5 April Life Updates

It's nearly the weekend and hopefully you're getting the weather we have been here in VA! No bugs, no humidity and 70-80 degrees every day. It's glorious. And I'm going to soak it in because in a few weeks my hair will get real big and it will feel kiiiind of like I'm breathing underwater. So beyond the gorgeous weather...let me open my agenda to see where I've been recently because I can barely remember what I did this morning. 

Here are 5 quick life updates

1. I'm doing a ton of reading on group/organization health and leadership. My term as president for the Virginia Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics starts in June and I've been doing A LOT of thinking about what makes a great year for a volunteer/professional organization. And in that same vein, all the ways you can botch it. Obviously being so early in my career, I don't have a ton of experience when it comes to large group leadership but I do know a s-ton about volunteer-ism. I have a few more weeks to figure out exactly what my hopes for the next year are, but in the mean time it's ALL THE LOGISTICS of hosting a board retreat and appointing people to board positions. Send good vibes. And pizza.
2. I learned accountants are worth the money. Taxes were due recently and it's the first year I didn't personally file them. And by file them, I mean spend two days straight with lots of files and receipts and my computer in my office while Chris knew to stay the hell away because I was going to be perpetually frustrated. Well....that's kind of a lie, he did stop in frequently with wine. But in the fall when Chris joined the business full time, it was just too complex to figure out taxes on my own. While I don't think we got the strategy we were hoping for in this past tax year, hopefully we'll set up better systems for our 2016 taxes to be even more seamless and less painful. Yay adulting. Oh, and on that note, download the app MileIQ (free) if you are a business owner and need to log your miles. Best thing ever. 
3. I still need to show you our bedroom redo. Yikes. So thankfully we have been packed bookings wise for the business and we only literally have two sections of curly Victorian trip to paint before we photograph. It's coming and hopefully now that it's been weeks, I can give you a full report on the new mattress, how our painted white floors are holding up and whether blackout curtains are worth it or not. Hint: they are. 
4. Everyone needs a hand-held Dyson. Possibly the most boring thing ever, but a good vacuum in a house with pets and a person who also sheds (It's me. I shed. If Chris sheds he hides it well) is essential. We have the full size Dyson but I think last winter we bought the hand held version and I honestly use it every day. Clean floors make a big difference and the same goes for car floors. Nothing is more annoying than dragging a full size vac into the driveway, but I vacuumed two cars in about 10 minutes yesterday, cordlessly. That's right, I cleaned those car mats like a boss (pretend to be impressed). 
5. I have become a minimalist jewelry wearer. Carlene of two years ago LOVED a good statement necklace. If you saw me at a conference or giving a talk, I guarantee I was wearing a dress and had on a bold necklace. A few days ago we were on our way out to a winery for the day. I put on a thin gold and white bead long necklace, wore it around the house for 5 minutes and immediately took it of. I just can't anymore. That's 'too much' for me these days. Talk to me in 30 years and I bet I'm dressing like Iris Apfel.