December Must-do and Hope-to Accountability

Well, my parents are taking our kids tonight, but my husband finally got what everyone else got, which means he’s super sick (because he always get it AFTER everyone else, and WORSE than everyone else). So I guess I’ll just be enjoying some time away from my kids, which honestly is fine. We’ll have to reconnect some other time, because it’s certainly not happening this break. Instead, let’s see how I did on my December Must-Do and Hope-to tasks.

CLEAN DOWNSTAIRS (Half check)

Ugh, this is becoming a thorn in my side! It was hard to do before Christmas because it’s where wrap and where I packed us for the snow. Then hard to do after Christmas because it’s where I was unpacking us from the snow, and putting the Christmas stuff as I started to put it away. It’s kind of done, but not enough. I crossed out the things I did manage to do. I think I need to actually host people down there for it to all happen at once, and the space to look pristine (or my version of pristine). Without that, I only manage to get stuff done in waves, and it never looks or feels really nice down there.

Tasks: Pick up main space. Pick up kitchen. Clear surfaces in bathroom. Clean all floors. Dust/wipe surfaces. Clean shower. Change sheets

FINALIZE CHRISTMAS PRESENTS (CHECK!)

Tasks: Inventory what we have for kids. Inventory what grandparents have for kids. Identify outstanding (what we still want to get). Purchase outstanding. Wrap and label. Sort by house (we spend Christmas morning at the in-laws’ and Christmas afternoon at my parents’ so I have to be strategic about which presents get opened at each house).

I had this all done a FULL WEEK before Christmas day. WOOOOT!

ORDER MOM’S STORYWORTH BOOK (FAIL!)

Why do I not want to do this? Seriously, I think there is some kind of psychosomatic issue surrounding this for me. I did NONE OF IT. I guess I need to find another present for my mom for her birthday.

FINAL DEPENDENT CARE ACCOUNT REIMBURSEMENT (CHECK!)

Tasks: May YMCA Aftercare receipt, Rec & Park camp receipt, Legarza camp receipt, Submit paperwork + receipts

I just got this done on December 31st, partly because I wanted to be able to check it off for this post.

HALLWAY CLEAN OUT (CHECK!)

Tasks: Find out what we can do with fridge (will Recology take it? – UPDATE: YES!). Schedule pick up. Get it outside. Bring clothing donation to Salvation Army. Clean out whatever else is behind the fridge. Put it out with fridge pick up. Add other items from house to pick up.

I did this! But I missed some other items for pick up. I’m trying to put them in a Note on my phone so the next time I do a pick up I won’t forget anything. It honestly might be soon because our microwave broke right before the snow trip.

PLAN JANUARY FOR 1A & 1B CLASSES (Half check)

Tasks: Print planning calendar. Look at last year’s plans. Write out 1A plans. Write out 1B plans. Put Nov/Dec/Jan on Tri 2 planning document? (I really hope to do this, but it’s not necessary)

I did finally start looking at school stuff yesterday, but I’m still going to move some of this to January. I did plan the next three weeks of 1A and two weeks of 1B and I actually inputted about four weeks of both into the Tri2 planning document at school before I went on the break. But I have a kind of big work thing I need to get done before I go back, so the rest of this will have to wait. I also want to check some resources before I finish planning 1B (which is why I only got through two weeks).

PUT AWAY CHRISTMAS (CHECK!)

Tasks: Take apart kids’ little trees. Take ornaments off tree. Take lights off tree. Take down tree and put in bag in shed. Put ornaments in boxes. Cull old ornaments so new ones fit. Put everything in Christmas box. Take down door decoration and put in box. Put big box up. Wash Christmas clothes. Pack Christmas clothes. Put clothes box in shed.

This was not a December must-do but it should have been so I’m adding it. It took like two days and it sucked and I should have remembered I’d have to do it.

HOPE-TOs

Some of these are fully self-indulgent because it’s December and I want to enjoy one of my favorite months a little.

• Watch all of Silo with 14yo (we’re one episode away, mostly because we’ve been watching Severance).
• Watch Elf and Home Alone with the 11yo (he watched both of these elsewhere this year. Boo!)
• Rewatch Severance (we just finished season 1 last night, season 2 starts January 17th!)
• Clean out 11yo’s room and donate old toys (Hahahahaha! Did not even begin to attempt this. But most of his presents were clothes or PS5 related, so we don’t need to find space for new toys. Still, I need to do this).
• Clean out 14yo’s room and donate old stuff (LOL. Um no.)
• Hang all clothes on new non-slip hangers (I actually saw the hangers at Costco earlier on Monday and that was the first time I remembered about this. Maybe I’ll attempt it while my husband is sick?)
• Organize closet drawers (Blerg, I really do need to do this. Again, maybe before I go back?)
• Organize garage shelves (I was just thinking how the garage is driving me crazy. Maybe I’ll start this too. The garage is always a stress inducer for me, but it’s so easy to just walk out of that space.)

I guess I did okay in December. And now for January’s Must-do and Hope-to tasks. I hope to get those up before Monday.