I am feeling pretty darn good right now.

(Aside from the fact that I have a raging cold, can't breathe/smell/taste, and feel like my brains are trying to force their way out of my head via my temples.)

Why do I feel so great (aside from the aforementioned physical ailments)?

Several reasons.

1. We used our tax return to pay off all of our credit cards.

All of them.

And we still have a little left over.

And that makes my heart happy.

2. I finally got a new pair of pants.*

3. We spent several hours this afternoon soaking up the sun by the ocean on this unseasonably warm day.

It was, by far, our best beach experience since we got here.

And there were a ton of surfers in the water,

which was fun to watch.

Even though none of them got caught in a rip tide.

(Is it bad that I wanted someone to get caught in a riptide?

You know, just so I could see one in action?

I think that might be bad.)

*Long and Rambling Story About Why New Pants Got Me so Excited

Since last October I have lost nearly 43 pounds. 

(42.8 if you want to get specific.)

And that makes me really happy.

Most of my clothes are getting baggy.

I look smaller.

And both the scale and the tape measure show that I'm shrinking.

But even with all of that

I have been stuck in the same, miserable pair of pants.

They got baggy in the leg and bum,

but they just wouldn't get big enough to justify getting a smaller size.

And I was getting so, so frustrated by it.

I mean, seriously, 43 pounds.

Fall off already you stupid pants!

And while they never did get big enough to fall off,

I do officially fit into a smaller size.

Finally.