Time Flies When . . .

Oh my, I was talking with two friends yesterday (we were working on a plan to save the world-more on that in another post) when I realized that we are going into our 3rd year of homeschooling. I am feeling very grateful so so many things. Words cannot describe just how amazing our lives are and how we have all changed because of our decision to homeschool. Yes, there have been some bumpy spots, I will not lie. In fact there have been times when I wished the bus would stop in front of our home. The good news is that "feeling" passes and we continue, we persevere. Why, because we are committed to this life, this lifestyle and our boys. There really is no one who can love my boys, encourage them and help them grow any more than I do. So we press on with much joy and yes some trepidation.

So stay tuned as we embark on year three (3)! There will be lots of stories and new adventures. I hope you enjoy the ride.

Stop the train, I want to get off

Okay, we don't live in a big city with trains; I am speaking metaphorically. But sometimes you have to stop and regroup. Today was one of those days. The boys are busy with baseball. We are literally at the park every day. I have also been trying to get them their PE during the day as they need time to burn off some steam. On top of that we have school work and other schedules to keep. Today, I could see we hit the wall. I took a deep breath and made an executive, mommy decision - "stop the train!" I let David's coach know we could not make the game tonight, they did not go to their other activities. I fed them dinner early and sent them off to bed with books in hand. It is now 7:30 and they are quietly reading and almost asleep.

“Sometimes the most urgent thing you can possibly do is take a complete rest” Ashleigh Brilliant

Some might think this is an over reaction to a day filled with emotional outbursts. I see it as a day for my boys to just take a night off and rest. They are tired and need the rest. I can see it in their faces and in their behavior. I truly think we as parents need to be careful to not over schedule our guys and give them breathing room. We were doing fine until this week when between the two boys we had 6 games and two practices and no break. I am so glad that God has given me the wisdom to know when enough is enough. The truth is I really am appreciating a night off and with that I have time to update my blogs and do some other activities that have fallen to the sidelines.

All in a Days Joy

It was an emotional day. Tornadoes swept across the country including two in our area. The boys and I watched and waited to see if we should head to the basement. Praise the Lord, we did not have to. Finally, I could get my shower and then we headed out for our day's activities. After a false start, we ended up at my sister's house. We had such a wonderful time of fellowship with her and she seemed to really enjoy the goofiness of my guys. We finally headed back home for a lovely evening. While I was busy creating a yummy dinner, the boys were busy creating a game with their legos and dice. It sounded pretty complicated and they were having a blast. So nice that they can create fun without screen time.

Now I am enjoying a quiet night and reflecting on how great it is to be a homeschooling mom who can change plans on a dime and enjoy each and every moment with my boys. Yes there are times when I feel overwhelmed by the responsibility and yet even in those times, I am amazed at the joy that comes out of even a simple day.

Homeschooling is a Lifestyle

I was sitting here thinking about how different my life is now that I chose to homeschool. As I think about how my days flow and my relationship with my boys, I realized that homeschooling is a lifestyle. We take our time through the day, we have our devotions, we homeschool, we go to the library, we go to the park, we enjoy each other and all the time I am able to build a business. My boys still have time for boy scouts, church youth group, sports activities and play dates. Their only gripe is how sad they feel for all the kids who have to be in school all day and then do homework. They have so little time for play.

I am grateful all the time for our new life and wish we started it sooner. When I find myself regretting ever putting the kids in school, I am reminded how I would not appreciate our life now had I not known what it was like before. When the boys were in school, the stress in our home was unbelievable. Homework was a nightmare. Getting to any after school activity was a daunting task if I wanted to feed my family and get it all done.

Would I go back? I don't plan on it. My hope is to homeschool them through high school. In fact my youngest son, who still is a snuggle bunny, wants to be homeschooled through college. Okay I am a realist, that is not part of my plan, but I love that it is part of his. My point, I am enjoying where I am, being present is the most important part. My boys have a better mom and hence we are a better family.

New Look and New Year

Shame on me, it has been over a year since I posted. What happened? Well I have no excuse, just got busy and did not make my blog a priority. That is changing today! This year I am focusing on how to not only homeschool my boys, build my business and keep up with my blogs. The truth is it is all related it makes sense to do it all. I hope you enjoy the new look. Come back often to check on me, keep me accountable and add your insights. And if you like what you see, sign up as a follower. I would love to get to know you.

Parental Sayings by Andy Andrews - Just for Fun

Most of the time I try to be profound and insightful on my blog. Quite honestly I don't know whether I accomplish that. I don't even know if anyone reads my blogs. The truth is that I love to write, strive to improve and want to express myself.

Today I just wanted to share with you a smile. This video is one of the things that makes me smile. In fact anything that Andy Andrews does makes me smile. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have. It maybe something you bookmark and keep handy when you need to have a "discussion" with your children. You may just want to play it for them each morning just to get it out of the way. I hope you enjoy it -- parental sayings by Andy Andrews!

Great Call . . . Thank You Audrey Cupo

There are times when you just know that you have go with the flow or roll with the punches as they say. Tonight was one of those nights. I had an interview scheduled with Audrey Cupo, a professional organizer from Bucks County, PA. My goal in the interview was to hopefully get a few tips about how to get organized specifically geared toward busy moms. We had all the details taken care of and then came the call. Guess what? No one could hear us, in fact they were in a magical holding space while we were happily doing the call. Only after we completed the call did I find out there were people waiting for us. So we then got back on the line and held the call again. Not a problem, it was our pleasure to do that for the listeners who hung in there.

Many lessons have been learned, and we are clearly not throwing the baby out with the bath water. The one thing that did work was the recording. So if you are interested in the recording of our call here it is: Audrey Cupo.

Also, in case you are looking for a way to get organized and stay organized check out Audrey's site in which she discusses her new program. Imagine being able to have an accountability partner, mentor and trainer all in one package. The best part of the program is that it does not require a lot of time. Further I cannot believe the price. It is great! Here is the information on her coaching program. Keep in mind she only has 40 spots left and spots are filling up fast, so if this is your year to Live an Organized Life check it out.

Thank you again Audrey for a great call. And thank you all for your patience as we worked through this whole process.

Exciting Free Call

INTRODUCING

Join other busy moms and learn how to:

• Follow a proven step-by-step method that will allow you to tackle and accomplish any project.

• Avoid last minute runs to the store for special occasions and be on time and prepared for every special event.

• Plan vacations and family time that will have them saying “Thanks Mom”!

• Make back-to-school a breeze by implementing a simple system that will work every year!

• Relax and enjoy the holiday season because you know the step-by-step process for everything from gift giving and decorating to large family dinners/parties to overnight guests.

This is a quarterly coaching program held over the phone and does not require a lot of commitment or time.

There are four group sessions (one in January, April, July and October 2010) which will last approximately 30 minutes each, all packed with great tips and step-by-step solutions to get and stay organized.

Each session will be recorded and be accessible to download so you can refer back to them as many times as you’d like and will include free downloadable documents to support each session for you to work with.

This is a great opportunity for all busy moms to start 2010 on the path to living a more organized life!

If you would like to join a group of motivated busy moms who want to learn how to pull it all together, sign up for the LIVING A MORE ORGANIZED LIFE coaching program TODAY!

*There are only 40 spots available. Don’t be one of those busy moms who misses out on this great opportunity!

Go to http://bit.ly/liaorganize

***********************************************************

AUDREY CUPO is a full-time professional organizer and owner of “A BETTER SPACE”, based in Bucks County, PA. She specializes in residential organizing and focuses her business towards helping busy moms who face the day- to-day struggles of getting and staying organized.

All of us busy moms tend to be taxed to the point of exhaustion when it comes to keeping it all under control.

Audrey recognizes the needs of busy moms. Before becoming a professional organizer, she was a full-time legal secretary and paralegal working in several demanding personal injury law firms, wife and mother of a special needs child. Audrey knows how demanding the roll of busy mom can be. As a result, she has created a brand new coaching program geared strictly towards helping busy moms like you learn new systems for the various tasks you are responsible for.

All busy moms need some guidance and assistance to help them get through all the challenges of balancing motherhood with all their other responsibilities. That is exactly what this program offers. As a professional organizer, Audrey is trained to be able to show you systematic ways you never thought of to tackle those challenges.

******************************************************************************

SIGN UP NOW FOR A FREE TELE-CONFERENCE WHICH PROVIDES ALL THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROGRAM. HURRY - THIS PROGRAM BEGINS IN JANUARY 2010 AND THERE ARE ONLY 40 SLOTS AVAILABLE!

GO TO http://bit.ly/liaorganize

Time . . . a four letter word

I was looking for a quote for an e-lesson I was creating for my Business Marketing Gym members when I stumbled on this quote:

When someone is impatient and says, "I haven't got all day," I always wonder, How can that be? How can you not have all day? George Carlin

I could almost here George Carlin's sarcastic tone as I read it with a smile on my face. The truth is we all have the same amount of time, the question is how do we manage that time. I have said it before, there is no such thing as time management, that implies we can change, add or do something about time. No, that cannot be further from the truth. I do believe in "Behavior Management." That we can control. So my question to you as we start 2010, what behavior are you going to change for 2010 to get the most out of your time and life?

A Great Opportunity for Busy Moms

I am so excited about the opportunity to connect with Audrey Cupo. She is a professional organizer who specializes in residential organizing. She focuses her business on helping busy moms and women entrepreneurs learn how to get and stay organized.

She’s been busy not only writing newsletters, blogs and articles on the subject of getting organized, she has produced a line of products called U Can Do It which were specially created to help busy moms.

Now, she has put together an exciting, new coaching program for busy moms called "Living A More Organized Life".

With this program, you will learn how to follow a proven step-by-step method to tackle and accomplish any project, be prepared for every special event, plan vacations and family time, make back to school a breeze, and learn how to relax and enjoy the holiday season by having step-by-step ways to do gift-giving, decorating, large family dinners/parties and overnight guests.

I will be holding a free tele-conference on Wednesday, January 6, 2010 at 7:30 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time), where I will introduce Audrey to those of you who sign up and give you the opportunity to meet her. You will love what she has to offer! This information can be helpful to your friends so let them know about it too.

Don’t be one of those busy moms who misses out on the opportunity to learn how to live a more organized life! Sign up today at http://bit.ly/liaorganize so you can participate in this free tele-conference.

December - A Time for Reflection

One of the things I look to do at the end of each year is review what the year has been about and see if I can find what I have learned. Usually there are many lessons, the question is have I learned anything. I have been particularly reflective this year. Then I looked at my planning calendar which I used to plan out my business year and saw the theme which said: "Change: Embrace change and recognize that life is in constant motion. When boundaries are seen as opportunities, the world becomes a limitless place." For the record, no one was cited for that quote on my calendar.

I suddenly realized that this year my theme has been Embrace Change. My office moved, my son was diagnosed with major food allergies which required a whole new way of eating, we decided to homeschool our boys and my business focus is in transition to accommodate our new lifestyle. I have to admit there have been times during this year where I have felt paralyzed by the enormity of the changes. Any one change is enough to add stress, yet I had many major changes.

So what have I learned, hmm. I have learned

• it is okay to grieve what was,
• it is okay feel afraid,
• it is okay to ask for help,
• it is okay to fall apart for a little while,
• it is okay to take your time to heal,
• it is okay to take your time to work through the changes, and
• I don't have to have all the answers today. I make one decision at a time and then I look for the next right thing to do.

It has been an interesting journey, and one I could not have done without the help of my family, friends, coaches, business associates and most of all my God who has given me strength and a peace that surpasses all understanding during a time when I needed some peace. Here is a great quote that helps keep me on track when change hits me in the face. I hope it encourages you.

“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” Maria Robinson

You Can Feel It In The Air

I woke up this morning to the reality that it is December 1st! This is not bad news, just a fact. I felt it in the air that is brisk and filled with energy. I felt as my boys are starting to catch the excitement of the media that Christmas is around the corner. There is something different about this year though, we are homeschooling.

I think what I like best about that is the flexibility of our schedule. We work hard but on our terms. We are getting ready to study the Westward Bound expansion which includes the Alamo and the Gold Rush. Tom and David cannot wait. There are lots of exciting stories to read and facts to learn. We are also preparing for the holidays which includes a new chapter, making our own Christmas presents. We fill our days with reading, playing and sharing.

I think my favorite gift this year is the opportunity to work my boys. I love them, and they really love being homeschooled. I hope your holidays are a blessed as mine. May your days be filled with peace and may you never forget the reason for the season.

Change, cha cha changes . . .

All right, I am one who likes to go with the flow and roll with the punches. I would even say that I have spent a great deal of my life flying by the seat of my pants, but this is starting to get a bit crazy. In the last three months I have had a child diagnosed with serious food allergies, decided to home school the boys to help him through the healing process, changed the focus of my business and moved my office home. I have got to admit I am a bit overwhelmed by all the changes that are happening at the same time. It feels like I just start to catch my breath from one change when another seems to appear.

I find myself feeling off kilter and out of sync and I am wondering how to get back in sync. I will admit that I love homeschooling and our new lifestyle rocks. I truly wish I had done it sooner. Now I am putting it out to my God and the universe, I need a sign that I am on the right path and I am doing the right things. I am looking for encouragement on many levels.

I will keep you posted as I travel down this path.

Building Community at Lightning Speed

I just wanted to share with a recent revelation I shared with my clients. You see besides being a homeschooling mom, I am a marketing coach. I usually tell people I am a mom who has a business. They understand that my kids come first. When I started to seriously consider the homeschooling concept, I was skeptical and wanted some reassurance that I would not hurt my children in the process. I did what I do best, I went to my support group on the world wide web. I was surprised to see how many mom's are like me; they are entrepreneurs and homeschooling moms. I suddenly felt empowered and really researched it with a belief that I could do it.

Today is September 15th and I feel a "peace that surpasses all understanding." Honestly after only three weeks of serious homeschooling I am impressed. Here is what I think helped me take the leap: I prayed without ceasing, I got quiet and listened for answers (very hard for me to do) and then I started to reach out and ask for direction. It was not hard to do, I just logged onto Facebook and within minutes I had replies. I have great friends.

Within a month of opening this door I was fully involved and knew there was no turning back. The beauty is with the internet and the advent of social networking, you can have answers to any question within minutes.

If there is anything holding you back, follow the three steps I outlined above and get busy. Don't wait for all the stars to line up, line them up yourself. You can do it and you do not have to do it alone. I am sure there is someone out there to help you.

What does spaghetti sauce have to do with it?

I find inspiration in many places. Recently, I stumbled on a rich array of videos on many topics. The one I want to share with you today is a presentation made by Malcolm Gladwell who discusses the psychology of marketing by way of spaghetti sauce. In this clip entitled What we can learn from spaghetti sauce Malcolm explains how we went from marketing what we wanted to market to the masses by creating focus groups with leading questions to asking consumers to try many varieties of options to see which best suited their tastes. At first it is not clear how this is so significant, and as you watch this entertaining clip (about 19 minutes), you begin to understand the significance of this one revelation. Enjoy the clip and let me know what you think.

So what does this have to do with children? I am glad you asked. What if we offered more options and let our kids choose what they want? What do we normally do, we ask questions like: would you please go and get dressed? What we want is our child to get dressed; the problem lies when they answer the question in a way we don't want. So you ask the above question and they say "I don't want to." Now we are backed into a corner and this now becomes a confrontation. What if we became more resourceful and planned a little better. Then we could say: Which would like to do first, get dressed or have a snack? Then let them do both successfully.

Yes I know that seems like a lot of work, but if we can get into the habit of empowering our kids to make good choices, I believe they will rise to the occasion. Just a thought from this homeschooling-business mom.

How to make God Laugh . . .

Tell him your plan! Yes, this has been the year I have realized that I need to truly understand what it means to surrender. It took a very difficult summer with lots of doctor visits, lab work and major medical expenses to realize that God has a different plan for me and my family. At first I fought the plan, spent time in denial. Then I realized it was time and I gave into it. An amazing thing happened. As I truly started to let go and give in to God's leading for my life. The peace that surpasses all understanding was released in me. Also, people have fallen upon my path to help me down this new road. I feel content, energized even though I am completely out of my comfort zone.
It reminds me of a song where there main chorus is Life is Hard, But God is good. So true! Today I am grateful for learning to trust and to try to work on my ability to surrender and be obedient. I know it will take time, but I am in it for the long haul so I am just enjoying the ride.

What to eat?

It is official, David is intolerant to whey and gluten. Argh!!! At first this seemed overwhelming. That lasted about 10 mins. Then I looked at the cost vs benefits and realized it is what it is and we will get through it. Now I am on a mission to have fun, find great food and somehow maintain a food budget that does not require me mortgaging my house to feed my family. Wish me luck.

Just an update, David has been milk free for three weeks and gluten free for four days. He is doing great. He focuses on what he can have not what he can't. We shop together and he gets excited each time we find something he can eat. Today we found oreo type cookies and pretzels. I am not sure it is wishful thinking or really happening, but I think he seems calmer and the circles under his eyes are almost gone. I think it is working. Yeah!!

Time . . . How To Quantify

Recently I became painfully aware that there is a difference in the term time. There is quantity time and quality time and my question today is how do you quantify time? My youngest son, one of the joys of my life, is having impulse control issues; argh I hate labels. Well anyway, when I was talking to a friend about my issues and concerns she said maybe I need to spend more time with my son. To that I said, "I spend more time than most parents do, what did she mean?" Hence came the term quality time.

I will admit that I am not always present every moment I am with my boys. It is sad to say, that I have multi-tasked in their presence. Shame on me! I feel so blessed to become aware of this and to find this at a time when I can change my behavior. I can choose to be present. I can choose to focus. Here are some other ideas I have thought of to help me in this effort to be a better mom, not a super mom:

• Get organized and plan the week in advance;
• Do as much as I can when boys are at school or camp;
• Get up earlier and get ready so I am not rushing when I am with them; and
• Slow down so I can enjoy them.

I think my crock pot will become my best friend. If anyone reading this has any ideas on how to get organized and plan your day, I am open to suggestions. This does not come naturally to me. I will keep you posted.

There is a season . . .

If you have been following I have been trying to decide whether or not to home school or not. Currently my children go to a private school and after a long year I realized it was time for a change. Although in business I thrive on change, this change has been very difficult. I am still fighting a battle over the decision. I have come to one decision, that I am not ready for the home schooling option, at this time. So now I have to decide whether to stay or go.

I feel like I am living with one foot in and one foot out; very hard place to be. I am off to a meeting to gather more information that will help me with this process. Wish me luck. I will keep you posted.

The Quest Is Nearing An End

It has been a bittersweet quest to determine if I am going to homeschool or not. Besides talking to other homeschooling moms, even ones who have businesses running and homeschool at the same time, I went to a homeschool mini-convention in my area. I have read up on the different styles of homeschooling and reviewed my boys learning styles as well as my teaching style. At the same time I had the boys visit a school that has been on our radar screen for many years, a Christian school. They truly felt at home there. They were welcomed and when I came to pick them up, they were energized. Based on all the research as well as the most recent parent-teachers conference, we are definitely leaning toward the Christian school option.

I must say that I am personally disappointed. I wanted more than anything to be a homeschooling mom. But in the final analysis, I feel it is in the best interest of the boys and their mom to be in a school setting for the time being. That being said, it does not mean I might not broach this subject in the future. I am leaving my options open and I will not say "never." It is possible that once my business evolves and my boys are older, it may make sense to homeschool them at that time. Even though the quest feels done, it is only on hiatus for the time being. Thanks for following the continuing saga. The good news is whatever decision we make for the boys, I know it will be the right decision for our family.