Monthly Life Goals April 2015

Before I get to this month’s goals, let’s check in on March's goals and my progress.

30 Day Challenge: Meditate Daily– Fail. Totally forgot about this one.
Put up the kitchen curtains – Fail. Never did get around to this one.
Curate at least one Pinterest board – Success! I've cleaned out a few boards since being in Indiana.
Have pie on Pi Day – Success! J ended up being in town and bought us pie at an Oakland bakery. Chocolate cream with a pretzel crust. The filling was great, but the crust was a bit chewy. We'll have to try their other pies sometime soon.
Plan a Favorite Things for Kids Party for May – Fail... Never got around to this one. It's on my list for next month.

This month's goals:

30 Day Challenge: Meditate Daily– Trying it again for April.
Put up the kitchen curtains – Still really want to get this one done.
Plan a Favorite Things for Kids Party for May – Since I didn't get to this one in March, it's on the list again.
Clean out Arthur and my closets for spring -- Weather's nice and warm in California, I need to do a closet clean out especially Arthur's too small clothing.
Finish at least one series -- I have a stack of Walking Dead and Y The Last Man comics. My goal is to finish at least one before going back to Indiana.

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

The weather is finally starting to turn warmer. Thank goodness!
Excited to read the rest of Y: The Last Man series.
Feeling less stressed now that the Bridal Shower and Bachelorette Party are over.
Going through tv withdrawal for my favorite shows
A certain toddler not napping at all is really getting to me. Although I must say he is adorable.
Looking forward to Easter with the family
April's days are quickly filling up. Really need to get my monthly plan ready.
Hope my hair cooperates on Sarah's wedding day. This dry air is killing it right now.
Had so much fun hanging with Sarah and Cait at the bachelorette party after-party.

Photo of the Week #3

Just two of the 40 decorated berry baskets I made for tomorrow's bridal shower. It was a lot, but they are all so cute!

Currently #5

Arthur and I arrived in Indiana yesterday, so my Currently list may look a little odd.

Watching: Dinosaur Train. Okay, I'm not really watching it, but the baby is. Not my favorite but mom only has like five channels so it's this or Judge Judy crap.

Reading: Yes, Please by Amy Poehler. Finally starting this one for book club.

Listening: Doing a load of laundry...

Making: Working on the bridal shower center pieces/favors today. Need them all done by Saturday for the shower on Sunday.

Feeling: Cold... It was nice and warm at home in California. It's a high of 40 degrees today in Indiana. Ugh!

Planning: Getting all our weekend plans around. We've got the twin's party on Saturday and the bridal shower on Sunday.

Loving: The twins are on spring break this week so lots of fun crazy antics for them to get up to.Their birthday is tomorrow, but we're planning on going shopping later today.

Photo of the Week #2

Sneaky photo through the "window" at San Jose Children's Museum. He was "cooking" with a few friends and older kids. So adorable even if it is blurry.

Odds and Ends

Here's my random thoughts for the week:

Packing for Indiana in March and April is incredibly hard. Throw in a bridal shower, a bachelorette party, and Easter, and I'm at a lost as to what to bring...
Having so many Project Life cards means that I "discover" new kits occasionally. Makes it kind a fun, although I should probably sell some partials.
Arthur will only eat the breakfast I am eating. Makes it really hard to enjoy a chocolate croissant.
I love berries of all kinds... and apparently so does Arthur.
Unexpected rainy days create claustrophobic toddlers.
Here's hoping I fit into my bridesmaid dress in a one. So stressful!
And I need a LBD that actually fits for the bachelorette party. Turns out my trusty stand-by is way to tight in odd areas.
My feet are cold

OLW February

Let's take a look at what I did this past month for my OLW. This year's focus is HOME.

My monthly intentions:

1. Arthur's room and play area -- Finally they are finished! I added a reading corner complete with Ikea spice racks for shelves. They are the perfect design for Arthur it get the books in and out himself. I hung the nice navy blue blackout curtains. I put up his new solar system decals and the rest of the framed pictures. Part of his birthday banner went over his book shelves along with his finger painted A. The closet is organized at least for now. Finally I hung some of his preschool artwork above the bookshelf. I plan on changing them out as he makes new projects.

As for his playroom, I mainly wanted containers for the toys. I bought one of the toys organization systems from Ikea to hold the bulk of the toys. Arthur can actually take them in and out by himself. This left room for the tent and tunnel to be permanently set up. I went with back ivory curtain panels to add some privacy. Nothing fancy, but they help the room look finished. The only thing not done is to hang something about the alphabet decals. We will probably just hang something that we already have.

2. Co-op home inspection -- Nope. Didn't get to it. February was so busy with activities and things like the retreat that this just never happened. I'm hoping to get this checked out during our hosting of preschool next week.

3. Alameda parent's group -- After looking at my parent group options up here in East Bay, I've decided to start my own. Most charge ~$20 a year for membership for not much benefit. Others just don't do anything. I want my South Bay group in East Bay!

4. Email clean out -- Success! I got my emails under control. Deleted a ton of emails, archived some others, unsubscribed from a ton of newsletters and coupons. Next step is to officially close my Hotmail account.

Extras:

-- I didn't do much else for my word this month.

My OLW Pages:

This month's prompt was to create a vision board. Initially I was very hesitant to the idea. Vision boards just aren't my thing... But after some thought I decided to attempt it. I went into Target, grabbed three magazines, and started cutting them up. I had a few 8x10 canvases left over from preschool. This seemed the perfect size for me to try.

And this is my completed project. I think it turned out well. I decided to use patterns and colors for my base layer. I stayed away from any recognizable image. On top, I added words and phrases that spoke to me. Most of my words relate directly to my word: Home. I've propped this up in my craft area to kept me focused.

Currently #4

Watching: Arthur and I have been watching Rehab Addict after he wakes up from his nap.

Reading: Finally getting around to reading Living History by Hillary Rodham Clinton

Listening: Right now it is quiet in the house. I am loving it.

Making: I need to start making Sarah's Bridal Shower invitations. I've got a few ideas, but I need to play around to determine which one I like the most.

Feeling: I had a horrendous migraine for about four days last week. It seems to be gone thankfully.

Planning: Always planning out our weekly dinners. It's a never-ending process.

Loving: I don't know why but I am constantly turning to iced tea as my drink of choice.

Monthly Life Goals March 2015

Before I get to this month’s goals, let’s check in on February’s goals and my progress.

30 Days Challenge: 30 Days to an Organized Life (Pinterest) – Fail... Yeah I didn't follow this at all.
Work on Arthur’s bedroom and playroom — Success! I have almost every piece done.
Sort through at least 2 garage boxes – Success! I actually sorted through all six boxes.
Finish my craft projects before the retreat – Success! I finished everything a week before the retreat.
Book my plane tickets for spring break — Success!

This month's goals:

30 Day Challenge: Meditate Daily-- This challenge has been on my list for awhile now.
Put up the kitchen curtains -- Yeah they've been sitting there for almost a month. I really need to just hang them.
Curate at least one Pinterest board -- I really need to fix these boards.
Have pie on Pi Day -- J may not be around, but Arthur and I are having pie.
Plan a Favorite Things for Kids Party for May -- We had so much fun doing it at retreat that I want to host one for the kids.

Thank You!

My thanks for this week:

1. Arthur: For getting sick, but being such a trooper through everything. As long as I gave him entertainment, he bravely got through it.

2. Amazon: For quick shipping on a new swim suit just in time for the retreat. I may have actually found one that fits, is flattering, and looks cute.

3. Alameda County Library: For making getting a library card quick and painless. We can't wait to check out all the branches.

4. Our vacuum: For cleaning up all the little pieces of crap that Arthur drops. It's an ongoing fight, but mostly we're winning it.

5. All my amazing mom friends: For an amazing retreat weekend. It was so relaxing and fun. I can't wait to do it again, (Maybe in 6 months?)

Photo of the Week #1

The sorry state of the baby this week. Green marker under the nose and a scrap on his forehead. Somehow he's still adorable...

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness this week:

So incredibly excited about the retreat tomorrow! I don't think I'm going to make it!
Think I'm getting my reading groove back. Finished a book in two days. Hope to finish another by Sunday.
I love browsing at book stores even if I don't buy anything. And Arthur loves playing t the train table at Barnes and Noble. Win win!
The weather has been very Midwestern in May: 50s to 70s with no clear pattern, light rain, and some fog. Very weird! I'm missing my sunshine.
Dark chocolate coconut bark is so addictive... having a hard time not eating the entire bag in one sitting
Watched a movie the other night, Netflix shelved it as romantic, but it was clearly just a drama. Not really any romance in it. I was disappointed as I was wanting to watch a romance... Oh well.
Feeling like my crafting business may actually lead to something monetary soon

Currently #3

One of my new features. Every other week, I'll be filling out a Currently card for my Project Life album. It's a quick snapshot of life...

Watching: Since finishing reading Outlander earlier this week, I've been binge watching the television series. Oh my goodness! I am hooked!

Reading: Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier. It's our book club selection for this month. I'm not completely enthralled with the writing style, but I do like the story.

Listening: Arthur loves to grab the remote and turn on the stereo. This morning he grabbed it from the couch and happened to turn on the Gorillaz Pandora channel. Good choice baby!

Making: Doing my early prep for March's 30 Days of Lists. I picked my cards (rainbow design), added day numbers, and decorated the three filler cards.

Feeling: Tired... I think I got a total of about 4 hours of sleep last night. Arthur's not feeling well and was having a lot of trouble sleeping last night. Hopefully tonight goes better.

Planning: I'm trying to finish booking out all my March events. I've got my card classes listed out, but I need to finalize parent's group events and family events. Plus, I need to start planning out my March-April trip to Indiana. I've bought my plane ticket, but now need to think about everything else.

Loving: I impulse bought some dark chocolate coconut bark from Target and am not regretting it at all. It is beyond yummy! I'm attempting to ration it out to take some to retreat on Friday. We'll see...

OLW January

Let's take a look at what I did this past month for my OLW. This year's focus is HOME.

My monthly intentions:

1. Project List - Got a master list. Now to start getting those items checked off.

2. Home Management Binder - I wanted to create a place to keep all my to-do lists, coupons, important info, and random bits of whatever that seem to multiple. I checked out a few posts on Pinterest and started formulating my own binder. I have a major projects page, my weekly to-do list, a pocket for coupons, and the rest of my OLW pages.

3. Craft Space Organization - I spent a fair amount of money at The Container Store to organize all the cabinets in my new craft space. It's in a great space right now and so very usable.

4. Daily Housekeeping - My intention was to do at least one housekeeping duty per day. I've been very good sticking to this goal.

5. Curate Pinterest Board - I've got a nice collection of pins right now. I can't wait to really dive into those.

Extras:

-- January PL pages: I just completed all of my monthly pages this week. Loving how this new approach is working.

-- Dining room: We've got most of the pieces in place for the dining room. I just need to add some curtains and this room is complete. Very excited.

-- Arthur's playroom: I started with a completely blank canvas at the start of January. A few weeks later and things are shaping up. I need a few more decorative pieces and to organize the rest of his toys. Plus, I've got to get some curtains up there. One of next month's intentions!

My OLW Pages:

I decided to add in my monthly OLW pages to my home management binder. My first page includes a nice self-portrait, some decorative cards, and the big prompts from January.

The next two pages hold my monthly intentions. While it wasn't a prompt for January, I wanted to lay out my proposed large projects. This should help my keep me on track throughout the year. I may add to these intentions, but this is a good start.

Currently #2

One of my new features. Every other week, I'll be filling out a Currently card for my Project Life album. It's a quick snapshot of life...

Watching: Finishing the last few episodes of The League. I missed a couple while in Indiana.

Reading: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. Slow going, but I do so love this book.

Listening: One Bad Mother podcasts are my new favorite. Unfortunately the baby only lets me listen while he's napping.

Making: Finishing up the retreat notebooks I'm making. Almost done...

Feeling: Excited about my SU business, the upcoming retreat, my growing baby, Sarah's wedding... generally feeling good about life right now!

Planning: I'm organizing my March craft classes. I'm thinking a floral class and a special occasions class (wedding, baby, sympathy, congratulations) in addition to my Meet and Greet and Crop Night. I'm also starting to plan a Stamp club for June.

Loving: Arthur has been super snuggly lately. It may be because of teeth, but I'll take it. I love snuggling with him on the couch.

Monthly Life Goals February 2015

Before I get to this month’s goals, let’s check in on January’s goals and my progress.

30 Day Challenge: Different Daily Outfits -- Fail! I didn't even this one started. Maybe in May or June I'll be in one state all month and can do this.
Organize my book shelves -- Success! All the books are organized into read/non-read, then fiction/nonfiction, then alphabetized. I love my clean looking bookshelves.
List our home projects (short and long term) -- Success! I got a ton done house-wise during January. Everything else got put on the master house list for the next few months.
Finishing planning the mom retreat -- Success! To be fair, not everything has been done, but a majority has. And some of the things left cannot be done until we leave for the retreat.
Meal planning -- Success! I restarted our meal planning and have been great about sticking to it. One of my goals this year is to attempt planning our meals for the entire month. But for right now, I working about 1 1/2 weeks ahead. Makes it so much easier to get dinner on the table.

This month's goals:

30 Days Challenge: 30 Days to an Organized Life (Pinterest) -- Found a great 30 chart to focus my organization and work on daily habits (like wiping down the kitchen). I want to stick to this all month (except for my 3-day retreat vacation).
Work on Arthur's bedroom and playroom -- This month's room focus is Arthur's spaces. I want to finish his bedroom and playroom organization and decoration. Shouldn't be too hard...
Sort through at least 2 garage boxes -- There are some random plastic bins in the garage (probably 6). I need to sort through those and trash/donate/put away the contents.
Finish my craft projects before the retreat -- I now have a system to keep track of my current craft projects, but I want to finish those listed before the retreat.
Book my plane tickets for spring break -- I need to finish planning my travel plans for March-April.

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness this week:

Why won't this migraine go away? Seriously... I am over it!
Loving my new craft space.
The fog in the morning is really pretty.
Being able to listen to One Bad Mother podcasts makes driving to South Bay easier.
Vacuuming everyday is not my favorite task.
Can't wait for the retreat in February!
Progress on the house has been steady although there is a ton more to do...

Currently #1

One of my new features. Every other week, I'll be filling out a Currently card for my Project Life album. It's a quick snapshot of life...

Watching: Documentaries for my New Movie January. I was watching fictional movies, but seem to have gotten on a documentary kick this week. Today, I watched Craigslist Joe (review posting tonight).

Reading: Right in the middle of The Art of Asking by Amanda Palmer. Really enjoying it so far. Would like to finish by this weekend so I can attempt Outlander before January ends.

Listening: Our ice machine is really loud some days...

Making: Project Life spreads. I need to finish off Arthur's 2014 pages before I allow myself to start January's.

Feeling: Tired. I don't know why, but I kept waking up last night. Today I am just tired.

Planning: Our weekend activities. We have a parent group social on Saturday and book club on Sunday. I need to prep for those. I also need to make my weekend project list for around the house stuff. First thing on my list: fix Arthur's bookshelf. First thing on J's list: put together Arthur's tricycle.

Loving: I forgot how much I love having a couch. Three years in an apartment that could only fit two nice chairs just isn't the same. J and I have staked out our seats on the couch, one at either end, with Arthur right in the middle. He loves sitting up with us after dinner.

Monthly Life Goals January 2015

Before I get to this month’s goals, let’s check in on December’s goals and my progress.

30 Day Challenge: December Daily -- Success! I have a few final pieces to complete but that had to wait until I got home. Now I've finished up my album and ready to dive into 2015.
Prep and finish all my year end blogging posts before the 31st -- Success! I took some time each day to knock out a post or two. I love having a bit of a blogging break to work behind the scenes.
Create our Christmas break bucket list for the twins -- Success! I got stuff organized in time to actually do some things this Holiday Season.
Prep my 2015 TBR list -- Success! I have a short list (compared to previous years), but a good list of books I know I want to read this year.

This month's goals:

30 Day Challenge: New Movies -- All my other 30 day challenges seemed difficult to do while still in Indiana for the first week of the month. This one I can complete anywhere...
Organize my book shelves -- We moved in, J put my books on the shelves, but they are in no way organized. This is one of my first priorities of the new year. I like to have organized book shelves.
List our home projects (short and long term) -- A new house always comes with a list of projects. I want to have a running list to work from.
Finishing planning the mom retreat -- It's scheduled for Feb 19-22. I want to get everything planned and prepped by the end of the month.
Meal planning -- I want to get back into the habit of meal planning. First task: take an inventory of the pantry. Second task: start pulling recipes. Third task: schedule them out. Fourth task: Grocery shopping.

One Little Word 2015

After failing at last year's OLW: Explore (let's just not review that), I have thought long and hard about what I wanted to do this year. And then it hit me:

The perfect word for 2015. Here's why:

We moved into a new house in November, but I haven't been there to enjoy it yet.
We moved to East Bay where I don't know anyone or anything.
We now have a comfortable family of 5, but we don't always feel like home.
I crave comfort and stability.

This year will be all about creating a home out of the dwelling we live in. They are a few things that I want to focus on:

Completing home improvement/decor projects
Cultivating family traditions
Taking family photos (not just pics of Arthur)
Documenting family outings
Creating a family bucket list
Carving out personalized spaces for each family member

Look for monthly OLW updates in the future!