Springtime to-dos

I'm having a fit of spring cleaning. Well, I'm not actually cleaning, yet. Remember my post about my hulking mental energy? Well, I'm doing some SERIOUS mental energizing in this area. I'm making some big plans. Shall I list them for you? Yes, I shall- so you can catch a glimpse of this tremendous mental energy at work.

Things to do/accomplish/act the martyr about in the next two months:

1- Hire a yard man to come de-snake the backyard. Yes, friends. I said snake. It was black, and two feet long, and it came out and hissed at us while we were on the swingset. And I am NOT going back out there with my kids until all the dead leaves have been bagged up. (If you wonder why the man I married can't be the "yard man" it's because a) he is extremely busy with work and other things and b) he isn't exactly a "country boy." When we found the snake he tried to act like it wasn't his job to kill it. I had to remind him that he was the adult in the house with a penis, and thus responsible for all things wild-animal-related. I mean, please... it's right there on the responsibility list next to "take out smelly trash" and "lift heavy things." He was like, "You could hit it with a hoe the same as me." As if!

2- ORGANIZE THE TOYS! Oh my goodness, if I don't do this soon I'm going to lose my mind. Ever since the move, the toys have been a huge jumble spread throughout the house in a constant mess. I clean it all up every day but I think the root of the problem is that we have way too many toys out. I used to put some away and rotate them (worked beautifully) but I haven't implemented that system in the new house. We also have got sets all scrambled up, spread out, etc. The problem is that I need several (at least 3) hours without the kids in the house to accomplish the toy re-org. DH promises that over spring break he'll take them out for the morning and let me have time for this chore. I hope so, or I'm going to crack.

3- Locate my art/craft stuff in the garage and unpack! As mentioned previously, it has been tremendously frustrating not being able to access my art supplies. And in addition to wanting access to basic craft stuff (embroidery floss, adhesives, acrylic paints, etc.), I've got a bug to scrapbook again. So, getting all my stuff out is a big priority.

4- Get a grip on my wardrobe. It's time. Recently I had to attend a funeral::actually, I had to sing at the funeral- that's a tough gig, let me tell you. Anyway, I had a near break-down over what to wear. I have NOTHING nice to wear anymore. I guess it's been almost 4 years since I had to wear anything other than jeans, pants, etc. on a regular basis, and the "nice" clothes I wore in my pre-mommy days are looking dated and, ahem, somewhat tight. Thank goodness my ONE nice outfit (bless that elastic waist skirt) was black, and thus appropriate for funeral attire. Of course, I had another crisis when I realized neither of my two pairs of black shoes (Danskos, strappy black high heels) were going to be appropriate for a funeral in February. Crisis averted by my sister-in-law who loaned me a pair of her shoes (really cute black beaded pumps) but I realized that my wardrobe is in VERY BAD SHAPE! I am formulating an action plan and will discuss this in a future post.

5- Lose 10 pounds. Oh, my. There is is in black and white. I am determined to lose some weight. Specifically, 10 pounds by Memorial Day (May 31.) I don't know where the cookie dough addiction is going to fit into these plans, but I know I have GOT to get rid of the spare tire around my middle. I know the extra 10 lbs. is directly related to the frumpy wardrobe, and I've got to address both at the same time. I told my husband the plan, and his face lit up and he said, "What can I do to help?" I told him that he could help by not mentioning anything to me about what I'm eating, whether I'm exercising, etc. but that he could certainly remark if I looked thinner. I CAN'T STAND to be on a diet and have him go, "Should you be drinking that coke?" AAAAHHHHH! It makes me want to eat the most fattening thing I can think of right in front of him, for some odd reason.

6- Collect healthier recipes. This ties in with number 5. I really don't believe in diets- more in lifestyle/dietary changes that are for the long haul. I've recently started eating whole wheat bread (yes, I'm about 10 years behind the rest of the world) and am trying to eat more fresh fruits and veggies. I also need to collect more recipes that are yummy but also lower in fat, sodium, etc. It seems like most of my recipes call for heavy cream, or loads of butter and cheese, etc. If I find some good ones, I'll post them here.

So, want to help me out? I am seeking:

• Good ideas for storing/organizing toys and ways to help small children learn to clean up
• Healthy recipes

Thanks in advance for your help. (My DH hates when I say this- "Honey, I'm thanking you in advance because I know you're going to remember to take out the trash tonight." You can imagine the syrupy sweet smile that goes with it. Hey, it's better than nagging, right? OK- maybe it's the same as nagging.)