days 30 & 31–get ready for Valentine’s Day

30 & 31

It’s the weekend! You made it through another week—congratulations! Do you have big plans, or are you laying low for the next few days? My goal is to get to the store for ingredients for some new slow cooker recipes. I’ve got a slew I’m dying to check out. Other than that, we’re laying pretty low.

But! We’re going to make some Valentine’s Day decorations, because the day will be here before you (I) know it. We (I) should probably get the cards for school out of the way, too.

Simple Craft Ideas for Valentine’s Day

–snowflake hearts

–red, purple, and pink paper chains

–heart mosaics

–heart mobiles

–hearts linked together (like paper dolls)

–bouquet of heart flowers

–magazine collage/decopage in heart shape

This Weekend:

family fun

daily 7

clean out the family car/vehicle

yesterday: friday fun day; breast self-exam

26

It’s Tuesday, and Tuesday is the day where I try to run my in-town errands. Today I’ve got to go to the post office, and to the drug store. And Starbucks. I’ve got a gift certificate and I think I really deserve a mocha…

yes, definitely. I’m going to go there first.

Remember last week when we gathered all the important dates for your family and friends? Take your birthday and anniversary list and count them all up. While out running errands, pick up all the cards you’re going to need for the entire rest of the year. We’re a few weeks into January, so if you missed anyone these past few weeks, get cards for them, too. Next year you can send their greeting on time, but for this year, it’s better late than never.

It’s okay to buy 10 of the same card. If you find a good price, stock up! If your drug/card store doesn’t have anything suitable on sale, pick up a few packages of blank cards with a fun design on the front–you can personalize them yourself. Don’t obsess.

Today:

Run errands

Daily 7

yesterday: weekend recovery

tomorrow: speed dust, vacuum, and quick mop

We cherish our friends not for their ability to amuse us, but for ours to amuse them. –Evelyn Waugh

day 18–weekend recovery; MLK Jr. Day

18

Today’s a holiday for a lot of people, and chances are the kids are off school. The weather guy is predicting a storm (although he also swore it’d rain all weekend the past few weekends and was way off), so the girls and I are hunkering down with projects. I’ve got a lot of writing and slow cooking I need to do, and my eldest is knee-deep into the second Harry Potter book.

My goal is to not plop the 5-year-old in front of Noggin all day, and to keep the binky IN the baby’s mouth for more than 3 nano-seconds so I can plug in some crockpots.

I aim high, I tell you.

Today:

make out a meal plan if you haven’t already

get the Daily 7 done, and if you’ve got kids home, put them to work!

weekend recovery (since it’s a holiday, you may have a difficult time with this (I know I will). Don’t stress—just do what you can, like empty the lunch boxes from Friday and pick up stray stuff around the house.

read the PROM article. We’re going to start PROMing very, very soon.

order and send out baby announcements (this may be just for me. I keep putting it off…)

yesterday: weekend stuff

tomorrow: gather important dates

days 16 & 17–the weekend

16 & 17

It’s the end of another week. It’s hard to believe that we’re half-way through January already. We have nothing planned this weekend, although we may take a run to IKEA.

I love IKEA.

This weekend:

spend time together as a family

keep up with the Daily 7

if Monday is a holiday, jot down a few ideas to keep yourself and the kids busy so you don’t drive each other nuts. I love the Family Fun website for arts, crafts, and cooking projects.  We also got a lot of use out of this site when the kids were preschool age.

stay warm and cozy!

yesterday: weekly reflection

Day 12–Running Errands Efficiently

12

Efficient Erranding

Do you have an errand day? I didn’t for the longest time, but when I made the decision to run errands on a certain day of the week, I found that it really helped with my planning, and kept me from constantly “quickly running out” a few times during the week, which resulted in much more valuable time.

Your errand day will be whatever fits into your own schedule, and is dependent on where you need to go on a daily/weekly basis. If the places you need to visit are far apart, it won’t make sense to do everything on one day. If you know that on Thursdays you’re right by the library anyway for karate class, then save your book returning to that day.

Use your best judgment.

I have a few places that I need to go on a weekly basis for errands: Trader Joe’s, Safeway, the library, the produce stand, the post office, and usually the drug store. Once a month we need to go to Costco and to the dry cleaner. Just knowing that these stops occur on a regular basis, is enough to try to incorporate a few stops at one time. I don’t like to go to Safeway and Trader Joe’s on the same day–even though they are super close to each other. It wears me out.

Figure out a plan that works for you and your family, and write it out and on your calendar. Knowing what you have to do on a given day relieves a lot of undue stress. Many people plan their shopping according to store circulars and coupons. Do whatever works!

continue with the Daily 7

yesterday: weekend recovery

tomorrow: how to speed dust and vacuum

NaNoWriMo—day 5

I love hearing about all the writing you’re all doing! Congratulations!

I’m doing okay over here, although I haven’t logged very many words the past few days. This week has gotten a bit bonkers, and the weekend is going to be super busy. I feel much better about the whole thing, though, and have stopped freaking out over a self-imposed daily goal.

It’ll happen when it happens—it always does!

I did go back and do some editing, which I believe you’re technically not supposed to do much of during NaNoWriMo–but whatever, and am feeling confident about what I’ve written and where I’m going. I’ve got scenes outlined, and know the words will flow nicely when I’ve got the time to get them down.

I overdid it yesterday, and ended up taking an hour-and-a-half long nap this morning after school drop-off, complete with drool. Lovely. But I feel much better. I was worried there was something other than just being pregnant wrong with me, but I’m pretty sure it was just being on my feet too much.

I hope you’re all doing well and are feeling good about the progress (or lack thereof!) that you’re making.

NaNoWriMo–day 3

I wrote 31 words today.

seriously. that’s it.

The word processing document has been open all day, but I didn’t add anything other than about 4 sentences.

I could blame it on the sick (not really, she wasn’t feeling all that hot at breakfast, and hasn’t missed a day of school so far this year, so I kept her home) kid, or the impromptu work for BlogHer I agreed to do, or the extra kindergartener I brought home at noon.

I could also blame being tired and unmotivated.

I did accomplish a few things, though. I made chicken noodle soup today.  I roughly followed this, but used cornish game hens.

and I answered email. LOTS of email.

and caught up on a few phone calls.

I also took a super long shower–something that I haven’t done in months. I totally vegged out. It was so so nice.

I’d be lying if I said that skipping today didn’t stress me out. It makes me nervous that I’m already off-schedule, especially since we have a super busy weekend lined up. And tomorrow’s picture day, and I’m supposed to help at the school all morning. And it’s Wednesday, which is early-release day.

ugh.

How’d you all do today?

related:

day 2

day 1

NaNoWriMo–day 2

I did it. I logged 2186 words today, bringing my grand total up to 3801/50,000. I’m happy with what I wrote, although it did take much, much longer than yesterday.

Today I was easily distracted by the internet, the phone, and the children. Yesterday, Adam was home to watch the kids, and I was somehow able to tune everything else out.

I also kept watching the clock, nervous that I’d miss kindergarten pick-up. As it so happened, I did get on a roll, and all of a sudden had only 10 minutes before the class let out. Tomorrow I’m going to set an alarm.

I haven’t experienced writer’s block (so far) as much as I’ve experienced extreme procrastination. I think having these daily word count goals (which Cathie pointed out is 1666, not 1500 as I originally thought. I really need to brush up on my math skills!) is good for me—I’d just pilfer away my time otherwise.

How’d you do today? Any tips to share?

related:

NaNoWriMo–day 1

National Novel Writing Month. I’m in. I think. Maybe.

NaNoWriMo–day 1

November 1, 2009

Happy November! I logged 1615 words today—it didn’t take that long to write, and flowed faster than I thought it would.

What a pleasant surprise.

I’m happy to have gained an extra hour due to Day Light Savings Time. It’s not yet 11am, and the laundry is done, the beds stripped, the crib assembled, the kitchen mopped, and the writing done.

I only actually did the writing part, but I did oversee the other happenings from a very comfortable position at the end of the couch.

I’m pretty sure I’m going to milk this being really pregnant thing for all it’s worth.

Day 1 down, 29 to go. How’s everybody doing? Still in a sugar coma from last night?

related:
National Novel Writing Month. I’m in. I think. Maybe.

Holiday Gifts to Support Bloggers

Don’t look now, but the Holidays are RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER. They really are. Pretending you’ve got plenty of time will only cause a lot of undue stress.

I’m trying to get as many presents out of the way as I can in the next few weeks or so because

1) that’s just who I am. I like to get things done and out of the way (I know. It’s annoying. Feel free to throw eggs, I can handle it).

2) Whether I’m ready or not, this baby is going to get born. I spent most of the summer in denial, but she’s really going to come. I’m actually getting a bit nervous and feel the need to disinfect and re-paint every surface of the house.

3) Thanks to your wonderful comments and emails, I’m going to go for NaNoWriMo (national novel writing month). I’m kind of excited!

I get emails about book publishing and blogging, and how to get the two to collide. I am probably not the right person to ask, since the book I spent a hundred million years of my life (8, but whatever) trying to get published got canceled (but I’m staying positive. Yes, that’s it. Serenity Now!), and the slow cooker book was kind of a fluke thing—the publishers came to me, which is NOT NORMAL. Regardless, I’m going to pretend I know something and throw this idea out there, which I do believe makes sense:

If you write a blog, and want to become published, the best way to help achieve that goal in the long run is to support bloggers who *have* books. Because the more they sell, the better the chances of you selling a proposal to an agent and/or editor. And it’s good karma.

On that note, start your Holiday shopping early and support a blogger (or twenty-three) at the same time.

Note: Whenever possible, I’ve linked to the author’s Amazon Associate account, not my own. While reading the reviews on Amazon is a fantastic way to get a feel of the book, buying the book at your friendly neighborhood independent book store is best for your local economy. I am familiar with the work of *all* of these bloggers. While I am sure that there are other books by bloggers “out there,” I have not personally read their blogs or their books.

Cookbooks:

The Gluten Free Almond Flour Cookbook Elana blogs at Elana’s Pantry, and has a beautiful website and an even more beautiful book. She has healthy recipes for all types of gluten free food that is healthy and wholesome. She introduced me to the wonders of almond flour and agave nectar. Cooking with almond flour creates moist, delicious gluten free baked products.

Clotilde’s Edible Adventures in Paris Clotilde blogs at Chocolate & Zucchini, and was the first food blogger I followed regularly who wrote a book. This book reads like a memoir/travel guide, and she does have a fabulous cookbook, Chocolate & Zucchini: Daily Adventures in a Parisian Kitchen.

David Lebovitz I’ve linked to David’s author’s page on his blog, because he has a great collection of cookbooks and a fantastic new memoir entitled, The Sweet Life in Paris. David goes out of his way to support bloggers, and is an all-around nice guy.

Pioneer Woman Cooks Ree blogs at The Pioneer Woman, and her cookbook just came out (well, tomorrow, Oct. 27, but it’s already shipping). Ree is warm, friendly, and loves butter–a fabulous trifecta. She’s absolutely wonderful.

Steamy Kitchen Jaden writes at Steamy Kitchen, and has phenomenal recipes for all kinds of Asian-inspired food. Her recipes are simple, clear, and use fresh ingredients. Her friendly writing style and gorgeous photos suck readers right in.

The $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook Erin blogs at $5 Dinners, and is not only a great friend, she has created a fabulous resource for busy families on a budget. ALL of her meals have been made for $5 or less for a family of four. Her book isn’t out yet, but you can pre-order it and have it delivered to your gift recipient.

Family Feasts for $75 a Week Mary blogs at Owlhaven, and has 10! children. She knows how to feed a crowd, and knows all about picky eaters. A fantastic resource for anyone looking to streamline the kitchen, learn about meal planning, and save money.

Gary Vaynerchuk’s 101 Wines Gary blogs at Gary Vaynerchuk, and he does video-blogging (vlogging) on wine. He is hysterical, witty, and down to earth. Gary is the furthest thing from a wine snob, yet knows all there is to know.

Make it Fast, Cook it Slow Stephanie (that’s me!) blogs at A Year of Slow Cooking. In 2008, she made a New Year’s Resolution to use her slow cooker every day for a year, and write about it online. This book has the best 338 recipes from the year. All recipes are gluten-free, due to a family intolerance.

Parenting:

Sleep is For the Weak Rita writes at Surrender, Dorothy and she put together the best of the best of the mommy bloggers into a great gift for any pregnant woman, new mom, or any dad who needs to better understand his wife’s wonky behavior. I’ve given this numerous times as gifts, and it’s always well-received.

Sane Woman’s Guide to Raising a Large Family Mary (featured up above) writes at Owlhaven, and is a mom to 10. I read this book when we were deciding to take the plunge from two to three, and found her advice helpful and straightforward.

The Rookie Mom’s Handbook Heather and Whitney write at Rookie Moms, and wrote this book when they were trying to figure out how to keep their little ones entertained during the day. The handbook is chock full of developmentally appropriate activities, broken down by age groups. I’ve met Heather and Whitney, and like it that they are *real* moms, instead of parenting “experts.”

It Sucked and Then I Cried Heather is an internet rockstar. She started Dooce an awful long time ago, before there were tons of blogs, and is known as the Ultimate Mommy Blogger. I found her memoir fun and light-hearted. Although it’s presented as being primarily about postpartum depression, I wouldn’t classify it as such—I found it more like a being pregnant and new-mommy memoir.

The Mominatrix’s Guide to Sex Kristen blogs at Motherhood Uncensored. Her book isn’t out yet, but will be mid-January, just in time for Valentine’s Day, and is available for pre-order. I’m probably more prude than most, but am happy that a book like this exists, and that a blogger wrote it.

Sippy Cups are Not for Chardonnay I’ve linked to Stefanie’s Author page on Amazon, because she has three books out. She blogs at Baby on Bored. I’ve read her first book, and thought it was a nice change to the parenting books I was reading at the time. Stefanie isn’t afraid to call it as she sees it, and she doesn’t sugar-coat the hard(er) parts of motherhood.

Memoirs:

Gluten Free Girl Shauna writes at Gluten Free Girl, and she was one of the first resources I turned to when we were first diagnosed with Celiac in our family. Shauna’s love for food and her vast knowledge gave me the confidence I needed to start embracing our new lifestyle. Her eloquently-written memoir shares much about her personal road to gluten free living. She is working on a new cookbook which I eagerly await.

Half-Assed Jennette blogs at Pasta Queen, and shares her personal journey of losing 180 pounds all on her own in this fabulous memoir. I read this book coming home on an airplane during some rather rough turbulence, and her friendly writing style and hilarious anecdotes kept me calm.

Straight Up and Dirty and Moose Stephanie writes at Stephanie Klein, formerly named Greek Tragedy. I met her July 2008 at BlogHer, and was charmed by her warmth and wit. Stephanie has led such a different life than I have–which is kind of neat since we have the same name. I’ve read both of her books, and loved being able to “listen in” on her life experiences–both as a newly-divorced and dating single, and as a young teen at a camp for overweight youth.

Bitter is the New Black, Jen Lancaster Jen blogs at Jennslyvania, and was one of the first bloggers I’d heard of to write a memoir. I’ve linked to her Amazon page, as she has four books under her belt. Jen writes like a friend speaking, and immediately engages the reader with her cut-t0-the chase humor.

Business/Blogging:

The IT Girls Guide to Blogging Kathie and Joelle blog at Moxie Design Studios, and have written a comprehensive guide to blogging—perfect for the newish blogger,  the wanna-be who wants to get started on the right foot, or the blogger who wants to beef up his/her web presence.

No One Cares What You Had for Lunch: 100 Ideas for Your Blog Maggie writes at Mighty Girl, and wrote a fun compilation of blog post topics. This is great for the personal blogger who sometimes has a hard time figuring out, or narrowing down blog post ideas.

Personal Development for Smart People Steve blogs at Steve Pavlina.com. I found his blog a few years ago when I was googling how to create a highly trafficked website. I like a lot of his ideas, especially the 30 Days to a New Habit posts. Some of his ideas are quite out there, and may be offensive. Please read the Amazon reviews carefully.

Crush It! This is Gary’s (featured above) newest book. I haven’t yet read it, but am interested in doing so. It’s gotten rave reviews as a fantastic resource for any interested in learning more about social media.

TypePad for Dummies Shannon blogs at Rocks in My Dryer. I love how Shannon writes, especially the way she interacts with her readers. I was fortunate to meet her at BlogHer in 08, and was thrilled to learn that she was writing a Dummies book on Typepad. The book isn’t quite out yet, but you can pre-order it on Amazon.

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okay! I hope these ideas help in your holiday shopping—hopefully you can quickly cross people off your list and help fellow bloggers out at the same time.

Happy Shopping!

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