Ohmigosh it's May

So, it's May. Um... when did that happen?? Because I'm pretty sure Christmas was last week. 


May feels like the true beginning of a new season to me. Sprimmer? Suming? Maybe it's because my birthday is just around the corner, but I've always loved May. The weather turns nice, the days feel so much longer. I just love it!


I thought I'd do a quick goals check-in to see what my progress has been so far. Honestly, with how much stuff I had going on for school, I'll be happy if I just didn't move backwards....

1. Try to "have it all," but don't go crazy when I can't. 

The end of school is the most amazing gift for this resolution. Truly, it's given me back time that I can use in this area. I can spend more time volunteering, I can be that person who brings dinner when a friend has a baby, and I can host a Mother's Day brunch for our moms in a few weeks. Yay!

2. Schedule a monthly date night. 

I'm going to count the seven dinners we ate on vacation as seven date nights. I'm such an overachiever.

3. Stick to an exercise routine. 

Yeah, April wasn't really our month here. It's been about three weeks since we've regularly been running. I was sick just after Easter, got swamped with finishing school, and made the most half-hearted effort you've ever seen to run on vacation. May should bring this back for us. Derbs and I both need it!

4. Make enough time for my hobbies. 

Vacations are so awesome. As in, I read six books while we were there, awesome! I also somehow finished a quilt during my last week of school. 

My new goal is to enjoy my sewing time!

5. Stick with our budget. 

Still on track!

6. Stay present. 

This is a constant struggle for me, and I even had trouble with it on vacation. I get antsy, and feel like I should be doing something. But that's not always the case - sometimes I should just be sitting on the beach enjoying sitting on the beach. 

7. Stay organized. 

I went crazy on some closets over the weekend and we have big spring cleaning / house project plans ahead of us in the next few months. Now I just have to keep up my energy to do it all!

8. Take a vacation. 

It's over. So sad. When can we go again?

9. Stick with my blog. 

Here I'm just happy with posting at all! Sorry if the posts haven't been super exciting, but they should get better now that I have some more crafting time.

So there you go... what's new with you?

So close!

I'll finish my MSW in a little less than a month.. Eek! I have senioritis like I've never had before. I am just so ready to be finished and have my life back.

This is the list of things standing between me and graduation:

The end is so close!!!

So.... life is crazy.

I don't know what it is about 2012, but I think it's totally out of control. And not just for me -- it seems to be that way for most people. It's as if the high energy first few weeks of the year just never slowed down again. Being out of town at the beginning of the month didn't help... and now it's almost March!!

It doesn't help that I seem to be smack in the middle of a quarter life crisis. A friend of mine made me laugh the other day as she talked about her father's midlife crisis, but since he's so careful and anxious, she said he likely planned that crisis. Yep, that's me. Not exactly proud of it.

What I am proud of - and excited about - is the work I've been doing to work through it. I've been meeting with a wonderful mentor and friend, who is a certified Strengths coach. Sidenote: if you aren't familiar with the Strengthsfinder, buy it immediately. It is life changing.

Diane is helping me work through what comes next for me. I'm graduating in May, which seems like a great time to re-evaluate what's next for me and my family. I'm so happy at work, and am not planning on that changing, but I want to try to focus in on what makes me happiest and plays to my strengths.

If you're interested in learning more about the Strengthsfinder, I'm happy to fill you and use myself and my darling husband as examples. The good news is that I managed to do a lot of sewing this weekend. I'll have pictures once the products get to their recipients later this week!

Is anyone else having a crazy start to 2012, or is it just me??

A Resolution Check-In

I mentioned in my 2011 wrap up post that I probably should have checked in on my resolutions throughout the year, instead of just at the end of December. In an attempt to do that, here's a review of my progress so far... just remember that it's early!

1. Try to "have it all," but don't go crazy when I can't. 

I feel like I'm on the right track with this. My amazing new boss at work is great in this aspect. I was worried about preparing for an event last week and she said, "Wait. What happens if you forget something? Nothing. It's okay. Don't worry." Amen, sister.

2. Schedule a monthly date night. 

Bad news: we didn't formally do this in January. Because we forgot and the month went by too quickly.

Good news: we have been focused on spending more quality time together. And I'm going to remember this month!

3. Stick to an exercise routine. 

I am really proud of this. Derby and I finished Week 7 of Couch to 5K last week! It's still not easy, and making time for it is the hardest part, but we're doing it.

4. Make enough time for my hobbies. 

Reading books - huge fail. Sewing - did more in January, but it fell off the final two weeks. Need to focus on this one again!

5. Stick with our budget. 

Still on track!

6. Stay present. 

The conference helped me re-focus on this, and I'm trying. It's harder than I thought, but it's worth the effort!

7. Stay organized. 

This is going better at home than work, where I'm just feeling overwhelmed. Working on it!

8. Take a vacation. 

WE BOOKED IT!!!!!!!! We are headed back to our honeymoon location (aka - paradise) at the end of April!!!

9. Stick with my blog. 

I'm making great progress! It's still not quite as regular as I'd like, but at least I haven't disappeared for months at a time!

The best part of reviewing my goals? I'm actually doing better than I expected. Thanks for being my virtual accountability partners.

How are your new year's resolutions and 2012 goals going?