11 Things That I Am Going to Do Now That We are More Than Halfway Through the First Week of March

1) Flip the Calendar to March. I actually did that yesterday, but still, I think the 4^th is kind of late for that. 

2) Read all the Nora Ephron I can get my hands on.  I ordered an interlibrary loan book at my library. It came in and I started it. It was something that I sort of wanted to read, but then I found this book on my library’s shelves while I was looking for something for a customer and all my other reading plans went out the window. 

3) Maybe think about sending out school pictures to those who didn’t get them yet.  I have about half of the pack left and I have lost track of who didn’t get one, so if it is you, please let me know. I received them at the end of October for those who are wondering how long they have been around. But really, tell me if you didn’t get one and you want one.  They are really cute pictures. 

4) Give up the ghost and put the Christmas cards away until next year.  You see, I decided in December that it would be much more fun to make handmade Christmas cards than buy family picture Christmas cards.  I ended up making about 15 cards before my creative juices wore out.  Then I bought a supplemental pack of winter themed cards that were blank inside. First, I thought, I could send out New Year’s cards then I decided that they could be Valentine’s Day cards now I am going to give up and call it a day. 

5) Read a second article or maybe think about recycling the past 6^th months of issues of The Atlantic that my husband am I got a subscription to in September.  We thought it would be a great idea because “the Atlantic is so great, so well written” but when it actually came every cover is so bleak. It makes me so depressed just to look at it, because the covers all have titles like “How Did It Come to This” and “The Power of American Denial” that the issues are piling up on an end table mostly unread. 

6) Make peace with the pile of coats on our couch that sits there 5 months of the year.  Except for when guests come to our place and we move the coat pile to our bed, we have a pile of winter coats and sweatshirts that lives on our couch that is comparable to what you might find at a house party. Perhaps someday when the boys are older and they can be more in-charge of their personal effects the pile will be non-existent, but until then, it is just more feels more convenient to keep them there. 

7) Figure out how to enjoy coffee creamer without drinking three cups of coffee a day.  You see there was a time, in the before times, when I only used to drink coffee on weekends.  Then when the pandemic first started I drank it most days but sometimes I drank decaf.  Now I drink it full strength, every day, usually two cups in the morning and maybe an additional cup at 1pm. I decided yesterday that I needed to do better, and I thought that maybe I would just drink one cup a day with no flavored creamer.  Then I went to Target they had my personal unicorn of coffee creamers for me. It is mythical to me because I drove to a different Target looking for it a few weeks ago because the Target app said it was in and it wasn’t on the shelves in its spot. Yesterday, I ended up running into it completely by accident at my own Target without really looking for it. So Huzaah! I guess I am not giving up creamer but I can still cut back on the coffee. 

8) I want to stop shopping unless I really need something. It’s hard because I see recipes and I think that I should go out and buy all the ingredients and make it tonight. But I am #blessed and I have food that I can make in my house.  Also, I always stay that I am going to stop buying little things at Target but I still do.  So today, I started an Instagram Account called @ifnotshoppoingthenwhat 

It is a place to record things I did instead of shopping. Really this account is more for me than the public, but I welcome people to follow it is they want. It is a place to give myself accolades for doing other things besides buying things.  Also, I hope to take on some home clean-up projects over the next few months and this can be a place to reward myself for working on them. 

9) Take the tape off Joseph’s head and put the Nativity Figures away.  I broke Joseph in January and glued him back together in February. The tape is just to hold him together while the glue was dying. Maybe it is time to put him away. 

10) Give myself a break! These months have been hard but I feel okay.  Today is Mr. Katie and my 13^th first date anniversary, so that is fun day!  We are going to celebrate by ordering pizza tonight instead of making it like we usually do and having our usual Friday night glow stick dance party with the boys. Also 6 years ago tomorrow is the day we settled on our house so that is also an anniversary that we remember every year. 

11) I am going to register for the Run Across American Spring Start. It starts on March 15^th and goes for three months. I enjoyed their Winter Warmup and even thought I joined that challenge  a month late, I still finished my goal of runnign 100 km.  This time I might shoot a little higher, perhaps 250 km? It is a run/ walk challenge so I think that could make it easier than just running all 250 km. Anyway, I am looking forward to it. 

I hope you are all doing well!  What are you doing this first week of March?