There is no greater job in the entire world than being a parent. When that joyous day finally comes and that little bundle of joy makes their grand entrance, no one tells you what comes next. Sure, there are lots of nurses and doctors (and sometimes family members) sharing their expert opinions on what you are "supposed" to do, but really there is no step by step manual to tell you what comes next.

As a parent, I look back at the last eight years of my life and I think about all the struggles we have overcame and how many books I read telling me what to do and why.

As an organizer and someone who functions well from a "check list" I was thrilled to have had the opportunity to read, A Mom's Ultimate Book of Lists, by Michelle LaRowe.

This book is by far one of the handiest books I have ever read. No new mom has time to read the reason why babies cry, they just want to know how to calm them down and make them stop. A Mom's Ultimate Book of Lists is the perfect book for every new parent and what' even better is that it's "ultimately" organized!

Every good project needs a plan. Michelle starts you out with many lists on what to do when preparing for baby's arrival, trip to the hospital and specific questions you really should ask your physician. She walks each parent through the first few years arming you with valuable techniques and methods in dealing with those unexpected moments.

Throughout the book she takes on the journey of life preparing and arming you with some helpful advice and how to's.  My personal favorite is Michelle's Top 10 Tips for Time Management. All extremely valid and truly important to any parent!

1. Have a routine.
2. Be organized.
3. Have a place for everything.
4. Use a family calendar.
5. Keep a daily to-do list.
6. Delegate.
7. Learn to say no.
8. Prioritize.
9. Keep a running grocery list.
10. Plan a weekly menu.

What I really appreciated was that throughout the entire book, Michelle walks mom's through all the many challenges that require us to plan ahead and most of all be prepared. Dealing with friendships, working through family budgets and how to feed a picky eater just to name a few. There is no situation that Michelle doesn't cover. Being a parent is a demanding job and being a mom is a lifetime career. Why not arm yourself with the best book of lists!

Thanks Michelle for this powerful book!

Available January 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

        

Are you a stay-at-home mom? Thinking about starting your own business?

What would you do if I told you there was a step-by-step book on how to get that done?

As a stay-home mom and business owner, I would have loved to have a book on how to get my business off the ground. When I started my business, I had a two year old toddler and brand spanking new baby. It was a long process of doing what I could when the kids were sleeping and working with clients when I had the extra help.

The book, So you Want to be a Stay-At-Home Mom: A Christian's Guide to Starting a Home Based Business by Jill Hart and Diana Ennen is one of those books you buy then refer to over and over again.

Both authors started out exactly the same way most small home based businesses do... with an idea of a business and not a clue how to get it going. They share their experiences (good and bad) of how they started their business, what choices they had to make and how they got where they are today. Successful Work At Home Moms!

They provide you with a road map to getting your business started, the key things you need to get done, a great checklist on how you can market your business PLUS a ton of resources on how to keep it going.

The thing about running my your own business is that you have to be prepared to wear every hat; the worker, the marketer and the manager...  in addition to that other job of running your household.

Throughout the book, the authors share motivational support and spiritual advice in assisting you on your journey, which is truly inspiring. What I most enjoyed is that after all the years since starting my business, I found this book to be a valuable read even to a seasoned business owner.

In my opinion, you can't ever have too many business resources! Enjoy!

        

It's always so enlightening to see what various chat groups are discussing. I belong to a few organizations recently have been discussing procrastination, a topic that I love to debate. Is it a learned behavior or is it something we genetic? In my opinion, genetic things the color of our eyes, our skin tone or sadly rare diseases.

Some people I know (you know who you are ) claim that they procrastinate because they just are always that way and genetically that's just how they have always been.

The dictionary defines procrastination as:

–verb (used with object): to put off till another day or time; defer; delay.

The interesting thing about this word is that it starts with PRO, which typically means to think ahead or FORWARD action.

Are we ACTIVELY thinking we don't want to do something? Is the end result going to be really that bad?

What would happen if we actually completed the said task? How would that make us feel?

I can tell you from my own experience that procrastination makes me feel icky. I hate the guilt, stress or pressure in not completing a specific action. Believe me, I too fall prey to procrastination. Let's face it, we are all human. The key is to accepting what we do and making the change happen!

Tell me what you think about it... learned or inherited?

*image provided by Quo Vadis blog dot com

        

It occurred to me this morning that I am a little obsessive about a few things....

1. Brushing my teeth.
2. Washing dishes.
3. Cleaning the toilet.

I don't think it's a bad thing to be a little obsessive about "clean" however some might consider that to be a little compulsive. If you asked my husband, he would probably tell you that the list is much longer...

Is there something that you get a little"obsessive" about?

        

My husband and I have been together for almost 12 years now. The best 12 years I might add...

Looking back, it's strange that the smallest things can mean so much. We sometimes forget to look at the value that those small things bring to a relationship!

When we first met, my dear husband had a terrible habit of only using a towel once, then tossing it on the floor.  Each day, he would get up in the morning, have a shower, then lay the now used towel on the floor in a neat little pile. Rinse and repeat each day.

The "one use" ritual filtered into the everyday t-shirt and shorts for my dear husband. After many conversations about the issue that when you wear a pair of shorts for two hours, you can actually wear it again the next day for another two hours.... without having to wash them first.

It would drive me crazy to wash a t-shirt and shorts that still smelled like laundry soap. After many "complaints" from me, my dear husband began to realize that you can get multiple uses from certain items... however, this joyous change in his habits bread a new habit... the never ending pile of cloths laying on my closet floor.

This past weekend, he we had a major break through in the closet. My dear husband hung a nice new hook in the closet... just for his cloths. NO MORE PILES ON THE FLOOR. For the last two days I have walked into my closet to a clear floor, no piles. It's been pure bliss!

The point that I am trying to make is that change is possible (only 12 years in the making, but possible). Over time habits change. To say that your spouse, significant other or dear husband isn't capable of change is a flat our lie. It is possible! Come and take a peek in my closet and I will show you how it's possible.

*image courtesy of the container store dot com, all things organizing

        

I love Christmas! Remembering Christmastime as a kid was always exciting, lots of fun activities, great foods and special moments that will stay with me forever! I hope to create those fun memories for my kids so that when they have their own children, they remember those things that made it seem like Christmas! Here are some of my favorite holiday things...

Favorite Christmas dessert: My grandmother's Yankee Plum Pudding (no one can make it like she did).

Favorite Christmas activity: Going to get our tree. $5.00 for the permit and an adventurous day at the mountain. It doesn't get any better than that!

Favorite Christmas song: White Christmas and Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire (reminds me of my dad).

Favorite Christmas cookie: Martha's Gingerbread Cookie (it's the best one yet).

Favorite Christmas decoration: My White Christmas Snow Globe.

Favorite Christmas movie: Scrooge 1970 - with Albert Finney

Favorite Christmas tradition: Christmas day, big family breakfast and NO FAMILY but our own. That day is reserved for just us!

Favorite Christmas present: 2002, Maxwell was born on Christmas Eve!

My wish for the new year is good health, joyous memories and a prosperous year for all! Merry Christmas to you and Happy New year!


*image brought to you by the daily green dot com. The consumers guide to a green revolution!

        

Today has been a huge day for me. I did something I never thought I would be able to do.

I drove across the Hood River bridge... and didn't freak out or have a panic attack!

This is a really big deal for me.

I have had a life long fear of heights. The Hood River bridge is ultra narrow, super high and can be on certain days dangerously windy to drive across.

You can understand why this is such a big deal for me!  I made it. I did it.

I feel so great about being able to make this step in completely getting past (what I really consider) an unnecessary fear.

Do you have a fear that you struggle with facing?

        

If you have ever been to my house, you might notice that I love to hang pictures of family, friends and memories from days gone by. I love to be surrounded by things that make me smile.

Because I enjoy hanging pictures up in my house, I am always looking out for deals on photo frames (which of course means ACCUMULATION).  I never cared much what the frame looked like, and that "eclectic" look was always appealing as a "twenty-something" gal.

As I am quickly approaching my "forty-somethings," I have found that a traditional black frame gives me a sense of consistency.  So over the last year, I have been swapping out my frames for basic black. Now I am faced with a large stack of frames I don't use.

When trying to get organized most people face the issue of what to do with things we don't think we want; don't need to keep; or question if we should toss it in to the donation box when it's still usable.

With any sort of "project" it really comes down to looking at what we love and keeping those things that make us feel good (all within reason)! Here are three simple steps you can take to sort through photo frames.

1. Gather all questionable items together for sorting.
I have been collecting old frames in a box in my craft area for the last year to deal with when the box was full. Today, I noticed that the box wouldn't closet. Which means... Time to Sort!

2. Sort out the "keepers" into one pile.
A keeper should be the creme de la creme of whatever you are sorting out. They should be the best and most valuable items within the stack. In my situation, it came down to the best looking, unblemished and pristine condition frames.

3. Sort out the damaged and/or broken items into one pile.
This is always the easiest task for me. I try not to keep anything that is broken or damaged, however if it can be repaired and still usable, I will typically keep it. HOWEVER (and this is the most important element of keeping damaged goods), if I know that I am not going to fix it within a short period of time, I will discard it. No sense in keeping things I won't repair.

At this point, the pile has significantly decreased in size so it becomes easier to make the hard decisions on the what to do with the remaining items.  Today, I managed to put nine frames into my box to go to S.C.R.A.P. (one is missing a back and the rest are still in decent condition but I just know I won't need or use them). Four miscellaneous frames that I will keep to use for gifts, plus four remaining black frames for future memories that I will someday hang on my walls.

Photo from ApartmentTherapy from a great article on inspirational ideas for photo frames.

        

I am really excited today! I finished my holiday cards yesterday and got them to the post office.

This task, although rather a long process, is one that I will never give up. No matter what. I have been told (you know who you are) that I am a little obsessive with my holiday cards. I don't look at it as obsessive. I look at it as doing things just the way I like it.

I like to send a photo card of my family (so people can see just how big my kids are getting), along with a holiday letter of what we have been up to (this year is a Q & A from each family member). On each letter I like to write a little note of greetings to the reader, so that they know that I truly mean what I am wishing for them this holiday season. In addition to that, I hand address each card.

Doesn't seem like that big of a deal, right... I do this times (this year) 287.  I make the process so simple it really doesn't seem like much work. Here is what I do...

1. ORDER HOLIDAY CARDS. Typically I start just after Halloween downloading pictures and getting the cards ordered online.
2. WRITE HOLIDAY LETTER AND PRINT. This is the easiest part, but of course takes time to print off XXX number of letters. I usually get paper the year before when everything goes on sale.
3. GATHER SUPPLIES. Things like stamps, a good pen, my address stamp, letters, cards etc., into a basket or bin so that no matter where I am at home, I can take it with me and work on my cards. Sofa, playroom, office, kitchen table, I like that I can go "moblie" where ever I need to be and can work on the cards.
   
4. WRITING THEM OUT. This is the easiest task to multi-task. Almost always November is filled with old movies, basketball games or quite evenings at home (because my DH is working late). I spend usually a couple of hours every few days working on them.
5. COMPLETE! This is the best, a gratifying trip to the post office to drop them off!
   

My goal is always to get them completed sometime in the first week of December. Mostly because I want to be thinking about what cookies I am going to bake or all the great bazaars I can frequent through these last few days before Christmas!

The goal is to simplify.

Find what makes you happy and stick with it.

Keep it easy and you will always enjoy it! I do!

*photo from MyExpressions

        

Newsflash... I have fallen and I can't get up... just kidding.

Can you believe it...? 41 days since my last post. Where did those 41 days go?

It's been a crazy busy 41 days and within those 41 days, it was critical that I get down to basic survival skills to keep things a float (i.e. feeding the kids, making sure they have clean underwear and keeping up with my appointments/commitments), which clearly didn't leave much time for the "other stuff."

I don't feel badly, although I feel like my blogging outlet has left my a little empty in the creativity department and I have missed my blogging friends.

This past weekend was Thanksgiving and ours was wonderful. The turkey was perfect, the company was exceptional and I have never felt more relaxed than I do right now! I have so many things to be thankful for this year that I sure hope I still have readers... because truly, I am thankful for them!

I am bound and determined to get back on track this month.

I am not going to end this year feeling an empty feeling like maybe I haven't accomplished what I set out to do (even though I know it's not true)...

So here is my three step plan to regain the order I need for myself and my business!

1. Schedule appointment with myself for goal setting. DONE
2. Get back to my weekly blogging. Starting this week!
3. Get back to one new marketing task each week.  Due by Friday

Everyone falls off the wagon and no matter what happens, the important thing (and key) is to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and keep on keeping on!

Have a super week!