January Update – The Never-Ending To-Do List

AAhh… the Never-ending to-do list.

Let’s take a look at what got checked off the list this month:

The House

• Organize kids toys – The toys are in much better shape, we picked up a small bookcase for the living room and that helped with our toy clutter a lot. I’m also really working on teaching the kids where the toys should go. I just need to make up some photo labels for the bins so both kids can clean up without wondering where to put things. 
• Move more toys upstairs – This isn’t necessary since we got the extra bookcase.
• Create a play area in Claire’s room - this is on-hold until my mom moves out and we move Caleb back into his own room
• Finish the final curtain for the sunroom (we’re slowly making progress on this never-ending item) – yah.. about that… 
• Hunt down and buy curtains for window in the living-room – it was blocked for the last 3 years so I never bought a curtain for it. We re-arranged our living room and now the curtains have been discontinued! *sigh* - I found one that I need to order but it still might not be the right color, we’ll see. 
• Continue to de-clutter the house (office supplies, books, craft supplies, clothing, toys, etc) I filled an entire bin with extra office supplies that I really don’t need… I still have a long way to go to get things as simplified as I’d like.
• Organize our wardrobe

Housekeeping

• Get back to meal planning – Success I planned 2 weeks of meals now I just have to go to the store and buy all those groceries! 
• Get back in to the Friday laundry-day routine – Success!! I did 90% of the laundry today!! It feels great going into the weekend with all the laundry done. 
• Start using the cleaning schedule again – I just fixed up the schedule last week and I hope to start following it again this coming week, I’m also planning on sharing the schedule with all of you!! 
• Plan a freezer-cooking day (hopefully convince Rebekah to join the fun) – we talked about it… that.is.all

Family Goals

• Take more photos – I took a bunch of photos this week and I’m actually getting very intrigued with Project Life so I may just try to do a simplified version for our family.
• Spend Sundays doing family things (park, movies etc.) we’ve spent Sundays either sick or lazy… but as a family so I guess we’ve been successful! 
• Go on a great summer vacation – No progress on planning this
• Entertain more – we miss our friends and hope to start having a social life again
• Have Claire start doing daily chores and help more around the house  - I’m creating something that will help her to do chores, I’ll be sharing about this sometimes soon. 
• Limit TV time! - I’m currently sitting infront of the TV and not even watching it… but it’s on… I’m the only one in the room… looks like we still have a TV issue
• Play music in the house during the day – We’ve been doing this much more. I’ve been enjoying Grooveshark while I work and playing Seeds of Praise Cd’s at night for the kids. 
• Plan our spring garden - not even on my radar yet! 

For the Kids:

• Start having “mommy time” each day with the kids – put it on the schedule! – the kids have been having daily Ipad time with mommy for about 2 weeks now. It’s not quite what I was hoping for but it’s a step in the right direction
• Pick out a book with Claire to read together – not done this yet
• Take kids to local children’s museum 2 times a month – we have been too sick to do this yet
• Start going to story time at Barnes and Noble again – Nope
• Start family bed time routine – quick devotions and story time – Nope  
• Move Caleb back into his bedroom – Not yet
• Move Caleb into a toddler bed – Not yet
• Transition Caleb out of Pull-ups for good  - Very close only using Pullups for nap and bedtime
• Take the kids outside to play/explore more. Who wants to buy me THIS book that I’ve heard great things about?  - Snow and rain, we’ve been inside

Health/Fitness:

• Start by walking 30 minutes a day - I’m really dissapointed that these health/fitness goals have not happened yet
• Try the Couch to 5K running plan
• Continue to track food on My Fitness Pal
• Lose 70 lbs. Yes, 70.  I’ll be tracking my weight loss in 10lb increments monthly.
• Go to bed earlier! Before 11pm!

For the Mommy (that’s me!)

• Read more – I have more e-books on my Kindle to read than you could imagine. – I’ve started reading again! yay!
• Have ‘mommy retreats’ 2-3 times a year – Planning to have one in February!
• Read 3 parenting books this year
• Read 3 marriage books this year
• Start taking classes at the Philadelphia School of Art and Design! - this may or may not happen until the Spring session when they have the Illustrator class that I really want to take.