New Month Newbies

Instead of new week newbies, we have some new month newbies today.

Happy February friends! It's time for candy hearts, valentine kisses, king cakes, moon pies and beads.  But first, let's get organized.

I love a new month. A fresh clean calendar, a new "to-do" list and a clean slate to make things happen. Today, I wanted to share a few items to get ahead, start fresh and feel good about yourself.

SPREAD CHEER

Does anyone else tune-in for Emily Ley's sunday sales? Every Sunday she lists 3 items for sale - everything from planners to notecards - at a fraction of the cost. Great little gifts for Mother's Day, Easter and Valentine's. If you don't already follow her on Insta - join in the fun now and mark your calendar for Sunday at 9 p.m.

Speaking of little gifts or happies for Valentine's Day, Easter, etc. I'm trying to get better about these holidays sneaking up on me. I used to be really great about remembering birthdays, and especially holidays, sending little treats to my friends, their babies, and co-workers.  But 2015 got busy and all my creative, crafty, think-ahead planning sorta got thrown out the window... right along with sleep.

Talk it up to this new parenting thing, but I miss my old thoughful self.

So starting this month, I'm making an effort. Join me! Today, check your calendar - or Facebook if needed {no shame} and make a list of birthday's and holidays in February and March. It's always great to be thinking a month ahead... but let's not get too ahead of ourselves. We're still shopping for February. {Feb 8 - Emi, Feb 14 - St. Valentine's Day, Feb 29 - Megan} You get the hang of it. {Mar 6 - Lyns, Mar 8 - Jesse, Mar 11 - Hadley, Mar 12 - Allie, 18 - Mimi/Matt... sounds like I have some planning to do for March. }

Need a birthday reminder? Try the Happy Birthday App or Birthday Alarm, a free service to send you a text or email as a reminder. It also allows you to send a free card, order a gift, or send them a text.

KEEP MOVING

I'm also back on the Fitbit bandwagon. I'm charged up and ready for a good week! Does anyone else have fit bit challenges with friends?  Maybe that could be some motivation to get back to my 10,000 steps a day. For all you mommas-to-be, I'm convinced this was one reason I was able to stay in shape throughout my pregnancy. That little reminder on my wrist kept me moving. 

Some quick ways to get more steps in today - 

Instead of sending an email or text, walk to your co-workers office and chat. 

Instead of mailing a check to the business around the corner, hand-deliver. 

Going  home for lunch - slide on those kicks and take a walk around the block. 

Going out for lunch - make a lap around the block after you eat. Or pick a place you can walk from your office.

Keep a gym bag packed in your car. 

Go immediately after work. Heck, change before you leave the office. Don't go home and temp yourself with a glass of wine and that cozy sofa. It will be waiting for you when you get home an hour later. 

STAY IN THE KNOW

I'm constantly trying to stay up to date on news - both local and national - and let's be honest. Who has time to read four newspapers, watch the daily news, and keep tabs on CNN throughout the day. 

Not this gal. 

What I do have time for - one email.

The Daily Skimm. A daily email (Monday thru Friday) with the latest news and tie-bits to keep you engaged in conversation at happy hour. Join today for free!

The hubs keeps tabs on the news via The Drudge Report. Good for skimming the headlines. 

PLAN TIME WITH A LOVED ONE

Schedule a date night and a girls night now - before the month fills up. 

One piece of advice we always got when we were dating or newly engaged was to make time for a date night. So once we got engaged and picked a date, we did. We got married on the 27th of May, so starting in September we planned something fun for the 27th of each month - and it couldn't be wedding planning related. We went ice skating, carved pumpkins, treated ourselves to a fancy dinner out, planned a movie night - with lots of buttery popcorn, went for a bike ride, etc. It was great! 

We tried to keep it up after getting married. Then life happened. 

So, once we got pregnant and learned the due date, we started our tradition again. This time on the 10th of the month, since baby Lyons was due on June 10, we did something fun on the 10th of each month leading up to June. This year, we decided to keep up that tradition and plan a date night on the 10th of each month again... so February 10 it is. Time to call a sitter.  

Here's to getting organized and staying motivated this month. Best of luck!