Yes I know, don't everyone beat me over the head for disappearing so long.  Well, yeah, so what.  Life happens.

Here's what's going on this week.  There is some other major stress happening, but until there is more resolution there's not much point in hashing it out yet.

Recently I had the chance to download and use The Schoolhouse Planner from The Old Schoolhouse Magazine.  The publishers of The Old Schoolhouse magazine asked readers to share with them what they are looking for in a planner system and then put together one that encompassed all of those ideas into a single planner. 

Through the years I have used several different planners with each of them managing to meet most of my needs, but not all.  I end up creating additional pages for my planner to “fill in the gaps” for what was missing.  Some years, it is just a page or two I need to create, other years I needed to make several more.  One year I threw out the planner I had bought and just used printed calendar pages with the pages I created.  Not a wise use of money that year.

So it was with great excitement that I downloaded The Schoolhouse Planner, looked through he pages and decided which ones to print off and put together a monthly “test” planner for my home/home school.   I did find that they were very thorough in what they included in the planner – there are calendar pages, chore pages, schedule pages, annual/weekly/daily planning pages for school lessons, budgeting pages, menu planning, and many, many more. Of course, everyone has their own preference and way of tweaking their planning pages that works for their family, but overall the included pages were very helpful.  I do feel that I could create a very workable planner for myself out of these pages.  My only criticism for me personally, is that I wish they would offer this planner in a smaller, Day Planner size.  I prefer my planner to be a smaller size rather that a big binder – when I have a baby, a toddler, my purse, a diaper bag, etc I can’t manage one more large thing.  My day planner fits down in the outside pocket of the diaper bag allowing me to take it along to appointments and work on menus, lesson plans, to-do lists, wherever we may be.

I will use the pages of this planner that fit into our home school binder, but for my personal planner, I will be anxiously waiting for them to create a smaller version.  If it ever comes out – hold a copy for me!

I was also asked to review the digital online copy of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine == what a plus for someone like me!  Normally in my house, a magazine I love arrives in the mail,  I set it aside all excited to read it, then kids / life / housework / laundry / husband / etc, etc, etc all get in the way and take up my time.  If I am LUCKY I might get to browse a few pages or read one whole article while shoveling down my lunch, but then have to set it aside again.  Eventually, that magazine will end up shoved somewhere for me to find it 3 months later, or shredded to bits by the baby, or used for cutting practice by the toddler.........so I think the last time I got to read an entire magazine, cover to cover may have been while waiting under the bliss of an epidural for the pitocin to work and push my last baby out. 

What a great concept!  A magazine, complete to view, turning pages.....all on my computer!!!! Shhh!  Not now, mommy is "working".  Hee Hee Hee!  Seriously though, this is a great idea.  I like that I don't have to keep track of a physical thing, all of the same content is there as the one that I have to go the store to buy or wait for in the mail, the program the runs it is easy to use to navigate through the magazine pages and even zoom in on an article so my not quite 40 yet eyes can read the small print.  One feature I really like is the direct links for the advertisers - when reading a regular magazine, if there is a company or product I am intersted in I have to wait until I can get on my computer and hope I remember what it was I wanted to check out.  With the digital magazine I can just click on a link in an advertisement and a new window pops up directly to their site.  So easy for this tired brain of mine!

If you're in the market for a new planner or would like an easier way to enjoy a good magazine with great home schooling articles, then I would reccomend hoping over to The Old Schoolhouse and considering what they have to offer.