Monthly Goals - April 2024

[Raenia]

Where is the year going? Can't believe it's April already. Looking like an extra busy month here, especially for garden work.

Self-Care:
1. Read 4 books (include DNFs)
  a. 3 from TBR
2. Go outside twice a week (10/30)
3. Do yoga once a week

Frugality:
4. Food Budget
  a. Bake Bread
  b. Avoid Takeout/Eat from Freezer
  c. Cook

House Stuff:
5. Clean Caulk off Floor
6. Paint Corner Blocks
7. Baseboards/Door Trim
8. Beadboard

Garden:
9. Build Raised Bed
10. Till New Garden Beds
11. Order Currant Bushes
12. Plant Pollinator Garden
13. Plant Veggie Garden
14. Weed/Edge/Mulch Front Yard Beds

Social:
15. Go on a Date
16. Dad's Visit
17. SIL's Visit

Other:
18. See Lawyer for Wills/Trust

[lcmac32]

• Drop 20 lbs (yes I am big enough that it is possible and not really unhealthy)
• Start practicing golf
• Finish the remodel of recently purchased house (stop the cash bleed)

[MaybeBabyMustache]

I've been doing an insane amount of yard work, so I feel you, @Raenia

April is a busy month. We're doing a last college tour for DS18, a spring break road trip, and I'm heading out Sedona for a hiking trip with my mom at the end of the month.

Financial:
-Pay federal & state taxes
-Sort out cash flow & remaining 2024 budget, post severance numbers
-Earn $300 in side hustle
-Monthly pantry/freezer challenge: use up fish sticks, rotisserie chicken & pulled pork

Family:
-Last college tour + confirm decision & begin college admission process (housing, forms, etc)
-Help DS17 with college tasks (HS requirements)
-Both boys AP test prep
-Have a great & on budget spring break trip
-Continue to plan Costa Rica trip for the fall
-Plan one fun activity with the boys

Fitness:
-10 stretching workouts
-Lose 3 lbs
-12 strength training workouts
-Follow the No S diet

Personal:
-Get together with friends
-Practice Farsi 20 times
-Declutter 100 items from the house
-Meditate daily
-Complete The Science of Well Being course
-30 minutes of fiction writing
-Continue exploring various jobs
-Complete resume revamp

[Raenia]

Second week update, also late!

Self-Care:
1. Read 4 books (include DNFs) - 2/4 (1 DNF) - no additional books this week, but 3 in progress
  a. 3 from TBR - 1 (1 DNF) - 2 in progress
2. Go outside twice a week (10/30) - 8/14, still going well
3. Do yoga once a week - Yes! Finally!

Frugality:
4. Food Budget - This was a "use it up" week, plus MIL took us out for SIL's visit
  a. Bake Bread - Not yet
  b. Avoid Takeout/Eat from Freezer - pizza when people were visiting, otherwise good
  c. Cook - stuck to planned menu: ramps omelet, garlic green beans, pan fried chicken with roast potatoes and kale rabe

House Stuff:
5. Clean Caulk off Floor - About half done
6. Paint Corner Blocks - Done!
7. Baseboards/Door Trim - Door trim painted
8. Beadboard

Garden:
9. Build Raised Bed - Done! Even bought the soil and filled it. Time to start planting!
10. Till New Garden Beds - Done-ish. As good as we're going to get this year.
11. Order Currant Bushes - Failed, they went out of stock before we had the bed ready
12. Plant Pollinator Garden - Not sure this will happen due to issues with tilling
13. Plant Veggie Garden
14. Weed/Edge/Mulch Front Yard Beds - No additional progress this week

Social:
15. Go on a Date - Need to reschedule due to childcare issue
16. Dad's Visit - Done!
17. SIL's Visit - Done!

Other:
18. See Lawyer for Wills/Trust - Done! Still need to receive and sign documents

[MaybeBabyMustache]

I've been doing an insane amount of yard work, so I feel you, @Raenia

April is a busy month. We're doing a last college tour for DS18, a spring break road trip, and I'm heading out Sedona for a hiking trip with my mom at the end of the month.

Financial:
-Pay federal & state taxes - done
-Sort out cash flow & remaining 2024 budget, post severance numbers - still don't have the severance numbers
-Earn $300 in side hustle  - $35/300
-Monthly pantry/freezer challenge: use up fish sticks, rotisserie chicken & pulled pork - rotisserie chicken is used up

Family:
-Last college tour + confirm decision & begin college admission process (housing, forms, etc) - last college tour is done, waiting on the rest
-Help DS17 with college tasks (HS requirements) - working on this
-Both boys AP test prep - working on this
-Have a great & on budget spring break trip - next week
-Continue to plan Costa Rica trip for the fall - waiting for college dates, so we can lock in travel plans
-Plan one fun activity with the boys - spring break next week

Fitness:
-10 stretching workouts - 2/10
-Lose 3 lbs - 0/3
-12 strength training workouts - 3/12
-Follow the No S diet - I'm about a 50% success ratio

Personal:
-Get together with friends - saw my sister, had a family dinner with my parents, hiked with a friend
-Practice Farsi 20 times - 7/20
-Declutter 100 items from the house - 12/100
-Meditate daily - every day but two due to traveling
-Complete The Science of Well Being course - done
-30 minutes of fiction writing - not started
-Continue exploring various jobs - I've done this pretty minimally
-Complete resume revamp - draft one done

[Raenia]

Second week update, also late!

Self-Care:
1. Read 4 books (include DNFs) - 2/4 (1 DNF) - no additional books this week, but 3 in progress
  a. 3 from TBR - 1 (1 DNF) - 2 in progress
2. Go outside twice a week (10/30) - 8/14, still going well
3. Do yoga once a week - Yes! Finally!

Frugality:
4. Food Budget - This was a "use it up" week, plus MIL took us out for SIL's visit
  a. Bake Bread - Not yet
  b. Avoid Takeout/Eat from Freezer - pizza when people were visiting, otherwise good
  c. Cook - stuck to planned menu: ramps omelet, garlic green beans, pan fried chicken with roast potatoes and kale rabe

House Stuff:
5. Clean Caulk off Floor - About half done
6. Paint Corner Blocks - Done!
7. Baseboards/Door Trim - Door trim painted
8. Beadboard

Garden:
9. Build Raised Bed - Done! Even bought the soil and filled it. Time to start planting!
10. Till New Garden Beds - Done-ish. As good as we're going to get this year.
11. Order Currant Bushes - Failed, they went out of stock before we had the bed ready
12. Plant Pollinator Garden - Not sure this will happen due to issues with tilling
13. Plant Veggie Garden
14. Weed/Edge/Mulch Front Yard Beds - No additional progress this week

Social:
15. Go on a Date - Need to reschedule due to childcare issue
16. Dad's Visit - Done!
17. SIL's Visit - Done!

Other:
18. See Lawyer for Wills/Trust - Done! Still need to receive and sign documents

[Raenia]

Well I guess I just update on Mondays now - I never seem to get on my computer on the weekend anymore. Guess that's a good thing in the grand scheme...

Self-Care:
1. Read 4 books (include DNFs) - 3/4 (2 DNF) - slow going, nothing finished
  a. 3 from TBR - 2 (2 DNF)
2. Go outside twice a week (10/30) - 15?/21, lost count this week, but well above target
3. Do yoga once a week - Yes

Frugality:
4. Food Budget
  a. Bake Bread - Setting this aside for now, it's not enough of a priority
  b. Avoid Takeout/Eat from Freezer - good this week
  c. Cook - ramps omelet, asparagus quiche

House Stuff:
5. Clean Caulk off Floor - No additional progress
6. Paint Corner Blocks - Done!
7. Baseboards/Door Trim - Door trim painted
8. Beadboard

Garden:
9. Build Raised Bed - Done! Even bought the soil and filled it. Time to start planting!
10. Till New Garden Beds - Done-ish. As good as we're going to get this year.
11. Order Currant Bushes - Failed, they went out of stock before we had the bed ready
12. Plant Pollinator Garden - Not sure this will happen due to issues with tilling
13. Plant Veggie Garden - Frost last night, so I'm glad I was procrastinating - Time to start hardening off the tomatoes, though
14. Weed/Edge/Mulch Front Yard Beds - Some weeding done

Social:
15. Go on a Date - Need to reschedule due to childcare issue
16. Dad's Visit - Done!
17. SIL's Visit - Done!

Other:
18. See Lawyer for Wills/Trust - Done! Received docs in mail, need to review

[MaybeBabyMustache]

Can't believe we're heading for the end of the month!

Financial:
-Pay federal & state taxes - done
-Sort out cash flow & remaining 2024 budget, post severance numbers - still don't have the severance numbers, but we do have the college budget sorted, which is super helpful. Unlikely to get severance numbers until May, but I'm currently using an estimate.
-Earn $300 in side hustle  - $1261/300 - received a rebate, a settlement & had a bunch of eBay sales
-Monthly pantry/freezer challenge: use up fish sticks, rotisserie chicken & pulled pork - really good progress. Used up chicken, pork & a ton of other stuff from the pantry & freezer. Fish sticks will need to roll into May.

Family:
-Last college tour + confirm decision & begin college admission process (housing, forms, etc) - college decision is done! Deposit paid & initial housing request completed.
-Help DS17 with college tasks (HS requirements) - working on this
-Both boys AP test prep - working on this
-Have a great & on budget spring break trip - both super fun & on budget!
-Continue to plan Costa Rica trip for the fall - reached out about the hotel. Once that's confirmed, will work on flights.
-Plan one fun activity with the boys - spring break trip meant skiing, dinners out & road trip.

Fitness:
-10 stretching workouts - 6/10
-Lose 3 lbs - 0/3
-12 strength training workouts - 8/12
-Follow the No S diet - I'm about a 50% success ratio
-Run 60 miles - 46/60 miles

Personal:
-Get together with friends - saw my sister, had a family dinner with my parents, hiked with a friend, lunches, coffees.
-Practice Farsi 20 times - 18/20
-Declutter 100 items from the house - 34/100
-Meditate daily - every day but two due to traveling
-Complete The Science of Well Being course - thought I was done, but there is a final project to complete
-30 minutes of fiction writing - not started
-Continue exploring various jobs - I've done this pretty minimally
-Complete resume revamp - draft one done

[Raenia]

Slightly late monthly wrap up!

Self-Care:
1. Read 4 books (include DNFs) - 5/4 (2 DNF)  - made it!
  a. 3 from TBR - 2/3 (2 DNF) - Not quite
2. Go outside twice a week (10/30) - 20/30?, no idea on final count, but definitely made it
3. Do yoga once a week - Not every week, but I did do some yoga

Frugality:
4. Food Budget
  a. Bake Bread - Setting this aside for now, it's not enough of a priority
  b. Avoid Takeout/Eat from Freezer - good this week
  c. Cook - bok choy stir fry, balsamic chicken, scallion asparagus fritatta

House Stuff:
5. Clean Caulk off Floor - Basically done, just some cleanup remaining
6. Paint Corner Blocks - Done!
7. Baseboards/Door Trim - Door trim painted
8. Beadboard

Garden:
9. Build Raised Bed - Done! Even bought the soil and filled it. Time to start planting!
10. Till New Garden Beds - Done-ish. As good as we're going to get this year.
11. Order Currant Bushes - Failed, they went out of stock before we had the bed ready
12. Plant Pollinator Garden - Not sure this will happen due to issues with tilling
13. Plant Veggie Garden - Tomatoes hardened off, ready to plant
14. Weed/Edge/Mulch Front Yard Beds - Acceptable progress

Social:
15. Go on a Date - Done!
16. Dad's Visit - Done!
17. SIL's Visit - Done!

Other:
18. See Lawyer for Wills/Trust - Done! Received docs in mail, sent back comments