Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

• 4 month olds are hard to entertain! Q demands my attention all the time...
• I think I have too many library books out at once. Not enough time to read them all!
• I need to remember to buy iced tea next time at the grocery. I really miss drinking something other than water and coffee in the morning.
• Feels good to donate a ton of baby clothes to a great organization. We don't need that stuff anymore!
• I'm not usually big on pink but I'm loving the super pink decorations in my planner.

Currently #2

Watching: J was surprised to learn that I've never seen most of 30 Rock. Guess what we started from the beginning.

Reading: A Study of Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas. Picked it up from the library and loving it so far.

Listening: Both boys have been super whiners the last few days. So over this.

Making: Our parent group Valentine's Exchange is on Thursday. I'm making one set of 32 for Q to "hand out." Arthur requested Paw Patrol ones.

Feeling: I've been feeling very scatter-brained for the past two weeks. I kept losing my train of thought, forgetting tasks, and feeling very anxious. Not a fan of my current state.

Planning: Trying to get some craft classes and events on the calendar for February and March.

Loving: I love listening to the rain. And in the past week it's actually rained hard enough for me to listen!

February 2017 Life Goals

Let’s check in on January’s goals and my progress.

• New Movie Month — Sorta fail. We only ended up watched 20 new-to-me movies, but I'd say that's a decent showing for the month.
• Daily MommaStrong/Walk — Sorta fail. I was off and on throughout the month. But I did just do a 7 day squat challenge a friend hosted. Killed my legs, but it felt good.
• Read 1500 pages — Success! I read 1793 pages for January!
• Implement a grocery budget and meal plan — Success! I'm trying to implement some strategies to decrease our food costs. I'm trying to incorporate ideas one at a time instead of trying to do everything at one.
• Project 365: Tobe — Success! I've finished spreads in my memory planner and posted on Instagram every day.
• Research vehicle options — Fail. I need to dive in next month.

February's Goals:

• 30 Day Challenge: 20 minutes of exercise -- Whether it's a walk, MommaStrong, yoga, or something else, I want to make this a daily habit.
• Prep and send February's card -- Have a few cards to get out this month.
• Read 2000 pages -- Upping my goal for this month
• Research vehicle options -- Carry-over goal
• Plan at least two kid activities -- I already have the Oakland Zoo scheduled, but I'm not going to count it. I'm thinking BADM, maybe CuriOdyssey, maybe Habitot, or a simple park playdate.

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

• I love the rain, but we need a couple of days of sunshine so we can get out of the house!
• Q smiles so much! I love his little smirks.
• Trying to sneak in some crafting time this week has been hard...
• I need to settle on reading one book at a time instead of the three I'm currently in the middle of
• Can't wait to rush home today and check out my stamp club order. So many goodies!
• Thinking about what I want for my birthday (I know over a month away). I'm leaning towards a day by myself. Maybe see a movie solo, get a coffee and pastry, browse at the book store, etc...

Currently #1

Watching: I blame my mother for getting me hooked. Just for the record, my picks are Vanessa, Danielle M., and Rachel.

Reading: The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett. I finally started the Discworld series.

Listening: Here to Make Friends podcast. Claire and Emma recap The Bachelor every week with just the right amount of snark. I love their deconstructions of the situations.

Making: Attempting to catch up on my PL spreads. Currently working on October. I'm hoping to knock out the rest of 2016 by the end of January.

Feeling: The political events of the past two months have really put me in a weird mood. I'm feeling very detached. I have flashes of anger, and then I get sad, and then I'm okay with everything that's going on. It's a weird situation.

Planning: Working on getting all the elements for a friend's sprinkle. Can't wait to celebrate the impending arrival of her little girl!

Loving: I may be crazy, but I joined a friend's 7 day squat challenge. After every session, my legs feel like jelly. But they also feel great!

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

• Winter colds are the worst... Really hope this passes soon
• Potty training has started. So far, so good. But now I need to get Arthur to tell me when he has to go. We can't visit the bathroom every 50 minutes.
• I need to focus on carving out some time to read. Missing it.
• Slowly getting back into meal planning and cooking.
• Loving my new planner and all the accessories.
• Need to get started on my 2017 memory planner. I have some ideas...
• Pineapple hard cider -- very interesting flavor, but I like it.

January 2017 Life Goals

Let’s check in on December’s goals and my progress.

• Participate in The Hook on Momma Strong — Fail
• Read 1500 pages — Fail, but so close. I ended up only reading 1421 pages for December.
• Prep and send cards for December -- Success!
• Finish 30 Days of Lists — Success!
• December Bucket List — Success!

January's Goals:

• New Movie Month -- I like to start my year off with some new-to-me movies. Hoping to watch 31 movies this month.
• Daily MommaStrong/Walk -- Need to get back on the horse for this one...
• Read 1500 pages -- Hoping to kick off 2017 reading.
• Implement a grocery budget and meal plan -- I have a new plan in place to lower our grocery budget. Let's see if I can do it this month.
• Project 365: Tobe -- As part of my membership on the Awesome Ladies Project Practice Team, I want to memory plan my life this year. Less kids, more Tobe highlighted.
• Research vehicle options -- We need a vehicle to fit all four kiddos. I have a few options in mind, but need to dive into and research a bit more before making a decision.

2017 Goals and Resolutions

It’s the New Year.  Time for my yearly goals and resolutions… I’ve cut back a bit because I have so many other projects, goals, and resolutions heading into 2017.

Blog and Reading Resolutions:

• Read 35,000 pages
• Read 100 books
• Reevaluate my personal blog
• Keep posting on my craft blog MWFS
• Clear off at least one shelf of unread books

Life Resolutions:

• Cut our good budget dramatically and stick to it
• Continue with MommaStrong - losing weight, gaining strength
• Participate in SSINK Design Team
• Participate in the Awesome Ladies Project Design Team

Revisiting 2016’s goals and resolutions:

1. Focus on my Happiness Project — OLW just didn’t work for me, so I’m trying this project instead. And I have an accountability group to help me stay on track.
2. Focus on freezer meals and cutting our food budget — It’s gotten out of control. I really want to spend less money on food.
3. Read 30,00 pages — I’m going for it again this year!
4. Read 100 books — I’m excited to up my goal this year.
5. Finish at least 75% of my reading challenges — i’ve cut back on the number of challenges for the year, so I think I just might be able to attain this goal.
6. Create a weekly schedule and stick to it for all three of the blogs

Merry Christmas to You!

I'll be back after the New Year.

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

• I have so much to do before Tuesday...
• My awesome Occasions Catalog and Sale-a-Bration preorder has been sitting for two days on the table. I want to play! But I need to find some time somehow.
• Having a small does not work with traveling to the airport with kids and luggage. Not sure how to fit everything in.
• I need clothes that fit. My constant issue.
• Consistent exercise is hard but feels so good
• Looking forward to all the fun in 2017

Monthly Life Goals December 2016

Let’s check in on November’s goals and my progress.

• Daily walk or Momma Strong — I'm calling this a success. I didn't do it everyday, but I did it more than half.
• Read 1500 pages —Success! I even reached 2063 pages read.
• Take daily photos/memory recording — Success!
• Prep and send cards for November —Success!

December's Goals:

• Participate in The Hook on Momma Strong -- I signed up the other day. The program starts on December 5th. I'm determined to participate fully.
• Read 1500 pages -- Another low bar for my reading goal.
• Prep and send cards for December
• Finish 30 Days of Lists -- Excited to do this again
• December Bucket List -- I used some fun mambi stickers and a page in my Happy Planner to create a winter bucket list.

Happy Turkey Day!

We're having some friends over for a nice dinner. Hope everyone else enjoys the day with family and friends. To celebrate, hello from my littlest turkey.

While he might look like he enjoyed the photo shoot in the above photo, in reality he hated that hat!

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

• Last night I had two more no shows to my craft class. Really sick of people who aren't considerate of other's time and effort. I think I have to remove at least one of the ladies from the group...
• Really getting tired of having one car. Extra tired of that one car being tiny and having only two doors. Getting the boys in and out is a pain in the ass.
• The little one has his first cold. And I think he passed it off to J and I.
• Been doing my daily MommaStrong workout for two weeks now. Definitely feeling it (in a good way). Hoping to keep my momentum.
• I would like a few hours by myself but feel like that isn't going to happen any time soon...
• Excited about organizing and sending my handmade Christmas cards soon.

Monthly Life Goals November 2016

Let’s check in on October’s goals and my progress.

• Take daily photos — 50% success. I didn't take a photo every day, but I definitely took more than usual.
• Read 1500 pages — Success. Just barely at 1564 pages, but I made it.
• Prep and send cards for October — Fail.
• Focus on self-care and recovery for myself — Success
• Take Arthur Trick-or-Treating! — Success

November's Goals:

• Daily walk or Momma Strong -- November 1st was my post partum appointment. Now that I've been cleared for all activity, I want to dive into losing some weight and strengthening my core. I joined MommaStrong and vow to do a video from that or go for a walk daily.
• Read 1500 pages -- Realistic goal for life right now.
• Take daily photos/memory recording -- Loving this goal!
• Prep and send cards for November -- I failed in October. I want to cover the birthdays, Q's birth announcements, and thank you cards.

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

• Migraines can kiss my ass. Not having a good week due to a pounding head. The screeches of the toddler and the newborn are not helping.
• Chocolate chip cookie bars were a great surprise treat from a friend. I can't lie, they didn't last long at all.
• I'm obsessed with planner accessories and stickers. Thankfully one of the Etsy shops I've been following had a 75% off flash sale. Now I can't wait until my goodies are delivered.
• Enjoying my pumpkin spice coffee.
• My wardrobe is not my friend right now. I shouldn't buy anything new, but my goodness I want to.
• I really need to get to the post office and send Q's birth announcements.

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

• Somehow life with a new newborn seems easier this time around. It is just new mom amnesia? Or is Q really a easier baby that Arthur? Either way, I'll take it.
• Having a meal train organized by friends has been amazing. I love that at least two nights a week, I don't have to plan dinner. Just heat and serve. The meal train and stocking my freezer before baby came were great ideas!
• I'm itching to craft, but don't think my body is ready for sitting on my stool or dining room chairs for any length of time. Maybe next week.
• I went a little crazy today and bought Arthur a Halloween costume, bandana bibs for Quentin, and tons of planner accessories for me. I think cabin fever shopping has started. I need to stay off my usual shopping sites for awhile...
• Fluffy romances are perfect reading material for middle of the night feedings. Working my way through some Kindle reads.
• Trying to decide if we should have Q dress up for Halloween or just wear his First Halloween onesie (with Frankenstein's monster).
• I need to print photos for our Project Life albums... unfortunately I still can't drive to pick them up and don't really want to pay for shipping.

Monthly Life Goals October 2016

Let’s check in on September’s goals and my progress.

• Figure out Arthur childcare for October – Success
• Read 3000 pages – Fail. I only read a little more than half my goal. Late pregnancy exhaustion is no joke!
• Finish prepping freezer meals – Success! I have a decent amount of food prepped and in the freezer.
• Finish organizing the baby supplies – Success!
• Pull off Arthur’s 3rd birthday party – Success! I'll post photos for Arthur's actual birthday mid-October.
• Prep cards for September, October, November, and December – Fail. I finished September's card, but still need to prep the rest of the year.

October's Goals:

• Take daily photos -- I need to stay on top of documenting Arthur, Quentin, and life in general
• Read 1500 pages -- Bringing my goal down to be more realisitic
• Prep and send cards for October -- The usual
• Focus on self-care and recovery for myself -- I won't have my post-partum doctor appointment until November. October is all about taking it easy and attempting to recover from surgery.
• Take Arthur Trick-or-Treating! -- Don't want to forget! I'm sure Arthur would love to actually trick-or-treat this year.

Blog-Tember Day 23: German Potato Salad

Prompt: A family recipe (if grandma allows, of course!).

One of my favorite family recipes is my grandma's potato salad. I've never like mustard potato salad or ones with too much mayo. Hers is a hot German style salad with bacon grease. It's a bit tricky to get exactly right, but when it's done right, I could eat an entire bowl of this stuff!

Ingredients:

9 med potatoes - peeled, sliced 1 med onion - sliced thin 1 lb bacon - crumbled, grease reserved 1/2 cup flour 2 1/4 cup water 1 1/4 cup white vinegar 1/2 cup granulated sugar

Directions:

Boil potatoes until soft. Combine bacon, potatoes, and onion in a bowl and set aside. Melt bacon grease in a pan on stove and stir in flour. Heat until bubbly. Add remaining ingredients and cook until smooth and bubbly. Once sauce has thickened, our over potato mixture.

Blog-Tember Day 22: Fall Favorites

Prompt: Fall favorites. Share your must-haves for this season.

My fall must-haves are an odd mix of food, clothing, and baby essentials. Guess this is just life right now at my house. On my list I have:

• Chili --  Because it's the perfect food for cooler temps
• Diapers -- Essentials for new the new baby
• Brown boots -- Really want to find some new ones that actually fit
• Burp clothes -- We seem to have a shortage in the house right now
• Pumpkin bread -- I need to buy more pumpkin and make more!
• Apple cider -- Hot or cold, with bourbon or without, I love it!
• New toddler boy clothes -- I need to round out Arthur's fall/winter wardrobe
• PSL -- Of course!
• Comfy cardigan -- For when I get chilly
• Wine -- Because I've gone almost 10 months without it. I need me some good wine soon!

Blog-Tember Day 21: Ice Cream

Prompt: If you were a flavor of ice cream, which flavor would you be? Why?If I were a flavor of ice I would have to be Mint Chocolate Chip. It combines my two favorite types of flavors: chocolate and fresh herb. I'm not really sure what it says about my personality, but it's my favorite hands down. In fact, we have a quart in the freezer right now! For fun, I decided to look it up on the internet.

According to The Kitchn:

You're pretty cool, to be honest. In high school you might not have been the most popular kid, but you hung around that crowd. You're a balanced person – you like running and watching football, but you also love going to see a play. You're loved by everyone and just want to have a good time.

According to Reader's Digest:

Mint chocolate chip lovers are argumentative.

Always mixing it up? There's a good chance mint chocolate chip is your favorite flavor, according to Hirsch's study for Dreyer's/Edy's, which found this ice cream signified ambition, confidence, frugalness, and argumentativeness. "[They] aren't fully satisfied until they find the tarnish on the silver lining," said Hirsch about its fans. However, Hirsch predicts that mint chocolate chip lovers are compatible with one another.

And according to Buzzfeed:

You probably get excited about Shark Week. You love jokin’ around and quoting movies. But you have a low tolerance for other people’s nonsense. You are not afraid to complain about the injustices of the world over Gchat.

I love how varied the responses are. If you know me in real life, you be the judge. Am I like any of the descriptions?