19 for 2019 Update: March

2. Go to Archery Monthly
I went to archery, but since the facility moved, I asked Chris to build me a backing so I can shoot in the back yard.

3. Facts of Life Binder
I have not made any progress on this since February.

4. Crochet a Blanket
I crocheted a bit, but need to make it a nightly practice.

9. Read 65 books.
I am up to 7 books read...I should finish an 8th by the end of the month.

10. Continue Mental 20
I'm back on track with this one.

11. Adopt
I'm working on our profile and have 2 weeks to get it finished before we start working on our home study!

12. Keep Training Ellie
We are working on Quiet and Roll Over. Neither are 100%, but I think that is a stubborn issue and not a understanding issue. When we are at the park, I am also working on sit and come when she is excited.

13. Bake 2 items a month.
I did not bake, but giving up sugar made it difficult to bake this month.

15. $250,000 in Travel Agency Sales
I have run 2 ad and done 2 quotes. So things are moving!

17. Go 90% Gluten/Dairy/Sugar Free
I have accomplished 90% Sugar Free. Dairy is up next.

18. Get pearl earring fixed.
Accomplished January 22

19. Catch up on photo books
4 down!

I have a feeling April is going to be Adoption heavy and I plan to continue the course on the things I already have in progress.

This last week, I started a deep spring cleaning of the house. So far, I have completed our master suite and the laundry room. Next week, I am going to take on the guest suite and kitchen while focusing my attention on our adoption profile.

How did your March go? What is your focus for April?

Jennie's Kitchen Tips: Clean the Dishwasher

One thing that still eludes me after 15 years of home management is dishwasher maintenance. Why do dishwashers get so gross? I clean the dishes before I wash them and the dishwasher gets gross. I don't clean the dishes...same outcome. The dishwasher is just always gross.

Last year, after we got our new dishwasher, I started using Affresh dishwasher cleaner and it has helped tremendously! I am not having any issues with my dishwasher being dirty!

I will say that there is one area that needs assistance...the bottom near the door, but I just make it a point to wipe it down every week or so.

Do you clean your dishwasher? Do you have any tips for me?

Walt Disney World Trip Report Day 4

(Click here to start at the beginning)

We decided to sleep in and woke up to a complete wash out of a day. It rained ALL DAY LONG.

But we didn't let that stop us. We changed some plans and headed to Magic Kingdom. We watched Carousel of Progress, had lunch at Crystal Palace, then headed over to watch Hall of Presidents and Country Bear Jamboree.

After that, we took the monorail over to Epcot. We rode Spaceship Earth, Soarin', Living with the Land, and Soarin' again. We also had dinner at Garden Grill.

After dinner, we decided to brave the elements again and left the Land Pavilion with the intention of heading to Frozen Ever After, which was boasting only a 20 minute wait. We made a pit stop in Club Cool and I made the call that we needed to be out of the cold.

Chris was adamant that we stay for Illuminations because I love Illuminations, and with its imminent closing...it was my last chance to see it. However, I made the call that us not getting pneumonia was way more important than fireworks and we headed back to the resort...which gave us time to pack.

Motivational Monday: Create the Life You Want to Wake Up To

There is nothing worse than waking up to a life you feel stuck in or a life that is living you, instead of you living your life.

If you are waking up to a life that feels like a runaway train you didn't want to be on, think of one thing you can change to make it a bit better. It can be something simple. Do you hate the tone of your alarm clock? Change it. Do you wish you had a better shampoo? Go find a new one. Does it annoy you that your drawer is cluttered? Declutter it.

Now, take the feeling that gave you...a feeling of accomplishment and happiness (I'm guessing) and apply it to a different problem...maybe a more difficult problem.

Rinse and repeat. Create the life you want by making small changes. Keep going. The life you want is out there.

Housewife Life: Sugar Free Life

At the end of 2017, I did a Whole30 with my family. It was eye-opening. I am sensitive to gluten and dairy. And for me, sugar is a problem.

Since then, I have done my best to limit those food groups, but recently, it has gotten...out of control.

So, for my health, I gave up Sugar for Lent. It has been rough. The only processed sugar I am allowing myself is in my coconut milk that I use for coffee and smoothies. As I anticipated, my sugar dragon roared. I had headaches, I was moody, and I was really really tempted.

But I am happy to report that I am two weeks in, the sugar dragon is quieter and the headaches have passed.

Is there a food group you try to avoid? What strategies do you use to make it easier to abstain from that food group?

Jennie's Kitchen Tips: Clean the Kitchen at Night

I know this is not a new tip, but let me tell you about why this is one of my favorite tips.

Every morning that I wake up to a clean kitchen, I feel one step ahead of myself during the day. Usually, I just have to unload the dishwasher while I make breakfast and I can keep the kitchen in order all day long.

Every morning that I wake up to a dirty kitchen, it stays that way all day long. More and more stuff piles up...dishes, trash, clutter...it just acts like a magnet and collects more and more like items.

And let me tell you, when I finish eating dinner, I am pretty much done for the day and have no motivation to get off the couch and clean the kitchen. No matter how tidy I keep it until dinner time, things go downhill quickly when we are eating dinner.

But, I make it a point now to take 15 minutes, get the dishwasher going and wipe down the counters. Then, in the morning, I am one step ahead again.

Do you clean the kitchen at night? Is it a struggle?

Walt Disney World Trip Report Day 3: Part 2

(Click here to start at the beginning)

After a three hour nap, we headed to Hollywood Studios. On the bus, we put in a mobile order for some lunch at ABC Commissary. It was probably our least healthy meal of the entire trip, but it tasted great.

Mobile Ordering is the best thing Disney has instituted in ages. We got to look at the menu in a low stress situation and our food was ready about 3 minutes after we got to the restaurant.

After lunch, we used our bonus FastPass+ to go on Star Tours. We got to fight on the planet with that has red sand that flies around things fly over it...you know the one. (Please no hate...I love Star Wars, but I am new to the movies and can't keep it all straight...I can discuss Gilmore Girls in detail though)

Then, we met Olaf...the queue and meet area smelled like coconut sunscreen!

After Olaf, we headed over to Sunset Boulevard and made a PhotoPass photographer's day. See, Chris hates when the photographers are like "Look Scared" or "Look Surprised". So when this newly minted College Program PhotoPass photographer said "Look Scared" and Chris replied "I can't", I started laughing...then the photographer started laughing...and she was like..."I don't think I can recover from that."

Then, I rode Tower of Terror, which is my favorite ride. Chris, however, has refused to ride it the past two trips. So I went alone, I love that ride.

After ToT, we rode Rock 'n' Rollercoaster.

After RRC, we headed over to the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular and got a special show. One of the set pieces broke down and the side we were on, we got a view of the mechanics rushing around to get it moving.

Then, we went to visit Municiberg, where we met Edna Mode, went to a dance party with Mrs. Incredible and Frozone, and watched some spectacular streetmosphere.

We got a hankering for ice cream, so we headed over to Scoops on Sunset Boulevard for a delicious ice cream sundae.

By the time we finished our ice cream, it was time to head to Toy Story Land for our FastPass+ for Slinky Dog Dash.

Oh, my, gosh...I LOVED THAT RIDE. Chris did too...check out his smile!

We decided to go ahead and wait for Alien Swirling Sauces and it was so cute! As we were leaving Toy Story Land, Toy Story Mania dropped to a 10 minute wait, so we decided to forego camping out for the best spot for the fireworks and hop on TSM. I won...again.

After TSM, we headed to the center of the park and found an unoccupied bench off to the side. We decided we would rather sit and enjoy a less than perfect view than stand. Basically, by this point, our feet were calling the shots.

After an amazing show, we headed back to Coronado Springs.