Things have been so crazy lately I just haven't had time to make it over here to blog, though I keep nothing things I need to share. But now there's news big enough I HAD to make time.

We're getting another daughter!! In a family of four boys and one girl, this is a big deal! Not to mention she's already potty trained! (Sorry, Joelle)

Actually, I'll be getting a daughter-in-law next spring. The engagement is now official. Parental permission was granted, the ring was bought, the event was planned, all without Joelle knowing. And we're all blessed that she said "yes". Of course, with a great guy like Brad..... lol

Joelle is wonderful! Real, honest, fun, easy-going. I told Brad I couldn't have picked someone better myself. We're thrilled for them. And Paige and I will love having another girl in the family!

That is the title of the new Ben Stein movie coming out this spring. In it, he talks with the many scientiests that are being persecuted for questioning Darwinism and allowing for the possibility of Intelligent Design. They are refused tenure and publication in scientific journals and just plain persecuted.

Do take a moment and check it this site. Click on Tralers & Video and then watch the Super Trailer for a good overview. This will be a good one to take the kids to. Under Leaders you'll find a downloadable Teacher's Guid and posters as well.

You can even enter to win free tickets.

This policy is valid from 19 February 2008

I will admit that I'm questioning my sanity a tad bit, but it looks like I'm now committed! I will be attending a homeschool conference in San Diego for our business, Trigger Memory Systems. But the "real" point of the trip is to sneak in a vacation that can be a partial business write-off. Unfortunately, hubby (who works in agriculture) can't get away in the Spring, which is when all the conventions are. This means that the three youngest and I will me making the trip. I roped my 18 year old into coming along for childcare and driving support as well.

In all honesty, I hate road trips and wanted to fly. I even found round trip tickets for $200! Three hours and we're there. Would you believe that ALL four kids want to DRIVE!!?? I made the mistake of mentioning that if we drove we could stop and see San Francisco and now they're not willing to pass up on that opportunity. (I thought the adventure of a plane ride would outweigh SF, but I guess not)

So....the trip will now be much longer than anticipated and I'm doing all kinds of searching for the best deals on hotels and entertainment. In the process of securing inexpensive lodging, I came across a new  hotels reservation site. TravelHERO.com helps you find hotels and make reservations for your next trip. If you’re looking for a service that provides discount hotel reservations as well as helping you reserve a car, check out TravelHERO.com. 

Another great bargain is the CityPass, available in most large cities. The one for San Diego saves you a bundle on admission to over five major attractions including the San Diego Zoo, Disneyland, Sea World and more. Better yet, I've since discovered that you can buy a discounted CityPass online for Costco.com Be sure and check it out if you'll be visiting a larger city this spring/summer.

I may, indeed, be biased, but the Schoolhouse Store is a great place to look for curriculum, games, home ec/homesteading items because of the FREE SHIPPING! That's right. No matter how much you buy (US only) you don't pay a dime in shipping. That's a deal that's hard to beat!

For more great online shops check out Rocks in My Dryer.

If you don't subscribe to The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, you might consider at least ordering the current issue. I wrote a unit on Following the Iditarod that is really tons of fun to do with your kids. You'll find all kinds of ideas and resources. The race starts the first week in March so you have plenty of time to get your issue and gather supplies and resources. This is really a great "real-time" learning project.

Oh yeah, there's other good stuff, too. Ha!

Sometimes I question my sanity in leading Cub Scouts when I've already got so much going on. What I like about it, though, is that it's social and educational and, basically, I just consider it "fun school".

This month's theme is Cub Scout Car Show. Naturally, the boys are working on their Pinewood Derby cars. Tonite we visited  a local man that builds Nascar racecars. I knew he worked with race cars but was really surprsised at the amount of work they had going on. This is all in a town with a population of less than 1000!

When we visited he had four cars in progress. Each sells for about $100,000 (Chuck is quick to say he can't afford one for himself!) with the engine making up about half of the cost. Five men work in the shop with one traveling over 2 hrs. from Yakima every day. Each car requires approximately 900 man hours to produce.

Anyway, it was fun to see and I got some neat pics to share.

Skylar & Brayden

Chuck answering questions

The cars. All were red, my favorite color.

The front seat. The gas tank is immediately behind - where the back seat would be. Kind of worrisome. The cars all have automatic fire extinguishers. He said they take them off when they're working on the cars so they don't go off when a torch or something gets too close. Yes, it's happened.

Pretty engine. Did you know I once made fiberglass car bodies? I didn't like it. But I did it. lol

Sky checking out the interior.

Some of the boys.

Seriously, I think I've finally solved an ongoing problem between the hubs and I. You see, he has a habit of writing checks and not telling me the amount, number, etc. Often I'll hear, "Well, I put the receipt on the table. I thought you'd see it. " Yeah, right. I'm supposed to know that one receipt in a pile of newspapers, trash and other paper debris is supposed to have some significance for me. I think not. The other annoying option would be for hubs to announce, "Oh, the pizza was $13.42." This was declared as I'm dialing the phone to call someone or we're driving somewhere, or whatever. I'm then left trying to hold this number in my head until I can get it recorded. (And, to be honest, this makes me grumpy)

Wanna know the solution? A solution that is truly WORKING!!??

While reading all the productivity blogs the other day, I kept coming across Jott.com  It appears you can use your cell phone to "jott" someone, which will then leave them an email or text message. I didn't really "get" how it would be all that useful. However, once I set up Toodledo I found that you can sync Jott to it so that it will send an email right to Toodledo. (I label it "to do" in Jott because Jott has a hard time identifying Toodledo with it's voice recognition software. They say you can also enter it as "two-duhl-doo" so that it's phonetic) Anyhoo....I can now use my phone to have a reminder immediately emailed to my system whenever I think of something. I tell my phone to call "Jott" and when it asks who I want to Jott I say "to do". I leave the message and come home to find it in my Toodledo system ready to be categorized. Cool!

OK, so here's the really neat thing! I set up dh's phone with Jott and entered me as his contacts (with my email). Now, whenever he buys something he simply tells his phone to "call Jott" and to Jott "Deena" (again, had to make it phonetic in Jott, not Dena). Then he says, "Wrote check # 7418 for $12.53 at Home Depot. Soon, I receive an email with that message. Right where I need it and can easily record it.

THAT works for me! For more great tips visit Rocks in My Dryer

This looks like a nice one, too. These are the kinds of things I stock up on through the year and then use as stocking stuffers in Dec.  Free Schick Quattro Titanium Razor sample, while supplies last. If successful, you should get the message “Thank you for signing up! Your free razor is on its way!”. I just did it and it worked fine. Enjoy!

Hehe. This is cute. I checked my blog and it was rated:

Go to Ultrasound technician schools

The funny thing is that my partner's blog is rated PG-13!! Just wait until I tell her. She has apparently used the words; "abortion",  "gun  and poop. I, on the other hand, only used "dead".  Hehe. This probably shouldn't amuse me as much as it does.

While relaxingly (is that a word?) reading blogs the other night I found myself sidetracked. I often read the updated blogs at www.frugalhacks.com which often leads to sidetracks at personal finance and debt reduction blogs. (I even set up a Vanguard IRA for my hubby last month!)

Well, this time I kept reading about "Getting Things Done" or "GTD". After a bit I realize that this is an actual "program" and different from simply getting things done (lower case). My curiosity was piqued so I spent some time checking it out. Wow! There is a LOT of information out there on this. Here is a list of the 100 best GTD links in case you're curious.

After familiarizing myself with the program concept, I started comparing all the various free programs to help you "get things done". Again, there are a TON. And who can resist cool, free programs??!! I was impressed with Todumo and actually started setting up Nozbe before finally settling on Toodledo. (How cute is that name?!)

Now, you need to know a few things about me. I am very busy and pulled in a LOT of directions. If you're not, this may not be for you. I also receive, literally hundreds of emails each day. My inbox is usually full of 40-50 flagged emails needing some sort of response or action. I'm also pulled in several different directions. I have a family (5 kids), homeschool, lead Scouts, teach Sunday School, write and am working on home renovations to name a few. On top of that I'm a partner in Trigger Memory Systems and work full-time for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. Time management is critical. According to GTD philosophy, your inbox should be CLEAN every night. WHAT!!?? The very thought made me crazy with delight and the thought of a good challenge.

I ended up staying up until 4am setting up my system and cleaning out my inbox. Would you believe at 4am it was EMPTY?! And I've been able to keep it that way all week! Amazing.

So, what's so special about these GTD programs? Basically you get EVERY thing in your head down somewhere that it can be processed so you're not carrying it all around in your head. Then they allow you to process it effectively. They pretty much offer the same basics, but I'll speak specifically about Toodledo. As you enter a task you consider it a "project" and break it into smaller steps.

Each project would be considered a folder. In my case, I made my folders, the various areas of my life. I have one for The Old Schoolhouse, Trigger Memory, Home, Personal, Health, Blog, Scouts and Spiritual. Home is home decorating/remodeling and Personal is just stuff for me (write thank-you's, mail PaperBackSwap books, sew patches on uniform, etc.)

I can then set up sub-tasks for each item. (One reason I chose Toodledo over Nozbe) For example I have a gift that needs to be taken care of. This was broken into sub-tasks as it involved a phone call to order, dropping off and picking up the item, and the actual mailing. Each is a different task.  You also give each task a "context" as you enter it. The context is where you would complete the task. My contexts are phone, computer, email, finance and errand. Tasks are also given a priority status and due date if applicable. There is also a spot for notes under each task. That's where I get rid of all the emails. I enter it as a task with the appropriate info in the notes. Now for the neat part.

Tasks can be sorted by priority, due date, folder or context. So if I plan to spend two hours on TOS work, I open that folder and plug away. However, if I'm in Quickbooks and want to take care of all finance items I click on Finance and see what's to be done. If I'm sick of the computer and want a break I can check "phone" and see where I need to call. The program also prepares a Hot List of items that are either top priority or at their due date. No longer are items forgotten or lost in a string of flagged emails. I'm a pretty organized person in general but this has made me feel so much more on top of things. It's so easy to look and see everything I need to be doing in so many different frames of reference.

Plus it's fun to check things off. I started the week with 65 tasks and am now down to 40. Makes me feel like I'm gaining ground. I've not only dealt with everything that's come in this week, but I've gained 25 items. Yay! Not only that, I found myself saying, "just one more" and enjoying clicking them off. That's opposed to my usual, "I give up" way of ending the day. Instead of ending in a feeling of defeat at what there was to do, I felt I had a handle on things and was gaining ground.

I was surprised at how many things I was "carrying around in my head" (= stress). For example, during church on Sunday I wrote down ten notes! Ten different, "Oh, I need to...." comments popped into my head. And it was a GOOD sermon! Thankfully, I wrote them on my list and forgot about them. I then came home, made each one an actionable task and added them to my list.

The one thing I don't like about Toodledo that Nozbe allowed was the ability to attach a file to a note. I've resorted to filing the files on my computer and notating where it is in the actionable note in Toodledo. Example: TMS > Graphics > Times Tales might be where I stuck a picture I need to add to the website. (I always forget, otherwise, and waste time looking) Still, it would be nice to be able to attach it to the task. I also like that Toodledo is web based. I waffled with using an Outlook add-on but decided against. My Outlook is all on my desktop. I like to "relax" on my laptop but I don't download my email there because I don't want it strung between two different computers. Toodledo allows me to log in and see what I might have in my "personal" folder to check into. Also, if I'm traveling, I have access to all my tasks and pertinent info.

Toodledo also has a Google Gadget so I have it right on my iGoogle home page. I can work from the hot list there or click quickly to the website. Another fun feature is the Scheduler. If I'm brain dead, but have an hour to spend I can click "Schedule Me" and Toodledo will tell me what to do!

Wowsers! I think this has to be my longest post ever. lol

Below are the books I'm waiting on from Amazon. Both have lots of great reviews.

 So...that's what works for me! If you'd like to see more Works for Me Wednesdays head over to Rocks in My Dryer  (I know it's only Tues, but I'm heading out for the evening and need to post early)

Your computer, that is. Last night I stumbled upon this site with really nice free computer wallpapers. I went with the daisy & clouds but have a feeling I'll be changing it soon since I like them all. Take a peek HERE. For some reason, when I paste in thumbnails they show in my preview pane but not on my actual blog. Therefore, you'll just have to trust me and go check them out. You won't be sorry. They are gorgeous!  See them HERE.

The last wallpaper I had was from Real Simple Magazine HERE. I like them as well. They all have a simple picture and daily thought. Here's the one I had.

And the one before that I had from HERE. They all have a scripture verse to go with the picture and some even have calendars. Some samples:

So there you go. Should give you lots of goodies to browse and help stave off the winter doldrums. I'm going to categorize this under Frugal Living. What's more frugal than free decorating?

Wanna see what we've been up to this week? My dh always gets the week between Christmas and New Year's off. This year, I decided we'd take advantage and put in a floor. I've lived in this house for 17 years and have had OSB subfloor for the last ten. Before that, it was even worse.

My kids are getting a bit antsy for Christmas - especially my youngest. This is how he showed up in my office last night. He spent the rest of the evening creating wrapped "gifts" for everyone.

Ok, I need input. We HAVE to make a decision tonite. (Dh has the week after Christmas off and that's when we'll be putting in whatever we get) I think I've pretty much decided. Unfortunately, none is "perfect". Tell me which you like the most.

Here are the four finalists:

and from another angle

Basic laminate. This one has a very light "hand sanded" texture. A bit more grainy looking than I like.

Same brand, slightly different color w/o the hand sanded look. I like the color better but it seems to look more "fake". Actually, both these do to me.

Least expensive. Very thick, commercial grade. Looks very real. Only problem is that the "hand sanding" is excessive and I really don't like it when it catches the light. (See bottom of pic) It really makes it so that's all you see when the light is just right. From other angles it looks great.

My favorite and "almost" perfect. This one is real wood on the top. Looks and feels like wood. I like the color and the pitting. Any scratches or dings could just be stained black and rubbed out. It's the style and color I like. Problem? Instead of just letting it be planks, they put in those fakey little "strips" of wood. Do you think that's a big deal? Can I ignore it? Is one of the other better?

My two favorites side-by-side, next to the furniture in the dining room.

Votes?

Oh my! This is really good!

With a completely crazy schedule, I've been considering how I can sneak in some bulk cooking, like I used to do. I was certain I didn't have an entire day to devote to it, like I used to.

Last week extra lean ground beef was on sale so I picked up 20 lbs. I then found a few simple recipes and made sure I had ingredients.

Night One: I made a Beefy Tortilla Bake for dinner and two more for the freezer. While these were cooking I also assembled three Tater Tot Casseroles for the dinner. Altogether, it probably only took a bit over an hour and we had dinner and five meals for the freezer.

We had several nights with various activities, being gone for dinner, etc. One night I ended up getting into the hamburger stash and making....hamburgers. Go figure!

Night Four: I HAVE to deal with the rest of this hamburger. Tonight night I made Salisbury Steaks in gravy for dinner (with stuffing & peas) and make two more bags (browned and ready to heat w/gravy) for the freezer. (I brown the 20 freezer meal patties while we eat our dinner. I just have to get up and flip them a couple times. ) Two more meals stocked away and it only took a few extra minutes.

OK, I'll admit it. I wrapped up the rest of the ground beef and put it in the freezer. There are probably four pounds left. I'll pull it out for sloppy joes or meatloaf soon. I just couldn't keep it in the fridge any longer.

Still, I'm pleased. I managed to have seven dinners in the freezer and only spent maybe 30-40 minutes more than I normally would have. Works for Me!

For more helpful tips visit Shannon at Rocks In My Dryer!