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February flew by in spite of the extra day, and it’s already time to be setting goals for March 2016! I made progress on my February goals, but several were left unfinished. I started my illustration class and loved the first lesson. Now I need to start the second lesson! I also continued a photography class that I started ages ago.
Emma’s birthday party is mostly planned, but not complete. I pushed it out another week to give us all a bit more time since she (and many of her friends) were very busy with a school play this past month. Emma did get all of her valentines made – she had fun with that project!
I am thrilled to say that we spent more time outside this past month than we probably have since moving to California! The kids are all finally old enough that they can play in our condo courtyard without bolting into the street, and the weather this month was stunning. We still need more rain, but we have gotten some rain so the air is cleaner and there is a lot more green!
I enjoyed spending more time one-on-one with each kid. Emma and I walked the Stanford Dish trail together, and we are hoping to make time to do that again in February. It’s a nature escape within Silicon Valley (satellite dish and all), and a place I often go for quiet time. I really enjoyed sharing this spot with Emma, and it is fun to have a child who can easily keep up.
Emma has made some progress on her Felt Doll, but she had play rehearsal nearly every day after school. Lily decided to make one, as well, and hers is nearly done! We are using this drop spindle to make some hair from wool roving. We aren’t very good at it yet, but it’s a lot of fun and fortunately the hair doesn’t have to look perfect – isn’t even supposed to, really.
Crafting has been most of my one-on-one time with Emma and Lily. Anna and I usually play. Johnny likes projects. The big hit this month as making a bristle bot together with a kit that Camp Galileo kindly sent us:
Mike and I are slowly making progress on our LEGO set. I highly recommend this as an at-home date idea for parents with young children.
I caught up on photo editing and then got behind again.
I worked on a photobook one day, and then never touched it again. I need to prioritize that goal more for March!
I worked on the rectangles for Lily’s quilt, but didn’t finish them.
In February I also discovered the Skyrocket Blog Pageviews Using Google Analytics ebook, and I have been using that to make my site more navigable and user-friendly. I’ve been reading What They Won’t Tell You About Parenting, which has to be one of the most accessible parenting books ever written. As with most parenting books, I find the second half of the book most useful. I read Dear Mr. Knightley as a light “escape” read with serious undertones; and listened to Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand on audible – also mostly light with serious undertones.
Setting Goals for March 2016
I always link my goals to areas of focus as a way of setting priorities. For 2016 I am concentrating on gratitude, learning, and mindful living.
- Finish the rectangles for Lily’s quilt. Learning.
- Make one photo book. Gratitude and mindful living.
- Watch at least one more illustration class. Learning.
- Re-read Beyond Sing the Woods – sadly out of print, but one of my teenage favorites. I’m hosting book club this month, and this is the book. Learning.
- Catch up on photo editing. Mindful living and gratitude.
- Help Lily finish her doll – Emma, too, if she gets enough done to need my help for finishing. Right now chocolate making takes precedence for Emma when she has free time. Emma makes excellent chocolates! Learning.
- Keep spending one-on-one time with the kids. Mindful living.
- Plan our next road two road trips: to Utah in April (Emma and I are going to SNAP! together in addition to visiting family) and then to Colorado in June for my brother and future sister-in-law’s graduation and wedding. Mike is meeting us for part of both trips, but the kids and I will be on our own for driving. We are becoming pros at this method of traveling. Learning, gratitude, and mindful living.
- Go on one proper date with Mike. This one is, honestly, a bit of a stretch because he is working lots of hours and then out of town, but I think it’s worth trying for. Mindful living and gratitude.
What goals are you setting this month?
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MaryAnne is a craft loving educator, musician, photographer, and writer who lives in Silicon Valley with her husband Mike and their four children.
Yum! I want my Emma to make chocolates in her free time!
I was just thinking today that I want to do more one on one with my kids. It’s challenging because they all seem to travel in a clump.
My kids like to do that as well! I also find that I will start a project as one-on-one time with one kid and by the end of the month they have all started that same project.
What a great and productive month!
I think it’s amazing (but yet so important) that you are building in all of that one on one time with each of your children. Often when I can build it in with my boys I find that it’s not just goof for them, it’s good for my mental stamina as a mama too. That reconnection is so important in the daily grind parts of our days. Love how individual each time sounds.
One of my favorite books as a teen is also out of print, so I’ve bought an extra copy for when my first copy completely bites the dust.
I’ve got a drop spindle as well, and I’m pretty bad at it also, there’s a knack to it, that I haven’t figured out yet.
I am amazed how you manage to find time on everything on your list! We loved February weather but hoping for a bit more rain. DYK that February is normally the rainiest month here? It certainly wasn’t this year :(
Yes, I remember biking in the rain as an undergrad, and that certainly hasn’t been happening! I worry about the lack of rain but try to make the most of the good weather. I hear we are getting a downpour later this week…
Sounds like you had a very mindful month, and lots more adventures planned! You’ve made me want to track down a copy of Beyond Sing the Woods.
I think you would enjoy it. I am loving my copy because it is a beautifully bound older book – the paper is so different from what you find today!