I love being organized. In fact, I take great pride in having corny things like the classroom telephone list or complete baseball schedule and roster in my "possession" at all times. I get a sick pleasure out of being the "go-to" mom with all the important facts...I hate to admit it but it is true. So, with this sick personality trait in mind, I was thrilled to discover the momAgenda, All-in-One Folio; this is the answer for any parent who is looking to become more organized without having to exert much effort at all. The All-in-One Folio contains a monthly calendar (which can be replaced each year without having to toss out the entire folio...a huge benefit for those on a budget) a notepad, a matching pen and twenty four page protectors (with tabs, I might add) perfect for storing important classroom lists, team rosters, school calendars, receipts, and even activity lists and events that parents are invited to attend. I keep my to-do list, party planning lists, and other important information in this book, changing things in and out as events occur. This book is the answer to any busy mom's life...who knows, maybe dads would like one too.

Just click on one of the two links below, picking one of the two choices for the All-In-One Folio, Ocean or Cherry, and Get Organized!!

No Doubt About It...

I had really wanted to complete the Blog-A-Thon but the odds were stacked against me from the start. I must accept the fact that I will not complete 31 blogs in 31 days; that will be next years goal.

Current time demands have prevented me from writing for personal or professional purposes since the end of April. My optimism that I would offer "good ideas" on a daily basis was just that...optimistic.

Even as I write, their is Nerf gun war waging in the rooms around me and I heard screams of "terror" and "pretend pain" which interrupts my writing. At this point, this blog is as good as it is going to get.

My Favorite Quote

"The cure for anything is salt water~
sweat, tears or the sea"   -Isak Dinesen



It really is that simple.

Learning to Say "No"

"You must say No to what is less important to be able to focus on what is most important."

This is the mantra for my writing career. Too many times, I can get caught up in volunteer work, helping friends or family or simply doing too much for the people around me. My writing always takes the hit...It isn't that my writing isn't valuable to me, it just means that many times the other situations seem more "in need" and I always think "I will get right back to it" but it inevitably always throws my rhythm off and I have to go back to step one.

This is my struggle and goal today: Learning how to put my writing first. How about you? Share your ideas and comments about how you put your writing first.

Darn!

Well, I missed yesterday. As usual, family demands came ahead of my time to write. I am going to keep going, just to challenge myself.

Today I am pondering professionalism and temper tantrums, how emotionally freeing it must be for a child to just stand and scream "It's Not Fair" and with that thought, wondering how much healthier we, as adults, might be if  would we responded in the same fashion...of course, I mean in an emotionally expressive manner, not in a physical or aggressive manner.

Today, I am going to honestly recognize my feelings and acknowledge their energy. I am going to express myself and be true to what I am feeling. This is a test, it is only a test...I promise I will not stomp my feet, kick and scream or shout in public. I promise.

The Badge

For anyone looking for a wonderful summer book, or earlier if you have the time, this one is fabulous. I read it in two days. No, I did not have the time to read, I actually stopped everything else I had to do to read the book. Trust me, you will love this.

And Away I Go...

Life lessons come in many different shapes and sizes; when my friend Jan suggested I try blogging for 31 days in a row in the 2011 Blog-a-thon, I agreed. I have never been successful at blogging, finding time to write on a daily basis is tough enough. I cannot even successfully schedule a thirty minute walk on my treadmill, the idea of submitting a meaningful daily post seemed daunting to say the least. But I wanted to try.

I am not sure where I will go with each post. I have a feeling that “life lessons” may be an underlying theme as lately, I am experiencing many new revelations about life, on a daily basis.

In fact at times I feel like I am standing in front of a pitching machined with hundreds of different “balls” being thrown at me all at once and I am trying to handle each one, successfully, while simultaneously being pummeled by those that I miss.

In some ways, I think that is what life is like, solving little emergencies, problems, “opportunities” and life moments to the best of our ability; sometimes successfully and other times, not so much…the real importance is showing up and giving it your best shot.

Off and Running...WordCount Blogathon 2011

Inspired by my friend, Jan Udlock, I am going to successfully participate in the WordCount Blogathon 2011. Notice the keyword "successfully"? This is because in January 2010 I was going to write a blog; that was as far as I got. I created the blog, wrote a couple entries and then life took over. No more entries.

This time it is going to be different.

Promise.