Document: March

March came in like a lion....and left like a whirlwind!!!

I honestly have to keep looking at the calendar; it's actually April!  March was SO crazy that I'm glad I had a "simple" goal from my 12 in 2012 list.

I was behind going into March because of our being sick and Doug's birthday (plus visits from Kevin and from Kim, both of which were great) left me a bit behind going into the last weeks of classes!  I had 10 days to complete a 15 page paper, an 18 page paper, and two exams -- no piece of cake!  Doug and I both knocked ourselves out to get school done, so we spent Spring Break trying to get some of that sleep back and trying to clean up our house (that had scarcely been touched during those two weeks).

We jumped right into classes, and we had another family emergency due to the death of my grandfather. (I DO promise I will do a post about this soon, once things have settled a bit.)  We scampered up to Pennsylvania for 5 days and came back to Virginia in catch up mode again.  Thanks to a lot of understanding and patience from our professors (and some hard work from us), we have finally been able to catch up!!!  Doug and I even got to go to the movies with some of my family (to see Hunger Games).

So, here we are in April!  I am so excited for Springtime (= warmer, sunnier, and makes me happier!), but I think March turned out pretty well, all things considered.  

1. Making Memories (12 in 2012).  Doug and I were able to make some memories!  I got caught up on Scrapbooking, we were able to play games together and spend time with friends, and my whole (Finnigan side) family was able to get together and share together.

2. Reading.  I am 1/4 of the way through the year, and I have completed 1/4 of my goal!!!  I have read 27 books this year (though 2 were repeats), 12 of which were new books.  All in all, I am pretty pleased with myself.

3. Cooking.  Doug and I officially switched to a once-a-week shopping schedule.  This has been much healthier for us (we can buy fresh fruits and veggies every week), and it has helped keep our grocery budget in check!  With so much busyness/chaos, I have only really been able to try one new recipe this month (Buffalo Chicken), but it is a keeper!  I am cooking for my parents Easter weekend, so hopefully I can kind something fun and different to do ;)

4. Health/Weight.  Doug and I have been eating much healthier (for the most part), but my motto has become "slow and steady!"  Since joining Curves, I have missed one full week per month due to holidays, family emergency, and sickness.  Hopefully April (month 5) can be my first full month!!!  I am also hoping to get outdoors more (now that it is nicer out) and begin walking/jogging to boost my exercise (and make sure Doug gets some too!).  As far as numbers go, I have lost a few inches, but my weight is about the same (some days it is up, some days it is down).  Doug keeps reminding me that I am building muscle, but I would like to see the number on the scale drop a bit more consistently (especially as I get to work out more consistently!!!)

For April, I am focused on Spring Cleaning!!!  My mother-in-law visiting this week should help with motivation, but Springtime always makes me a little restless.  So, here are our plans for Spring Cleaning:

1.  Overall cleaning (sweeping, vacuuming, mopping, dusting, scrubbing, etc)

2.  Keep the kitchen (esp. pantry) clean and functional (shopping more = cooking more = cleaning more)

3.  Sort through my closet/dresser to get rid of old clothes and pack up my winter clothes.

4.  Rearrange our Living Room!

And hopefully...

5.  Restock cleaning supplies and health supplies.

6.  Clean out and rearrange Linen Closet

I may not show you all of the "before" shots, but I will try to document all the "afters." Are you planning on doing some Spring Cleaning?  Have you already cleaned out your space?

Delicious: Weekly Meal Plan

Friday morning, my Pap Finnigan went to be with Jesus.  Within an hour, Doug and I were on the road to PA to be with my family.  Even though it was a sad time for all of us, I think the fact that we could all be together (for the first time in ages) was nothing short of a miracle.  I promise to post more later about my Pap and what an impact he made on our family and everyone who knew him.

Now, on to cooking!  Because of travelling, we are a day behind, but since Doug and I were gone for 4 1/2 days, we have some leftover meals and lots of food, so I don't need to go to the grocery store this week! Yea!

Wed -- Breaded Pork and Potatoes

Thur -- Tuna Melts w/ Zucchini Fries

Fri -- Hamburger Helper w/ Corn

Sat -- Grilled Fish w/ Scampi Pasta

Sun -- Leftovers!!!

Mon -- Sausage Jambalaya w/ Salads

Tues -- Grilled Chicken w/ Alfredo Pasta and Broccoli

Even though this week is shopping-free, I know next week I will have some extra shopping to do:  Doug and I will be gathering food to take back to PA with us for Easter!!!  I will be sure to post pics and recipes once we finally decide on something ;)

Delicious: Weekly Meal Plan

Delicious (adj):  pleasing to the taste

I first came across the idea for Weekly Meals Plans through Money Saving Mom, who does Meal Planning Monday.  Mondays just don't work out well for Doug and I, so we moved ours to Tuesday ;)  Here is our Meal Plan for this week!

Tuesday:  Hamburger Helper
Wednesday:  Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches (courtesy of this Crock Pot recipe)
Thursday:  Breaded Pork and Potatoes
Friday:  Buffalo Chicken Taquitos (using leftovers from Wednesday)
Saturday:  Hamburger Helper
Sunday:  Grilled Fish w/ Scampi Pasta
Monday:  Tuna Melts w/ Baked Veggie Fries

For those of you who remember when I planned out my menus and shopping lists through May:  I still have those!  A lot of unforeseeable circumstances arose, and those were pushed aside for a few weeks, meaning I couldn't pick up where I had left off!  I am using those menus and lists to help guide my week-to-week plans, which allow for more flexibility if something comes up!

Determination: March Update

I cannot believe March is more than half over!  This month has just been CRAZY!  After pushing through the last two weeks of classes, this last week of Spring Break seemed more like a long nap than a week off ;)

Doug and I were just spent, so we used this time off from school to sleep in, watch more TV, watch some movies, and read more!  As many of you know, I often find myself reading a few books at a time (normally two or three; a record six at once), so this is no surprise to you.  Overall, we were just able to spend more time together this week -- we may not remember everything, but it was a great opportunity to build our relationship even more ;)

We also were able to plan some vacation time for the year over Break.  This was one of our many "Making Memories" goals; we are so thrilled to be able to attend the weddings of many of our friends and family, as well as spend time with both sides of our family and have a few days to celebrate our one year anniversary!

I am still hoping to get some pictures of our nearly completed Scrapbook up for you; we will still need 20-30 more pages just to catch up!  I am already excited to begin my Spring cleaning next month, hopefully lightening up our apartment for Spring and Summer, cleaning out our closets, and getting some windows open!  Even more so, I am excited to eat fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, and visit the Farmer's Market!!!

Dynamic

Dynamic (adj): active, energizing, lively

Today is super for three reasons:

1. It's Platypus Day! Platypi are my favorite animals.  I love them because they are playful, protective, and definitely unique -- like me!  Any day devoted to Platypi has to be an awesome day, just saying.

See?  I love Platypi!

2. Sleep.  Today I slept past noon (gasp!).  At first I was really upset with my husband for not making sure I got up (or waking me up), but everyone is more effective and efficient when they are well-rested.  I haven't been this well-rested in ages!!!  Hopefully the time used for extra sleep will be made up by my extra alertness.

3. Reading.  I have successfully completed 20 books!!!  Well, actually I did that two days ago, but I didn't realize until today ;)  I am 1/5 of the way through my reading goal for the year, which is really exciting.  As a treat, I purchased three new books (on my Nook), but I am trying to save those as a reward for finishing my classes next week.  Well, I may crack into one of them early ;)

These may seem like little things, but the little things are worth celebrating!  What little thing makes your day?  Are you excited about Platypus Day?