Marching Forward

Goodbye February. You were not a beast of a month, but not as friendly to me as I would have liked. So much snow to maneuver and a lot of work stress due to my own and coworkers illness plus more out of office days for training. It was not all snowy weather and  work load pileups though. Highlights were getting to spend part of the first Saturday with DD1 when she joined me for lunch and to watch her sister sing. She battled the snow and a white knuckle drive-love that kid! She's off traveling for work as of this morning and is thinking about her next career opportunities. I didn't have a lot of communication with my son, he's like that, but what little  I had was upbeat. We enjoyed an orchestra concert and helped with our own schools show choir competition. I also worked the school Mardi Gras event for DD2's  French club, made a little extra cash reffing one night, and met up with the volleyballl girls post season. 

So many bloggers set goals for the month and then dutifully check off what they accomplished or honestly share where they missed their self defined mark. I need to hold myself to better account. I'm hosting Easter on April 1, which gives me 31 days, four full weekends (though I chaperone show choir on  March 3), and a Saturday to accomplish a lot of needed projects around the house. I'm also in charge of the church youth and family Palm Sunday breakfast. While I have the routine done pretty well, it is a tiring weekend none the less. My list below includes items that DH and DD2 are contributing to, so this is both a personal and household goal list. 

Health and Wellness
1. Walk 60 miles for the month-snow aside, I can walk at the high school and the work walking map path
2. Use the work wellness center a minimum of 1X a week, bike machine or the elliptical
3. Lose 6 pounds
4.. Treat myself to a new hair cut and color (yeah-didn't do this in February either and so long over due!)
5. Read a book for fun
6. See at least one Oscar nominated best picture movies

Social
1. Join others at work for lunch at least one time per week instead of lunch on the run or at my own desk
2. Meet a friend at least once this month after work for a happy hour drink
3. At least one date night just DH and I
4. Have friends over at least one Saturday night-nothing fancy just snacks or pizza and wine and beer. 

Business of life-Blogging
1. Complete taxes
2. Review will and retirement accounts, adjust as needed
3. Set up a blogging-freelance bank account so I can finally cash in my AdSense revenue!!!!
4. Take and edit at least 20 stock photos for blog use
5. Purchase an external hard drive-back up items stored on my computer
6. Move, store photos and video on a few SD cards and reformat them (I'm spending way too much buying new ones!)

Household
1. Remove and donate 10 item from my kitchen cupboards not used
2. Sort all plastics with bottoms and covers, throw mismatched in recycling
3. Pull stove, fridge, and dishwasher out and clean under and behind
4. Clean all window screens, window sills, and windows inside (and out if we get above 40 degree days)
5. Each family member purge minimum of one trash bag of clothes
6. Organize and purge books and old magazines
7. Spruce up guest room
8. Rehang art work we want in family room
9. Hang Family sign made last September in the bar area (see below)
10.Set-up Wii, gaming area of family room
11. Completely clear and start fresh in my entry and entry closet, leaving nothing but items needed by current household members. Donate old sports equipment, coats, etc. 

Home Projects
1. Repair walls and grout around the upstairs bathroom tub
2. Paint upstairs bathroom
3. Fix ceiling panel in downstairs bathroom, tape, mud, sand, and paint
4. Create  Dry bar area in family room-repurpose piece of furniture and bar ware from own or thrift store

It is a lengthy list, but I feel like once we get on a roll, many of the things should be able to get done in a positive domino effect way. I'll need to be organized with my time, dedicating discreet and finite minutes for things like blogging and YouTube or television watching. My evenings will need to be focused, as will my three Fridays off. If I can squeeze in any telecommuting days, that will help me stay on top of things like laundry and day to day clutter busting. I'll let you know on April 2nd how my list turned out, hopefully with a few of those pictures to tell the truth.