Spring Cleaning (and planning and debating and creating and stressing and....)

It's a beautiful 1st day of Spring today. Could be a little warmer, but I'll take the sunshine anyday!
If I didn't know it was still a bit chilly out there, I'd want to open up the house and do some big time Spring cleaning today. Windows, floors, have everything opened up and aired out. Oh, and it would be nice to do that without these two little twerps following me around, "helping" or just undoing my cleaning almost immediately. Hmmm... maybe I should save some of that big day of cleaning for when our family is here and they can keep the kids occupied or out of the house for a solid chunk of time.

All about the lists today!

Here are my to-do's...
for today

• finish last two loads of laundry
• get out for a walk around the block or to play in the backyard
• clean dining room, kitchen, back entryway floors
• make stroganoff for dinner
• paint back entryway and hallway
• put in Scholastic order for Savannah's school

before this weekend

• make and mail out three birthday cards/gifts
• get out Easter decorations
  

before April

• clean craft/laundry/storage room (again)
• wash and make bed downstairs
• give the whole house an overall 'Spring Cleaning' in preparation for guests
  
• plan meals (my lofty goal is to sit down and plan for the whole month of April since we'll have guests for at least all but 8 days of the month)
• supplies for decorating Easter Eggs and everything ready for the kid's Easter baskets
• decide on a plan for SJ's birthday party

SJ's bday. Not sure if we're doing anything for that. I mean, I know we'll have a good family party, but I don't know if we'll do anything with any of her friends. She's been talking about wanting some of her friends from school to come, but I'm not sure how we'll do that. It'd be fun to have a friend party, but frankly she really doesn't have many friends here. Just the girls in her class. Luckily there are only 4 other girls in her class (evidently there was a baby boy boom here four years ago!). She has also many times mentioned she wants to invite Noah from her class to her birthday too. But I told her if we have a party we would only invite the girls. I think it's okay to only invite the girls, but if we cross over to boy territory, I'd feel like we need to invite her whole class. KWIM?
But even the girls... I don't know if they're even very good friends. And I only barely know one of the moms. So I feel like it would be kind of awkward. I just wish we knew more families around here. It'd be so fun to do like a little tea party or baking party or something.
Honestly, when I ask her who she wants to come to her birthday party, do you know who she lists off? (not counting friends from back home)
Porter and Little Donnie. Yes, my almost four-year-old's best friends are one year olds. Poor kid.

So my idea so far is to pick one friend and invite them to go out to the zoo with us. The Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek has a beautiful new Carousel they're opening in April. And yeah, Savannah did her birthday at the waterfront carousel last year, but she is so excited about one opening here! So that might be an option. I need to think about all that. I'm going to run out of time before I know it! Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Can't wait for Spring to really feel like Spring!!!