Where to put the school stuff

I tackled a project last week that I've been putting off for a long time. A really long time. My oldest is going into 5th grade & since she started school I've been trying to find a good way to store her school papers & mementos. If you have kids, you know that they bring home LOTS of stuff from school. You can't keep it all, or even keep most of it, but even with thinning out, there's still a lot to store & organize. I have 3 kids = equals lots of school stuff to save.

I've finally settled on a system that I think is going to work really well. I found underbed storage boxes that are big enough to hold everything, but compact enough to be manageable. Then I ordered a bunch of them from Amazon. Here's the link if you'd like to see or order them yourself. Sterilite 16558010 28 Quart Clear Storage Box See-through with White Lid 10-Pack Ordered as a 10 pack, the boxes were $7.50 each and shipping was free. Not a bad deal & much more convenient then having to haul everyone to the store and schlep them back home.

I made a simple label on the computer and put one on the side and end of each box. (That way you can see the contents no matter which direction you store them.) Luckily, most of the school memorabilia was somewhat separated already. I did need my oldest daughter to help identify some papers. 3rd or 4th grade? All & all, not nearly as horrible a process as I thought it would be.

So now all of the kids school memories are organized by grade. I made empty boxes for the new school year & put them where I can get to them easily. So far, so good. I'll let you know if the system makes it through the school year successfully.

Fly Away Home. . .

I can't believe summer is almost over. One of our late summer rituals is to buy ladybugs at the garden center and let the kids set them free in the yard. I think ladybugs are supposed to be good for your plants - but I really do it because the kids think it's so much fun. We got a good batch this time. There must have been 100s in there! As is often the case at our house on the weekends, several neighbor kids were around too. They all laughed and squealed as ladybugs crawled and flew everywhere. We checked their shady corner by the trumpet vine throughout the afternoon to see who would stick around. Eventually, all but a few had gone on their way. One more happy summer memory.

THE LIST

Hello!

In my last post, I talked about getting back on track. I think, at least for me, that staying focused is a continual challenge. I've developed a few tricks over the years that really help. Perhaps the thing that helped me the most was the idea that there is no one "magic bullet" that's going to last forever. Depending on the situation & circumstances, different motivators work or don't. That said, there are several constants in my arsenal. The first is "the list". I keep a running to-do list at all times. When I'm busy, it gets updated daily. Right now, since it's summer and all 3 kids are home, I try to have less on my plate work-wise. I probably update it 2-3 times a week.

A lot of self help authors recommend a daily task list. The one whose system I like the most is Brook Noel's. Around New Year's I read her book: The Change Your Life Challenge: Step-by-Step Solutions for Finding Balance, Creating Contentment, Getting Organized, and Building the Life You Want. I've tried many systems, both electronic and paper. Her CAN (catch all notebook) and 3 step action list are excellent and easy to follow. The book if geared toward busy people who want to stay focused and enjoy more peace and satisfaction in life. I highly recommend it. I'll most likely reread the book in August as my busy season starts.

Getting Back on Track

My surgery has been a lot harder to recover from. As usual, I underestimated how hard it would be and how well I would handle it. Sometimes this over confidence (ignorance?) is a good thing. This time, not so much. So I am complete off track now & need to get my life back in order. It's frustrating, because I had worked so hard to get where I was. Now I'm back to zero. Thought you'd enjoy the process. Maybe we can help each other out.

Hard Days

Well, I just had major surgery Friday and I'm trying to get back in the swing of things. Amazing how often I just want to lay on the couch and watch TV and then how fast I get sick of it when I can!! A few more days and I should be much better. Each day gets a little easier. Funny, I had 2 lumpectomies last years and hardly took anything stronger than advil. Not this time sister! I'm fully doped up and thankful for it!

The good news is that business is pretty steady and I am itching to find ways to do and create more. The stamping remains my bread and butter but there is SO much more out there that I want to try. Don't even get me started on Kellie Rae Roberts book Taking Flight: Inspiration And Techniques To Give Your Creative Spirit Wings!!! Amazing, inspiring creative stuff.

Teacher Gifts

It's that time of year again. I've been burning the midnight oil making teacher & graduation gifts. Here are some that have been keeping me up at night! I particularly like the two sided flower/keep calm necklace. Wear it either way, depending on your mood.

Lakeside Night

These pictures are from a historic amusement park outside of Denver. My kids' school district has a Lakeside Night every year. It is such a cool place I couldn't resist taking some pictures. Sort of the land that time forgot. Here's a link to some of it's history: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lakeside_Amusement_Park