Words…

Took a little vaca from blogging per the request of family…they were running out of food and clean underwear. I'm all caught up now and back at it…

I like to visit Joanne at the Simple Wife every so often and I found Wordle. It's the coolest thing ever, especially if you're a Wordie. (Kind of like a Foodie, only with Words.) I come from a long line of educators, many of them English teachers…so reading, writing and doing stuff with words like crosswords and playing Scrabble begins early. Here is my word picture custom made from the words on this blog, just click on the small image to link to the site. This was way fun to make…my mind is going crazy with project ideas…t-shirt iron-ons, wall art, door decorations….

WFMW: Ubiquitous Capture…

u·biq·ui·tous (yōō-bĭk'wĭ-təs) adj. Being or seeming to be everywhere at the same time; omnipresent.

cap·ture (kāp'chər) v. To enter (data) into a computer for processing or storage.

If you've ever wondered what it's like be ADD, think about it this way…your brain processes like a Pentium but has 2 MBs of RAM. I don't really know what that means in computer speak, but in my reality it means I am constantly thinking and processing information, but am unable to capture and remember most of what I have been processing and thinking about.

This is what is going on in my brain over a period of say…30 seconds: I need to remember to drop off the library books…where's my library card?...Since Hobby Lobby is near the library I can pick up a Valentine's craft for the girls…but I get so distracted in there, I'll have to set the timer on my watch…what time is the Brownie meeting tonight?....I should wash the sheets from Lily and Emily's beds today…I'm out of detergent…I'll remember to pick some up at big box discount store…On my way to big box discount store I'll put gas in the van…but the checkbook needs balanced first…I can do that tomorrow after the meeting at work…what time is that happening?...When does my RN license renew…do I have enough continuing education hours?...does graduate coursework count?...…AND this stream of thoughts goes on and on all day.

How does a mostly stay at home mom of three girls who are involved in school and various activities and whose dear husband travels frequently keep her act somewhat together when her mind is racing like this? I have an especially useful tool for
ubiquitous capture of pesky thoughts, imaginings, wonderings and reminders: a small notebook.


I keep my notebook with me at all times and capture my ideas, thoughts and thinks in one place to be processed further or deleted. Result: mind like water. My mind is cleared of thoughts, ideas and junk so I can think about what is important now. I don't have to tell my children to "be quiet so Mommy can think" anymore…I say "Let Mom write this thought down real quick, then I can give you my full attention."

For more on ubiquitous capture and Zen to Done, see Leo's blog Zen Habits.

Shannon at Rocks in My Dryer sponsors WFMW where you can find more ideas that work!

Simplify and Organize…

I have been on this mission from the Lord…literally…to gain some sense of order and simplicity in our home. I have spent the last several weeks decluttering, cleaning, sorting, organizing and thinking about the systems I have in place to help my family and me to function well. I have learned so much…I am so thankful somebody out there invented flickr! For those of us that are visual learners, flickr is a blessing! My favorite groups are Work Spaces, Craft Rooms, Pretty Organized and Corners of My Home.

This whole organize my home/life/family journey began last fall when I began to seek out my calling as a wife, mother and keeper of the home. I have so much to tell about what I've learned…but for now I'll just post this and scooch my tired body to bed. Tomorrow I go to work…and on a labor and delivery unit on a Friday it promises to be a busy day…I'll need my rest!

The picture above of my journal, planner and notebook. I would like to throw some link love to Leo at Zen Habits. My favorite post, Zen to Done is probably one of the most influential productivity/organization resources I have come across. Basically, Leo has synthesized David Allen's process of Getting Things Done + Flylady's concept of routines + Stephen Covey's values based priorities into his e-book ZTD (Zen to Done.) The system is perfect for me…fits all the aspects of my life and is implementable. On a personal note…I have ADD, Type 1 and being organized, focused and productive focused is practically impossible very challenging for me…ZTD allows for my personality quirks and gives me freedom to be the creative, spontaneously sidetracked person I was created to be…and still get the laundry done and pick my kids up from school on time!

A Special Birthday Celebration…

Works for Me Wednesday…BACKWARDS Edition!


Here's how it works…The tables are turned and instead of me giving advice or resolving a problem I get to ask you to help me with a question or problem! And just in the nick of time, too!

Here's the mission: Help me plan a memorable 16^th birthday celebration for my firstborn daughter!





The vision: A fun celebratory event that marks her passage from girlhood to young womanhood.

I've been brainstorming and here's what I've come up with so far:

• The whole event could actually stretch over a weekend…her birthday is on Sunday.


• Friday evening I have given to her to plan…she is thinking of going to the high school basketball game with her friends and then maybe out to dinner, home by 11pm curfew.


• Saturday at noon I am going to "kidnap" her and two of her closest friends and we are going on a surprise road trip to Kansas City for a girlie weekend…but what to do, where to go in KC…on a fairly limited budget? Maybe I'll splurge for special hotel accommodations, like on the Plaza or Crown Center…but what else could we do?


• After church on Sunday and a delicious breakfast…but where?


• This is where everything gets fuzzy…I want to have a special family time birthday dinner on Sunday evening when we return home…but maybe that's too much.


• Kaylie is the first of three girls…so I want to establish some sort of faith centered tradition with this birthday. I didn't do so hot with 13…it was pretty lame.


• I would like to make a special memory book. This week Birthday Girl is to compile a list of people who she feels have thus far influenced her life in one way or another…either spiritually, academically, athletically or even artistically. These are people she knows and who know her…teachers, mentors, fellow students. I plan to scan the list and will be sending letters to these individuals to write a special birthday note of encouragement and wisdom to Kaylie. Some of these individuals will have a strong faith, others not so much but have loved her and walked with her in some way…it's just that I am not sure what to write in this letter of invitation. Should I just email them or snail mail? What do I do with them when I receive them? Should I make a special scrapbook with them?


• Gift ideas: a hope chest and/or a charm bracelet. Both could be utilized as external signification of this milestone.


• Another idea: writing a special prayer for her and presenting it with the letters and scrapbook.


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  Finally…how do I organize all these thoughts and prioritize them…then how do I actually implement the plan!
  
  
  
  
  Help! Do you have any ideas to share? Were there special moments you created for your daughter or maybe that you remember from a special birthday?
  
  
  Shannon and other bloggers at Rocks in My Dryer could use your creative insight into the many problems and dilemmas that plague the internets…find them here.
  
  Oh, and I vote that Shannon tosses the empty DVD cases in the trash…call it a 27 thing Boogie and move on girl!