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It’s another Busy Mom! I try to feature tips from other busy moms each week to help remind us all we there is no such thing as ‘perfect’, but to instead strive for ‘real’.
Tammy Jones is a mother and the owner of A Mom Entrepreneur (one of the networking groups I belong to) and A Single Rose .
How do you keep your children’s schedules together ?
My children are both in college now, but we basically used a big calendar on the kitchen wall.
Do you use a particular day planner ?
No. I use Microsoft Outlook to keep track of upcoming business interviews, meetings and appointments. I also use it for personal stuff to, like: my husband and kids activities, doctor appointments and family gatherings.
Do you own a blackberry?
No, but everybody tells me I need to get one.
What is your most used ‘time saving tip’ when it comes to running your house?
I don’t have one. Can you help me with that? J I can’t get any help from kids or husband, so a lot of things go undone.
Do you have a favourite quick meal for your family?
We call it Jean’s special. Named after my mother-in-law.
Take a pound of ground beef, box of frozen spinach, two eggs, ½ cup parmasean cheese, ¼ cup minced onion, salt & pepper. Read More→
One of my goals this year has been to spend more quality time with the kids and reading is one of the things Abbie and I both love!
This week we have read a few great books, one of which is written and illustrated by Melanie Walsh. Trick Or Treat is a fun BOARD Book with flaps to peek under.
Simple fun sentences make this a great book for your new reader to read to you for bedtime !
So here’s your chance to WIN a copy. Sent to your child in a big brown envelope decorated by inspired Canadian Artist ‘Abigail McFarlane (age 6).
Just leave a comment here (include your email address with spaces) telling us what you love about halloween to be entered. For extra entries – tweet the contest out everyday (come back and leave a comment for each tweet).
Happy Trick or Tweeting ( I couldn’t resist)
The Almost Always Organized Mom
PS: Wondering what to tweet ? Tweet the following:
Contest closed October 15th 2009 (so we can get it to you before Halloween !)
Start to Declutter and organize your home today with Clutter Diet
This week’s featured busy mom is Dawn Morris of Moms Inspire Learning.
How do you keep your children’s schedules together ?
It’s not easy. There’s a lot of juggling; but when my husband and I can’t manage, there’s always a friend we can turn to for help. I don’t like to ask for help too often, and when I do, I’m sure to return the favor. Parents need to support each other!
Do you use a particular day planner ?
No, I just use a very simple one that I picked up at an office supply store. I also make a lot of lists, and use sticky notes to remind myself of important events.
Do you own a blackberry?
No, but now that everyone else in my family is texting, I will have to upgrade to a cell phone that makes it easier for me to do so. I’m not in a rush, though, since I’m online much of the time anyway. It’s easier to catch me through email than it is by phone!
What is your most used ‘time saving tip’ when it comes to running your house?
I would have to say that it’s asking for help with daily tasks. My children help out a lot in the kitchen, and my husband does the laundry. Actually, my husband likes to cook as well.
If we all work together, it also saves more time, and makes activities, like cooking, so much more enjoyable.
Do you have a favourite quick meal for your family?
Sometimes, we’ll have tuna or turkey sandwiches if we’re really short on time, and sometimes we’ll even make breakfast items, like eggs or pancakes, for dinner.
I also like the idea of “make your own” taco or salad nights, which can be quick if you already have the ingredients. I recently wrote a post about family salad nights
My favorite quick breakfast is muffins (made ahead of time, of course), and you can find two of my favorite muffin recipes here.
Tell us the truth ? What would we find in your car right now ?
I don’t keep a lot in the passenger area, other than reading materials. You’re bound to find a children’s book or two, because I’m constantly at the library.
As for the trunk, it’s all about the sports equipment. There are fold up chairs, a basketball, a football, my son’s baseball bag, a first aid kit, etc… Oh, and I keep reusable shopping bags in there.
What advice would you give to other moms who feel the pressure of trying to be ‘super mom’?
I’ve been there, and eventually I came to realize that there is no such thing as a perfect mom. We all have our strengths and weaknesses.
I would say the most important thing is not to compare ourselves with anyone else. If we focus on being the best role models we can possibly be for our children, that’s really all we can ever ask of ourselves.
What is your number one goal for the year ? How do you plan to reach it ?
I’ve been working on my blog full-time for almost 7 months now, and I’d like to free up some of that time to work on other projects.
To reach this goal, I will devote certain days to different projects, and keep better track of the time I spend on each.
Dawn Morris is an accountant, a teacher, a parent, and an avid reader who has a passion for children’s literature. She started the blog, Moms Inspire Learning, in order to share her knowledge, and to inspire a love of learning and reading in people of all ages. Dawn also contributes to the free online magazine, Literacy Lava, and is a guest blogger at DreamBox K-2 Math.
You can read Dawn’s Tweets by following her.
Before you go check out This DeClutter and mom organization Resource. Click Here
I was super excited this morning to receive a knock on the door. For what should have arrived but a package of children’s books for Halloween.
Halloween is not my favourite holiday but it is that of my parents - so Halloween has always been a fun time for my family. I do however LOVE reading to my children every evening before bed and we have a few great new children’s books to read for Halloween.
The first book, my daughter was happy to read to me right away. She has also asked to take it to school at Halloween to have me read to her classmates (so we will have to do some practicing).
The book is Tuckers Spooky Halloween written by Leslie McGuirk. Tucker is an adorable little terrier (the type of white dog my border collie mistakes for a sheep) looking for an ideal Halloween costume.
If you stop by Leslie McGuirk’s website you will find that Tucker has his very own series of books that I will have to look for.
Tucker reminds me of my son Darryl who spends at least one month changing his mind everyday as to what he will dress up as for Halloween.
My daughter reads at an advanced Grade one level and she needed some help sounding out some of the larger words. I think my son who is a year older would have an easier time with this book.
It is a GREAT bedtime story. I plan to read it to my daughter’s classroom and utilize my Early Childhood Education experience. Yes we had to practice reading children’s books to an audience, though it’s been a while. Maybe I will dress up and read … hmmmm should I be a cowgirl or a witch ?
Guest Post by by Beverly Coggins
There are a number of ways to maintain your peak energy level during your work day. Experiment with the following:
- Get organized the night before. By getting your clothes, lunch, and briefcase ready the night before, you’re less likely to be rushed and/or late. A calm and controlled start to your day allows you to focus readily and lucidly when you get to work.
- Get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation results in irritability, stress and slow reaction time similar to being drunk, not to mention many other health risks. Your body keeps track of the sleep you’ve lost. Falling asleep when sitting quietly is an indicator that you may be sleep deprived.
- Take breaks! Take those your employer offers or create your own breaks if you are your own boss. Go for a walk, go outside, climb a few flights of stairs – move! Just a few minutes of change refreshes your mind and your body.
- If you are in a noisy area, close your door or wear headphones to reduce sound, if acceptable at your workplace. Go to a quiet location to work, if possible.
- Eat. If you are running low on fuel, you will not be able to function properly. Have a healthy snack during your breaks.
- Drink. Keep yourself hydrated. Coffee from our well-known coffee cafes is three to four times stronger than regular coffee. And if you get a specialty coffee, it’s loaded with sugar. Stop for one on the way to work, and expect your energy to crash in a couple of hours as the caffeine and sugar wear off. Better to have some green tea or water.
Be intentional about maintaining your energy level, and you’ll find your productivity will increase. As your productivity increases maybe your paycheck will too!
Beverly Coggins is an organizing expert, speaker, and author of the 1-2-3 … Get Organized series. She also writes a daily blog on organizing your office, time, and home. Contact information: Bev@1-2-3GetOrganized.com; 330-922-0755.
