Banking Time

Schedules, timelines, to-do lists, blah blah blah….how is a mom supposed to get everything done in the day/week/month/year? I saw another post by my favorite blogger, James at Bleubird talking about how to get everything done without losing your mind. Here are my thoughts.

I find my days extremely exhausting! My days are repetitive but it works for me because I know once I have my chores done, I can relax or do something that has been pushed to the wayside.

Food: I make lunches for the next day and dinner at the same time so I can save dishes and time. While little man takes a nap in the evening I run on the treadmill and shower (sometimes this happens, sometimes it doesn't).

Fitness: If I shower at night, that saves me 30 minutes of blow-drying my hair. If he doesn't nap then we go for a walk outside. I recently lost 30 pounds, I'm not about to gain it back and I want to teach him to exercise or play daily! I also curl my hair and do my makeup at the same time....trend maybe?

Cleaning: Let’s be honest…this is usually the last thing I get to. I have forgone sweeping for mopping everything into a pile and then picking up the remains…lazy? Maybe. Out-of-time? Definitely! Showers I clean before I get in the shower, it’s already running so I might as well clean it as I clean myself. Each toilet has a bottle of cleaner next to it so I can just put some in, scrub and let sit till the next time it gets flushed. Dusting with a swiffer duster is the only way I have found to make that easier and faster. I live in AZ so everything is dusty…my motto: Get over it. Vacuuming…tough task. I would like to do it when little man is sleeping but he will wake up. So I usually get this done when dad is home on the weekend and can entertain the boy.

Others: I usually get my crafting time on the weekend when daddy gets little time in. Groceries happen on weekends and I try to shop for the month as much as possible so I can limit that errand. I pay bills/budget on breaks at work.

I like to do things in a way that "banks time" … doing 2 things at once saves me the extra time to do them separately. Anyone have any other ideas?

Hope this helps!

XO Sharon

Image location

Bucket List

 

Yup...I'm 29. That means there is only one year left to do fun, crazy, what-were-you-thinking activities in my 20’s. Some stuff you can pull in your 20’s….in your 30’s it’s just sad.

I decided that each week I am going to choose one thing on my list and work on it. A few are weekly things that have to happen consistently so I will touch on those a bit.

Opinion Requested: Should I add anything to the list?

·         Create a blog with more than 20 subscribers – COME ON people I can’t do this without you clicking the “Follow” button at the top of the page! (Thank you by the way J )

·         Learn how to use PhotoShop – Created Silas’ “Thank You” Cards..that was new.

·         Week in Collage – I have made a few…just forget to post those…will do when I get home tonight

·         Learn conversational Spanish – got Rosetta Stone…now need to use it

·         Yoga – I need to find a yoga video that I can do at home when Silas naps…about 30-40 minutes long, any suggestions?

·         Get a promotion – working on it J

·         Healthy body/Healthy Mind – in progress…see “running” and “Operation Beautiful”

·         Surprise my husband at least once per week – tried to take him hiking a couple weekends ago…but we got rained out. Surprised him with crab legs since he was craving them.

·         Skype – I will Skype my sister in San Diego this week

·         Grow something – working to keep my basil plant alive, it’s a little droopy at times but I think he’ll pull through – side note…need to find out how you dry basil….this guy has way too many leaves I think…side note to my side note, why do I grow basil if I only use it once per week?

·         Accessorizing – I just bought some more bracelets and earrings…eyeballing a few fall hats…may have to go grab some.

·         Hatchets – well…I have to figure out if there is anyone on this list… right now..not so much

·         One on One time – I am taking my niece Eva out for ice cream and “jewelry” shopping this weekend J Soooper Excites!

·         Friendships – unfortunately I haven’t been able to do this…but we are working on schedules

·         Organic – I may be too broke for this lifestyle…I am doing lousy on the intent part…I generally eat cause I’m hungry and/or bored.

·         Walking – I have been walking to the store more when I can with Silas. Work is too far…everyone else… too far.

·         Traditions – First edition: Go on a beginning of Fall camping trip (camping story to come soon)

·         Environmentally friendly products – working right now to use up all my “bad” products. Switching to ammonia, vinegar and baking soda combinations.

Back to School....and taxes, grr

As the school year starts … so does the need for supplies, books, computers, and field trips. Working in an office I can attest to the multiple fundraising ideas that parent (begrudgingly and some good aunts, uncles, grandparents and friends) bring in for their beloved school aged kiddo. While I feel there is a need to teach kids how to fundraise for something that is important to them…I know of a great option for schools!

You pay state taxes, like it or not. Do you know where your money goes? I dunno…maybe I paid for part of that side walk someone just spit on…maybe it went to the governor’s office and they are eating lunch with it…who knows. Well, you can change that.

In Arizona, you can donate your money to a school and even a teacher of your choice. The funds can be applied to extracurricular activities or character building programs. I understand it’s not computers or pencils or the basics but just think if your teacher doesn’t have to come up with it out of pocket, then those fundraising dollars that would have to go to a zoo trip could then be spent on a computer lab or music room or art supplies.

You do not have to have a child or even donate to the school in your neighborhood, you choose what school and if you want it to go to a certain teacher. You can donate $200 filing single, head of household or married filing separately and $400 when filing married filing jointly. You do not have to donate all to one school or all at the same time, you can do it as you see fit. Contact your school for where to locate their donation form.

The catch here is that you have to make your donation up front and then wait for your tax refund to recoup the cost. I would try to work this out with your tax professional so that you pay less out of your check every month so that you can do this if you are unable to comfortably front the cash. You must get it registered as paid by December 31 so be careful that some schools close for Christmas break and won’t be able to fill out the necessary documentation. I.E. don’t wait till last minute. Also you must have a tax liability of at least $100 for the year.

Arizona Form 322

Check here to see if your school qualifies to be in the program

Disclaimer: I am not a tax professional…just a blogger who heard of a fabulous tax credit. Contact a tax professional for details. 

xo, Sharon

Images from:

http://romulus.net/Pages/home.aspx

http://bearessentialnews.com/field-trip-guide.php

http://www.students.niu.edu/~z140184/website/Resume.html

http://www.mpsaz.org/zaharis/info/eca/  

MY child's development

Thank you for writing this post first of all!

Here are my thoughts. <commence soapbox> I happen to agree with the opinion that moms are judged a lot harder than dads. I also feel that same judgment as Loriani when I find out my son hasn’t done something as fast as other kids. My response… “leave him alone, he’ll get there in time!” Ya, Timmy may have walked at 9 months and that is great for him but my son is taking his time and I’m actually grateful for that because this moment in time when he needs my help is going to end FAST and I want to preserve this baby-hood as long as humanly possible.





Now…don’t get me wrong I will try to teach him to walk and encourage his learning as best I can. What I refuse to do is compare my kid with yours, or your friends, or some child on TV. He’s happy, healthy and rather smart in my own opinion. All kids learn at different times and struggle with different things…this doesn’t make any one of them better than another.

If you are a mom, you should understand this so it boggles my mind that we judge each other or try to make ourselves feel better by our child’s accomplishments. We should be supporting one another. I would like to see a day when we can tell our stories without judgment of another’s family and offer experiences rather than “solutions” to another mom’s “problems”. Trust me I have gotten my fair share of "oh you know who's walking already?", "he's still on a bottle?" and the most condeming one of all "you let him watch TV?!"  

Now on the fairness of moms versus dads…. I think this will always be lost. Single dads get more praise than single moms. Stay-at-home dads get more praise than stay-at-home moms. I think it is just the nature of the beast. Maybe it is because women are more maternal and nurturing so it is assumed parenting comes natural to us. Whereas when a man tries to take on the role, it is surprising and people tend to be impressed they can do it. Come to think of it…if I were to build something, say a cabinet or fix something like a car….I can pretty much assure you that people would give me a lot more praise than they would if a man did those things. Fair, maybe not, but I don’t think it’s really about fairness. It’s more about the nature of male versus female and what we are innately better at …. or just programmed to think about our genders that way.

Maybe that should be our concern, not about who is getting praised but about how we teach the next generation to view the capabilities of them as a person and not simply about what their gender normally functions as. I want to teach my son to be strong and self-sufficient and “manly” but if he wants to be a nurse, a stay-at-home dad, a stylist, then I want him to be the type of man that can do that without taking gripe from other people.

XOXO, Sharon

Images from:

© Sharon Price

http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/s/stay_at_home_dads.asp

http://www.hooverwebdesign.com/free-printables/greeting-cards/stay-at-home-dad-greeting-cards.html

Jealous....but why?

I have been thinking a lot about how I view other people and their situations, lives, opinions, etc. Sometimes I find myself being jealous of other women in different life situations or stages than myself. Women who have older children and seem to have the perfect marriage or the single girl who gets to go out with her friends whenever she wants without having to find a babysitter, budget it into the family expenses or clear it with her spouse to make sure nothing else is planned. The woman that gets to go full board with her hobbies or interests without a secnd thought. It’s not that I don’t like my life or am dissatisfied…it’s just sometimes…you wish you had a different life for just a day…an hour…a minute.

(Especially when I’m trying my best not to get a coma from my head falling on my desk due to my severe lack of sleep because my son was so unbearably uncomfortable because of constipation and gas that he couldn’t sleep without being consoled….I could use a nap of any amount of time, but no…I will go home, take care of my son, help make dinner, lunches for the next day and then watch little man all night so my husband can go to school so we can eventually have a more comfortable life. <<stepping down from soap box now>>)

I was driving home and then it hit me…I’m not jealous of these girls/women because of their life style or choices or circumstances…it’s because they seem so delighted and joyful with their lives and seem grateful for what’s happening to them. Now…I know they may not realize that is how they come off, or they may not feel that way at all, but that’s how I see them. I realized I need to start being more grateful for what I do have and not take it for granted lest it all go away or I miss out on my life because I’m too dumb to see how great it is now.

I have a great man by my side who is always there for me and has been for the past 8 years. Who still finds me attractive and wants to spend time with me and believes in me more than I believe in myself. I still can’t believe that someone this smart and handsome choose me to live out his days with. I have a very handsome son who cracks me up with his carefree, goofy, oddball personality (wonder where he gets that one, lol). I have a home, I have a wonderful family who I can count on no matter what. I have a job that I’m enjoying at the moment. I have great friends who push me to stick with my goals and who are always uplifting at just the right times. So…I need to stop seeing what I don’t have and start being grateful for what more I do have and have a little faith in how I have chosen to live my life…because I did choose this life.

I am grateful as well to those women I was jealous of because it brought me to this conclusion and determination to change my attitude. To change things about myself I have control over and to accept those that I don't. I hope those women are really as happy as they are in my mind and if not, maybe knowing that I was jealous of them would make them a bit more appreciative of their own circumstances. Maybe my realization of this will help me be more accepting and understanding of other woman and hope they return the same.  

Be Grateful. Be Happy. Be YOU!

Sharon

August 2011

Aug 21, 2011 Week by sabell82 featuring a sheer dress

Sheer dress
$50 - modcloth.com

Amazon.com: Bugillions! A Book About Counting (Look & See) (Googly...
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Walmart.com: Gold's Gym GG480 Treadmill with Bonus 2 pair- 1lb hand...
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Lexington Satchel
$47 - alloy.com

Talking to Kids...especially little girls

As I read this article (You can read the article here and here) ...it hit me that I do this with kids. Probably because I''m nervous and don't know what to talk to them about so complimenting something about them physically is the easiest thing to do. My niece, for example, I always tell her she looks very pretty because, well, she does. But I need to start thinking of other ways to engage with her without making her feel that all I think is important are outside appearances. 





I feel like sometimes we don't give kids enough credit, they do understand, they can critically think, discuss and offer valid and very truthful opinions on important subjects. Sometimes as an "adult" (I say this in quotations because I still feel like a kid most of the time) it is easy to forget how it felt to be a kid and how frustrating it was that adults didn't think you could understand what they were talking about.

So thank you Bethany for re-posting this article because I will take on this challenge. Hopefully I will make enough of an impact as someone she looks up to, to know she is beautiful inside and out. As part of my decision to change how I interact, I found this organization, Confidence Coalition, to help parents or anyone in contact with kids, or adults for that matter,  learn how to boost someone else's confidence.


I signed the pledge, can you?
 
Today, I pledge to be more confident in myself and my abilities.
I will be forgiving and generous to myself and others. I will embrace my unique beauty and do my best to ignore the stereotypes portrayed in the media. I will encourage those around me to focus on their true beauty. I will refrain from negative self-talk and be a role model to the girls in my life. I pledge to be less judgmental and more forgiving of myself and the women and girls in my life.
I will not attempt to sabotage anyone else’s self-confidence. I will not participate in any forms of physical or emotional abuse including bullying, cyberbullying, gossiping, hazing, exclusion, humiliation and coercion. I will lift up the women with whom I interact at work, in the community, and in my everyday life. I will treat others as I would want to be treated.
I will have the confidence to stand up for myself and others. I will not let pressure from other people lead me to forgo my values. I will respect myself enough to say “NO” to people and situations that are unhealthy to my well-being. I will not stay in an abusive relationship. I will offer support and guidance to my friends and others who may be involved in abusive relationships. I will encourage the girls and women in my life to live by their values.
By joining with others, I will make the world a better place for all women and girls. I will encourage confidence in myself, my friends, my family and others.

Operation Beautiful – Leave your Post-It out today!

“When you consider yourself valuable you will take care of yourself in all ways that are necessary.” --M. Scott Peck