Best Book Evah! and Spring Break plans!

I think I'm doing pretty great on my book reading goal, but I have to say I think I'm on to my favorite so far! I'm reading Urban Homesteading which is just the most inspiring book I've read, I think since I read Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover. I feel so motivated to convert my large yard into an Urban Homestead, capable of sustaining our family for much of the year, save a few things we will still need to purchase at the grocery store (milk, flour, spices, oils; those sorts of things). I'm trying to keep myself under control and not try to jump and implement all the ideas right away, but I am so excited for some of these projects!

I'm behind on my blogging the 365 project, but I wanted to get out my to-do list for this week. In part because it will help me remember all the projects I want to get done, while I have Ali home to help.

• Get to work on building the swingset. I don't know if we'll actually finish it this week, but I want to get a good start on it. We have some nice weather coming our way, and today we finished moving dirt around to make a mostly level space, though we still need to compact the soil a bit more.
  
• I want to get the swingset usable so we have a "babysitter" for the kids while we work on building the chicken coop! I've drawn up several plans, but not had too much luck finding salvageable lumber, so I think we're changing plan and going with a coop made mostly with salvaged pallets. These we can get for free! (we also want to pick up some for a compost box, well actually a couple... makes it easier to turn!)
• We also need to build our raised beds for our garden. The plants won't be ready to go out for a couple weeks, but I want the soil to have a chance to rest once I move it around.
  
• I would love to make some headway on painting in the kitchen, which is stalled because it's turned into a brooding room as well as having issues getting the wallpaper off the walls.
  
• I need to finish the repairs I'm making to the green house. For this I need some more plexiglass.
  
• I also need to start my tomatoes. Apparently there are some upside-down tomato hangers coming my way (thanks Mom!!), so I need to get these guys started. Fortunately, there will be room in my greenhouse to hang those babies from.
  

Phew, this will be a busy week. We're hosting the homeschool group potluck at the end of the week... well, they can deal with a neglected housecleaning job. :D