard to say where I am. I am somewhat posting regular again. That seems to be helping. I think I am getting there but I’ll be able to look at it in more detail at the end of the year.

A life of stability; this I feel is happening. I have money plans laid out and the cleaning schedule is becoming routine again. While there are still some unknowns I feel like I can take those on with out experiencing anxiety or pushing myself into a depression. As long as the car does not break down and no one has a medical emergency.

Last but not least is entering the next step of my career. I have done this and a little more. Having my own clients is no longer in the picture as I have become much more involved at the office. I am going to continue that way instead.

To me everything looks like it is going well. I do not want to say this is all because of me since it is not. I have had help from others in different ways. Some directly and some indirectly. I am just really happy with the way things are heading.

I guess in six months we will look and see if everything continues going forward. I might take another look at how the debt progress is going in October since it probably is better to check on that more than twice a year.

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