I'm taking a break from updating you on our pergola and deck project to tell you about some realizations I came to after six months of using Dave Ramsey's signature budgeting tool: The Envelope System (TES). I can't tell you exactly how much money it has saved us since Jan. 1, but I know it has saved us a lot.

I don't know what's gotten into me, but I have been a cooking machine the past few weeks! Hubs is loving it! Ha!

Hubs and I are beginning our THIRD week of juicing for breakfast, and we are seeing (and feeling!) the benefits BIG time.

Thanks to my mother-in-law, we acquired a juicer and have used it every single day for the past two weeks. When we made our first juice (a simple carrot, apple and ginger juice), we really had no intention of incorporating it regularly into our diet. My inspiringly healthy co-worker did a few juice fasts, and each time she let me sample her concoctions. I honestly didn't try one I didn't like.

It's summertime, it's Friday, Big Brother premiered this week...what's not to love about this day?! I could go on a rant about it being YOU--not your circumstances--that determines whether or not today is going to be an awesome day, but I'd rather not. Instead, let's mix up our favorite drinks and thank the good Lord we made it to another weekend!

Ah, summertime. What is your favorite thing about summer? I could never narrow down all the things I love about it...the heat, the lake, the music, the food, the drinks, the clothes, the tan...everything! It just seems like people are generally happier when the weather is warm.

Well, it's day 1 of my green diet and so far, so good!

Since Monday, I have made 4 green smoothies. They've all been different, and they all have tasted wonderful! I use them as meal replacements as they usually make between 2 1/2 to 3 cups.

I made my lunch smoothie before I left for work today. Here's what's in it:

Going green: There are a lot of ways you can do it.

• Working in the electric industry, it's always on the forefront of energy topics. How can we generate electricity without harming the environment? How can you, as a home-owner, save electricity, which in turn saves you money?
• Electric cars are all the buzz right now, as is walking or bicycling to work if you are able. Transportation without the use of gasoline is another way to "go green."
• Recycling or, better yet, skipping bottled water altogether is a smart move to avoid unnecessary container waste.

For the first time ever, I actually sat down and put some thought into my new year's resolutions. In the past, I have been the one who hits the gym hard on Jan. 2, only to give up after a few weeks of exercise. I realized this year since I am not an overweight person, my resolutions do not need to focus on losing weight. I do, however, need to change my diet radically and tone up. With those, the weight will fix itself.

I have learned from past experiences that simply a resolution of "losing weight" or "saving money" will not work for me. I must have a somewhat-tangible goal in mind, but not just any goal. It has to be something that I want  to accomplish and something that Corey and I can work towards together. We have a big goal in mind, but we're starting small.

You may remember from yesterday's post I mentioned Hubs and I for seven days restricted ourselves to eating only plant-based, unsweetened whole foods. The biggest surprise for me? I didn't much miss the cheese, sugar or chocolate (gasp!). For an entire week we drank nothing but water. I honestly did not think I would last a day, much less the whole week. I felt better; I slept better; I functioned better. I decided I would try to continue with this diet after the week was finished, but low and behold this post on my Facebook news feed from Gigi's Cupcakes on the sixth day:

Wow! I see it's been a few months since I've posted anything; oops! :)

It's been a pretty busy summer as Corey and I have been working on stuff around the house, but not things that are interesting enough to write about (putting up a privacy fence, for example).