So Close to $12,500

Awhile back I set a mini-goal of $12,500 in retirement by the end of November. As of this morning, I am so close to that goal with a total of $12,374.29 saved between my Roth IRA and 401k. This means, that after my paycheck deduction to my 401k this Friday, I will be at my mini-goal! This just means I am one more step closer to $15,000 saved by next March!

Volleyball Starts Next Week!

I love the fall season for several reasons, but I love it even more because my two volleyball recreational teams start next week. I am playing on both a women's team and a coed team this year. The cost ($34 for each team) was not in the budget, but I still consider the money well spent because it will keep me active and it is an amazing stress relief! I can't wait to get back on the court and use my six feet tall frame to my advantage :)!

Party Planning Time

It has been two weeks since my last party and I am well rested and ready to start planning my next party. I am ready to start researching ideas and ordering supplies for my pink pajama party for my girlfriends. So far my plan is to pick a date for our evening of movies, goodies, and lounging in our pajamas and I need to order some adorable pink invitations. I also want to put together some pink themed goodie bags with things like lotion, nail polish, lip gloss, etc. I plan on serving several different bite size desserts and cocktails for the evening. And of course, we will throw in some delicious popcorn during the movie time. Stay tuned for more details on my next party for the girls!

Turning the Comments Option On!

When I first started writing my blog, I was hesitant to allow others to post comments. But after consideration and encouragement from friends, I have decided to turn the comments option on. So from now on any of you can leave comments, suggestions, or feedback on my journey to 25 and my blog posts along the way. Hope to hear from you soon!

Budget Recap - Wine and Cheese Party

Awhile ago when I was planning my wine and cheese party, I set a budget and I think I did a pretty good job of sticking to it. These were the expenses for the party:

-Custom Invitations from TinyPrints.com - $30.35

-Set of 12 Plates from Crate and Barrel - $29.03

-4 Bottles of Wine - $61.32

-Cheese Selections, Salami, and Appetizers - $77.47

So for everything, I spent $198.17, which is just under the $200 that I wanted to spend. Although, this party was expensive, it was worth it! Now back to being budget conscious for the rest of the month....

Incredible Party

I don't even have words to describe how amazing the wine and cheese party was last night... it was a blast! We had some of the most amazing wine, cheeses, and appetizers and laughed until we cried and enjoyed an amazing evening with our girlfriends. We enjoyed four different wines paired up with unique cheeses and had a blast talking about the flavors and different tastes and textures. We ended up drinking wine till almost midnight and having a great time sharing stories and laughs. I am so relieved that the party was a huge success and so much fun! I can't wait to do this kind of party again!

Inspiring Discussion

I just got home from book club and the discussion about "The Last Song" was incredibly inspiring. All of the ladies had the opportunity to share their thoughts about the book and how it impacted their thoughts or related to their personal stories. I was amazed how deep our discussion went and how much we were able to discuss about this book. We also had the opportunity to each bring a suggestion for the next book club selection and after much discussion and a vote, we have decided on "Await Your Reply" by Dan Chaon. I don't know much about this book, but it is always exciting to start a new read. And I can't wait for book club again on October 14th. Stay tuned for updates on how the book is going once I start reading!

One Week Till Wine and Cheese Party!

I am so excited that only one more week needs to pass before my wine and cheese tasting party on the 10th. The invites were sent awhile ago and over half of the list has RSVP'd, so we should have about 6-8 of us for the party. The adorable loop plates (from Crate and Barrel) arrived this week and coordinate perfectly with my serving dishes. I plan on decorating the table with all white dishes and clear glasses with a touch of light blue color using cocktail napkins and irredescent pebbles on the table. I will be picking up the wine and cheese next Thursday or Friday (want to make sure it is fresh) and preparing the appetizers next Friday afternoon. I plan on serving bruschetta, artichoke dip, tomoto-mozarella salad, and anything else delicious that I can think of. I can't wait to post the recap of the party next weekend!