Last Month of Being a Twenty-Something Mama

First piece of business is a 30 day update. Project #10 was to deep clean the living room.

I had planned to remove the wallpaper border, and prep the living room for painting (one of my 30 by 30 goals).

During naptime I took everything off the walls, took down the wallpaper border (using a homemade remover that took the wallpaper off like butter, I’ll share soon), washed the walls, vacuumed behind the furniture, and started taping.

Process photos:

See that sample spot on the wall. That has been there for about six months. I joke with my husband that I was “making sure I could live with it.”

After hubby got home from work we made a stop at our local Ace Hardware and bought some paint. My initial goal was to get the trim painting done after the boys went to sleep, and paint the first coat the next night. Well, I kept going…and going. By 2:30 this morning the first coat is done! (I’ll share the after photo when the living room is completely done.)

On to other business, an update on my list: 

1. purge home, clear clutter {Ongoing. 30 Day House Cleaning Challenge has lit a fire under my rump.}
2. make cleaning a habit {Always ongoing, see above.}
3. make recycling a habit {After a few visits to town council meetings, our town finally started curbside recycling last August!}
4. scan pictures, organize pictures {This goal is crossed off because I know I’m not getting to it in the next 3 months.}
5. organize recipes {I have found a method that seems to be working, will share with you Wednesday.}
6. paint bedroom; decorate {This is not going to happen the next month, maybe in the next year…}
7. paint living room; decorate {Second coat going on tonight, then need to hang pictures, find affordable curtains, maybe even slipcovers for furniture.}
8. learn how to effective manage household, and time {I am happy to say that I am getting much better at this.}
9. make wedding album {See excuse #4}
10. journal for the boys {I am not very consistent, but the journals are started.}
11. journal for my husband {See #10}
12. learn how to use my camera, and take more pictures {Ongoing, getting better.}
13. have monthly date nights with my husband {Christmas gifts have helped us in this department.}
14. go on mini-vacation with hubby {We did go away overnight in September, and December. (not my idea of mini-vacation, but we will take what we can get!)}
15. go on vacation with the family {Thanks to a wonderful Christmas gift last year we took the family to Great Wolf Lodge. This is probably going to have to suffice for this year.}
16. read to the boys every day {I may have figured this out!}
17. learn to/teach the kids to pray (Lord's prayer, and Ten Commandments)
18. teach my step-daughter to sew and/or encourage her creative interests {Sewing will not happen this year, but I have been encouraging her creative spirit!}
19. implement a budget {Nope}
20. start nursing clinicals {Crossed off because I didn't get in this winter, hopefully in fall.}
21. manage time better {Isn’t this the same as #8? Improving greatly!}
22. get up early (like to start day by 6:00) {Boys are early risers. I am no means perfect, but so much better.}
23. dress for my hubby more often (less jeans and t-shirts) {I am struggling in the colder season, but I am crossing it off because 1. I wore skirts/dresses most of summer and 2. hubby likes me in jeans and t-shirts.}
24. style hair more, less ponytails {Since I made the cut, I have been better, not perfect, but better.}
25. blog regularly {Getting better, but I think I need to make myself a schedule.}
26. exercise regularly {You would not believe that one of my previous careers was a full-time fitness instructor and personal trainer.}
27. craft through books; get rid of books not needed {I have not actually been crafting through books, but I have been getting rid of the ones that do not inspire my creativity.}
28. craft through stash {Stash is still here, but getting smaller. The only materials I have bought have been project-specific.}
29. make a dress, and wear it {Made another one, look for it in the future, meanwhile check this one out.}
30. start selling on etsy {Been working on shop, a little. Need to tell my confidence (or lack of) to leave me alone. }
31. do a 365 project {I started. Got 21 days in. And quit. I will restart, after I knock out some of my more important goals.}
32. have a (semi) handmade Christmas {did not finish all I aspired too, but did manage to make a few gifts.}

Have you procrastinated on any Spring overhauls in your home? That is exactly what this paint job was, procrastinating! I am so glad I got my butt in gear!