Case of the Mondays

Hummingbird125

Hey people!

Hope everyone had an awesome weekend!

I'm hating Monday already. Last week, I applied for a credit card and I just saw that I was denied. I have really good credit, pay everything on time, etc., and only wanted another CC to improve my credit score. Instead, my score will now take a hit without any benefit. Blegh. I'm super annoyed.

My boss is also back in office today after a week an a half off, so I know he's going to drive me crazy.

I'm stressed about a zillion and one things, and I need a drink.

What's going on with YOU today?

KeptInStitches

@hummingbird125, may I recommend screwdrivers or mimosas, depending on how classy you want to be on Monday mornings?

I haven't written on my dissertation in too long, so I guess I know what I'm doing this week ... I also need to nail down my group members today for our class group project and get the information from them I need to look up regulations so that we can actually start writing the report.

Today I have a technical paper to revise.

Generally this weekend was quiet. I got a new bridal corset this weekend because the one the store sold me last time was way too tight. Comfortable it was not. I honestly think they measured me too tightly - the new one is much, much better.

I got to knit yesterday for the first time in over a week and finished a baby blanket.

Invites are going out today!!

ETF username I swear I know it.

cu97tiger

I also have a case of the Mondays. It's cold, icy and gray. 10 days until I leave for Cancun. I'm thinking I might go tanning a couple times before, just to get a little base before I see the sun for the first time in FOREVER. The housekeeper is cleaning our house right now, so I guess that's one positive!

Hummingbird - you can ask the credit card company why they denied you. They have to provide you that information. That may help you determine how to make sure that doesn't happen next time.

Ollie08

Ugh, I'm dreading today. We had an ok weekend, which was pretty much spoiled when I did our taxes last night. I tried it six ways from Sunday, and the least I can get our tax bill down to is just under $1,400. All because we got married and had individual healthcare plans through the stupid effing Marketplace. This ACA is really really REALLY pissing me off. It also annoys me that we won't be able to give as much to our church for our Super Giving Sunday. They're getting ready to build a new campus and there's a one-time large donation collection we had planned to give substantially to, but now that Uncle Sam is calling, it looks like that won't happen. Grr 

lmcooper86

@Hummingbird125 - That really sucks about the CC

I know my Monday is going to be crazy. I stayed home sick on Friday and I was already slightly behind at work, so I have a ton of stuff to deal with today. My email is out of control, on top of the regular work that I have to deal with. I'm going to have to spend my lunch doing work for my course; I didn't get through everything this weekend and I have 2 short writing assignments that are due tonight. Aaaaand I have a bunch of WR stuff to take care of tonight too. And all I want to do it watch the Bachelor.

[Deleted User]

That sucks, @Hummingbird125.

This weekend was busy.  Friday night, I cooked filet mignon, acorn squash, asparagus, and homemade rolls.  The recipe for the rolls was new, and we loved it!! 

Saturday, I got up and made a big brunch (blueberry cornmeal waffles, eggs, bacon, coffee) and then spent most of the day freezer cooking.  I ended up making: 
Habanero Coconut Cilantro Rice
Latin Rice
Green Chile Chicken and White Bean Enchiladas
Baked Ziti with Ground Beef
Chicken Pasta Broccoli Casserole
Sweet and Spicy Marinated Drumsticks
Chile Limon Marinated Chicken Thighs
Pork Loin Roast stuffed with cranberries and walnuts
And then I went over to my parents while H hung out with his cousins.  I cooked dinner for them and then went to Homegoods and got gelato with my mom.

So I think we're set!  Going to buy some soups and soft foods this weekend, so I guess I'm ready.

Yesterday we went out for brunch after church.  It was amazing.  I was full for the rest of the day!

My biopsy is tomorrow.  Not excited. 

It sleeted this morning, but not enough for a snow day.  WAH.

@Ollie08 - That really, really sucks about the insurance.  BOO. 

Ollie08

@hummingbird125 - I agree with Tiger on seeing why they denied you. It might be something minor. 

@cu97tiger - Oh Cancun sounds wonderful right about now! I'm in desperate need of some color. I was never much into tanning beds, but I've been thinking about it lately. My step mother owns a tanning salon, so at least it wouldn't cost anything lol 

cu97tiger

@ollie08 - I hear you on the taxes. I got a call from my tax guy on Saturday that we owe for Federal. Luckily what we get back in state will cover it, but we're netting about $250. Not really enough for the new counters we've been eyeing I'm really glad we don't owe, though. Sorry about that!

Hummingbird125

@cu97tiger - It said I would be getting a letter with the reason(s) why. Maybe I just filled something out incorrectly?

@Keptinstitches - A mimosa would be heavenly right about now!

@Ollie - My marketplace health plan screwed me over too, tax-wise. I was unemployed at the beginning of the year, so I guess I qualified for all sorts of tax credits for that plan, but I started a job in March. Since I couldn't switch to my employer-sponsored health plan for 90 days, I just kept my ACA plan. However, I failed to realize that since I started a job, I didn't qualify for all of those same tax credits and thus should have been paying about double for the plan I had. Thus, I owe taxes for the first time ever, and it REALLY REALLY SUCKS.

Swazzle

My weekend was good. Friday, I had a few drinks at home and watched some of my shows while H finally finished painting the main bathroom. Saturday, I went to Weight Watchers (-2 lbs!!!) then cleaned the house. We had friends over for the night and we went to dinner then to the Devils game (they actually won!). Yesterday, I made ST Bananas Foster French Toast, our friends left, I cleaned again, and then my parents arrived. My mom is staying until Thursday to get some painting done for us. Today she's prepping and tomorrow she'll start actually painting. She's doing our bedroom ( and the living room/stairway/upstairs hallway. I'm nervous and anxious and can't wait to see it! 

We chose this color for our bedroom:

And this color for the living room, etc:

I have to meal plan today so I can go food shopping after work and I'm feeling very uninspired. Anyone have any good Weight Watchers friendly recipes they feel like recommending?

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@Hummingbird125 - That's so weird, I wonder why you weren't approved? 

@KeptInStitches - Yay! Did we see your invitations all finished?

@cu97tiger - Can you squeeze me in your suitcase?

@Ollie08 - That really, really SUCKS. As you know, I'm also pissed off about my tax situation this year. I'm really hoping when we meet with someone in person they can figure out WTF happened. 

@lmcooper86 - You're at 2:2:2!!!! What do you have to do tonight that's WR?

Ollie08

@Hummingbird125 - Ugh! Similar thing happened to us. We got married in September, and prior to that we both qualified for credits, but as soon as we got married we didn't qualify for anything (also, how the eff does that math work?). Our plans would have been over $600/month if we didn't have any credits, how is that Affordable? And now we owe that money back? I swear, we would have been better off taking the stupid penalty. I have two kids to claim and STILL owe! Someone needs to get the President a freaking dictionary. Affordable my ass. Biggest crock of shit ever. 

@cu97tiger - Oh man! That's awful. I admit I thought we would be getting very little back this year if anything, but I didn't anticipate owing that much. I'm so bummed for you there's not a bunch of countertop money! 

Peaseblossom55

@cu97tiger yay 10 days until vacation! Mine is 16 days.

@swazzle I love those colors!

I had a decent weekend.  I am almost feeling back to normal and my cold is mostly gone.  On Friday I was at the theater running concessions for the show, it was such a good show I loved it.  Saturday I had rehearsal for 6 hours, had to drive home in the snow and on bad roads and do my grocery shopping for the week.  I stayed in the rest of the night, w/ H relaxing and watching a movie.  I had rehearsal again yesterday for a few hours. It was also my mom's birthday so  we went out for dinner with the family.  I got to see my niece again who is almost 2 months old. She is adorable.  We were home in time for The Walking Dead.  I just feel tired from my weekend and feel like I didn't have much downtime to relax either.  I guess I will do that on vacation :-)

Dignity100

@Hummingbird125 - I agree with finding out why you were declined.

@KeptInStitches -  Yay for your invites going out today!

@cu97Tiger - So jealous of your Cancun trip (and your housekeeper).

@Ollie08 - H and I need to do our taxes still.  I have to have H go to his parents house and get all his paperwork so we can do them somewhere else. SIL usually does our taxes, we typically do them at his parents house, and I know his mom means well but she drives us all bananas trying to do things to benefit us (I'd prefer to do things the right way and not run the risk of getting audited).  I'm wondering if it might be more beneficial for us to file separately.

@IMcooper86 - One thing at a time, you'll get it all done and caught up!!

@CocoBellaF - Hope the biopsy goes well!!  Holy cow that's a lot of cooking!!

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Saturday I ended up sleeping all day thanks to a sinus headache.

Sunday Nessie had a grooming appointment - so we got up, shoveled the driveway, took her in.  While she was there I finished a couple photo books to order.  Watched a little TV and got the call to pick her up.  Went and picked her up, H and I ended up going out to dinner and then grocery shopping.  I got all the supplies to make a couple different kinds of cookies (H got my a kitchenaid mixer for v-day; I've been eyeballing them for a few years and he got a pretty decent deal).

Today - Total case of the Mondays.  I don't feel like being at work.  I didn't get as much stuff as I wanted to done over the weekend (thanks to my fabulous headache on Saturday).  I really think the weather just has me down - on the days that it's over 20 degrees we get 4 inches of show...I just want to have 2-3 days above freezing to get all the ice to melt off my driveway where it didn't get shoveled all that great due to my laziness (H's laziness too - but I told him to just leave it).

Hummingbird125

@Ollie08 - Ugh, I know. Without my tax credits I would have been paying/should have been paying, closer to $400 a month for ME alone. That is not at all "affordable". I thought I was doing the right/responsible thing by insuring myself as a young, healthy American, but really I was just screwing myself over.

cu97tiger

@swazzle - sure, I'm flying Southwest so I get two free bags... one of them is all yours I'm going to try really hard not to overpack. I figure I only need:

-night outfits (two dresses, one pair of jeans, one shirt, one cardigan) 

-two swimsuits plus coverups

-two running skirts, two tank tops, two pairs of socks, two sportsbras

-two pairs of flip flops, one pair sneakers (which I'll probably wear on the plane)

I want to be one of those cool people who isn't lugging around a 49.9 lb suitcase for once!

DH has two or three bonuses coming up, and I want him to take 10% of them for himself, and then write the rest in a check to our credit cards. I'm so sick of paying finance charges.

[Deleted User]

@Dignity100 - What color of mixer did you get?  I have the red one.  I LOVE it.  I haven't used a handheld mixer since I got married.

Re: taxes - We turned ours in yesterday to our accountant.  I've been putting away extra since I got the new job, hoping we won't have to pay.  I guess we'll find out soon!

[Deleted User]

@hummingbird125 -I'm sorry about the CC situation. How annoying is that!!! I'm curious as to why they would have denied you too. That doesn't seem right to me.

@Keptinstitches -Yay for sending out invitations today!

@cu97tiger -I'm so jealous of your Cancun trip!

@cocobellaF -Good luck tomorrow. I'll be thinking about you!

@swazzle -Yay for the loss in WW!

This weekend was awesome until yesterday! I'll start with the good. So, Friday night I went over to @Labro 's house for the weekend while DH was at a bachelor party. We had dinner and watched silly movies. Saturday morning she made this supper yummy breakfast casserole for us and then we made wreaths! Afterwards we took the puppies on a walk and watched for silly movies. That night had vegged out with chinese food and watched past GOT seasons.

Sunday morning we met my parents for coffee and donuts. DH got home around 1:00 and my parents and I went with him to look at a new house and then the home that we were planning on making an offer on. The first house was a definite no and once we got to the new house, my parents absolutely loved it! The thing is though, the builder in the neighborhood went under and wasn't able to finish building the rest of the neighborhood. This happened about 10 years ago and since then it has been just foreclosures in the neighborhood and not many people have been able to sell their homes. My Dad didn't want us to get stuck in a situation where we bought the house and weren't able to sell it in 10 years because the neighborhood never picked back up. So unfortunately I think we are backing away from this house and starting over : ( I'm so sad because I LOVED this house but my parents are right and it wouldn't be a good situation for the long run.

Dignity100

@Swazzle - Carmel Apple Salad is an easy one for dessert:
4 Granny Smith Apples
1 SF FF Butterscotch pudding
1 Can Crushed Pineapple (the normal size can, not the small one - do NOT drain)
1 tub 'Free' Cool Whip

Mix the Butterscotch pudding and crushed pineapple together in large bowl
Core/Skin/Dice the apples (though if I'm making just for me and H, I keep the skin on).  As you finish cutting the apples, mix them in as you finish them to prevent browning.
After all apples are diced - fold in Cool Whip into the mixture.

Chicken Taco Soup was a good one <<LINK>> - it freezes well too (I always sprayed a large muffin tin with oil and added in and froze to portion size servings)

<<This>> one is one of H's favorites - I think it was around 9 pts

GoldenPenguin

BAH. Monday. Yesterday it was so nice here - bright & sunny and 32 degrees!! I walked outside & actually thought "hey, it's warm!" (how pathetic that 32 is WARM!?)

I worked all weekend. Hockey Friday & Saturday, and then our first lacrosse game of the season yesterday. We were so close to winning yesterday, and then had a turnover and the other team scored with seven seconds to go. Heartbreaker. 

FI & I booked the house we're staying in for the wedding, which is exciting. I'll stay there with my girls on Friday night, and then FI & will stay there Saturday night. The house is gorgeous, and will make for some awesome pictures. 

There are some really pretty gardens in the back, and it's right near the river. I'm getting so excited!

I deleted the Bed, Bath & Beyond app from my phone yesterday because I don't want to be a registry stalker. I already saw that two things have been purchased, and I'm really really really excited about them. 

Dignity100

@cu97tiger - I'm always hauling around that 49lb suitcase... well actually 45lb since H is paranoid we'll go over!

@CocoBellaF - I got Crystal Blue, it wasn't my first choice to be honest (I wanted the Espresso or one of the silvers), but on Amazon the color was cheaper than the other colors by around $20 (H talked to me about it first because he knew it wasn't my ideal color choice).

@Southernpeach89 - That really stinks about the house!  I get what your parents are saying though.  I bought my house before the housing market crashed, overpaid for it and now I feel super stuck; I'd hate to see that happen to anybody else.

cu97tiger

@ollie08 & @hummingbird125 - I'm confused about why what you're getting in your tax returns is an ACA issue? When I was laid off a whole bunch of years ago and had to get my own insurance, it was freaking expensive (I don't remember exactly, but I'd say $250-350)... so $600 for two adults and two kids doesn't sound totally ridiculous to me (I mean, it is a ridiculous amount of money, but it sounds like about what the market demands).

Swazzle

@southernpeach89 - That really sucks about the house but I can say firsthand that maybe it's for the best! Look what happened to me. I couldn't be happier in the house we found after the first one fell through. Fingers crossed you find something soon that you love even more!

@Dignity100 - YUM! The chili recipe is pretty similar to a Skinnytaste one that I make often. I'll probably throw something like that together for tomorrow because it's so easy. 

@GoldenPenguin - I can't wait to wake up there with you on your wedding day!!!!

Ollie08

@cu97tiger - My issue is a direct result of the ACA Marketplace. They approved me and H for a subsidy (I actually didn't take the full amount of subsidy they said I qualified for), and now come tax time we have to repay the entire subsidy because we got married in September. I even went in and made the changes on the Marketplace that we had gotten married and it didn't change my subsidy. Not until we re-applied this year for a combined plan. But now all of a sudden, H and I are married and we don't qualify for anything. 

I know what you mean about private insurance plans being expensive. When I was laid off in 2010, I couldn't afford a private plan. But that's what the whole ACA is about. It's about making insurance affordable so that everyone is insured. Tell me how 2 adults on a catastrophic only plan at $600 per month is affordable when your combined income at the time is less than $70k? That's more than 10% of our income going to health insurance that has ridiculously high deductibles and co-insurance. I mean, seriously a $13,000 deductible? With what money? 

GoldenPenguin

Swazzle said:

@southernpeach89 - That really sucks about the house but I can say firsthand that maybe it's for the best! Look what happened to me. I couldn't be happier in the house we found after the first one fell through. Fingers crossed you find something soon that you love even more!

@Dignity100 - YUM! The chili recipe is pretty similar to a Skinnytaste one that I make often. I'll probably throw something like that together for tomorrow because it's so easy. 

@GoldenPenguin - I can't wait to wake up there with you on your wedding day!!!!

I JUST GOT THE BIGGEST BUTTERFLIES IN MY TUMMY.

cu97tiger

@goldenpenguin - I can't wait to stalk you/look in your windows/scare the crap out of you in that house. Hahaha just kidding

@ollie - Oof... with a payment like that, I'd expect a REALLY low deductible. That sucks.

GoldenPenguin

@cu97tiger - except you aren't kidding at ALL.  

labro

@GoldenPenguin The house you are staying in is so adorable!!

@Hummingbird125 I'm really sorry about the cc. I applied for a Macy's card with our registry and it came with a really low limit ($500). I asked to increase it and was denied. I'm really perplexed about it too because I have excellent credit.

@CocoBellaF Good luck with your surgery this week!

@cu97tiger I strongly believe in rolling my clothes when I pack them in a suitcase. It really helps to compact everything. I've been able to pack enough outfits for an 8 day summer vacation to California in a carry-on bag!

@southernpeach89 I'm sorry about the house. It sounds like the kitchen would've been extremely small anyway, and with all the cooking you do, you'd get sick of that fast! I hope you find a house you love even more soon! You should go back to that house for one last visit though and steal their kitties.

My weekend was pretty much as @southernpeach89 relayed. We watched lots of silly YouTube videos, made toffee chocolate chip cookies, ate lots of food, made wreaths, and had a blast! Maddux and Cinders played pretty much non-stop and hopefully wore each other out for a few days. Anyway, here are two of the wreaths we made! Mine is the hydrangea one and southern's is the St. Patrick's Day wreath!

And these are the dogs finally calming down for a nap after playing hard ALL DAY.

cu97tiger

@labro - Oh, ever since @flygirlmeg introduced me to packing cubes, my suitcases are like magic inside. It's not so much fitting everything in there, it's my love of laying everything out, packing it, and then saying 'Oh, I probably need these three other shirts, and this one dress, and two more pairs of shoes' and before you know it, I've got a full 50lb suitcase for a 3 day trip.

500days

@ollie08 FI was shocked at the cost for the ACA plans too. He pays privately through BCBS and it's $200 a month and ACA was more for a similar plan. I just don't get it. FI will go on my insurance once we are married. 

@cu97tiger I'm so jealous of your Cancun trip!

I'm home sick today. I woke up yesterday with a nasty cold and needed today to sleep in, rest and refuel. Tomorrow I'll go in and deal with whatever happens today. I haven't gone to work on a Monday all February due to snow and now being sick....go me.

This weekend was pretty tame. I went to a girls' night party on Friday. We were supposed to play Just Dance, but my friend didn't test her son's Xbox before having us come over. It just turned into an hour of troubleshooting and facetiming her son. Nightmare. Thankfully, someone suggested we played heads up and the night was saved. Saturday was pretty relaxed- food shopping, watching TV and cleaning around the house. Sunday was just a loss, since I was sick. 

I'm really looking forward to February ending...such a crappy month. I hope March makes the snow go away.

AlPacina

@500days & @TwoDimes - I hope you girls start feeling better soon!

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I took a billiion years to get ready this morning. And then got to my desk and had a sticky note on my chair saying that my boss wanted to see me. I think I was a little bitchy toward him, which is not a great start either, haha.

Friday night was supposed to be my date night (which I haven't had in forever), but BF's dad called last minute saying he was going to one of those estate auctions and invited us to come. I had never been to an auction so we went, but I didn't find anything I wanted to bid on.

Saturday I hung out with my pregnant friend on the waterfront, and it was so sunny and warm! We got lunch with one of my work friends, then all went to see Cinderella! It was super cute and funny, and Cinderella had such an amazing voice. But they changed the story to be all political and one of the step sisters wasn't even mean to her. It was.......weird. Luckily the music was in tact. That night I went to happy hour with a few other girls, and then went to our wine and paint class. It was two koi fish facing opposite directions. I had a lot of fun, although one fish is super fat. My parents have some fat koi, so I blame them for skewing my perception.

Yesterday we took the dog for a hike in the sunshine and I wore shorts and washed my car. I am loving this sunny February weather!

lavenderfields13

I had a relaxing weekend. Friday night FI was away at Foxwoods with a few guys from work. He came home much earlier than expected on Saturday which was nice since he had the day off. I cleaned the bathroom for what seemed like forever and then we sat on the couch all afternoon and night. I love just sitting around with him since we don't get to spend too much time together!

Yesterday was about 40 degrees and sunny and it felt like Spring! We met with our officiant for the first time and that was great. She's writing us a personalized ceremony so we met with her for about 2 hours while we talked about our relationship and she asked us questions. I'm excited to see what she comes up with. Then we went out to dinner, went home and watched Netflix until I went to bed.

Now I'm at work and irritated because I'm sick of people who don't do their jobs. And my allergies act up like crazy when I'm in my office. I'm allergic to work.

@swazzle nice work on the -2!