Yay!!!

Yay!!! She finally shipped!!!

My Life Planner is on her way home!!! I’ve been stalking checking Erin’s website all day periodically (ahem) and I raised my arms like my Chargers scored a touchdown and hollered “yes!” when I saw my order status changed from ‘printed’ to ‘shipped’ with a fedex tracking number! (hehehe)

Now….

The next hardest part…..waiting patiently for the next 3 days to see that fedex truck pull up in front of my house. I hope I don’t tackle the poor guy! I hope the drivers make it all the way here (TN) from CA safely with all this crazy weather. Be careful!! You have my new bestie in there….precious cargo! J

Luv peace & hair grease!

Patience....

Patience IS a virtue!

Ugh!! It’s been exactly one week since I ordered my Erin Condren Life Planner. I’ve stalked the website every day since then and I’ve watched my order go from ‘pending’ to ‘invoice to print’ to ‘printed’ (omg!) But my order seems to be stuck on ‘printed’!

Ugh!!

I’m so anxious for my planner that I dreamt I was sitting at my dining room table drinking a steaming cup of French vanilla coffee and writing in my planner! Silly huh? I’ve always been the voice of reason in my house “Patience! Patience!” and now when it’s my turn all that ‘patience’ goes right out the window!  :-D

Ding! Dong!

Oh that’s my email alert…..wonder if it’s about my order….be right back…….

Nope! Dang! Patience right?????????

Fuel for my obsession…

I know I mentioned that I bit the bullet and ordered my Erin Condren Life Planner, but did I mention I’ve become the newest stalker of her website? I’m dying to see my order change from ‘pending’ to ‘printed’ to ‘shipped’!!!!

Omg!

I got my hubby on board with my mission to own one and he just rolls his eyes (happy wife, happy life right?) and says “whatever you want baby”. Lucky me! Well, Erin has a new customer for life!

Like most other ECLP purchasers, I have truly tried to do be a digital planner. It worked for some aspects of my daily planning, but for others it just wasn’t feasible and I’ve tried several different methods, apps, and hardware. I have 2 laptops, an Android tablet and phone and most situations, when I need to jot something down really quick, paper is faster. When you have to go thru all the security measures and waiting for apps to open and such, you could have written down that something several times. Digital is great for me for labeled alarms but long term planning and (call me crazy) color coding is best on paper. I just like writing!

Take care & have a fab weekend!

Oh I did it I did it!!

I ordered my Erin Condren Life Planner!!! I took advantage of her great sale that has going on right now. She’s offering 40% off (while supplies last) when you get a planner and stationery or a planner and gift labels, but you have to buy a combination. I even got my hubby on board with my mission to have one! Even though I am entered in a number of contests to win gift cards and discount codes, I just couldn’t wait any longer. I have to wait until March to find out if I won! Besides, I told hubby if I do win one of the contests, I’ll use it to buy the 2013 planner she’s releasing in June with (wait for it)…… IMPROVED TABS!!! (And then he rolls his eyes…..) When I get my planner, I’m going to have those Avery clear tabs to put over my tabs to make them last. I plan on using the hell outta it!

I chose the Candy Lace design in pool & mocha with a pic of hubby and our 2 babies on the front (when they were little). Then there will be my name, the year, and one of my catch phrases …. “too blessed to be stressed!” Now I’m gonna be like all the other bloggers waiting for their planners to arrive….stalking the EC website, then stalking the Fedex man. I get happy just thinking about it!!

I will post once it gets here. I haven’t seen any unboxing videos for EC (geeky right?) so if nobody steals my idea, I’ll do an unboxing video and then later I’ll post my post-use impressions. I am in no way being compensated for what I’ve said or will say. I just love the product and I’m happy to tell anyone who will listen!

As Erin would say…..enjoy!

Happy Belated Birthday Mommy!

On April 9, 2011, my mother died from congestive heart failure and upper lip cancer. On February 16, 2012, she would have been 68 years old. This blog entry is dedicated to her.

My mother used to tell me how she hated her name. She thought it was boring. Her full maiden name was Dorothy Lee Ray and I always told her it sounded like an actress’ name. She would laugh and tell me she didn’t start to like it until she discovered Dorothy Dandridge. My mom was just as beautiful as Dorothy Dandridge. My mom had such a youthful appearance that up until she got sick, people always thought we were sisters. Depending on the day, people sometimes thought I was the older sister!

My mom told the best stories too. And the way she told stories, she was so dramatic and everything she said she had a way of bringing to life. She had this infectious laugh that if you heard from another room you couldn’t help but laugh too. She would always say stuff like “you know I just like to make people laugh” and then do this crazy sneeze that sounds like she was screaming “I hate you!” Even though that wasn’t what she was saying, it was funny and she knew it.

My mom touched everyone that had the pleasure of knowing her. She was one of a kind and the world is much sadder place without her here. I miss her more than I ever thought I could miss someone. I always thought my mom would live forever because she never changed. She never seemed to age. When she got sick, I went into denial and just assumed she would get better. When she was put into hospice care, I was still in denial. They predicted she would live for 6 more months. I was lucky enough to have her for 8 months. When she died I was relieved for her. She wasn’t in anymore pain and I knew that she was in heaven, doing her crazy jumping jacks and playing with my sister. But I still wish she were here, with me, my husband, and our kids. We all miss her and love her very much.

Happy Birthday Mommy!

Graduating on Time!

Guest post of the week by Moises Henderson

Who would have thought I would actually graduate on time? If you had known me in high school you would be surprised I even got into a four-year university and here I am on the Dean's list about to graduate with dual degrees. I really buckle down after that first year in college when I was on academic probation, and I'm really proud to say that come the student I've always wanted to be. I got high speed internet service at home to help me keep up with my studies and I've spent a minimum of 10 hours a week in the library outside of classes just making sure I was studying enough. I've never been that great at tests which is why I struggled for so long that now that I actually learned material instead of trying to stumble my way through I'm a much better student than before. Honestly, I just can't wait to get out in the real world and start making a difference with this education I've acquired over the last few years.

I found another giveaway!!!

There isn’t much time left so if you want a chance to win 25 dollar gift certificate to ErinCondren.com and buy your someone special somethin’ special, visit Life According to Crystal and enter. Be sure and follow the rules or your entries don’t count. I’m entering myself so good luck to y’all!!

My continuing obsession....

Did I mention how much I love pens??

OMG!!!

I guess I got it from my Mom because she ALWAYS had a multitude of pens at her disposal. Now I’m the same way! Tonight I took my daughter over to Wally World (Walmart) to get some Twizzlers for a project they have to do in class tomorrow. Since I’m plotting to soon have an Erin Condren Life Planner, I decided I would buy some special pens just for my future planner! Silly? Nah, just being hopeful. Besides, if I don’t win, I have some really cool new pens and pencils. I guess I’ve become quite the PaperMate fan with all the recent purchases J .

1- flair markers, ink joy pens, mechanical pencils & a pencil pouch

I also got a cute pencil pouch so they won’t be all over the place. Then I heard a VistaPrint commercial on the Wally world overhead system. They mentioned all the cool holiday gifts they have in addition to making business cards. Who woulda thought? That got me to thinking about Valentine’s Day and then I bought a box of cards for Cali’s class, and two for my hubby. I hope he likes ‘em!

My Latest Obsession

Erin Condren Life Planners!!!

Candy Lace in Multi design

Since I was a little girl I've loved loved loved loved organizing. I always made lists and took notes and I loved anything to do with an office. I was that kid you could take to any appointment. Adults thought I was well behaved, but I was really just enthralled with all the lingo and the paper manipulation. Back in those days the closest things to computers were calculators and typewriters (typewriters....what are those :-D). Now that I'm all grown up and smack in this digital era, I am still obsessed with organizing. I love planners and I own many of them from basic to really expensive, and I have both paper and electronic planners. As much as I try to go digital I still find myself going back to paper. I can't get the gratification of physically checking a box or crossing an item off a list on something electronic. It just doesn't work. So I've been on the hunt for a new planner and stumbled across these Erin Condren Life Planners. I've watched lots of videos and read countless reviews and have decided......(drum roll) I MUST HAVE ONE!!! I've spent I don't know how long on her website and created my perfect planner. I haven't ordered because right now, I just can't swing $50 bucks on a planner when it could go towards something bigger. So.....I stumbled upon this blog called Live in my Heart and she's giving a away a 50 dollar voucher!!! Check it out here at Live in my Heart.. 

I figure if I'm gonna get one I'll probably have to win it so I entered. Good luck!!

It's February now....

Just two more days til my baby girl's 11th birthday......and 13 days to what would have been my mom's 68th birthday. I miss her so much. It hasn't been a year since she passed and I still want to call her and just shoot the shit and hear her goofy laugh. I can still remember what she sounds like. I have some pictures and a few things of hers. I think about her everyday. When I wake up she is the first thing I think about and the last thing I think about when I go to sleep. Its more like pass out. I haven't slept well since she died and its taking a toll on me. I'm forgetful and sometimes hard to live with. I never used to be like that. I want to visit momma's grave again. The last time I was there was my birthday and her vulture brothers and sisters didn't even put a marker on her grave after they pilfered her estate and stole everything. I hope there's something there when I go back.

I'm taking Cali shopping for her birthday if the weather isn't bad tomorrow. Otherwise we'll go on Superbowl Sunday which falls on her day this year. She's so excited. I hope I can pull myself outta this funk before then or I won't be much fun for her. I really need something to look forward to.