Search Results for: Blissdom

Great Organizing Tips

January 17, 2013 By Shan Leave a Comment

photo(22) Yesterday, after tripping over shoe upon shoe I decided it was time.

Time to organize my closet once and for all.

I never truly organized it when we moved in to this house about 3 years ago. It has also become a dumping ground for stuff around the house. For example, I might have company coming so I grab a container and throw all the clutter in it. That container ends up in my closet. For some reason I have linens and all kinds of non-closet items. I always justify that the rest of the house {the part everyone sees} deserves my attention more. However it is completely out of control and beginning to wreak havoc when trying to find clothing I need or want.

I have a nice size walk in closet with built ins. It is plenty big for my needs yet most of the time I can’t walk in. Isn’t that awful!? It is. Sigh…

This is where I am in my organizing {no I did not finish}:

-Took all the shoes out of the closet. Purged shoes (1 bag)

-Vacuumed the floor I could see. {I love vacuuming because of the instant gratification it brings!}

-Purged dresses and shirts. (1bag) Threw away old hangers and used new wooden hangers I scored for only $6 for a box of 20 at Wal Mart. {Sure hope when I go back to Wal Mart they’ll have more of those hangers}

-Grouped my dresses in colors. Ahhh…if it only looked like this all the time.

Anyway, so a beautiful person I met at Blissdom last year is a professional organizer. Her name is Amy Volk from amyvolk.com She saw me whining about how grueling this closet organizing process is for me on Instagram with the photo above. She left me this comment of hope:

“Tomorrow my segment is on closet organizing )))”

I visited her site first thing this morning and found a video of Amy on a TV news segment and had to share it with you:

I’m off to work some more on my closet.

P.S.: When I updated my blog it took away my pages {Home, About Me, Blogs Bring Joy, Affiliates Bring joy, Books Bring Joy} I’m currently waiting to hear back from WordPress to see how this can be corrected. Sorry for the technical difficulties

Wish me luck,

Is Time Management For Teens An Oxymoron?

September 4, 2012 By Shan 6 Comments

My Step-Brother’s Dog

You know the saying,

“You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.”

I was contemplating something this morning and thought about asking for feedback on Family Brings Joy’s Facebook page.

Once I decided to do this, I began forming the question in my mind.

I resolved the question might be better suited if I asked it in a blog post.

Here’s the question:

Is it too late to teach my Senior in High School

better time management skills?

You see, bless my Daughter’s heart, she inherited my inattentive Attention Deficit Disorder.

I have been trying to help with her busy school schedule/homework, preparing for ACT, prepare for a church program {called Personal Progress,} keep up with Color Guard and prepare for college applications. When I say help I mean it usually consists of me asking, “Are you doing your homework?” “Are you studying for the ACT?” “Are you doing your Personal Progress?” I feel like a nag and by the tone of her voice replies she thinks of it as nagging.

She will take her 2nd ACT test this Saturday. She is taking it as many times as she can so she can get the best score. We had a little ‘run in’ this weekend. This consisted of withholding her from an extracurricular activity with friends at the lake so she could use that time to study for the ACT. Needless to say, this didn’t go over well.

I have purchased a planner/calendar for her and a book on organizing your time specifically for teens. There are a few other things I’ve done that I plan on sharing with you at a later date. We are trying to manage the ADD without putting her on meds. I do take medicine to manage my ADD. It has been a blessing from God because it helps me tremendously.

This is hard to articulate. When I see my Daughter’s habits, I see me when I was her age. Now at 42, I’ve had years {& medicine, counseling etc.} to get where I am today in regards to managing my time. I have definitely not perfected time management at all, but I am much better than I used to be.

Side note: My 17 year old gets up on her own every morning at 5:00am so she can be at Seminary {a church scripture study class} by 5:45am. She then goes straight to school for Color Guard practice for Marching Band. I think it begins at 7:00am. Next is school from 8-3. She may not be exactly punctual to Seminary, but I am very proud of her dedication. This is a very full and demanding day.

HOW can I help her without being a nag? Here’s the deal…when I go to her room to check on her…9 times out of 10 she is on her iPhone. Her iPhone/Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/Internet/Texting/Facetime is a HUGE time suck for her. Any other parents out there dealing with this? If I take her phone away, her reaction is as though I have ripped her heart out. She then proceeds to tell me {in so many words} how she can’t possibly study now that she’s angry with me about taking her phone away. {By the way, DH gave her his old iPhone when I was at Blissdom Blog Conference. I am avidly against her having the iPhone.} Next thing I know, she is working on a report or project the night before it’s due.

I guess I haven’t been a good enough teacher in regards to time management with my kids. Is it too late now? Should I just leave her alone and hope for the best?

I am curious to what you think. However, I will preface this with, please go easy on me, okay? Wisdom and counsel is what I’m seeking, not massive amounts of criticism. Besides, I have 2 other kids still. If I don’t do it right with her I believe there’s still hope for the other two.

Mom on a Mission,

Filed Under: Other Emotions, Photography Brings Joy, Values Bring Joy

Spring/Easter Mantel & Basket Goodies

March 29, 2012 By Shan 3 Comments

Who else LOVES Spring?

I enjoy seeing the trees budding, the grass becoming green and blooming tulips. ahhhh…sigh…smile.

I kept the mantel simple again.

Not to toot my own horn, but I’m really enjoying the barn door shutters I made.

I found the green basket & chick at Gordman’s. It was my first visit to that store and it is definitely worth checking out if you have one near you…great deals galore there!

I pulled out my book page eggs I made a few years back to place inside the basket to complete the look.

The ‘Spring’ blocks($10) I found in Pagosa Springs, CO {sorry I can’t remember the name of the store. It was a weird name, but a discount store.}

I like the color it added to the mantel.

The GENEROSITY sign {found also at Gordman’s} was so me. I decided to place it up there as well.

Not sure if I have mentioned this on previous posts, but I found the candle holders at Goodwill.

I rarely use them to put candles on, instead I like to use them as pedestals for objects.

I want to thank the good people from Hershey’s for inspiring me to prepare for Easter and celebrate Spring. Good thing, since Easter is only about a week away! April 8, 2012

Visit Celebrate with Hersheys to take a journey on the Hershey’s Bunny Trail and check out the great collection of Easter tips, memories and stories.

My personal favorites are the Mini Reester Bunnies {eating one right now…yum!} They are small enough to fit inside a plastic Easter egg and will sure to be a favorite for everyone who loves these delicious milk chocolate covered peanut butter. {My weakness for sure!}

Tomorrow I have a special blog post about organizing.

Disclaimer: I was not paid to write this post by Gordman’s or Hershey’s. Hershey’s did graciously mail me the Easter basket shown in this post from participating in the Bunny Trail at BlissDom. Thank you Hershey’s. Hopefully, I won’t eat the entire contents myself.

Celebrate Spring,

Filed Under: Crafts Bring Joy, Home Brings Joy, Me Time Brings Joy, Photography Brings Joy, Values Bring Joy

Making Friends…A Lost Art?

March 1, 2012 By Shan 24 Comments

After attending BlissDom I am reevaluating who I am.

“Huh?” You might be thinking.

It’s interesting. I’ve always thought of myself as an extrovert. In job interviews I would confess I’m a people person. It’s true. I love people.

When I look back on my life, I recall a turning point. Speech class in 8th grade opened up a new side of me. I don’t remember if I chose to take the class or if it was required. All I know is I was much more reserved before taking speech. I learned I enjoyed speaking in front of a group of people. I think this new found knowledge contributed to me gaining more confidence in who I am. In a way, I think I was more of an introvert before taking Speech. I didn’t have lots of friends but would have a handful of really close friends. I was fine with this. I can’t say after 8th grade I became the most popular girl in school. That is definitely not what I’m saying. I was just more open to talking to people and making friends.

Let me fast forward to present day. On the first leg of my flight home from Nashville {where BlissDom is held} on Sunday I sat next to Melanie Nelson. She was the speaker for the session I attended titled “3 Things You Can Do Right Now to Grow Your Facebook Fan Page.” I was so excited to find out she lives in the same state as me {about 2 hours away.} Melanie is very genuine and kind. She has a book about Facebook coming soon. We talked about so many different subjects. One subject in particular has prompted this post. Funny thing is it has nothing to do with Facebook, my blog, or anything relating to social media {even though we did discuss these topics.} I was sharing with her how mentally drained I was from the conference. She asked, “Are you an extrovert or an introvert?” I was kind of surprised she asked me this question and paused before answering. “I’ve always looked at myself as an extrovert,” I replied. She explained to me the difference between extroverts and introverts. I will summarize what she said: extroverts are people who become energized after being around lots of people. When introverts are around a lot of people they are not energized. Instead, introverts feel as though energy is taken away from them.

This made me think. Am I an extrovert? I do have instances when I feel energized after being around a lot of people. Usually this happens when I’m around people I trust or I feel comfortable being with.

There were about 700 bloggers at BlissDom. The friends I made last year at BlissDom did not attend this year. So in a way, it was like I was new again. There were a few girls I friended on Instagram I knew were attending and hoped to meet them. There were a few other friends I made on Twitter I was hoping to meet as well, but again, I had not met them in real life. Otherwise, I was going into a conference without truly knowing anyone. “That’s okay, I’m a people person. I’ll make new friends, ” I thought.

I now need to add another aspect to this scenario of thoughts. I have written about this before, but it is a very sensitive matter. I don’t have a handful of close friends anymore. I’ve lived in the same place now for 5 years and don’t have any real close friends. There are 3 girls I really connected {consider good friends} with who have moved away. However, living here has made me less confident in my friendship making skills. Don’t get me wrong, I have friends/acquaintances who are kind and talk to me when I’m out and about. It’s just not the same. The upside of this has given me an opportunity to be closer to my kids and immediate family.

Back to the conference…I left feeling drained. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed it tremendously. There were many instances in which I felt uncomfortable, though. It was usually in the evening and I would end up sitting by myself. Fortunately, I would eventually find someone I had met and try to mingle. I just don’t like social situations like this. I never have. So maybe I’m not an extrovert? Or is it possible to be an extrovert and turn introvert? Or in my case, introvert turned extrovert turned introvert…??? I don’t know, maybe I don’t have to label myself. It’s just a little weird. You know me, analytical Shan. Hey, I come by it honestly being my parents are both Social Workers. {Love you Mom & Dad!}

I also began to think about how social media has impacted having real life friends versus virtual ones. How often are you getting together with real friends and talking to them face to face? Has Facebook and other sites like it cut down on our real life interactions with people? Honestly, for me, because of my predicament and where I live, I don’t think I would be a very happy person without social media. This blog, it’s Facebook page, my personal Facebook page, Instagram and Twitter help me to feel connected with people. I could get really lonely living in this little town without hearing from you. It is what it is. My 3 kids are at school during the day. At some point during that time period I would like to have interaction with another person who is not the checker at Wal-Mart. But stop and think a minute…if you do have at least one good friend to confide in about whatever. Please be grateful. Friendship is so precious. Get together with your friends, go to lunch, hang out, play a game.

Julie & Me

Speaking of friends, I did run into an elementary school friend who was there working at a vendor/sponsor booth. It was fun to catch up with and see her again. We had lost touch completely. Good to see you again, Julie!

Me & Jenna

Bernice & Me

I am grateful for each and every one of the friends I made at BlissDom. I finally met my Twitter friends Bernice of Living the Balanced Life & The Stressed Mom, Alicia of Confessions of a Snowflake {Wish we got a photo together, Alicia} and Jenna from Made More Beautiful. All are beautiful women inside and out.

Me & Melissa

Melissa from Overwhelmed by His Blessings is my lovely fellow photographer/Instagram friend. I wish she & I were able to spend more time together. She was on the photo booth staff and had to work the whole conference. I am very happy we met at the Photo Walk which was held first thing on Thursday. {I’m really not taller than her. I was on the step above her }

Rachelle, Jean & Me

Friday Night I met two adorably creative girls at The Lorax Party: Jean from The Artful Parent and Rachelle from Tinkerlab. They were kind enough to let me crash their photo after just meeting me since I was alone. I am super excited to get to know them more on their blogs. I am sure I can learn a lot of fun crafty stuff from them. Love that!!

Saturday I met and had a wonderful conversation with Amy from Amy Volk. She is darling and has a good listening ear. We ended up talking about all kinds of stuff and have much in common. She said she writes about simplifying our lives and organization…sounds pretty good to me!

I also met a girl who is living the life I once dreamed of in New York City. Heather not only is an editor for Parents magazine, but has her own blog at High Chair Times where she writes about her adventures of feeding her Son. I learned a lot talking to her and highly enjoyed her company at Girls Night In on Saturday night. Heather & I also met Sara, talented technology guru of Technology for Moms. Sara is a fun-loving character of a girl. She and I laughed the night away {completely sober, btw } while watching Paula Deen jump up and down on her trampoline on Oprah’s new show Oprah’s Next Chapter.

Last but not least, I met the awesome Megan Tietz from Sorta Crunchy. I began ‘following’ her on Instagram not long before BlissDom. We didn’t meet until after the conference was over on Sunday at the airport. I was a little embarrassed because I was without makeup. {had about 4 hours of sleep} My flight left at 6:55 AM, so I was NOT putting on makeup. Anyway, not the best first impression. Fortunately, she seemed to like me alright despite the pale face. {Thank you, Megan } Megan & I sat next to each other on the 2nd leg of my flight. Talking to both Melanie and Megan helped the flights buzz by. Even better, they are from the state I live in! I love that! I look forward to possibly seeing both of them in the near future.

Even though I may not see all of these women in real life every day; I have the opportunity to visit them online. Our BlissDom experience will be a special memory for me.

Hopefully the above mentioned women would say I haven’t lost my friend making skills. ???

Friends Bring JOY,

Filed Under: Blogs Bring Joy, Friends Bring Joy, Me Time Brings Joy, Other Emotions, Photography Brings Joy, Values Bring Joy

Protecting Family Time

February 27, 2012 By Shan 4 Comments

“In our fast paced competitive information driven world, protecting family time has become a huge challenge.” {1}

As parents, we have to be intentional & deliberate about

creating opportunities to spend time together.

**It is in your power to make spending time with your family a priority.**

The Napkin Story

My favorite talk or speech given at BlissDom {blog conference} last weekend was given by blogger, writer and professional speaker Jon Acuff. I was very moved by a personal story he shared with us:

“It is my job to help my Daughter with her spelling words each week,” Jon said. {What a good Dad!} As he was calling out the spelling words, he decided he would get on the computer. Jon would call out the spelling word and she would write it down. He got caught up in what he was doing on the computer and stopped calling out the spelling words. Next thing he knew, while he was sitting at the computer, a napkin appeared on his computer mouse:

"Daddy pay attention?"

Jon realized he needed to direct his attention to his Daughter instead of the computer.

Excellent words of wisdom from Jon:

“Make time for the things that matter.”

“Be deliberate about focusing on your family.”

“Kids don’t believe in later, they believe in now.”

Jon suggested, “we need to be selfish at 5 or 6 in the morning {or at night after our kids are in bed} before our kids wake up…use that time to get on the computer.”

This is excellent advice about truly being present with our family.

Exercise the Power to Choose

You know, to parent these days is different because of technology. I have to be very mindful to put away my phone and be present while with my family. We need to remember to set the example {me included.} If our kids see us on our phone or electronic devices every chance we get, it sends a message to them. It says, we don’t care about them. It says we care more about technology than we do people. This topic has been on my mind heavily lately. I don’t want my kids to think I don’t care about them. Our kids learn from us. Technology will continue to be with us. Do we want to teach our children to care more about our devices than people? We have to exercise our power to choose the way we spend our time.

We Have to Set Limits & Boundaries

For example, we don’t allow anyone in our family {at home} to use their phones during dinner time {it’s a little different when we are at a restaurant & we’re waiting on the food to be cooked, we allow it in moderation.} If someone calls during dinner, we let the voice mail take a message. Every once in a while, I will find my 16 year old hiding her phone on her lap and catch her texting. We give her a simple reminder of our rule and she puts it away. We don’t do this because we are control freaks and want to ruin her social life. We do this because dinner time is FAMILY time. Family time is special and sacred. Family dinner time is a ritual or tradition within our family. This is the time we talk about the day and focus on each other.

Your family time has to be untouchable.

If you don’t protect your rituals or traditions, your family will disconnect.

Spending time together is a characteristic of successful families.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Side Note

There is so much I want to share with you about my experience at BlissDom blog conference, but I can’t do it all in one post. I feel strongly about sharing some of Jon Acuff’s keynote speech with you today. I look forward to sharing many other amazing and helpful memories about BlissDom in future posts. If you can’t wait to see some photos, I will post some of my favorites on Family Brings Joy’s Facebook Page throughout the week. {Please come join us!} I am sensitive about this blog not being a ‘brag session’ or ‘travel log’ of my trip to this blog conference. Please know I will be incorporating the BlissDom posts periodically throughout my regular posts. {I’m pretty sure some of you might be tired of me talking about BlissDom.} ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

HOW do you protect your family time?

I want to know of your successes or failures. I’m pretty sure other readers will too. This is a safe place. We will not judge you. You & fellow readers are passionate about family. We want to inspire one another so we can help create a successful family. Family Brings Joy is a community where we can cheer each other on in contributing to strengthening our families.

And remember, it’s not too late to begin protecting your family time now, I promise! Maybe you have read this and are thinking, “I need to be better.” That’s the first step at doing it. I didn’t write this to make you feel like a horrible person. I wrote this in an effort to make us more conscientious about what we are doing with our time when we are around the people we love.

Please share your answer here in the comments section or on Family Brings Joy’s Facebook Page.

Source for Beginning Quote: Real Families Real Answers