sick (again), extra cash and a sneak peek.

I need to find a way to prevent myself from getting sick. I've been that way all week :( I've eaten nothing but chicken noodle soup, saltine crackers and cheerios since Monday, with the exception of the pork chop I ate last night. I shouldn't have. My beverages of choice have been water (lots of it) and gatorade (the red kind). My activities? Sleeping, reading, browsing the internet and wishing I was at work. These are all things I can do from the comfort of my bed and in pjs. I'm so over not feeling well and being at home.

CAC is hosting a gala tonight called "From Russia With Love." Mike and I were excited to go in support of the museum and for a quality night out with each other. But we aren't going :( The only good thing about this is that I can return a dress that I really didn't like too much and that I would have never worn again. My checking account will like the extra cash.

Speaking of extra cash. For lent, Mike and I have both given up eating out. We are both very fond of pizza and subs as quick fixes for the "we're too busy to make dinner" problem we have during the week and love to dine out during the weekends. Add to this the fact that I also enjoy grabbing soup and sandwiches for lunch as a way to get a break from the office, and you can see how our monthly food expenses could be significantly higher than they should. We've cut out breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner and snacks, with three exceptions.

1. I had already made plans for breakfast/brunch with a friend on the 9th of February. This was the Saturday after Lent had started and the plans had been made for weeks. Considering our sacrifice is huge, the plans stayed in the books.

2. This friend lives in Williamsburg. Her parents are visiting Virginia Beach at the end of February and they've invited us to join them for dinner on the 1st of March. We haven't seen them since our wedding and I have no idea when we'll see them again. We're going to dinner.

3. Starbucks coffee. I haven't been nor do I plan to go during Lent, but I have several grants due in this time frame and may need the pick me up. Because it is not food, it's technically allowed. But no cookies, pastries or other desserts.

So for 40 days and 40 nights, we will dine at home. No Panera Bread bagels on Saturday morning or Pizza Hut pizza on Tuesday nights. No fancy Italian raviolis or restaurant-made taco salad on Saturday night. No trips to new restaurants in Norfolk on a whim. Just homemade goodness and quality conversation. So far, I like it. I've had cravings for outings to my favorite restaurants and I always love trying new places, but we're trying to save money and change our spending habits. It's good for us ---- financially and physically. And that, to me, is what Lent is all about. Making a sacrifice that allows you to change something negative into something positive. Hopefully it's a change that lasts much longer than those 40 days.

Although, I must admit I was very excited when I discovered this the other day: my table magazine