Things You May Not Have Known About Me

1. I love cottage cheese and french dressing, mixed together. Yum!

2. I'm a big fan of NASCAR and have been to four (Winston Cup/Nextel Cup/Sprint Cup...whatever)races at two different tracks. Fun Times!

3. I'm short, yet not the shortest in my family.

4. I love reality shows...and one of my favorites of all time would have to be Kept.

5. I met Donnie Wahlberg at his father's house when I was in 5th grade, just as NKOTB were becoming big. It was a big moment. I've also seen Tiffany in concert twice with NKOTB...once as the main act and later as the opening act.

Loving My Palm

My Palm T|X, that is. I love it. It's become so much a part of my life. I just have to wax poetic about it here with you all. I've had mine for over a year and a half. It was a wonderful gift from my husband celebrating a promotion I received. While the job no longer exists, my Palm T|X is still a part of my everyday life. I've just found so many uses for this PDA. Now I totally realize that PDAs are so 90's. I know because I received my first one from my sister as a graduation from high school gift. However, it's just such a nifty tool, and sometimes, integrated devices have some limitations.

Here are just a few things my Palm does for me.
1. photo album
2. mp3 player
3. ebook reader (Mobipocket)
4. address book
5. web browser
6. audiobook player (Audible)
7. period tracker
8. database manager (Handy Shpr)
9. games (freejongg, solitaire, sudoku)
10. Document reader (Docs to Go)

For me, it's a great multi-tasking device, but I'll admit to one thing. I can't go all digital when it comes to scheduling. I love having my paper planner and I love my pen and paper lists. I just can't get away from them. It's the reason why I take my Palm and a notebook everywhere I go.

Entering 2009

The beginning of this year has come along with a few changes for me and my family. I've stopped working from home in the job I had for over 3 years. It's been quite a change. It means playing with my sons without guilt or worrying about the few hours of work to go before bedtime, and focusing on projects around our home that have been put off and put off. It also means that I can devote more time to My Monkeys and Me, which I am incredibly excited and happy for.

So what's going on with monkeys? The big guy has begun going to preschool daily for mornings only. It was definitely the right time to increase from 3 days to 5. The curriculum at the school is really based on 5 days and he has already begun to learn so much. With two more days, it's sure to have a positive effect. We've also found that he just hasn't adjusted to going some days and not others. So far, we've been happy with the change.

The little monkey is also doing well and enjoying having me available for more time. I've been working on recipes for him that the whole family can enjoy. Not an easy thing with all of his allergies and foods to avoid. We're also working on his talking. Since he's learning two languages at the same time, it's no wonder that he's a bit behind. I'm hoping to encourage him to speak more and more in either language.

Finally there's me...I've got some new things to try out as I manage our home and some things I'll be doing for me...(big shocker, I know). I'll be sure to keep you all posted on what's working and what isn't.

Living the Crazy Mama Life

I'm learning new stuff everyday. I love those 'aha' moments even when I realize I've been doing everything wrong. For the last year or so, I've been working on ways to increase my productivity and be more effective. It's finally gotten through to me that I am no longer a multi-tasker. Sure I remember those late nights, listening to music, catching up with my mom on the phone, and writing a paper for school. I was probably painting my nails, too. I was the ultimate multi-tasker and I felt like it only made me more successful than I would be if I stuck with just one task. I remember reading a study that proved to me that I was made to multi-task. Women, it said, were far better at juggling multiple to do items while men were far more successful with uni-tasking.

I've come to realize that being a mom means that I'm forever multi-tasking. I never stop. If I'm brushing my teeth, I'm monitoring to make sure Thing 1 doesn't take down Thing 2. If I'm working at night on my laptop, there's a good chance that I'm talking with my husband, watching tv, snuggling with my dog and making sure my son stays in bed. I've realized that perhaps, trying to work, pay my bills, and keep track of my email box...along with the other mommy multi-tasking I do at home isn't the best idea. I'm committing to a new way of thinking for me...Focusing on as little tasks as possible at any given time. Working from home means I can't just turn off my mommy job but there is no reason for me to over-task my already cluttered brain. Wish me luck as I try something new. It's time to let go of the guilt of not accomplishing five things at once and trying to do one thing well.