WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

Fixing Our Credit Score

This is about my families journey to paying off old bills.

Right now on mine and Tony's credit report the only thing that shows on the positive, paid on time side is my car. Because we don't have any established credit and so many things on the delinquent side it caused our credit score to be in the poor category. With poor credit we can't get a loan for anything and we can not get a credit card to help establish credit! Just to get my car we put 5,000.00 down and have a interest rate of 21%, but every month it brings the credit score up. We got my car last March and Tony's credit score was 549 and a few months ago when he checked it it was 600. Since then we have paid off or started paying on some of the things on the delinquent side of our credit report, no it will not help our credit immediately when it's paid off but it will show as paid in full or paid on time instead of delinquent, and that is something that people look at when giving you a loan or credit card.

June 2009 Tony paid off a 2,200.00 credit card bill from back when he was 18 for 1,100.00 that now shows as paid in full.

July 2009 there was a knock on the door and I was served papers for an outstanding doctor bill. I was so nervous about my upcoming court date that I called the creditor and asked if I could settle my debt outside of court, they agreed. September 11th I made my first payment that was my "good faith payment" and agreed that every month on the 16th 263.90 would come directly out of my checking account until March 2010 when my debt would be payed off. I wanted it to come directly out of my checking account so that no matter what, the 16th of every month I had to make sure I had 263.90 in my checking account or my account would end up in the negative and I would be left with a ton of fees. After the 263.90 comes out tomorrow I will only have one

more payment left on that bill and then it will show as paid in full!

Today February 15th is the day of my first payment of 222.00 to a creditor for a crap hole apartment that we lived in when we first moved to Colorado. The total of that bill is 2,220.00 and that will take 10 months to pay off. With the near ending of my doctor bill comes the beginning of another bill. I am very excited it is working this way and that we didn't end up having to pay them at the same time.

February 8th 2010 I received a call from a creditor letting me know she just received my bill from my last apartment complex in the amount of 316.00 and that she was giving me the opportunity to pay it immediately before it showed on my credit report. Of course I jumped all over that offer and this Friday February 19th that bill will be payed off.

All that we have left to pay is a few small bills that have gone to a creditor and one big bill for a surgery Prestyn had when he was 10 months old and that bill is 2,500.00

In November 2009 we tried to buy a house. This is when we learned Tony's credit score was 600. This is also when we learned that the only positive thing on our credit report was my car. We were told our imcome was above where it needed to be for a loan we were just being held back because of our credit score and the things on our negative side of our credit report in how they all said delinquet. We were told that if we can get the things on the negative side of our credit report to show as paid in full or on time that it will help us get loans or a credit card so that we can have something else on the positive side of our credit report so that we can build up our credit score some more. With the car alone bringing up our credit score it is taking longer than it would with multiple things. At the rate our credit score is going up with the car alone it will be about 6 more months for us to have a good enough credit score to buy a house and we really want a house by April so we can get that 8 grand and use it as part of the down payment. This is why having the things in the negative side say paid in full or paid on time is important to us and the person getting us the loan for our house. Tony got another raise in January that has made us very comfortable financially so paying off all those old bills has become very easy and we can do it in a quick amount of time. We just can not believe that we didn't do this sooner. Right now we don't miss the money that comes out of my account every month for these debts which is why it is so important for us to keep paying while we don't miss it. Hopefully we can get a loan or credit card in a few months so we can have something else to show in the positive side as "paid on time" to help bring our credit score up some more.

Entryway Storage 80% done

I wanted to show you guys how the entryway storage is turning out!

I LOVE IT!

I still need to put the trim on and paint.

I need your input now, please. 1-See the bottom, should I leave it open or put the drawer in? I like it both ways. 2- What color do you think would look best, dark or light?

I told you guys I would give you the cost. We used pine instead of MDF so we spent more money than the plans call for. We also have a lot of left over wood. Our Home Depot was out of 1x2's and for some reason I got confused and added extra 1x4's and that is why I haven't done the trim yet. Oh well we will use it for another project :) I'm only giving you the cost for what is needed and what we used, not everything we bought since we bought to much.

2- 1x10x8= 20.24

3- 1x12x8= 36.87

1 sheet of ply wood for back= 23.97

1- 1x4x12= 6.71

screws= 5.37

drawer pull= 5.00

hooks= 2.00

TOTAL= 100.16

We still need to buy our 1x2's

We bought a new tape measure, screw driver set, bit set and a few other things so our total way a lot more than this. Also we didn't buy the paint yet since I haven't figured out what color, but that will be about another 30.00 My estimator hubby was right on the dot when he said 150.00 Also we did decide we are going to make another bench and another 2 piece storage system to make it look like in the picture where it's painted a cream color. It took us 2 hrs, and we did cut our own wood, if you have Home Depot cut your wood it should only take bout an hour plus paint time. I can't wait to show you guys the finished product next weekend!

Marshmallow Pops

My first attempt at Marshmallow Pops for Valentines Day

I had plenty of help from the kiddos

(See Trentons Birthday Countdown in the background? I made this weeks ago and still haven't posted about it)

Where have you been?

I have been to 33 states and Mexico.

There is a neat site that lets you map out where in the world you have been, lived, want to go. According to the map I have only seen 1% of the world. If you want to check out the map and track where you've been or want to go click here.

Who Dat

Geaux Saints!

(isn't that the sweetest photo?)

I've never been a big sports fan but when I heard the Saints were going to the Super Bowl I was very eager to watch the game. We went to Kristen's house to watch the game, the house was divided equally between those routing for the Saints and those for the Colts.

I would've LOVED to be in NOLA ( New Orleans Louisiana) for the Super Bowl, or really anywhere in my home state of Louisiana to celebrate the Saints victory.

Weight Update

I Finally had the chance to weigh myself yesterday...

I lost 5 lbs!

My new weight is 205!!

I will update again next Sunday

Busy Weekend

Have you ever been to the Knock Off Wood blog? If you are in need of furniture but wouldn't dare pay the price on some of the furniture you like, run over to Knock Off Wood NOW! Knock Off Wood offers FREE furniture plans, she's amazing people! But first look at what Tony and I are building this weekend.

It is a 2 piece entryway storage system sold by Pottery Barn for 700.00! To build it ourselves Tony estimates 150.00, I'm not sure if he included my paint or not? Tony is a Senior Estimator by day so we shall see how close he is on the total price. If I like the way it turns out then we will expand it like the picture below, but adding another bench piece. Guess how much this piece sells for at Pottery Barn.. 1,600.00 There is no way I would go out and spend 1,600.00 on this when I, I mean Tony could build it for a fraction of the price.

Wondering where this is going? Like my coloring???? HAHA lol...I Have always wanted a bench in front of our window. I do daycare at home and every evening when the kids are waiting on their parents they crowd in front of that little window by the door and start fighting because they can't all fit, hopefully this will fix that problem.

5 months

I have only 5 short months to get into shape for our vacation. Tony bought me a treadmill for Christmas and I was getting into a great routine and noticing results and then the tummy bug hit our house for 6 days straight and then I injured my foot. Yesterday I got back on the treadmill, started doing Jillian Michaels 30 day shred workout video, and started a get fit for spring break workout video. Today, my "abs" are feeling it like they haven't felt it since I use to take weight training classes back when I had a girl six pack, LOL.. I am going to start sharing my progress with you all, the good and bad. In December when I started on the treadmill I was 210lbs, I'm not sure of my weight right now but I do think I've lost at least 2lbs, I will go tonight and buy a scale! On YouTube I saw a lot of people who did a video diary of their weight loss using the Jillian Michaels 30 day shred, I might do one and post it on here so you all can watch my weight loss, if I lose any! I will do my stats in a different way, according to clothing sizes and weight, instead of inches since I'm not very good at measuring myself. I will go with my weight from December and tomorrow update if it's not still the same.

Stats: February 4th 2010

Weight:210

Breast: 38DD

Shirt:XL

Jeans:17 juniors

Goal Weight: 140

That is 70lbs in 5 months! Holy Cow! Is that possible? I don't know but I am going to try try try. I know I won't be able to wear a bikini on our vacation but maybe if I lose the weight it will be easier for me to get in and out of the boat and feel comfortable in summer clothes.

Wordless Wednesday

Party Hard

Tony and I were long over due for a night at the bar! Friday night we went to Electric Cowboy and met up with a few people we know, it was Amanda's birthday (I didn't get any pics of the b-day girl). We got there way to early so I was wasted before anyone showed up, lol you know how I do! Tony and I started off kinda rough because we had been having a disagreement about stupid stuff but after we got on the dance floor we were okay ;) Anyways, on to the pics! I am leaving out the drunken ones I took of myself taking a pee pee, such a bad girl I know!

Tony and Me

Kristen and Me

My hunny and his friend at Electric Cowboy

Steven, Kristen, Tony and Tony

Going home, Good Night