Goodness. I suck at regular updating.

Tons of progress has been made.

I've been to one GM event finally. We're going to another today. I think courting mom friends is hard and a little like rushing a sorority (which I also sucked at and only lasted 1 meeting).

I've been reading like crazy. I finished

14. Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult. Her books always leave me feeling slightly dirty.

15. Also read A Tale of Two Sisters by Anna Maxted (I like her and it was on the sale table). I love her books as they are often somewhat unexpected. But this one had ample issues around fertility and miscarriage so not light reading for me.

16. Beauty Shop for Rent by Laura Bowers. Sweet and light YA.

17. She Went All the Way by Meg Cabot. Fun. light. Super super super predictable.

18. Derby Girl by Shauna Cross, which is good YA for those rocker girls who think of themselves as so so different.

The next book is Joanne Harris.

I've been cooking more again and eating out less, which is good.

Next week I start the fat farm diet for 8 weeks, meeting that goal.

We are in the midst of planning Noah and Grace's first birthday parties. What kind of food should we serve? I was thinking potstickers, Teri chicken, noodles? Maybe salad?

In prep for their birthday, I've set up savings accounts for Noah and Grace. They aren't 529s because 529s have lots of hidden fees. Just simple ING accounts. But one for each of them.

I bought daffodils the other day. They look GREAT in the new kitchen.

We also bought a Britax car seat on sale since Little Man is getting bigger.

The baby clothes and other consignment stuff is ready to go. The sale is next week. YAY consignment!

I bought a new pair of jeans and a skirt, but only after getting rid of a bag of clothes. I'm low on pants right now.

I had my eyes checked and I've gotten lots of new pairs of glasses, including a couple of pair purchased from the uber inexpensive Zenni Optical.

I finally got my hair cut. I look so much better with reasonable hair.

And I went to Burke Williams, though they pissed me off.

Anyhow, lots of good progress. Spring break is a good time to get things done.

I read another book:

13. Audrey, Wait, by Robin Benway. It was an ARC, and it hasn't been released yet, but it is way way good. A rumination on relationships and inadvertant fame and how one chooses to respond to things. Good stuff.

Happy thing yesterday was seeing Grace (that's ALWAYS a happy thing). And overall it was a good day, though there were bed-construction frustrations.

Happy thing today was having PD go well. I had to give a whole faculty talk and I was quick, concise, and thorough enough.

Super behind. oops.

I fell really far behind because I was working on my 101 list.

Lots of reading. Moving. Packing. Throwing stuff away.

Let's do books first:

I finished:

10. Run by Ann Pacthett. OH but I loved this books. Seriously. But I am a huge Ann Patchett fan.


11. Tunnels by Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams. super fun. Extremely readable and enjoyable.


12. Lost and Found by Jacqueline Sheehan. Sad, but still light and fluffy.

I signed my will. I got some of the paperwork situated for the dissolution.

Also, we moved to a new house nearer to Grace. Thank god. So lots has been accomplished, with some throwing stuff away and also getting new towels.

I can't recreate lots of the happy things from the week, though i did pay attention t them. Yesterday's happy thing, looking around a full house of people (okay, 3 extra) and realizing how wonderful my friends are.

More happy

Sunday: Apple Pan and seeing ita.

Monday: Actually getting an opportunity to get regional center paperwork done. And buying organic baby food at $1 off.

Tuesday: Free pancakes and seeing Allyson.

Wednesday: flowers!

Also, I finished book 8, Word Freak by Stefan Fastis. I didn't realize he was married to Melissa Block. Anyhow, it proved why I can't play scrabble.

List of happy things:

Monday: Finding a place we really liked. With goats. Even though it wasn't perfect it made me happy (and filled me anxiety).

Tuesday: Payday! Always a nice sign.


Wednesday: Being told that one of the schools would like to keep me on full-time as a coach or full-time as a teacher. I think after last years thing with the Maggot School, I am having a crisis of confidence about work, and that made me feel good.


Thursday: finishing a piece on Scrabble.


Friday: going to writing group. AND having writing finished. (which is on the list, of course).

Saturday: Vicland. It's all I want to say for now, lest I jinx myself. Again.

Update

Happy thing today? Getting risotto made. It's always a relief to get something done.

Also, finished a book:

7. Harmless, by Dana Reinhardt

I really liked it. About 3 girls who lie and cause this hideous chain of events.

Oof tired

I'm getting irked waiting for the dissolution paper work. Grr. Argh. If it doesn't arrive tomorrow, I'll have to follow up.

I have $16 left on my starbucks card. YAY! I've realized that I LIKE having iced tea, but if I have some in a thermos I don't feel the need to stop. So I made some iced tea tonight and its in the fridge.

Dinner was leftovers.

I need to get better about veggies and salad. Sunday for dinner we had a roast with steamed veggies that was surprisingly good.

Happy Thing from Sunday was the yum of dinner.

Happy Thing from Monday was finding a short story by K. Vonnegut and also getting the books for CYRM.

Happy Thing from Tuesday was Gracie time.

Short to do for tomorrow

1. Send rent
2. Mail thank you to Denise, write one to Kristen, mail two packages
3. appointment for haircut
4. print short stories
5. returns, if time
6. buy formula
7. make up memo re: CYRM books
8. call Iwata

Accomplishments make me happy. Met with a lawyer about a will and he's writing one up for us. So I'm making progress. Also I started sorting clothes for consignment and listing them into the system.

AND I made broccoli cheese soup, which was a new to me recipe.

AND I read another book

6. The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick.

5. The Other Boleyn Girl, by Philippa Gregory.

Happy Thing: finishing the book. Nah. Actually seeing David.

Progress Notes:

I'm still doing pretty well about eating at home. We had fred steak with steamed veggies on Tuesday and last night I had salad. For lunch today, I brought a sandwich and some yogurt.

Also, I've done a fair amount of research about dissolving the domestic partnership, including working up the forms for a marital separation agreement. I should have everything ready to file by the first of the February. YAY progress.

Wednesday's Happy Thing? Knowing I have only one more ARWP meeting. And then an open mic in June, but I can think about that later.

I have to get on top of writing notes to people. And maybe the holiday card this year will be valentines?

Also, I forgot to mention but last week I went to BW and had my eyebrows waxed. They look good, but it was a weird ass experience.

Happy

Monday: Breakfast with Lee, Graham, Joyce
Tuesday: Fred Steak for Dinner! SERIOUSLY

Catching up

Happy Things

Friday: Picking up my new bag from Timbuktu
Saturday: Getting to see Katie score a handful of goals at hockey
Sunday: buying sushi fabric

I'm behind on happiness

Sunday: hiking with Katie, Noah, Roman.
Monday: Grace smiling at me in the morning when she woke up.
Tuesday: I'm not sure. But in the running is feeling righteous that I'm eating my salad instead of going out for grilled cheese.

Yesterday and Today

Happy Thing from Friday: seeing ita.

Happy Thing from Today: the sausage cheddar biscuits rock.

Other things done:

• groceries (I remembered both coupons AND to take my own bags)
  
• some food prepped (including soup and the biscuits and I did some of the bake prep)
  
• several rounds of dishes were done
  
• sheets changed (that should totally be one of my 101 things -- change sheets once a week. I think where I have duplicates like taking a cloth bag to the grocery store, I'm adding that instead) and washed
  
• went to yoga with the baby
  
• paid a bill and bought the cutest Sandra Boynton book ever.
  
• tried to get formula at Target, but they didn't have the right kind. Grr. That means I'll have to go to Babies R Us tomorrow so I can use the coupon.

I NEED A NAP.

Backlog

Happy Thing for Wednesday? Dim Sum!
Happy Thing for today? Noah in the bathtub. Too cute. And also getting all of the assessments handed out.

I'm noticing that forcing myself to write down something that makes me happy gets me out of my funk when the funk looms.

I'm not sure I made any more progress. I've been having salad almost every day which puts me on the veg track. But it also means by the time I come stumbling in home from work, I am famished.

Catching Up

Monday's Happy Thing? Leaving work at 3:03 and getting home before 3:30. I love a smooth commute.

Tuesday's Happy Thing? Noah doing so well with occupational therapy. He was sitting up and gurgling and laughing and playing. He worked hard for an hour and then crashed. What a sweet boo.

Also, I deposited $366 into not an ING account but the credit union. That knocks off 057 for the year.

We've been doing a grand time of eating at home. I think since the first of the year, I've eaten out only once, which is sort of very unusual for me. I think tomorrow I will take my mom out for dim sum before she goes back to ohio. It also reminds me, I need to figure out next week's menus and put together a grocery list.

I just finished book two. 2. The Luxe by Anna Godbersen (1/8/08).
Hated it. It's a bloated 19the century gossip girl book. Bleh.

Brief Update:

Went to yoga on Saturday, as part of Mommy and Me. It wasn't great yoga, but it was fun nevertheless.

Yesterday, attended a seminar about estate planning and will making, so I am a minor step ahead on that. We'll meet with the lawyer later in the month as part of a consultation.

Happy Thing from yesterday? Getting off my butt and returning lots of $$ in notions to JoAnn Fabrics. Plus, had pasta papa. It was very very good.

Day in Review

Happy Thing:

A good hot shower. It felt fabulous.

Other things to note: I made sweet potato risotto that ROCKED THE FREE WORLD. Another new to me recipe. Another vege. Another home cooked meal. Actually all meals today were cooked at home.

Tomorrow I plan on:
going to an estate planning seminar
going to farmers market with my mom
finishing the rolly bin
cook up stuff I have planned for next week's menu.

I'm thinking about getting one of these calendar books and I think it would work for scheduling my family but also for tracking this. Must think more on it.

Day Late

Yesterday's Happy Thing: The rain. I really love rain and we've been so drought-y that it's lovely to see rain. But it also caused our ceiling to leak (oof).

I also started clearing the rolly basket. I have one more drawer to go. It's oddly liberating to throw stuff away!

I spent $32 on two new bras. First I went to VS where they told me I was a 38DD which cracked me up. Then another VS worker bee told me I was

Also we set the Starbucks budget and bought a gift card. Basically I'll recharge the gift card on the 5th day of every month and what is on the card is what we use. After it's gone, it's gone for the month. A weird way to budget? Maybe. But it just might work.

Today

Working towards my ongoing goals: I got a pedicure today. The color isn't my fave, but it's okay.

I think I need a spreadsheet checkoff for the ongoing goals. But how would that work?

Happy thing:
The leftover cauli au gratin covered with spicy beef (also leftover) was delicious. Literally. And it was also checkoffs for long term goals! NEAT.