articles

The articles below are all about making the most of your time and getting the most out of life!  Click on the title of each article to read each in full.

Autumn Sensibilities

I love fall.  I love the month of October the best.  Every October, I get energized when the chill in the air begins to penetrate my late-summer clothing.  My chest tends to expand to near bursting when I drive on highway 196 to town and am assaulted by the bright reds, yellows, and oranges that flank the road.  I want to soak it all in.

Finding an Afterschool Routine that is Right for your Family

Leaving homework, dinner schedules, and bedtimes to chance has a tendency to create chaos and frustration during possibly the only family time of the day.  Establishing a routine does not have to mean never allowing for flexibility, but it gives parents and children alike the feeling of comfort that comes from knowing what is expected. 

A Birthday your Child Will Remember

Eighteen years are usually all we have to unabashedly demonstrate to our children how much they mean to us.  Though everyday should be an opportunity to love and appreciate them, birthdays give us license to truly make a child feel special.  There are many ways to celebrate a child’s birthday.  The important thing is to find the right combination to fit your child and your family.

Preparing your Child for Back to School

As the first day of school approaches, parents and children alike begin to run the gamut of emotions:  excitement, fear, anticipation, anxiety.

Prepare Yourself Financially for Travel

In our modern society, travel is no longer a luxury, but it is considered a necessary part of having a healthy and meaningful life.  Anyone with a dream of seeing the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France or Machu Picchu in Peru can find a way to reach that destination if he or she plans well enough and long enough.

A Penny Saved. . .

I used to believe that this quote was about putting money into a savings account or other savings method so that my hard earned cash would earn interest.

Budgeting for Yearly Expenses

Every month, there are the usual bills: rent/mortgage, utilities, etc, but there are many yearly expenses that crop up for which you may be unprepared. The goal should be to accumulate money in designated “Funds” throughout the year in anticipation of the needs that invariably arise.

Building a Better Budget

A budget is a financial goal-setting tool. Not only does it help you keep track of the necessary bills and expenses that are paid monthly, but it allows you to make plans for the money that is leftover after the bills are paid. A budget should be a way of life. There is no use in denying that money is a constant part of everyday.

Clean Springing

Something about the phrase “Spring Cleaning” doesn’t sit well with me.  The concept is good and right.  In spring, all of nature is waking up from its winter hibernation, shaking off the old, preparing for the new.  It is natural for humans to feel an obligation or even a desire to do likewise.  The word “Spring” is not the problem.

Welcome to the Club!

There is this club called motherhood.  Before you join the club, you are told only the barest of details.  This clubs stands as a secret sorority of women to all young girls.

Thinking Other Moms Homes Are Neater Than Yours

Do you ever visit other moms’ homes and wonder how they keep it so neat?  Do you ever sit around in your own home with toys strewn over the floor, laundry piles (both clean and dirty) beckoning for attention, and three meals worth of dishes stacked next to the sink and wonder why you are the only mom on the planet who cannot keep up with her home?  If you answered yes to either of these questions, then you may be suffering from “TOMHANTY” Syndrome (Thinking Other Moms’ Homes Are Neater Than Yours).

Mrs. Jekyll and Mommy Hyde

I emerged today from a brief shopping trip to our local discount store with my two youngest children.  I don’t know if it was the crisp January breeze or the promise of that elusive sun beginning to peek out from some clouds, but it occurred to me how great the day had been.  I realized that I had calmly managed to get all 3 children out to the car for the quarter-mile drive to the bus stop earlier this morning, serenely prepared a dish to deliver to our monthly recipe club, and patiently gotten through a store that normally reduces my children to little beggars and turns me into a raging monster.

How to Create a Party Planner

Planning the perfect party can be an intimidating prospect. You can eliminate some of the fear and anxiety by taking some early steps to ensure you are ready and that the party recipient and guests have a wonderful time.  All you need is 3-ring binder, your favorite party planning pages from ListPlanIt.com, a pen, and a good block of time to begin planning.

Count Your Blessings

I was driving home from an exhausting morning of dropping kids off at school, running errands, and fulfilling appointments.  I passed a marquee on my route that displayed the simple phrase, “Count Your Blessings.”  This is a phrase that I have heard many times in my life, but for the first time, I focused on what the words actually mean.

WANTED:  2 More of Me

I have an organizational website filled with lists and planning pages.  While I use these lists myself and feel ever so grateful to have them available to me, what I really need is two more of myself.

They Do Grow Up So Fast

On a particular day, I was struck with that phrase that I still manage to hear now and again, “They grow up so fast!”   I watched my daughter, who is such a little lady at times, skipping from bush to bush picking “flowers” and enjoying being herself and free from rigidity of a desk.  I wanted to grab her up and tell her that she must not leave this moment – this perfect moment of childhood.

Advent Activity Alternative

December is a month like none other.  There are decorations to dig out of the basement and distribute through the house.  There is a 5-page list of friends and loved ones for whom to buy gifts.  There are numerous activities, special events, and parties to attend.

The Clipboard:  The Many Uses for This Overlooked Tool

A couple of years, I “rediscovered” the clipboard.  That was the day my clipboard became my most indispensable tool.  Currently my clipboard contains the stuff of my life.  Check out this article to discover the possibilities.

A Tradition of Afternoon Tea

I used to know it was 4 p.m. without even needing to look at a clock.  Naps were over, children were whining for food and fighting with each other, and I was trying to make my way to the kitchen to begin dinner preparation.  One day in November, when there was a perfect chill in the air and I was in no mood for the typical behaviors of the hour, I suggested on our walk home from the bus stop a hot cup of tea.

Moms Can Impact Their Environment

It is tempting to imagine that one person cannot make a difference, but if we demonstrate ways to lessen our impact on nature to our families and friends, then we are training future caretakers.  We are creating conscientious adults who will understand their duties to the earth and to each other.

Create Your Own Holiday Organizational Manual

Make the holidays memorable and holiday organization easier.   All it takes is a few supplies to create your own holidays organizer.

Get Motivated to Start a Hobby or Interest Club

As human beings, we crave society with people who share common goals or interests.  There is no need to be lonely when there are so many people in the world.  One way to beat boredom and isolation is to start a club.  Now many people don’t like the term “club” because of it’s feeling of exclusivity, but you can use whatever word you like.

How to Make Party Planning a Little Easier

Whether they are indoors or out, planned or surprise, fancy or fun, parties are a great way to celebrate a special event and connect with friends and family!  Birthdays, bridal or baby showers, or neighborhood block parties are all opportunities that will put your party-throwing skills to the test, but all can run smoothly if you are prepared with budgets, lists, and timelines.

Meal Planning and Dinnertime Preparation

Streamlining the dinner process is a very desirable achievement for every family cook.  Here are some ways that you will find ways that you can make meal planning easier, smoother, and quicker for the next meal.

Getting “It” Together

That’s the ultimate goal, right?  Getting our belongings, our families, our time together?  Check here to find out if you are on the right track.