Well that went fast...

My last post was in January talking about focusing on a resolution each month.  Yeah, I forgot about that.  BUT it's back to school (almost) so that always gets me thinking about organizing, setting up routines etc.  This August I have a LOT of things I'm hoping to accomplish.  The biggest thing on the list is Julianna's room makeover. 

I had been putting her off for ages every time she asked about redoing her room, repainting etc.  It all sounded so overwhelming.  But for her 12th Birthday last month we decided a room makeover would be a good present.  She has picked out her paint and bedding and is now safely ensconced at sleepaway camp for two weeks.  I am using this as my motivation to get it DONE before she gets back.  When I set that goal I don't think I quite knew what I was up against.  I think I was secretly hoping that Peter Walsh or someone from HGTV would show up and just do it all for me but that is looking more and more unlikely :-( so I guess it's up to me.


I think she has inherited our hoarder genes because good gravy does that child have a lot of stuff.  She did a great job sorting through her toys and gave away 5 HUGE bags of toys that she has outgrown.  This is awesome but she still has so much stuff!.  I'm trying to break it into manageable tasks so I don't get overwhelmed.  I thought this blog would be a good place to post pictures and updates along the way.

So my mission for today, (which I have to accept), is to finish pulling everything out of the room, except her bed which is to heavy but will get pushed to the middle of the room.  If I am still standing after that I will tackle vacuuming and maybe start taping. Pictures below are the "before" shots.  The last view of her very pink room.

Week one

The first week of January is behind me and I'm pretty happy with myself.  The pantry challenge is going well although I don't think $200 will last the whole month.  I have done well sticking to my small list when going into the store and have not bought anything that wasn't on the list and "needed".  I did buy items for my practice meal swap meal (that was good but too complicated to be the mealswap meal) and I didn't use the $200 for that.  When I shop for my actual meal swap ingredients I won't use that money for that either.  The only unexpected purchases that couldn't wait were the $14.70 to Netflix when Murray ate the DVD, and $72 for repairing two flat tractor tires and then $13 today for Julianna's next Violin book for her lessons.  All in all I feel good about our money progress and it has really emphasized how much mindless spending was going on.

I still haven't found a meal planning app that I love so the monthly menu is probably going to be old school with pen and paper.

My other resolutions are going pretty well too.  I have been taking my makeup off every night even though I always think, "ugh it's so much work, I don't want to" and then I tell myself, "Self, it's your resolution and you have to report back on your blog and it will take 20 seconds so just do it!" and I do.  This accountability stuff really works.  My going to sleep by midnight 5 out of 7 nights is slightly less successful.  I only had one night when I was up really late (2am) and went to bed by 11ish some nights, was up to midnight a couple times and after midnight a couple times.  So not a total success but much better than it had been.  I'll keep working on that.

It wasn't a resolution but I am working hard to get back to yoga.  I went this morning and it was great.  I was pleased to find that I wasn't as rusty (literally or figuratively) as I expected and it felt great to have done it.  I am signing up for the adult ed yoga and am going to make an effort to do 2-3 classes a week and try to do something daily at home  Maybe that will be my February resolution.

How are you doing with your resolutions?

A brand new year

So it's 2012 already and time for some New Years Resolutions.  I find it interesting that my last post (a long time ago) was about the exact same thing I'm about to post.  The Great Pantry Challenge of 2012.  I gave it a snazzier name so that I would be more successful with it than I was with the Pantry Challenge I did last year.  So January 1st a time of new beginnings.  I have decided that for this year's resolutions rather than having a bunch for January that I don't achieve because there are too many, I will focus on one a month for 12 months and hopefully be more successful.  The theme for 2012 should be focus I think.  But before I get to my first resolution I need to talk about what else will happen in January.

1. The Great Pantry Challenge of 2012 - I am again going to try to use up what I have in my cupboards and my two freezers in an effort to be able to see what I have, use up things that will expire an save money.  The downside of trying to extreme coupon is that you need a place to put your great buys and my cupboards were already groaning so now they are downright dangerous!  My plan for January is to take $200 cash and put it in an envelope and use that for all the groceries we will buy in January.  We will only buy the staples of our people.  You know, important things like bread, milk, bananas and diet coke.  I will only extreme coupon for things that are free, nearly free or a staple that I need that is at a stock up price.  This doesn't count the things I need to buy for my meal swap meal.  My first activity for this will be to use my new app on my new iPad to make a monthly menu.

2  The second thing happening is that it is "No Buy January".  December is always a month when (pardon my language) "money pours out my ass" so January is a time to stop spending.  This means no buying things that weren't already planned to buy.  No new books, no new music, no kitchen gadgets, no clothes etc.  I'm curious to see the bottom line at the end of January.

So now on to my first resolution, it's pretty easy since I'll be busy with the no buying and using up my pantry in creative ways.


January - Take off my makeup before bed and moisturize.  I am 42 years old and this seems like something a 42 year old mom should be doing.  My face says thank you.

Part two of the January resolution is getting more sleep.  I am a terrible night owl and NOT a morning person at all but I know that more sleep will only benefit me.  So I'm going to make it my resolution to be in bed, ready for sleep by midnight or earlier at least 5 nights a week.

So here we go, hope to have some good reports to give over the next few weeks.  My job for today is to investigate my pantry and freezer and make that menu. 

What are your resolutions?

Tami