2011 Here we come!

I cannot figure out how to get that stupid Photo Bucket image out of my blog!  I may have to scrape it and start over.  I have not made any resolutions yet but I know it will revolve around trying to get some decor in this house. It has to be cheap but not tacky.  I tend to avoid buying things because I would rather have nothing than something that looks like a cheap imitation of what I really want so as a result we only have pictures on our walls, of our kids.    I will be back with more solid resolutions sooon. 

It will include losing those same 12 pounds from last year unfortunately and then a few more for good measure, plus 40 Bags in 40 Weeks :  March 9 - April 24.  But a lot can be done before that time.  THe good news is that gives me lots of time to focus on getting in shape and organizing, decorating stuff..

Project Done!!

I did it!  Well most of it.  I finished the 40 Bags in 40 Days project by Easter.  40 bags of "Outta Here!"  Its gone.  I lost 12 lbs and regained 3 over spring break :(  No matter, I will begin anew tomorrow.  Gym time, store and home to a house full of stuff to be tagged and sorted for my consignment sale this week.  Can't wait!  My goal is to sell more than I buy.  Sounds easy right?  Not when you have 5 kids who need lots of shorts and sundresses.  I think the boys have plenty but the girls need some pretty stuff.  So I finished all the rooms on my list but the bonus room is still in rough shape.  I did get all 3 attics cleaned out though!  I have to figure out what to do with all the scrapbooking stuff I never use.  It makes me feel guilty but I honestly think it will never happen.  I need to just make photo albums.  So overwhelming!  So my next  post will be about my new goals for next quarter.  It worked soooo well I want to do it again.  Decorating is next and something with my Doodle.

Three weeks left

Technically the fourteen weeks wont be up by then BUT, I think I can finish by Easter and so that is my new deadline.  I have 21 bags out of the 40 bags done and I can do one or two a day especially now that I have moved to the upstairs of the house.  This has been such a journey for me.  I can't believe that even with 5 kids, I can do all the little things on my to do list a bit at a time.  Like yesterday, along with my daughter who stayed home from school and baby sleeping, we cleaned out and organized the linen closet!  I just kept asking myself as we refolded and stacked towels and sheets, Do I really need or use or even want this in there?  No was usually the answer.  I just want less clutter. I have always been a person who wants one nice thing over a zillion cheap imitations.  I would rather wait and get the good name brand pair of shoes I know fit and last than the Wal mart knock offs. (nothing against Wal mart, shop there weekly!) 

So here's where I am:  I am down almost 12 pounds want to get to 15 by Easter.  I am plateauing a bit but I believe with an extra day or two at the gym each week for the next three I can make it.  I don't think I will have lost even one pound this week but I still have two days to work on it before my meeting Thursday morning. 
I have finished the downstairs but as I look around, more could be done however, I am leaving all the painting and decorating for my next quarter goals.  This quarter is only about cleaning.  I have the following left to do:
Bonus room with attic storage, kids rooms and closets (not much,) master room and bath and closet.  The biggest of all those is the attic spaces in the bonus room walls.  There are three.  One for gift bags and memento storage, one for consignment sale clothing storage, and one is a catch all including seasonal decorations and junk I don't know what to do with.  I know what to do with it now though!!  Old stuff needs to go.  I am excited to finish and proud I have maintained my interest this long.  I think its because its working and I found a system that I designed to fit my needs, thats the key.  I think everyone needs some sort of goal all the time.  When you achieve one you create the next.  Always looking ahead to keep momentum.  Have a great day!

Week 7 update (I think?)

It seems to be going by so fast I don't know what week we are in.  With a bit of nice weather I always think we are closer to Spring than we actually are!  I am always reminded that my Grandmother told me there is always one more cold snap right before Easter.  Just when you want to break out the shorts.  Well I still need the time to finish but we are about half way through and I am almost through with the downstairs, the playroom is an entire project of itself but I will tackle it every chance I get.  Some good things that are happening to help me along are the upcoming consignment sale smack at the end of the project mid April and the 40 bags in 40 days project for Lent.  I have 6 bags gone and need to catch up this weekend.  It is not that hard actually.  I am going to tackle the Linen closet soon and I ahve cleaned the Laundry room which no one sees.  I have decided that is my secret fun room and I can paint it and decorate it as I please - lavender or green, yellow maybe, but something pretty that I won't mind looking at so much and some pictures or artwork to go in there too.  I might even hook up the radio and put it on the shelf. 

WW is going good.  Finally got my 10 pound star!!  I am hoping to lose 5 more pounds in the next 3-4 weeks.  That would be by the 25th of March, sooner if I hit the gym more.  That's my new short term goal. 
I guess I need a week to wrap up the downstairs before I move the project to the second floor.  Details like painting and decorating aren't really possible right now so I am saving all that, maybe until spring break when I can get some help.  Currently I am self educating on decorating and hopefully also getting some help on cooking from some friends.  This is pretty fun still.

Week 7 update

I found a great homemaking blog (The Homemaking Cottage)It is really good, enough so that I paid 10 dollars for a 6 month subscription. It has helped me stay motivated and find some great ideas. LOVE IT!

BTW week 7 is going great on the home front. I didn't get to WW this week because kids were out of school but I did get started on my Lenten project which is 40 bags in 40 days. I found it on Faith and Family which is one of my favorite Catholic Web sites. I finished up some huge projects in the kitchen, I could probably spend another week in there to be honest but I think I will just piece it together the rest of the project when I have extra days. I have removed four bags of junk from my house since Ash Wednesday! One from the pantry, one from my coupon bag, one from various spots downstairs and I can't remember the other. Anyway, week seven has been productive and fun. I took the kids to Chuck E Cheese and they had a blast. We have had friends over twice because the house is clean! The laundry has been kept up and I may take the day off of it tomorrow! Imagine that? I never get to skip laundry unless I want to pay for it later. My folks are coming for a week and I can't wait.

Week 6 update

Well I have lost a total of 9.8 lbs on WW.  Woo hoo!  so unless I screw up royally, next week I will get my 10 lb sticker. 
I am finishing up my second week of working on the kitchen and realizing that I will never really be finished with the kitchen.  It is always a work in progress but I got the majority of gross tasks ticked of my list including , but not limited to: scrubing out the nasty trash can followed by the even nastier cabinet the trashe can is housed in!  Cleaning the oven for the first time in 5 years (when we moved in,) scrubing the 2 inch layer of dust off the tops of the cabinets.  That was very satisfying and weirdly so because I know that no one would have ever noticed it if I didn't so it but even so its done and much better, I know its done.

I think I will have to work on the playroom soon.  It is threatening to explode and even though the kids do a weekly clean up I can't help but believe the whole downstairs would look so much better if the view to that room was streamlined.  We have a toy closet which they can't really get into that needs to be pared down.  the carpet needs cleaning and the walls need painting.  I could be brave and do that room first since the color change would be exciting for the kids.  I would love a nice pale spring green I think.

I still need to focus on working with Doodle and Bunny.  Why is this so hard?  I don't know why I dread it except that Doodle would rather I leave her alone and it hurts.  Maybe this is why.  Oh well.

Week 6

It's amazing.  Here we are in the middlish of February and instead of feeling tired of this project I am moving right along.  I feel like I am making lots of headway and that is both encouraging and energizing.  I am a smidggen away from earning my 10 lb star at WW and that has gotten me through my son's bday party week.  I should earn it on Tuesday however I am just hoping for a pound this week.  I will be satisfied with that.  I still have a day and a half and I have ramped up the exercise this week as well. 
     As for week two of my kitchen project, I have done most of the surface work and need to get down to the dejunking part which is a bit harder to me.  I am going to clean the oven overnight which I have never done in this house - gross.  I need to tackle the tupperware drawer which is bursting at the hinges and the two junk drawers.  I have realized I don't need two or three of everything!  I have NSPIRE coming on the thirteenth so maybe they will inherit my extras.  I will log in again before the week is over.
     I sat and read a book with my Doodle yesterday, something she used to do a lot but lately I have had trouble connecting with her.  She read it to me - the whole thing!  I was very happy to have her away from the Tv and computer so that is a small victory for one of my other goals.  right now there is a mtn of clean clothes calling my name and a pending two year old awakening so that it all for today.