98 Shares So many kids these days are scheduled for every minute. Even in summer, on weekends and school holidays you would think they get a break, but kids are shuttled from camp to practices to games to holiday weekends, all without time to breathe or play. As an adult, that sort of schedule would leave me stressed out, cranky and frantic. When I find myself over-scheduled, I seek downtime. How could it be any different with kids? Downtime isn’t something that just happens, though. Here are four ways to create downtime for children.... More »
60 Shares I love gardening. I carefully make my plans, prepare the soil, plant the seeds or plants, provide them with mulch and support and the right amount of light. That’s usually when my forgetfulness kicks in and I forget to water, turning my once-lush dream into crispy stalks of brown. I decided last summer that there had to be a way to make watering easier. It turns out there is. Directional Sprinklers Sprinklers are the devices that send water through the air onto your garden beds. They can cover large areas at a... More »
182 Shares When I say “library” most of you are going to picture books. Getting books from the library is the most inexpensive way to read books. But there are unexpected ways that libraries can save you money: Preview Music I love buying music. Unforatunately I have often bought CDs only to find out that I didn’t like the album, or only liked one song. This means the music languishes in the library, unplayed. Even previewing snippets online doesn’t entirely get rid of this problem, since so many songs change after the first thirty... More »
74 Shares When you decide to eat a meal out, is it because you are consciously choosing to do so? Or is it because you haven’t the time or ingredients to prepare something at home? If you are like most people, it is probably the latter. Yet it doesn’t have to be that way. With a bit of planning, less than 15 minutes a week, you can cut back on your grocery bills, eat healthier, and feel better. All it takes is a meal planner. Features Of A Meal Planner A meal planner is... More »
71 Shares Keeping a busy family on track can take the skills of a juggler, the planning of a master strategist and the organization skills of an army supply corps officer. But a simple family communication station can make keeping track of who needs to be where much easier. A family communication station is the one place where all the information lives. It has information on schedules, shopping lists and events, as well as a place to check and leave phone messages. Choosing A Location The communication station should be located in a central... More »
111 Shares Have you ever showed up at a meeting and realized you forgot to bring the right paperwork? Or nipped out to the library only to realize one of your overdue books is still sitting at home? There is a simple way to end this confusion: Tote Bag Organizing. It’s a fancy name I made up to describe how I keep papers for separate activities together so that I always have what I need by grabbing the appropriate box or bag. How It Started A few years ago, all the charities I subscribe... More »
151 Shares Laura Ingalls Wilder is known for her series of childrens books depicting life as a pioneer in the American West in the late 19th century. While she wrote 9 books based on her own life, she also wrote one based on her husband’s life called “Farmer Boy”. The book itself, while educating us about how things used to be done before modern conveniences like refrigeration, electricity and supermarkets, also has some valuable lessons about personal productivity that can be applied to modern life: Ask For Help In the beginning of the book,... More »
