Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder (and gives me an excuse to tackle my to-do list)

In two days, Alex leaves for Texas for a long business trip. He'll be gone for two weeks, then home for a weekend and then gone for another two weeks. In no way am I looking forward to him being away, but I'm trying to stay positive and strong about it. Plenty of friends and family have suggested get togethers, sleep overs, and shopping trips to keep me busy, but the idea of staying home and completing an ever-growing to-do list sounds pretty appealing to me, too. Not to say that I'll never leave the house (besides work) and enjoy time with loved ones, but I'm not going to be afraid to be alone in an empty house, in the dark of night. Yes, I'm afraid of the dark. I can admit it. If I actually finish a few of the things on my to-do list, I'll feel pretty accomplished and Alex might just come home to a sparkling clean, organized home (and a sexier, healthier wife!). Here's my list:

1. Clean the laundry room. No offense to my mom, but when she lived in our house, this was the one room that always needed help. There's a counter top desk space that could never be found under the mounds of random stuff that cluttered it. I think I've inherited her lack of organization when it comes to this room, but, by golly, it's going to look fabulous when I get done with it!

2. Prime (and possibly paint) Alex's old office. It's currently painted black (a true man-cave!) and needs to be primed if we're ever going to repaint. Which we are. Definitely.

3. Finish sewing project for co-worker's baby shower. This has to be done as soon as Alex leaves because the shower is in less than a week!

4. Color my hair. I think I'm going to take the plunge again and go darker. Most people's roots grow out and they have to color again, but my hair doesn't seem to want to hold color for more than a few weeks, so there are no roots to deal with. But, I think it's time for a change. And it will be a surprise for Alex when he gets home.

5. Eat healthier. Most of my co-workers have started a weight loss competition and are either counting calories, doing Weight Watchers, or just trying to eat healthier in general. I didn't really want to pay the $20 entry fee (because I'm cheap!), but I would like to eat healthier and lose a few pounds. If we're going to have a baby someday, I want to be as healthy as possible and I certainly have room for improvement. I've already stocked up on fruits and veggies, turkey burgers, veggie burgers, fish and healthy snacks that Alex normally won't eat. This is the one thing I'm looking forward to most about him being away. I won't have to cook or eat meat and potatoes at all, unless I want to. Which I won't. Yuck. He doesn't like fish, I'm sure he wouldn't touch a veggie burger and he doesn't like veggies cooked the same way that I do, so I'm going to enjoy eating "chick food" for the next month.

6. Decorate the master bedroom. I bought a big wooden window with no glass in it over the summer and it's still just sitting on the floor in our room. Maybe I'll finally figure out where to hang it and other decor in our house. Our walls have been bare for far too long.

7. Clean my office. It seriously looks like a bomb went off in there and I can't handle it anymore. I've had to move all craft projects to the dining room table and can't find ANYTHING when I go digging through the mess in my office. It's embarrassing.

So that's it. Seven things in four weeks. I'd say that's quite doable. Hopefully these next few weeks will fly by and my to-do list will keep my body and mind busy.