I’m seeing more and more warm weather blog posts, but here in Massachusetts it’s definitely still winter! My Japanese Maple tree is STILL hanging on to a handful of leaves, but there are fewer and fewer every week.
February was a busy month in our house! Emma turned seven, and enjoyed a fun crafty birthday party with five school friends. Her birthday was during our much-too-short school vacation week, and we all enjoyed celebrating on a no-school day!
We made 60 (well, 59, but do you blame me for rounding up?) valentines for the kids’ teachers and classmates. five-year-old Johnny’s were my favorite – all very detailed and very unique!
I spent a lot of time ignoring housework and hanging out with Anna instead. I’m good at that! It was a big month for her – she turned six months old, got much better at sitting up, and now has two teeth!
My parents drove up from Florida, and we have enjoyed spending some time with them!
I did get the house a little more organized – mostly by getting rid of stuff. I’ve adopted my sister’s strategy: if it’s something you would bring if you were going to live somewhere for six months, keep it. If not, ask yourself if you really need it!
Goals for March:
- Simplify! This is important for me, because there is a lot going on behind the scenes in my life at the moment – some that you’ll probably hear about soon (I hope) and some that just isn’t my story to tell. And simplifying is always a good thing! For me right now, simplifying specifically means cutting down on commitments and continuing my unending decluttering and organization quest. Focus area: gratitude, simplicity, and responsibility
- Make our traditional crayon shaving eggs for Easter, and any other crafts we make time for. Focus area: education
What are your goals for March? I’d love for you to grab this button and join in! Have a goals post? Share your link in the comments!
MaryAnne is a craft loving educator, musician, photographer, and writer who lives in Silicon Valley with her husband Mike and their four children.
Oh I adore that photo of you and Anna!! You’ve certainly made the right choices this month. I’ll have to keep your sister’s mantra in mind…. I always feel great when I declutter!!
Yes! I find that it’s pretty rare for me to miss something that I’ve gotten rid of.
Simplify, is one major goal that I have. Always trying to find new ways to simplify life here :-)
I love the month-by-month goals you have here! Perhaps I will get motivated and join you. :) The picture of your kiddos is beyond adorable, by the way. Since you’re in a de-cluttering phase, can you stop by my place? That is at the top of my to-do list as well. Hope you have a great week ahead. :)
I love that photo of your kids – I have trouble getting both of mine in one shot – I don’t know how you do it with four. I’ve also been trying to declutter. We are planning to move in the next few months and I’m trying to get a head start on packing by getting rid of a lot of stuff we don’t need. We are also planning to make your crayon shaving eggs this month!
I have yet to get all four looking at the camera…
I’m so glad you’re going to make crayon shaving eggs with us!
I love your simplify mantra! Yes, I am going to blog on my monthly goals for March — is it March already?!!! — and will try to simplify too!
I’m so glad you are joining up with monthly goals!
I have no idea how February managed to fly by so quickly…
I’m always trying to declutter and simplify; it never ends! I’m intrigued about your news!!! I tend to play instead of cleaning too!
Hopefully I can share it sooner rather than later…
The declutter/simplifying lasts forever in my house, too.
I love that top photo where Anna is the only kid looking straight at the camera!
That picture makes me laugh :)
So great your parents came for a visit! Happy March!
Sounds like a very productive month you had!
Yay to Anna turning 6! Alyssa is 8, has 2 teeth and just won’t sit up! She has big bottom (hah!) and thighs so it is challenging for her :-))
I am also trying to declutter the house – it is not an easy task. Seems like with the Spring cleaning I will have to part with A LOT of things.
Isn’t it funny how different babies learn different skills? Anna still is not much good at scooting or rolling over – sitting up is her thing :)
You’ve got me curious. We’re slowly decluttering here as well.
I don’t blame you for spending time with your little one – she’s beautiful!
Thank you! I really enjoy spending time with her!
Sounds like an interesting time ahead can’t wait to read what you have been getting up to. We’re decluttering like mad – next week sees mine and T’s birthday’s so more stuff will come in but we’re being specific on things that we need to replace what we have grown out of and what we haven’t got but need to grow.
We’re also into the start of the growing season in the UK and spending our days outside when we can gardening changing our waste land into a family garden and vegetable garden.
This means less time blogging and more organization and planning needed.
I’m excited for things to thaw out here so we can start our garden – it will be a a while yet, though!
Nice goals. I need to do a goals post…really.
Do you have code for that button? I would love to participate.
I wanna do some art projects with my kids (even though I hate art). I really want to commit to it. Maybe get some ideas blogging and then link up with those blogs? I dont know. I have to figure it out.
I really dislike doing art.
I’d love for you to join in! You can find the button code halfway down this page: https://www.mamasmiles.com/buttons/. I tried pasting the code here directly, but couldn’t get it to work.
If you’re looking for art activities with your kids, you might enjoy this series at Red Ted Art:
https://www.redtedart.com/kids-get-arty/
Good luck!
We’re in the declutter phase. My parents are moving from their house of 33 yrs, all so quickly, so everything I stored over there in hopes to bring back when we have more than a tiny apartment in the Bay Area needs to be sifted through and probably tossed. It’s all so sad. I feel the need to grieve, but I’ll be implementing your sister’s philosophy. I hadn’t needed it in 12 years. I’ll probably be ok without it.
Congrats on choosing family over housework. We’ve hired help to do our ever daunting task of laundry when the going got really tough (they picked it up on Tuesday and delivered it fresh, clean, and folded on Wednesday). I figured spending an extra 3-4 hours/week with J was more important.
I’m also learning that it’s ok to say no and not feel bad. I still have a long way to go, but I started since we became a 1 car family with my husband working a 30 minute drive away. It’s been my go-to excuse to take it easier.
Good luck with your March goals :-)
It’s hard to say no!
Laundry takes up a lot of time, so I can see how hiring someone to help with that would make sense!
I can’t wait to hear about your big news! It sounds like you had a very good February. I can’t believe that Anna is 6 months already!
Anna is growing up way too fast! Hopefully I’ll have news to share soon :)