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Keeping Up with the Keeping Up

This week has been a non-stop week.  I had 2 overtime days, working 11 hour shifts, followed by 3 normal shifts that were crammed with non-stop issues to deal with.  My job is fast paced and often filled with problems to solve, and on occasion, challenges to overcome.  Despite this, the hubs and I worked out 6 days this week between the gym (4x) and walking laps at the mall (2x).



For the month of March, we managed to work out 27 days of 31.  My fitness goals for April are to workout 5-6 days per week, lose 5 lbs and to focus more on strength.  In addition to that, I want to hit platinum status on my Go365 health plan.  During March, I kept bouncing between up and down 5 lbs, but finally managed to be 4 lbs down by the end of the month.


My financial goals for April are to cover my 1st qtr taxes, which I am set to do this coming week.  I also want to pay off the remaining $130 balance of our JCP card.  This weekend, I put $30 toward that.  I am continuing to work some of my side hustles this coming week.  I don't have a lot of time toward this, so it has been a stretch to make any progress this week, but I am determined to put more effort into this.



Sophie's clothes we posted have already earned her $90.  We still have lots of stuff posted on FB and Mercari. She used $40 and managed to snag alot of deals at JCP:  jeans, a dress and 7 tops for $40 total!  She still has $50 set aside for a ukulele.  We are about 4 weeks til her birthday bash.  Let's hope her remaining things will sell before then.



My other financial goal is to set aside about $100 toward our vacation fund.  Right now, my monthly contribution is sitting at $24. I made some envelopes to put the money aside in (I am not an artist).   I am determined to have a September vacation without dipping into our credit cards.  We are planning to spend a week in Florida with Virginia Beach being our back up plan.



I have set a personal goal to volunteer at another disability event.  I really enjoyed the Down Syndrome Awards and getting the opportunity to serve.  The Gala I wanted to volunteer to do the set up for, now falls on the day I am scheduled for an outpatient medical procedure.  I am debating whether I can manage both or if this is something I am not going to be able to manage.  Gala set up would be a morning commitment, I hope and my procedure is in the afternoon.  Volunteer time TBD.


After this crazy week of work and working out, I really felt the need for some down time this week.  I spent the morning doing a grocery and coffee run; then came home to put everything away.  I moved our sofa to clean it and vacuum under it, then dusted our front room and ran dishes.  I plan on giving the kitchen a good cleaning, followed by sweeping and cleaning the wood floors.

My oldest daughter gifted me some instant coffees.  I am so thankful for this simple pleasure.  It saves me time from having to wait in line somewhere, saves me money (#budget), and I do not have to run out to pick a coffee up.  Every morning, I have been starting my day with a coffee and meditating before taking  on the day. 



I have 2 chickens I picked up to roast for dinner this evening.  Laundry is washed, but I am saving the folding and hanging for tomorrow.  I have a few hours before I need to tackle dinner, so I am doing what I always do when I need a good mental health day.  I watch Keeping Up with the Kardashians on Hulu.  A couple of episodes later, I appreciate my drama free life.  I picked up a salad at Core Life, and mixed it with last night's dinner salad, to make 2 salads for Sophie and I for lunch.



Sunday, I plan on tackling my room and office space, putting away the laundry and cleaning my bathroom.  The hubs is ordering wings to have while he watches Wrestlemania.  I just need to make a salad or veggie tray and a dessert.  The hubs works so very hard for us.  I want to give him a clean space and time to himself to take a break from the week.  He does IT and corporate training.  Our jobs are similar in nature, but his is more technical.  He has had a couple weeks of back to back overtime.  Plus, he runs a small media company and a 2nd wrestling based media company. 

Sunday is girl time.  I plan on watching Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants with Sophie.  We both love Gilmore Girls, and I am looking forward to Sophie seeing Alexis Bledel in this movie.  Sophie is sometimes so much like her dad, it is so nice to get opportunities to share things with her.  I also want to work on some of my autism stuff.

My week ahead should be slower paced.  Mon-Fri will be normal schedule for me.  I have 4 back to back workout days.  Our menu is planned for the week and I am delegating 2 dinners over to the teens to make, 1 of which will be my procedure day on Friday.  Friday will be a rest day for me, with sleeping off anesthesia and Sat may be too, depending on how I feel.

Sometimes I wonder how some women manage to work 60 hour weeks on their feet (nurses, doctors, etc); find time to work out; manage their household chores and kids, get dinner on the table and keep their sanity.  I am lucky that I do not have to make the 2x per day 45 minute commute to the office.  I work remotely.  I also work at least 3 days per week beginning at 10:30 which allows me mornings to run laundry, dishes and tackle some cleaning before I start the work day.

I really want to concentrate this week with my diet and strength training.  I need to track my meals for a week or two to get back into the habit of being conscious of what I am eating instead of grazing during a fast paced week.  My focus this week is to enjoy the week, take time for myself, pace myself through the week.  I am looking forward to what this week will bring.







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