Ah. . .A March Review

Time to take a look at goals.  My goals for 2011 that is.  I don't remember much of March; how does that happen?

• Eating/Menu Planning I've been a home cooking fool.  I can't tell you the last time I bought a dessert - cookies, cupcakes, biscotti (these were an epic failure), donuts.  I got a new dessert cookbook a few weeks ago on trial and so far it's 50/50.  Cookies were amazing, the biscotti, well not so much - but I'm going to tweak the recipe (the flavor was good), well the cook-times, and give it another shot.  Freezer Pleasers and Pioneer Woman were go to faves.  Still, not managing to write up my menu, but outside of dinner after church on Saturdays, all meals were at home.  My personal change in diet is much like my new cookbook - 50/50.  My meals are good, but the whole baking at home is an issue - or at least "taste testing" the fruits of my baking adventures.
• Walking Started out strong with several days of walking, once even with the family for a little outing to the park.  Then the March winds set in and I refused to go out.  I can deal with almost any weather event, but the wind - ick, no.  Today I see the breeze is picking up and it was gorgeous this morning, temp-wise, so my plan is to head out before the winds come back in again.  I'm hoping it'll wake me up because I'm dragging!
• Organizing It was a banner month for organizing.  Over the course of a few days I took stuff out of my closet that wasn't getting worn.  I dragged out shoes that are out-dated.  My closet is far from finished, but it felt good to grab a handful over the course of a few days.  At the start of Spring Break I posed the "let's rearrange your rooms" to the kids.  The boys wanted more floor space and my girl just wanted a change.  Here's the deal then, you box and haul all your stuff to the hallway and I'll help you move furniture and then you put it all back.  This "gutting" resulted in rearranged rooms and the perfect opportunity for them to clear out stuff.  And it WORKED!  I am no longer afraid to enter their room without a shield and sword.  Are they perfect?  No, but with added "incentives" (like if your clothes aren't put away, they're mine and you earn the back) they are much, MUCH, better.  I got them to get their closets this past Sunday and the fruits of that clean-out as well as my own are on the porch awaiting pick-up.
• Me Time  Yeah, that didn't happen so much at all in March.  It was just a perfect storm of too much to do.  A few projects occupied huge chunks of my time from sun-up to sun-down and taking any time for myself was a luxury I just couldn't afford.  I took time over breakfast to flip through a magazine (always a good thing when the stack doubles as a side table) and then I flip through another while I'm getting ready in the morning.  Not exactly dedicated "Me Time" but it was better than nothing.
• Studio Space  Nothing.  Zero.  Zippo.  Nada.  It didn't really get any worse, but it's not better.  It's an April focus. . .I hope.

Small victories keep me moving; the bedrooms (those were HUGE), staying on top of my regular cleaning schedule, and being more organized for meals at home.  It makes not getting to some of my other things a little easier when I look to see what I have done!