2011-2012 DAY PLANNERS

I’ve been a big fan of the day planners available from MomAgenda and I’ve just received word that their new 2011-2012 day planners are available. What I love about their products is not only their great attention to detail and thoroughness in the planners, but the great quality and design of all of their planners and journals.  Definitely worth a look.

MOTHER’S DAY JOURNALS

Also, if you’ve been hunting for something nice for Mother’s Day, these cute journals might be just the thing.  Beautiful colors, super soft texture and Mom inspired sayings on the front make these a great Mother’s Day gift.  You can use the above momAgenda code until the end of the month for this or any other purchase on their website.

And, until the end of April  you can get a discount on your purchase.

Take 10% off all orders of $65+ at momAgenda! Code: MOM10OFF65 Offer Expires 6.30

Take $10 off all orders of $75+ at momAgenda! Code: MOM10OFF75 Offer Expires 6.30

Today’s mom planner is more then a time management tool. The Mom Agenda Desktop  runs through to December 2010 and offers monthly views at the front of the book, followed by a weekly view.

I personally am a fan of a weekly view mom day planner. The 7″x9″x1″ size is not to big, but big enough to handle a busy family’s schedule.
The planner can accommodate Mom calender needs and the busy schedule of up to four children.

For those of you needing a mom planner or mom organizer that is a bit smaller. The Mom Agenda’s Daily planner is a great option.

The planner only runs through to August (academic year) but it is already 40% off. The planner is 5″x7″x1″.

Be sure to stop by The Mom Agenda Website and grab their free printable pages as well.

Click here for free mom mom planner pages, organizational tools, and printable holiday planner.

Another busy mom shares her tips for keeping her family’s schedule and home together. . Today’s featured busy mom is Isabel Isidro Mom of three balancing parenting and co running a business.

Isabel Isidro is a mother of three boys, ages 7, 4 and 2. She is also the co-founder of PowerHomeBiz.com, a 10-year old site for home business owners and solo entrepreneurs, and runs WomenHomeBusiness.com and LearningfromBigBoys.com. She just tries to live and learn each day – not always succeeding, but always trying.

How do you keep your children’s schedules together ?
My kids are 7, 5 and 2 — and they all go to school. The two youngest are home by lunchtime while the eldest spends the full day in school.

We have a strict schedule in the house, and the kids know it. The younger boys take a nap in the afternoon. They play or relax in the afternoon after school, and one of their favorite activities is playing Wii with their father. The kids then eat dinner, and take a bath. Then from 7:00-8:30 pm, it’s their study and reading time.

I give them the materials they need to work on and practice with, and they choose the books they want to read. By 8:30 pm, they’re on bed and ready to sleep. They’re early risers, and wake up anywhere from 5:30-6:30 am – even on weekends! None in the family are late sleepers.

To the extent possible, we don’t do any extracurricular activities during the weekdays, only weekends. School is tough already for the kids, and we’d like them to have time to rest, have fun, play with each other and just be kids.

Saturdays, though, are when things go crazy with their schedules. They have various lessons, and by lunchtime, I am tired from driving around the area going from one lesson to the next. However, in the afternoon, we always make it a point to go to the library to pick up the books that they’ll read for the week.

Do you use a particular day planner ?
No. I used various dayplanners – from the cheapest to the most expensive leather bound planners. I even attended a daylong seminar by one of the big businesses in dayplanning business on how to organize and plan your day using their dayplanning system.

But none really worked for me. I will be “good” and use the planner judiciously for a few weeks, or even a month. And then nada — blank pages after that.

For one, I need something that I can carry with me all the time, not some bulky planner that sits nicely on a desk but impractical to be carried in my purse around. My purse is heavy enough as it is with all the kids’ stuff, and having a bulky planner does not work.

Do you own a blackberry?
Not a Blackberry, but I use an iPhone with an app for my to-do lists for the day. It’s been very effective for me. I carry my phone all the time, and having my things to do and scheduler on the same small device allowed me to keep track of what I need to do for the day. I just love it!

What is you most used ‘time saving tip’ when it comes to running your house?
You need to be a goddess of multi tasking and organization. Find the best strategy that works for you and your family.

For me, I need to spend a little time the night before thinking what the family needs to do for the day – e.g. making sure the kids have put their assignments in their bags. Otherwise, I’d forget it! I spend a little time putting my list in my iPhone’s to-do app.

My husband has also been extremely helpful in running the house, and I don’t think I can run the house without his help in everything.

Because we run a web business, I also rely on a lot of technology to run a home-based business alongside running a household with three kids. When the kids play Wii for example, I sit and watch them play, but I have my laptop with me to enable me to respond quickly to emails or do some web site maintenance tasks. We also have laptops in almost every room in the house, because you’ll never know when you can sneak in 5 minutes of work. My husband tells me that I am “surgically attached” to my computer. I know I need to unplug sometime, but it’s just so hard!

Do you have a favorite quick meal for your family?
Ramen. We’re Asian, and the kids love noodles. My 4 year old can eat 2 packs of Ramen in one sitting. They also love fried spring rolls, which they eat with rice.

Tell us the truth ? What would we find in your car right now ?
I’m pretty good in terms of managing the clutter in my car. I don’t leave anything in the car, except for the ice skating bag with the kids’ equipment and gloves. Plus a pack of biscuits and crackers that the kids like. There’s no clutter in my car because I carry everything in my big bag!

Even my husband is amazed at how heavy my bag is and what I bring in it. Plus, my husband vacuums and cleans the car weekly so I have no complaints :o)

What advice would you give to other moms who feel the pressure of trying to be ‘super mom’?
Don’t even feel pressured to be a “super mom.” I’d go crazy if I even aim to become one. I just live one day at a time, trying to enjoy life with my family. Let the kids have fun, teach them responsibility, appreciate the value of work, and be grounded with family relationships and religion.

I just want them to experience as much as they can. Don’t feel you have to do what others are doing – just do the best you can do for your family.

What is your number one goal for the year ? How do you plan to reach it ?
To finish my book. I’ve been working on a book about starting a home business for years, and this time I am about ready to have it published. How do I plan to reach the goal? By not sleeping! The only time I can write is at night when everybody else is sleeping. Daytime is pure chaos, and I just can’t write anything during the day.

Some busy moms would love to go back to school but can’t afford the cost. There are many single mom scholarships that could help them reach their academic goals without having to worry about the costs.

How do you keep your children’s schedules together ?

It’s a constant juggling act! My main tool is a calendar. As soon as the kids bring home any kind of schedule (baseball, show choir, etc.), I transcribe the dates and times onto my family calendar. I also then tack the schedules on the bulletin board near the calendar, just in case I need to go back and double check the location of an event or need to call a coach.

Do you use a particular day planner ?

Nope. My “day planner” is my big Lang calendar, which hangs in the kitchen. Every family event — and my work deadlines — are transcribed on to the calendar. If I need a babysitter, I’ll list the name of the sitter once she’s lined up under the event; that way, I know I’ve got that handled. I also include such things as “return library books” and “schedule eye appts.”

When we’re headed to a 4-H meeting or some other meeting that will include discussion of future events, I’ll literally take the calendar off the wall and bring it along.

Do you own a blackberry?
Nope. I just got a cell phone again a few months ago!

What is you most used ‘time saving tip’ when it comes to running your house?
Prioritize. A lot of the things that we think “have” to be done really don’t need to be done at all — or if they do, they don’t need to be done nearly as often as we think. The more things you take off your to-do list, the more time you have for the things that remain.

Do you have a favourite quick meal for your family?
Frozen pizza. It might not be the most nutritious meal in the whole world, but it’s quick, easy and requires virtually no clean-up! Plus, the boys love it.

Tell us the truth ? What would we find in your car right now ?

The better question — what wouldn’t you find in my car right now? Off the top of my head, there are 3 jackets, numerous books, a random garbage bag (I have good intentions!), a travel mug that needs to come into the house, one Field and Stream magazine, an empty McDonal’ds fry container, a first aid kit and a handful of tiny plastic ninjas. Also pens, random change and lots and lots of dirt.

What advice would you give to other moms who feel the pressure of trying to be ‘super mom’?
There’s no such thing as “super mom,” only “good enough” mom.

It’s absolutely impossible to be super in every aspect of your life, and trying will only set you up for a lifetime of frustration. Think about it: a lot of goals we have as moms are mutually incompatible. We want a clean house — and we want a safe, welcoming, nurturing environment for our kids. Well guess what? A spotlessly clean and decluttered house is not a welcoming, nurturing environment for kids.

So prioritize: Which do you value more? And then LIVE by those values. That means really internalizing the fact that you value your kids more than the house. That means embracing the chaos and mess as evidence of your children’s growth. It does not mean gritting your teeth as you look at the mess and mentally berating yourself for not managing to have House Beautiful.

What is your number one goal for the year ? How do you plan to reach it ?
For my kids to feel safe and secure. That might not sound like much of a goal, but their Dad moved out in July, so our family is going through some serious reorganization issues. I remain committed to my professional goals, but right now, that one goal — helping my kids feel safe and secure — supersedes all others.

To achieve it, I’m making every possible attempt to keep their lives as normal as possible (keeping them in their regular activities, etc.). I’m also facilitating contact/visits with their dad, reaching out to family and friends and paying attention to their needs.

At the same time, I’m taking steps to take care of myself — counseling, giving myself time to journal and relax, and working on building my writing career. I need to be able to provide for my sons, and I’m determined to do just that.

Jennifer L.W. Fink is a freelance writer and mother of four boys. She homeschools the boys while writing for a variety of national magazines, including Parents, Boys’ Life, Ladies’ Home Journal and Pregnancy. Learn more about her crazy life at www.bloggingboutboys.blogspot.com.

Here are Tara’s interview answers and tips for moms to get organized:

How do you keep your children’s schedules together ?
My household is a family of 2 – me and my son. I’ve been divorced for 5 1/2 years now, run my own business out of the house and my son just got his driver’s license… some days it’s a tad busy!

I have a combination of schedule managers but use a write-on-wipe off calendar on the side of the refrigerator for anything that is on my son’s schedule or that will affect my son.

For example, it doesn’t really matter to him if I have meetings, appointments or conference calls while he is at school – those don’t make the fridge. But if I’m speaking or have a teleseminar that is in the evening, it is there so he could see it.

Of course, he is a 16 year old boy so verbal repetition and texting seems work a little better than my calendar system. :) At the beginning of the week I’ll do a litte, “Here’s what I have going on, here’s what you have going on… anything you haven’t told me about?” (There often is.)

Then each morning while he’s getting ready for school I’ll remind him of anything that day. Then when he doesn’t remember after school, he texts, fesses up that he didn’t really listen, I tell him for the 5th or 6th time and it sinks in. (They say people need to hear things 7 times to really hear them, in my experiencethat is extra true for teenagers!)

Do you use a particular day planner or mom planner?
I have a Mac and recently discovered this wonderful system called “Daylite”. It may be more than an average mom needs but if you are a mom that is also working from home in any way – check it out!

It has a calendar, contact list management, connects emails to people automatically, politely reminds you of upcoming events… it does everything but clean the bathroom! I have it on both my iPhone and Mac and they sync very nicely – so if I make an appointment away from home I just hit “sync” and don’t have to retype everything.

Daylite has helped me save time, find communication threads and remember when to call people back, send in art for consideration and more. I truly can’t say enough good things about this software!

Do you own a blackberry?
No. As an artist and avid Mac lover, I went from a basic phone to an iPhone. Now I couldn’t live without it!

What is you most used ‘time saving tip’ when it comes to running your house?
Don’t obsess over dust. If you have a choice between dusting and relaxing with your kids, spouse, significant other or a good book – choose the latter. (Do dust sometimes of course!) I often feel like I’m ‘falling down on the job’ if my house wouldn’t be ready for a white glove test or photo shoot with a home interiors magazine but the truth of the matter is, we live here. I work here. Kids hang out and play guitar here. It can’t be 100% clean all the time. So save time by dusting 1/2 as much as you are compelled to and spend a little more time having fun!

Tell us the truth ? What would we find in your car right now ?
If you asked my sister she would say ‘dirty floor mats’. As well as some stray leaves and bark dust, you would find crackers, a bottle of water, reusable shopping bags across the back seat, a book, umbrella and I think if you went under one of the seats you might find some McDonald’s Happy Meal toys… (I go for the Happy Meal when I break down and crave fast food.)

What advice would you give to other moms who feel the pressure of trying to be ‘super mom’?
“Give up the ghost!” Who defines what a ‘super mom’ or ‘perfect mom’ is or does anyway? I never got the handbook which makes it that much more confusing.

Especially after I got divorced and started working full-time plus building my business, I quickly discovered that there was no way I could do everything “perfectly” by myself. So I made choices about what was important and at what frequency (dusting, being a prime example) and how to balance being a mom, a business owner and let us not forget, myself.

I think that sometimes mom’s think they need to look like they can do everything seamlessly for their kids – never let them see that you get tired, burnt out or any other negative emotion. And while it is important to provide the safety and security that comes with being consistent and there for your kids, it’s ok to show them that some days, you just can’t do it all! Think about how much better they will feel when they have a day like that too!

I guess my real point is “Super Mom is a myth. Being a Real Mom is a gift you can give your kids – talents, strengths and weaknesses all rolled into the mix.”

What is your number one goal for the year ? How do you plan to reach it ?
This year I hope to really spread the word about my latest project – PrintYourOwnBunco.com. My main business is art licensing – I create art that manufacturers license to put on their products. (Fabric, rubber stamps, dishes, gift wrap, coasters, etc.)

The majority of my end-consumers are women. Loving to play with business ideas on the internet as well, I started my “Bunco” project in October. Over 7 million women in the US play regularly but unless they are very crafty and creative, they haven’t had a way to get fun, themed party supplies. I am now offering that and working on connecting with the Bunco women everywhere through social media, the website and blog, affiliates, traditional press (coming soon I hope!) and more.

Tara Reed is an artist, author and speaker who creates ‘art that will make you smile!’. Her art can be found on hundreds of products in retail stores as well as online. Learn more about Tara and her work at www.TaraReedDesigns.com

Follow Tara on Twitter

How do you keep your children’s schedules together ?
Some days, I don’t. When I do keep it together, it’s usually thanks to the Gmail calendar program! I have set it up w/ different colors for my work, the kids, my favorite classes at the gym, etc.

Do you use a particular day planner ?
I use Gmail calendar …. and just got an iPhone over the summer. The iPhone calendar synchs w/ Google; but I haven’t done it yet!

Do you own a blackberry?
Nope. … but some would say the iPhone is “just as bad”…

What is you most used ‘time saving tip’ when it comes to running your house? Time saving vs. sanity-saving? Sanity saving I fold laundry while I watch TV, so I don’t feel guilty watching “the Mentalist” or “The Closer”. Saves time too :). My most successful time saver has been my crockpot. I like to eat at home. I use the crockpot at least once a week, especially in the fall and winter. I’m psyched for stew and soup weather! My kids help me put items in and mix them up, too. They can even cut some veggies; it’s fun, saves money and means we eat healthier food (instead of going out to dinner).

Do you have a favourite quick meal for your family? It would have to be quesadillas — just take a Trader Joe’s whole wheat tortillas, add fillings w/ cheese or ham, cooks fast on the stove. Add a salad, another side and you are done. Another favorite is pasta. I keep all the “fixings” separate — sauce in one bowl, cheese in another, sausages in one, peas in one — so people can add what they like (or not). I find keeping sausage in the freezer a quick go-to protein (we prefer low fat chicken or turkey Italian sausage)…

Tell us the truth ? What would we find in your car right now ?
Right now — empty tea cups, clothing to take to a friend (my son’s outgrown; they are her son’s size), library books to be returned, 2 booster seats, a yoga mat and tons of stickers on the doors. And probably on the floor you would find an empty juice box (or 2) and kettle corn kernels from the Sunday farmers market!

What advice would you give to other moms who feel the pressure of trying to be ‘super mom’?
Don’t try to be supermom. Be yourself — be your best self — as best you can, as often as you can. Tell your kids you love them — and have fun being a mom! A supermom enjoys her kids! When I’m stressed about the house or my bank account or my last stressful trip to Target w/ screaming kids, I think, hey, they will be gone soon enough, and then I will miss them and then…I will have plenty of time for all that other stuff (clean house, nice furniture, perfect hair and make up, whatever…!)!

What is your number one goal for the year ? How do you plan to reach it ?
My number one goal? Hmm. I have a lot of goals. To stay healthy, to take good care of my family and to be more organized! I plan to reach it by taking it one day at a time. And rewarding myself with dark chocolate whenever necessary….

You can read some of Cleo’s posts on her Consumer Mom Blog or follow Consumer Mom on Twitter.

Dawn and her daughters

Today’s busy mom tips come from Organized Familie’s Featured Busy mom ‘Dawn Hall’.

Dawn’s tip of colour coding the kids when scheduling is one of my favourite family time management tools as well!

How do you keep your children’s schedules together ?

Each child is only allowed to participate in one (team sport, music or
church) activity per season, taking into consideration that some sporting events will overlap each other. On our family calendar each person is color coded, meaning each person has their own color. Family events are one color.
Example:
Mom: Red
Ashley: Purple
Whitney: Blue
Family: Green
(Daddy passed away from residual effects of brain cancer complications after a 61/2 year battle) in 2001 when our daughters were 13 and 14 years old.)
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Do you use a particular day planner?

I use a weekly planner book, that has a folder in the front to hold
paperwork that fits into my purse.
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Do you own a blackberry?

Yes, and I love it! I would like to learn how to use it more efficiently!
It is so very worth the extra monthly cost to be able to do quick e-mail replies, facebook and Twitter from it!
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What is you most used ‘time saving tip’ when it comes to running your house?

Everybody knowing each other’s consistent weekly scheduled commitments/appointments, and then being able to text each other.
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Do you have a favorite quick meal for your family?

Most always I have fresh lettuces already cleaned and prepared in the refrigerator that is ready to be adorned with healthy ingredients I keep stocked such as: lean deli turkey breast, assorted fat-free salad dressings, assorted fat-free cheeses, salsa, and fruit that can be easily cut-up to put into the salad. My Busy People’s Cookbooks are loaded with unique, quick and simple salad recipes. Just today my daughter complimented on a salad I’d easily made in a few minutes for us for lunch. I like it to look like I took a long time preparing it; but honestly, fast & frugal quickie meals are for me!
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Tell us the truth? What would we find in your car right now?

In my car you would find: dust,(it needs cleaned), an empty water bottle on the back floor (that I forgot to throw away), CDs of inspirational speakers, praise & worship CDs , and high energy music turned on. In the glove compartment of my car you’d see a protein bar wrapper, small bottle of body spray, a few dollars “stashed-cashed for emergency” (and I do mean few dollars), my car registration and copy of auto insurance. In the trunk, a box of assorted Busy People’s Cookbooks with stickers that read “Autographed Copy” (to put on books) and a baby blanket I bought on clearance for a gift for a friend.
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What advice would you give to other moms who feel the pressure of trying to be ‘super mom’?

Let Go & Let God. We can’t do it all the time. Super Woman Syndrome is a serious problem that robs us of our joy. I know! I had it! UGH!!! Learn to do your best and then trust God with the rest. Balance is key to serenity!
Hey, I just made that up! I like it!:)
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What is your number one goal for the year? How do you plan to reach it?

To live a balanced lifestyle. This is something I seriously focus on daily!
I am such a people pleaser and I hate to say, “no” to anyone. This is something I have had to learn to do without guilt or shame. If I am too busy to take care of myself with eating right, exercise and getting enough sleep than I am too busy! I plan on achieving this by writing my goals for the following day out before I go to bed.
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Dawn Hall, a widow from Swanton, Ohio self-published her first cookbook in 1995 to raise money for her loving husband’s brain cancer treatments (even though she did not know how to type, use a computer or publish). Since she has sold over one million Busy People’s Cookbooks featuring low-fat, home-style recipes made with 7 or fewer easy to find ingredients!

As the host of Cooking for Busy People TV show on Direct TV (NRB Network) she humorously shares the life lessons she’s learned as she’s watched her weight and counted her pennies.

Check out her sites:

Cooking for Busy People Facebook

Twitter id: @CookingforBusy

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.

Brown beef and minced onions in medium sized pan.  Drain, stir in box of defrosted spinach, 2 eggs – cook until eggs are done.  Then stir in parmasean cheese; add salt & pepper to taste, enjoy.  Easy breezy, only one pan gets dirty.

Tell us the truth ? What would we find in your car right now?
You would find 7,000 copies of the Kennedale Dispatch, (the delivery man is on his way here at this very minute to get them out of my car) a laundry basket, a dolly [like trucking dolly], lots of old mail and coins in the floor, empty water bottles, and a lawn chair!

What advice would you give to other moms who feel the pressure of trying to be ‘super mom’?
Trying to be super mom is an aspiring goal.  But there’s no way you can do everything so you have to cut yourself some slack.  Don’t feel guilty about what doesn’t get done.

What is your number one goal for the year ? How do you plan to reach it ?
My goal is to NOT go back to work for someone else.  i.e., stay in business!

I plan to add some new sources of revenue to my websites.  I also plan to market my design and newsletter services  more heavily here in the community.  I will also continue to search for new customers, while keeping the customers that I have very happy.

Tammy Jones is a 45 year old mother of two daughters whom she raised by herself after a divorce in 1991 (hence the launching of her first website www.SingleRose.com )  SingleRose.com was a USAToday hot site in June 1998, has over 26K registered members, receives millions of pageviews per year and will open the 13^th annual Angels Assistance Program for single mothers on October 1.

Tammy also publishes: www.aMomEntrepreneur.com a networking site for mom business owners, www.KennedaleNews.com – the official newspaper for the City of Kennedale.

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

In the spirit of making sure moms feel supported as they tackle the busy life of motherhood and organizing their family schedules and lives, the Almost Always Organized Mom is happy to introduce another real mom juggling it all and her tips for busy moms.

How do you keep your children’s schedules together ? I only have one child, so keeping his schedule together is pretty easy. He goes to school or summer camp 3 days a week (full day – I run a home-based business and use this time to work). We then have play dates (by ourselves or with other children) on the days that he isn’t in school.
He takes swimming lessons which vary by time and date throughout the year and we love to visit the zoo and play at the park.

Do you use a particular day planner ? I keep track of all of my appointment and my son’s appointments using my calendar in Microsoft Outlook. I set reminders so that I always know when we have to be somewhere.

Do you own a blackberry? No, but I wish I had some kind of “sophisticated” phone – I am leaning toward an iPhone, but haven’t invested in anything yet.

What is you most used ‘time saving tip’ when it comes to running your
house? Involve your children! My son is at the age where he loves to help out – so it keeps him occupied and helps me to get everything done.

Do you have a favourite quick meal for your family? Yes, my favorite meal is a chicken dish:

Take skinless/boneless chicken pieces, sprinklewith salt/pepper to taste.
Divide into single serving or dual serving sizes and place on a large piece of aluminum foil.
Add 1 clove of crushed garlic to each “package”.
Add tomatoes, mushrooms, sliced onions. Add chopped fresh rosemary.
Fold up the aluminum foil to make a leak-proof package. Leave some room for steam to accumulate inside of
the package.
Bake on a cookie tray at 350 for 1-1.5 hours. Serve over
rice. The chicken and vegetables cook in their own juices, so there is no added fat required. It is delicious and healthy!!

Tell us the truth ? What would we find in your car right now ? Oh my -
a bit of everything – some extra clothing for my son, toys, papers, snacks and water bottles – my car is always in some state of dis-array! I believe I have a bunch of old clothes in my trunk that need to be taken to goodwill too!

What advice would you give to other moms who feel the pressure of trying
to be ‘super mom’? Set priorities and let everything else go. You will drive yourself crazy if you try to do it all – so don’t try. In my house, I have “let go” of the idea of having everything neat and orderly all of the time. I can’t keep up with it and run my business and take care of my family – so I do the important things (laundry, cooking, and having some fun) and let go of the clutter. Does it bother me? yes, but I have learned to accept that I just can’t do it all.

What is your number one goal for the year ? How do you plan to reach it
? That’s a really good question. I can’t say that I have one main goal for the year. I have lots of small goals. I try not to set any goals that are too large or too daunting – but rather set many smaller goals
that I can reach in a short time. That way I am always getting small doses of accomplishment throughout the year rather than striving for one main goal. This way if I miss a few along the way, it isn’t upsetting because I have also accomplished many!

Dr. Masucci is a mom to one beautiful boy and a small-business owner. She lives in Pennsylvania just north of Pittsburgh where she operates a maternity and breastfeeding boutique (A Mother’s Boutique ) and writes about parenting and breastfeeding on her blog Mommy News and Views.