Friend Makin' Monday- I can't live without...

This week Amber is hosting a Friend Makin' Monday all about the things you couldn't live without.  My list will exclude all things living and focus solely on the material- silly and shallow maybe, but the living things are a given!  So, here goes:

• My iPhone!  It is my link to the outside world!  Helps keep me sane!
  

• My computer/internet- link #2 and also offers sanity!
  

• Baby Einstein- I would never get to shower without it!
  

• Cloth diapers- for more than the obvious reason!  They allow me to accessorize my boys!  

• Something we mamas of boys often miss out on!
  

• Books- they let me escape, they teach me, they inspire me, they distract me and help me relax!
  

• Dark Chocolate- I would not make it through some days without this little vice!

Yup, I think that about does it!  How about you?

This is MY space- like it or leave!

Lately I have been feeling very restricted with my blog- like certain people who frequent it are passing judgment on the things I write, on a personal level.  This grieves me because my blog is the only real place I have for just me and it acts as my therapist a great deal of the time.  As a mom of young kids, as many of you are, I have very little time to myself or things I do just for me.  My blog is my release and one of the few places I can just get right down and honest about stuff!  In fact, this post on All That is Good could have been written by myself nearly word for word!

This invasion into my blog has caused me to stray from writing much lately, which in turn makes me feel bottled-up and without an outlet.  I have gone so far as to consider creating a new blog, contacting my real blogging friends and those I know enjoy my blog and read it in love, and then abandoning this one completely.  But that really wouldn't be fair to myself- I have worked incredibly hard to get this blog where it is and a few sour readers shouldn't ruin that for me!

So, if you happen to be one of the people out there who has a problem with what I write, please do not come back.  Don't try to take this space away from me.  There are precious few things I have left to hang onto and this blog is one of them!  Find something better to do with your time than frustrate both yourself and me!

Have I made myself clear?  Alright then, that's all I have to say about that!

The Simple Woman's Daybook- Post 1!

 FOR TODAY

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Outside my window... abnormally warm temperatures for late September in our neck of the woods!  R-Man actually ran through the sprinklers yesterday!

I am thinking... about the curriculum I am writing for a Preparing for Birth and Baby series of classes I am hoping to being offering this winter.

I am thankful for... the jobs my husband was called on yesterday- we own a finish carpentry business so a "job" is only a few weeks of work, but it pays well when he has one and it couldn't be more timely!

From the learning rooms... R-Man is learning the letter "E" this week and about Joseph in the Bible.  I am diligently getting back into working on my Certified Lactation Educator training.

From the kitchen... not much- I am in dire need of a trip to the store but I just can't bring myself to pack up both boys and take them after our last ultimate melt-down!

I am wearing... sweats!  Sometimes you just have to!

I am creating... curriculum (as I mentioned before), not very creative but very satisfying!

I am going... to hopefully meet up with a friend at the park in place of our normal co-op time, and also a trip to the store.

I am reading... too much!  I am still working on If God is Good (and probably will be for a while!), The Ultimate Guide to Breastfeeding, Love Has a Face, Extraordinary, and Creative Correction!  Sheesh!  I need to get some of these finished!

I am hoping... that both boys will nap at the same time today!

I am hearing... ok- to be totally honest, I am writing this very late at night (or early morning rather) so I am listening to my husband snoring in the baby monitor!

Around the house... are toys- lots of them!  We broke out R-Man's old toys for Lion Cub this week!  It's crazy!

One of my favorite things... is quiet- it is so rare, but so cherished!

A few plans for the rest of the week: possibly going to the lake for the weekend and not a whole lot else!

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...  Actually, instead of a picture I thought I would just point out the new look of my blog (hope it didn't throw some of you off!).  I was just feeling the need for something more Fall-ish!  Now, if I can just figure out how to alter my html to make my columns spread out a little better (so they aren't so jammed on top of each other) I will be in business!

To participate, visit The Simple Woman's Daybook

If God is Good Review

 Right off, I must admit, I was hesitant to begin reading this book.  When I had first been contacted by the publisher to consider reviewing it I knew that it would be incredibly relevant to the last few years of my life, along with being interesting and even helpful, but when it arrived in the mail later than I had anticipated and was much longer than I had assumed (494 pages!) the task seemed daunting. On top of all that, I could tell that this book was full of philosophy, meant to spur deep thinking and, to be totally honest, there is not a lot of room left in this tired mama's head for any of that!

However, after finally picking up the book I found myself captivated- a description I do not normally reserve for such well-researched works of logical non-fiction!  Randy Alcorn crafts his words on this deep matter in such away that I can hardly put it down (I say can because I am still reading and digesting it), and beyond that, makes a very complex subject relateable and personal, while being highly informative and enlightening.

Among other things, in If God is Good, Alcorn emphasizes the perspective which we bring to evil and suffering.  This perspective is something I have thought about a great deal in the past two years.  Two months from now marks the two year anniversary of my miscariage of my son Micah, and just a mere two weeks from now marks the one year anniversary of the loss of my first ever doula client and good friend's 5 hour old son.  Beyond these losses, there have been quite a few more tragedies and heartache in the birthing community as of late, and sometimes it can all just seem senseless.

Although I have never lost my faith, there have absolutely been times that I couldn't help but stop and question God.  Why were all of these heartbreaking, mind-boggling things happening to families who seem to deserve so much more?  Reading this book however, has offered many intensely powerful reminders about God's sovereignty and omniscience.  He knows everything that happens and He is utterly compassionate to our circumstances.  He has felt the deepest loss- the loss of His Son- and He knows our pain. That can all sound cliche', I am quite aware, but it is true.  Alcorn, however, addresses this topic in such a way as to not make peoples' pain seem inconsequential.  Goodness knows that the last thing I wanted to hear when loosing Micah was anything along the lines of, "God has a reason," or "Everything will turn out alright."  Even if those things were true, they were in no way comforting or healing to my soul.  Alcorn faces the tough questions of suffering and evil head on and answers them with refreshing honesty and compelling study.

 Alcorn does a wonderful job of not just addressing the "feelings" we have about suffering and evil though, he really delves deep and cracks open some very intense questions about why God allows things to happen and where the roots of these problems exist.  I think that anyone dealing with suffering or loss in their life should give some serious time and consideration to this book.  It is challenging and even hard to swallow at times, but is none-the-less a powerful examination of why this world is the way it is and how we can better deal with it.

I am still in the process of reading If God is Good (remember, the nearly 500 pages and mom of two young kids thing?!), but I can assure you that this will not be one of those books that gets placed back on my shelf half-read!  The incredibly relevant message leaves me no choice but to go deeper and absorb the critical points this book makes.  As Alcorn points out in the book, we will all probably face some sort of suffering or evil in our lives, so isn't it better to learn more about it before we actually have to overcome it? And if we are currently dealing with it, then this book is just as timely.

If you think that you or someone you know would benefit from this book, I encourage you to purchase a copy here.  I am quite sure you will find it every bit as helpful as I have.

If you are interested in blogging for Waterbrook Press you can go here.

Mama Time- Just the Blues?

 

As you may have noticed in recent weeks, my appearances in the blogosphere have been significantly less than any time in the past 6 months.  About 4 weeks ago, around the time Lion Cub reached 11 weeks old, I began to feel not quite like myself.  More than tired, which is obviously normal for a mama of two little ones, I began to feel significantly fatigued.  My motivation to do much of anything all but vanished completely, and I could be brought to tears at nearly any moment of the day for the most obscure possible reasons.  To be frank, I felt very similar to how I felt after my miscarriage two years ago- just not right. 

 

On top of all that, some harsh reminders of the past came back into the "picture," which hurt me deeply and caused me to spiral into a state of questioning and despair about my current life.  To others involved it may have seemed silly and small, but it pained me to the core and brought nothing short of heartbreak, misery, frustration and outright anger.  I felt defeated and hopeless.  

 

After taking a pregnancy test to rule out that incredibly small possibility, I was forced to face the most likely culprit for the way I had been feeling- Postpartum Depression.  Many people don't realize that PPD can strike at any point in the first year postpartum, and has so many varying degrees that the preferred term has now been changed to Postpartum Mood Disorders.

"Well, maybe you just have the Baby Blues," you might be thinking, but by definition, the Baby Blues occur in the first days following birth when the mother experiences a significant shift in her hormones, and then passes.  I am quite sure that what I have been facing goes much beyond that, after all, it popped up at two months postpartum and has lasted a number of weeks.  The comment has also been made to me (by our pediatrician no less) that I have been smiling during the boys' appointments, so I must be fine.  This assumption, based on a plastic smile pasted on for public outings, seems rather silly in my opinion and lacking in much credibility!  Just because I haven't hit the road and headed out of town or demonstrated some violent display of bitter rage, doesn't mean that I haven't been under the burden of some degree of PPD.
So, what do I do?  I don't think that medication is the answer- not that some people don't need it, it just isn't right for me.  At no point in the near future am I going to have the chance to skip town and spend a few days by myself (or even with my husband or a close friend) to get a break and recharge my batteries.  My options are limited.   What I have done is prayed, a lot.  I have sought out the help of family (many of my friends have had their own issues to deal with lately or simply been out of town).  I have tried to get out of the house as much as possible.  I have tried to get a few minutes of quiet each day to read or do something for me (usually when the little people in my life are sleeping- so there is no guarantee this one will happen!).  I have tried to help others, for a variety of reasons, including taking the time to focus on what someone else is going through instead of what I am.  I have begun to wake up every morning knowing that I have to choose to make that day productive and joyful, and so I try to, most days anyway.  Each day gets a little bit better than the last.

As for that other situation, those reminders of the past.  Well, I don't discredit those feelings just because I have been dealing with Postpartum Depression.  Obviously, either situation would be hard enough to deal with by itself, but handling them together has only compounded my emotions.  I have tried to reign in my thoughts on the matter and move on, again, but that of course is not to say that the problem doesn't need to come to some sort of resolve.  The issue still must be addressed and concluded before I can fully get past it, but such is life.

Can any of you relate?  Have you been facing your own postpartum trials and would like to share, or vent?  Do you have any solutions to the issue, things you have been doing to help ease the pain?  I sincerely believe that postpartum mamas need each other, and simply relating to one another on a topic that others not in this season of life can rarely understand, is oh so helpful.  So please, link up!

I Was Here... Breastfeeding- Pumping!

I have tried pumping a few times in the last few weeks and although Lion Cub doesn't seem to be as completely averted to the bottle as R-Man was, he still isn't that interested.  I am hoping that in the next month or so he actually will take one and Jer and I can have an evening out by ourselves!  We'll see!

So, instead of an actual breastfeeding pic this week. I thought I would post some pumping pics.  I think you can understand why I just couldn't resist posting these!

Phone?

Oxygen Mask?

So do you have any breastfeeding (or pumping) pics or stories to share this week?  Include the I Was Here... Breastfeeding button and link up!

Make sure to come back next week for a little Mama Time- we will be talking about dealing with the blues and postpartum depression.

Friend Makin' Mondays- Fall Shows!

This week for Friend Makin' Monday we are supposed to list the shows we are looking forward to this fall, and I must admit, as the cool weather approaches I enjoy a little time on the couch, under a cozy blanket watching my favorite shows with my hubby!  So here is what we are looking forward to this fall (some have already started):

So You Think You Can Dance (my FAVORITE!!!)

18 Kids and Counting (soon to be 19!)

The Office

House

LA Ink

The Biggest Loser

(Or Big Fat Loser as we usually call it- it was a slip up years ago and we have called it that ever since! lol!)

My husband will also probably want to watch Survivor, and although I usually watch it with him, it is not my favorite.  We also have a TIVO, so that cuts down on a lot of the watching time because we fast-forward through commercials and can watch things when it is convenient for us!

Hope on over the AEFilkins and join in this week!

Coming Attractions Winner!

Congrats to:

Lady Araujo

You won my giveaway for Coming Attractions- I have e-mailed you and need to hear back ASAP for you to claim your prize!

Where I Babywear- trying on pants!

Lion Cub was especially fussy (very tired) and I had no choice but to wear him while I was trying on jeans the other day! My grandma was shopping with me and did have to help me actually get the pants on and off, but it worked!

Have you had any especially a adventurous babywearing outings lately?  Any just regular ones?  Share them here!  Include the Where I Babywear button and post your direct link!!  Can't wait to see!

Next week's meme will be I Was Here... Breastfeeding, so come back prepared with your latest BFing pic or story on Tuesday!

Changes for the fall

So, now that The Summer of Baby Love is over, I have decided to restructure my memes a little bit.  Basically, each meme will be posted once a month, instead of weekly.  Memes will be posted every Tuesday.  When each meme is posted I will also be announcing the meme for the next week, along with the topic, so that it is easier for everyone to participate.  Here is what the new meme schedule will look like:

1st Week of Month:  Chic Cheeks
2nd Week of Month: Where I Babywear
3rd Week of Month:  I Was Here... Breastfeeding
4th Week of Month:  Mama Time

I decided to do this so that I could participate in more of the wonderful memes that you ladies have out there, and because I feel like it will be more feasible for people to join in my memes if I only host one a week!

So, with that said, this week's meme will actually be on Wednesday (because of the holiday) and will be Wear I Babywear- you can post whatever recent babywearing pic you want, to join in!  I can't wait to see where you all have been wearing your babes! 

Little Bear Bums Winner!

The winner of the Little Bear BumsPre-fitted diaper giveaway is:

Justine!!

Congrats!  E-mail me ASAP to claim your prize!

I Was Here Breastfeeding- In a Boat!

We went back out to the lake this past weekend and my in-laws finally put their boat in (they hadn't because during our horrible winter their shed collapsed and broke the whole windshield- frame and all). It has been really warm so it was great to get out on the water! Lion Cub and R-Man loved the new adventure!

I do breastfeed in a boat, I would breastfeed with a goat!
I like to breastfeed, yes I do! I like to breastfeed, how 'bout you?!
Post (include the I Was Here... Breastfeeding button) and Link!

Chic Cheeks- Slacker!

Alright, honestly, sometimes I slack off on certain things about my CDing life. I always use cloth but I don't always execute the full cloth practice as I should. Such as lately I haven't been spraying my dirty dipes off, which I know you don't have to do but it seems to cut down on smell when I do. So, (at the prompting of my husband) I should probably start doing that again.

I also haven't been using my wipes solution, instead I have just been wetting the wipes down with warm water. I think that the water works fine, but the solution seems to help the wipe slide across his skin easier. SO, I should probably start making that again too.

Now, if only these children would stop screaming so I could do some of these things! Here's to hoping!

Can you relate? Share about it! Just include the Chic Cheeks button then come back here and linkup! Come on, let me know I am not the only one!

Coming Attractions- Book Review and Giveaway

I have been reading about Katie Weldon and all of her friends since I was 13 years old (The Christy Miller and Sierra Jensen series'), so I pretty much run out and buy a copy of any new books that come about them- it is kind of like catching up with old friends and finding out what has been happening in their lives since the last time we talked!

Well, Coming Attractions, the newest book in the Katie Weldon series, did not disappoint- in fact I think it could possibly be one of Robin Jones Gunn's best works to date! This book does not just embody entertaining fiction but gives readers much to ponder about forgiveness and following God's direction in their own lives. As always, the characters are likeable and relateable, and Robin leaves just the right amount of suspense for the final pages of the book!

I laughed and literally cried with Katie as she graduated college and moved on towards the next amazing adventure of her life! I cannot wait to hear what happens with Katie next and desperately hope that Robin has much more in store for us over the next few years- the 4th book simply can't be released soon enough! When you read Coming Attractions (especially if you are a fan of Robin's books) I am sure you will understand!

This book truly caused me to reflect on my own ideas of forgiveness and even helped me come to terms with some ways I needed to forgive myself. It also reminded me of how God has a sense of humor about keeping our futures a mystery- I can plan all I want, but in the end He has very specific plans laid out for me, and I like that! It is nice to know (especially right now) that someone knows and understands what is going on!

To purchase your own copy, just head on over to Amazon and pick one up! You can also find the book along with lots of fun news and products at RobinGunn.com.

If you would like to read other reviews about the book, you can hop over to other blogs on the tour to hear what they think:

4 the Love of Books
A Peek at My Bookshelf
Blog Tour Spot
Book Nook Club
Carlybird’s Home
christymillerfans.webs
Christy’s Book Blog
Come Meet AusJenny
CommuniKate
Deus e Fiel
Drive Home Productions
Fictionary
Great Christian Reads
Karen R. Evans
Life is one daily adventure
Lighthouse Academy
Mama Kenz Studio
My Christian Fiction Blog
My Spot
Red Said Paisley
Sherry Kyle
The 160-acre Woods
The Friendly Book Nook
The Gospel Writer
The Writing Road
WORD up!

Want to try to win a copy of Coming Attractions? Since I had already purchased the book before I found out that I would be a part of the blog tour, I thought I could offer the copy that the publisher sent me to one of my lovely readers! This will be the simplest entry I have ever offered on my site- just tell me why you want to read this book! That's it!

Additional entries will be granted for all of the following (leave a separate comment for each)- these entries only count AFTER you complete the above entry:

• Being a follower of my blog (right sidebar)
• Being a subscriber of my blog- via feed or e-mail (left sidebar)
• Having the Mama Kenz Studio button on your blog- please note that the Summer of Baby Love button no longer counts since it is over (also in left sidebar)
• Blogging about the giveaway (leave the link to your direct post)
• Following on Twitter and tweeting about the giveaway (leave your screen name and the time you tweeted- can be done daily)
• Participating in any meme during this giveaway (leave the direct link to your meme post)

The giveaway will end Wednesday, September 9, 2009 @ 9:00 PST. Winner will be posted and notified by the end of the week.

Mama Time- 100 things

I got this cute little list (or rather large) from my friend Kim at A View From The M and The Trial of Labor. I have done everything in bold! Have fun learning a few crazy facts about me!

1. Started your own blog (my blogs are this one- obviously- and The World According to R-Man and The Lion Cub)
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band (no, but I have sung in many choirs and on a few worship teams- not to mention all the musical theatre I have done!)
4. Visited Hawaii (and want to move there!)
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo (many!)
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child (but I have a deal with my husband- if we have four boys, we are adopting a girl!)
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill (only in school- I wish there were "sick days" for moms!)
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon (haha- yeah right!)
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset (my husband and I fell in love watching a sunrise!)
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing (okay, rock wall climbing is more like it, but there was a day when I was pretty good and did it a lot! I would like to do it again someday!)
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight (but only at a lake)
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling (first time in Hawaii last year- it was trippy!)
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater (with my parents, back in the day! Now the theatre that we went to has been turned into an apartment complex that my parents actually live at! Weird!)
55. Been in a movie (yes, with a speaking roll!)
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business (a couple, actually)
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia (It was amazing! So much history!)
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies (Camp Fire candies baby! Top seller every year!)
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma (I nearly pass out when having blood drawn, so I don't think this would go well!)
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp (I really want to though- no it's not morbid, I just feel a strong connection to this part of history)
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter (I would get sooooo sick!)
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy (Cabbage Patch Doll!)
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London (No, but I have in Volgograd, Russia!)
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle (My inlaws have Harleys)
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book (not yet, but I'm working on it!)
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible (so close- all but a few chapters in Ezekiel! I should just buckle down and do it!)
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (no, but I have cooked what my husband killed!)
88. Had chickenpox (scars to prove it!)
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous (remember? I was in a movie!)
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit (sorta- my husband was, which then effected me)
98. Owned a cell phone (hello- my life-line!)
99. Been stung by a bee (no- and it is likely that I am allergic! Scary!)
100. Totally copied a post from someone else’s blog to your own (NEVER! Unless you would call this post a copy, ut I don't think its counts when it's a meme!)

Now I want to learn about you! Copy this list, paste in your post and customize it for you! Make sure to come back and link- I want to see!

Friend Makin' Monday- 20 Questions!

FMM this week is a little 20 questions! Enjoy!

1. Do you cook every night?
That is my goal, and has been all year. I started planning meals a month at a time to save money and make sure we weren't repeating a lot, and I did pretty well until the last few weeks of my pregnancy. Things have been a little rocky since then in the planning department but I am slowly getting back on track!

2. What kind of laundry detergent do you use & why?
Country Save with Vinegar as softener (and no, it doesn't make my clothes smelly funny!). I am also using Tiny Bubbles for our dipes and I really like it!

3. Do you do laundry every day or loads at a time?
I try to do at least a load a day but it doesn't always happen! I feel like I am constantly washing dipes, so the clothes have to try to get washed in between!

4. How often do you eat out per week?
Depends on the week! My goal is not at all, but sometimes I get desperate and grab a Papa Murphy's or something. We live really close to lots of take out, so the occasional fish taco has been known to grace our table, maybe not so occasionally (okay- so the girls who work there no my birth story and how old my baby is! We are going less frequently now!)!

5. Where do you usually eat out?
Taco Del Mar, Arby's, Bruchi's, Papa Murhy's

6. What is your favorite retail store?
JoAnn Fabrics & Crafts

7. What's your favorite thing to drink?
Snapple Raspberry White Tea

8. Do you take vitamins? What kind?
I am still taking my prenatals and folic acid but not as consistently as I was.

9. What percentage of the household chores to you do?
99.9% Sometimes my husband will vacuum, but for the most part everything is up to me.

10. Do your children do chores? {Or will they, did they, etc}
R-Man is just starting to help me out. I ask him to make his bed and he is responsible for cleaning up his toys and books. I intend to expand his duties as her gets older.

11. Do you go to church?
We are Christians but have been having a hard time finding a fitting church home. I hate being in flux and REALLY want to find a place that we can get involved and have solid fellowship, but it is difficult to find the right place for us. I know we are going to need to compromise but it is hard to decide on what.

12. Do you have a housework schedule?
I try to generally follow FlyLady's principles- even following them a little bit helps me to keep things manageable (most of the time).

13. Do you keep a working budget?
Not really. We are living job to job right now, so it is always changing.

14. What do you do at night as a family?
Have dinner, Jer wrestles with R-Man and we wind down with a little TV. We have our shows and enjoy them- that is just the way we are.

15. How do you prepare yourself for a new week?
I try to get things lined out for R-Man's preschool curriculum and get the house back into some semblance of order- doesn't always work though!

16. What do your mornings look like?
They are always changing! My goal is to get up before the boys and have sometime to get myself prepared for the day, but I don't always have the energy. They always wake up at different times too, so it is hard to plan.

17. What time do you get up in the mornings?
Goal- 7:00 (at least), but it is usually more like 7:45 or 8:00

18. What time do you go to bed at night?
Typically between 11:00-1:00, but I am trying to change that!

19. How do you manage all of the paperwork that floods into your household? {bills, school work, magazines, ads, etc}
It all usually gets stacked next to my computer and eventually filed away into binders. I hate it though! I love paper, but paperwork I loathe!!! How odd that I run the office for our business (and hate that too!).

20. How do you keep your household organized? {calendars, charts, etc}
I am a lister! Like crazy! I am LOVING Evernote.com and have the application on my iPhone. I also usually use my iCal program for appointments, but need to update it badly!

Join in the Friend Makin' Fun over at ae Filkins!