Christmas is quickly approaching, yes like 7 weeks away! We are starting to get our gift  shopping done and preparing for the weeks ahead. When I think of gift giving my thoughts keep going back to those children at the orphanage in Haiti that were just in awe over their labels. I think back to times when I have received personalized gifts. When I was a little girl my Grandparents sent me a set of pencils with my name etched on them. My cousins and I spend time every summer at my Grandfather’s house and he has always had towels embroidered with our names on them, and as we got married and had children had towels made for them as well. Later on we spent Christmas there and all of our children’s stockings had their name embroidered on them. It was really something quite simple to do but that little extra effort just made us all feel so special.

The Mabel’s Labels Loot Bag Combo is a great gift at Christmas if you want to go for that personalized touch. The children’s faces just lit up in Haiti, “that’s me!” they would say. Something undeniably belonging to them. This year why don’t you share a personalized gift!

Instead of using a gift tag you can attach a Loot Bag Combo and write who it’s from on the back. If your kids are in sports or Scouts or anything like that it can be expensive getting individual gifts but these are the perfect size and price! Also, great for giving to teachers. Last but not least this little pack of labels is the perfect size for a stocking stuffer!

Can you think of any other creative ways to give labels?

Would you like to be on this board, help out with the PTO, sign up for this class, lead this lesson or help with the launch of this thingamajigger? Mom’s we got it coming at us in all directions! Can you relate?

We don’t just wear the mom hat but we feel like we can take on the world sometimes!

Oh but it feels good to be needed though doesn’t it? We pile up those responsibilities like no tomorrow until one day we catch ourselves leaving the house with our hair standing on end, yesterday’s gym clothes still on and on the table you just noticed the kid’s lunch boxes that should be at school with the kids! Not again!

Our families are busier than ever with sports and school activities but you don’t have to take it all on! Peel back those obligations and find out where your true priorities need to be. Work on those first before you take on extra activities.

Some of us are natural doers when it comes to extra activities and the rest just feel bad that they aren’t doing as much as Molly down the street. If it stresses you out it’s not for you! Find what you are great at and stick to it!

I’m sitting at the airport for my third trip in the past month. I love to travel and my load is certainly getting lighter each time. Today I carry only a backpack and purse with all the stuff I need for a three day trip! I truly live for keeping it simple! 

Last night my friend said she would need a backpack for her shoes alone! While I remember a time like that myself that is surely not the case now. It is so nice to get where you are going and not have to lug a bunch of baggage around!

Here are a few things I have learned over years for simple packing:

• Roll your outfits into bundles. It keeps the wrinkles out and you can grab a complete outfit in a flash! Much easier to stack in a backpack. For an overnight trip I use a large purse. 
• Choose colors that are similar and can go with the same pair of shoes.
• Don’t carry the whole makeup ensemble. Decide what you will absolutely need and stick to it. 
• Don’t bring the whole kitchen sink… empty out that purse! Don’t bring loose receipts, credit cards, or stuff that you won’t need on the trip. It simply wastes space!
• I have learned over time to enjoy the experience rather than fuss with the mess.

How do you travel light for quick trips? Feel free to share your tips!

This organizer has a confession to make. I don’t like lists! (Gasp) You now, checklists. Now don’t get me wrong lists are good, I actually make a to do list every day. But it’s those chore lists and cleaning lists that I dislike so much. I have seen it time and time again with my clients and myself actually. Some of us and perhaps you too are perfectionists. There are others that use checklists religiously and I commend you for keeping up with it.

You would think that being a perfectionist means we get stuff done with ease but sometimes it is the complete opposite. See, every time I try to use a list, I focus more on the list itself. It has to be just right or the “system” has to be just right before I can get started. A client showed me the elaborate systems she had tried one day and I told her she was spending more time fussing over the lists than actually cleaning.

For us simplicity was key. I told her to stop with the lists and just make cleaning a habit. For instance, I bought a set of cleaning supplies for each bathroom. When I help kids get ready for bed my habit is now to do a quick clean up (because the supplies are right there) and I don’t have to do a deep clean nearly as often! These spaces almost maintain themselves. The laundry gets done because it is a habit wrapped in with our morning routine.

The kids have certain things they have to help out with each day, not as a chore to earn a reward, but as being part of this team. They have a list of things they can do for money, but they rarely opt to do that.

How about you? Are you a lover of checklists? Or not so much?

When school starts up that usually means a new season of soccer in our house. In your house it might be football, dance or some other activity. They certainly don’t give us Mom’s much time to get the school schedule figured out before the activities come piling on top. Of course, the more kids you have the crazier the schedule!

Among the chaos we tend to seek perfection, we envy a picture perfect schedule. The truth is we go through seasons of life and sometimes a few seasons are going to be crazier than others.

Yes we would like to get the kids, fed at a normal hour while sitting down with the whole family, homework done in a quiet serene space and bedtime gone over like a breeze. However, most days we feel frenzied as if walking on a tight rope. Take a deep breath with me now!

Remember, your bet is good enough! Now is the time to pull together as a family. Perhaps dinner has to be done in shifts and things aren’t quite as put together as they normally are. Enjoy these more chaotic years because the older the kids get the years seem to go by that much quicker!