The Blog

I’m so glad you’re here! If you’re looking for recent blog posts, you’re in the right place.

Can a Problem Solving Approach Help You Get More Done?

This is Week 41 of a Year of Living Productively This week I tested whether Scott Young's idea of writing to solve personal problems would help me get things done. I intended just to write about them, but ended up working on and answering a series of guided questions...

10 Family Christmas Photo Ideas

Nine years ago I had the crazy idea that I could take my own family Christmas photo to send with our yearly Christmas card. My husband loved my first photo so much that he asked me to send them out as postcards to his customers--librarians. The response from friends,...

60 of the Best Christmas Gifts for Kids

I've been buying gifts for my now six children (five boys and one girl) for 16 years and I've had the opportunity to see which gifts last. Not only have I been able to determine which gifts my kids remember, use, and love, but I've also had the chance to see which...

Can Little and Often Help You Get More Done?

This is Week 40 of a Year of Living Productively This week I tested whether Mark Forster's concept of Little and Often could help me get more done. I used this concept in conjunction with Do it Tomorrow and Routines, deleting tasks more than 3 days past due. How...

How to Make Blogging a Business

I had the pleasure of interviewing Jimmie Lanley for The Homeschool Sanity podcast. I continue to be inspired by what I learned from her about growing my blog and using Google+. Be sure to listen in if you've ever thought about blogging or using social media to build...

Big Christmas Shopping Spree Giveaway

I hope you haven't done all your shopping for Christmas all ready... if you have you may want to buy a big ticketed item for the whole family! I'm so excited to bring to you, A Big Christmas Shopping Spree Giveway, where 3 readers will each win their own $250 Amazon...

Black Friday Cash Giveaway

I admit it. I LOVE shopping on Black Friday because of the sales. I do it from the comfort of home by shopping online. But you have to have money to save money, right? This week I will have two opportunities for you to win some Black Friday cash! Several...

Can Project Management Help You Get More Done?

This is Week 39 of a Year of Living Productively This week I tested whether a project management approach, specifically the Christmas Countdown Planner, could help me get more done. For details, scroll to the bottom of last week's post. How a Project Management...

Easy Lunch Idea, CollegePlus Review & More: 6 Hot Flashes

This month's hot flashes are in a new format similar to what I do with What's Hot in Homeschooling. If you're new to this series, allow me to explain that I give a detailed account of my hot flashes from the previous month. Not the wake-up-drenched or the...

Can an Interrupters Log Help You Get More Done?

This is Week 38 of a Year of Living Productively This week I tested whether keeping an interruptions log and making related changes could improve my productivity. Scroll to the bottom of last week's post for details. How an Interrupters Log Saved My Sanity This Week...

Enjoy a Saner Christmas This Year

I'm all about saner living, especially at Christmas time. Too often, the season that should be the most peaceful and joyful can become stressful and unhappy. One reason we may experience less than the best at Christmas is because we don't treat the holiday like the...

Can Computer Shortcuts Help You Get More Done?

This is Week 37 of a Year of Living Productively This week I tested whether using computer shortcuts could help me get more done. I used the keyboard shortcuts app, added a browser extension, and started using a Wordpress plugin to save time. Scroll to the bottom of...