The ULTIMATE List, lets do this.

2012 is going to be the year of friends and fun, and I need your help. Together we can create the Ultimate To Do List. I want to try new things next year, get out of my routine, and make memories. 

Don't skimp, don't worry about what can be done, this is a dream, a fantasy. It's what you WANT to do, not what you CAN do. Maybe you will surprise yourself with the amount of things you actually complete. 

Lets get linking, you can link:
- Your lists (pages or posts)
- Posts about fun things you have done with your friends
- Ideas of places to go or things to do
Remember that these are things to do with FRIENDS, not your kids or family. It's all about US. As parents we spend most of our waking hours doing for others, this is about doing something for us. Just us. It's about connecting with our friends in a more meaningful way. Strengthening our relationships with our support systems. 


You can link up using the big button above or the link in the sidebar, this will be a perpetual list so check back often to add all your posts about the things you have completed, or to add new ideas. 


Get crackin!

Four Heart Friday: The Return

As much as I want to bring FHF Friday back with a bang, I feel I would be remiss in putting up a half hearted post aimed at showing you all the superficial things I am interested in right now. I do have some really great etsy stores and blogs I have found over the past few months that I am dying to tell you about. However right now my thoughts are a little closer to home. It has always been my aim to be honest with you guys, and I think that's the real reason that I have all you lovely readers to begin with. So my hearts this week are all going to 2 little girls, Autumn and Lili, my babies.

Autumn loves this look for fall and winter, I got a pattern and hope to make her a pair. I am 'ok' at knitting, it's going to be a challenge, but homemade goodies are my MO lately since I don't have the extra money to run out and grab all the little extras we all want. Plus, a homemade gift is from the heart and HEART is something we have a lot of around here. If you want to grab these you can find them at KerreraSkye's Etsy shop.

Over the last year this little family has gone through A LOT of changes and trials. Our lives have been turned upside down by some realities I wish they didn't have to know. I have spent countless hours trying so hard to hide from them the realities of our country's failing economy, but in the past year we have fallen on some pretty grim times. Losing my longtime job meant lots of cuts and changes to our little budget and finding work was hard. Just when everything seemed to start going right, something else would happen, and we were all forced to make some sacrifices.

HiddenGrin's plushies would certainly satisfy Lili's newly found love of stuffies. This pattern would be too difficult for me to replicate, luckily their pricing is reasonable, I could definitely see this making it's way into our Christmas list.

For these little ladies those changes mean having a little less of the things they want, and getting back to basics. As an adult you learn to take these things in stride and you really dig into yourself to see past the superficial things you want and realize that you have all you need. Family, community, shelter, food. You learn to get along without many of the comforts you used to indulge in, no more eating out, renting movies, buying things whenever you wanted them. For the kids though it's harder, constantly seeing those around you getting new and 'cool' things and hearing 'no' more and more when you ask if you can get something takes it's toll.

Sensible is definitely not on Autumn's mind when it comes to foot fashion, she is HUGE into the high boot, she would prefer a large heel to go with it. But with feet of snow on the horizon, and the lack of $250 extra dollars to spare on these bad boys, I think we will NOT be getting them. She does have good taste though, I LOVE these.

I love my kids, and I wanted them to stay young and innocent to the realities of adulthood as long as possible, while Lili at 3, doesn't really ask for much and doesn't give a hoot about the kind of shoes she wears, it's different for Autumn. At 12 you are surrounded by peers who judge you everyday. It's easy for me to tell her not to worry about what other people think, but I know, even as the words are leaving my mouth how hard that is to do. I remember being a kid, and being so convinced that my friends' opinions were the end all be all of my existence. I get it. I get how hard this is for her, and I admire her for not getting too weighed down by it. It's good to know that no amount of cut backs have been able to cut down her amazing spirit.

The best is yet to come right?

What are you guys hearting this week? Anyone struggling with keeping life sane, while the economy continues to struggle?

Link up!

Back to School crafting has begun

My craft table started like this this morning:

I've been getting my craft on, and now it looks like this:

I hope you will all join me for some tutorials and other back to school goodness next week! Here is a sneak peek:

Are you making anything for back to school gifts? Horror stories of tweenage shopping? Link Up anytime over HERE.

Operation: Get Organized // Calendars, Planners and Schedules Oh My!

I have a serious highlighter fetish.

(I think we have effectively established over the last few days how geeky I am when it comes to office supplies)
I have 3 calendars/planners. A large desk calendar, a personal planner and an online calendar. I love to color code my calendar entries by person:
Hubbs - Blue
Me - Green (my all time fave color)
Autumn - Pink or Orange
Lili - Purple or Orange
*Orange is for Doctors/Dentists visits, stuff we CAN NOT MISS.

My online home for all things organization is Cozi. Free (always a plus) and easy.

There is a place for everything I need to keep track of (as if I need more lists), also the calendar has a built in feature so it can send me texts to remind me of my appointments. I can set it up with as many numbers as I want and it will remind whoever needs it. So, if I am taking 1 kid to dance class and the Hubbs is taking another to the doctor, it can send us both separate texts of the events we need to see, and not the others.

There are of course iPhone and iTouch apps that can make it easy to take your Journal and Lists with you if you like.

Sidenote:

Personally I like to write my journal.

In a book.

With pages, and a pen. No typing. I don't know why, but there is something about writing furiously, and getting hand cramps that makes me get all smooshy about my journal.

Less confusion, my brain can only hold so much info at once.

What do you use to keep track of all the millions of Mommy/Daddy things that need to get done?

Remember to Link up on the Projects and Goals pages through September!

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Remember to stop by all day Friday for the Four Heart Friday Link Party!

Support and Share the Awkward, grab a button HERE

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Operation: Get Organized // Mom Binder

(remember to link up HERE)

I'm not out to re-invent the wheel.
I might be trying to re-invent myself a little though. Throughout my life I have always had an organizer, a planner and lists. When Autumn was a little girl I started a Mom Binder to keep EVERYTHING in. After looking at this mess:

I realized it was time to re-embrace the mom binder.

I bought a few supplies, for a grand total of $7.00, I had the makings of a Mom Binder.
- 3 ring binder
- zipper pouch (with a window)
- sheet protectors
- index cards
- dividers
I also grabbed an ATC sheet protector and an Avery pocket from my office supply stash.
(yes, I have an office supply stash, doesn't everyone?)

Now I have this:

1 bag to carry (above),
- Mom Binder
- Planner
- Coffee Sleeves
- Notebook
- Magazine

1 car bag (above),
- change of clothes/underwear/Pull-Ups for 3 YO
- selection of toys
- first aid kit
- blanket
- Plastic baggies
- long sleeve shirts for everyone

My Mom Binder:

Everyone has different things that are important for their family, my sections may not be best for everyone. This design is one I used when Autumn was about 6... I got lazy and slacked off about it in recent years and stopped using one all together.

It's not fancy, it's a little ghetto, but that's how I roll.

Here are some other cool things I found:

- Mommy Tracked - Pre-made organizational binder with cute matching calendars.
- The Stir - Closet organization for kids
- Lucky Mom - baskets, containers and labels, oh my!
- Sun and Candlelight - OMG, this lady has some SERIOUS files

Do you have a Mom Binder? How do you keep things organized on the go (and remember everywhere you have to go)? Link up your stories, ideas, tips and tricks HERE or leave a comment!

Operation: GET ORGANIZED MOM!

Here's the sitch: Since becoming unemployed, I have become VERY disorganized. I don't really know how to be a SAHM, I have always been a working mom. An ORGANIZED working mom. It actually seemed like the more I had on my plate, the easier it was to juggle it. Now that I have that 9 hours of 'work time' back, I feel like I have no idea what to do with myself.

I have always been the organizer of our family.
I write the lists, I do the calendars, I sign the forms, I do the budget. I went to work, juggled our schedules to get kids to school, daycare, dance class... you get the point. Now, I don't want this to sound like I am supermom, I am totally not. I have always had help. The Hubbs trucks kids to appointments and classes too, Mema always finds time to help out when she can. I have a fantastic support system, and I am grateful everyday for having family close by.

That said, lately I feel like things are OUT OF CONTROL.

Exhibit A:

YES, this is the crap I have been hoarding and hauling around everywhere I go for the past 2 weeks. It is getting bigger, pretty soon I may need to start buckling it up so it wont spill onto the floor of my car.

Exhibit B:

This is BAG #1, papers, planner, cell phone, feminine products, allergy medicine, notepads etc... looks a bit empty due to the removal of my camera and coffee mug which can also be found in there on a regular basis.

Exhibit C:

This is BAG #2, WHO CARRIES 2 BAGS?! Who brings with them this much crap? In here I have about 20 old receipts (I actually found one with a $10.00 off coupon that expired in JANUARY), purse, more notebooks, cup wraps (for take out coffee), pens and apparently some Sweet and Sour Sauce. BTW - I have NO plans to EVER use that sauce.

I've been doing some research (which is about my 3rd favorite thing to do, I know I'm a geek) and I think I may have found a solution. YAY! I'm off to the dollar store to get some supplies, I'll let you in on the full project details ASAP.

While we're add it shall we add a WHOLE BUNCH of Organizing? I know I have a lot to do, I bet you do to. Lets do it next week, sound good to you? I'll get some tips, tricks, buttons and linky's ready :) Maybe we will have a giveaway too.
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Remember to stop by all day Friday for the Four Heart Friday Link Party!

Support and Share the Awkward, grab a button HERE

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Four Heart Friday:

Instead of 'what's I'm hearting 'who's this week.

My google reader is PACKED with amazing, talented, funny, crazy, wonderful people. I only know one of them IRL, but I feel like I know the rest just as well.

I read about their secrets,
I read about their parties,
I read about their troubles,
I read about their kids, dogs, brothers, sisters, reunions, nothings and their triumphs.
Just as I know you all are reading about mine.

You want to know a secret about blogging? ITS HARD.
It's not always easy sharing your life, but it's the sharing that brings us all closer together.

I hope you go visit my blog friends this week (and each other) and make us all feel a little more at home :)

MEG! One of the first blogs I ever added to my reader. Mrs. WHATEVER herself. How she manages to have an awesome blog, a ton of kids (like 5 I think?), a successful photography business and not go crazy I don't know. I would most definitely be hauled away by the men in the white suits.

Mandy. This totally fun, totally witty mom of a beautiful baby girl cracks me up! I love that she LOVES Starbucks coffee as much as me, and she's not afraid to be herself (even if that means having a potty mouth every now and then). She takes great photos and always makes me laugh.

Ashley. Little Miss Momma herself. This woman is the bravest person I know. Seriously? VIKING brave. She puts every piece of herself out there for the world to read, her nutty side, her serious side and all the stuff in between. She has great fashion sense, a cute as a button baby boy and she makes really cool stuff.

Finally, Sara. My IRL friend who just joined the blogosphere. She is a mom to 2 cute LITTLE monsters, designs the awesomest flower arrangements I have ever seen and she is a really good friend. I hope you all go check her out (PS, she posted the most heinous picture of me ever in her last post, really if for no other reason you should check out her blog just to see that)

What do you heart this week?

Rules to Link By:
- Link to a specific post, not your main page
- Add the FHF button to your post or sidebar and link this post
- Visit someone and share the love







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