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Don’t worry. This is not going to be another post about how you need to buy baskets to put inside your baby’s cupboards to contain his socks and then baskets to put on the closet shelves to hold her jackets and then more baskets for the floor to hold the dirty laundry. Nor is it going to be a post telling you that you don’t need that rocker or glider or crib or basket, because after all babies are simple creatures and we only need three diapers and a lambskin throw to take care of them. This is not going to be a post about (organizing) stuff.

I can’t tell you how to organize your dwelling because, after all, I don’t know you. I don’t know if you live in a mansion, an apartment, a shack or a house. (Anyone else remember the game MASH?) I can’t tell you how to organize your possessions because I don’t know what you possess!

This is a post about (organizing) life.

As a mom to three young kids, with a busy family schedule not to mention interests of my own, I use the following principles to help guide my life. Things aren’t always sunshine and roses, good mama and happy kids days. But the ‘M’ rules do help me get things done, enjoy my children and maintain a semblance of sanity. I find that if each day has a bit of each of the ‘M’ rules, I feel balanced and successful in all that I do.

Morning time or Midnight time Are you an early bird or a night owl? Using these two distinct blocks of time well and appropriately can will help you be more productive. I like to get up early, before my children, so I have time to wake up and face the day. This is the perfect moment, for me, to unload the dishwasher or bring in or hang up the laundry. I’m not quite awake enough yet to attack my inbox or work on my blog, so mindless tasks fit the bill. In fact, if I don’t do these chores then, the chance of them getting done is much lower. After my kids go to bed is when I’m most creative. I do design work, polish the posts that I’ve been mentally writing all day long. I feel resentful if I have to use this time for mundane routine tasks. Knowing my strengths helps me use them wisely, and use my time well.

Me time Remember you? That you who existed before this current incarnation? That other you does exist and you need to take time to nourish it. To do so, I try to do something that is a real break from my normal activities, even if it’s just for fifteen minutes. For example, my kids are all taking their midday nap so it’s the perfect time for me time. I lay on the couch for a while and read a book, a book that I’ve read a thousand times before, but that seems like an old friend. It could be listening to music, reading, exercising, crafting, DIY- whatever replenishes You. Doing something for myself, myself and no one else is a necessary part of my day.

Mama time In the same way that I need to take time to take care of myself, I need to take the time to take care of my kids. I’m not talking about diaper changes and serving meals, but taking the time to really focus on them, to give them my undivided attention. This can be difficult to do- I work at home, so I don’t really have a separation between the two activities. I also have three children so giving them each my undivided attention can be tricky. But they need and deserve Mama time every day, as do I. Sometimes we work on stories together, or we read books. My two oldest are into drawing at the moment, so we often draw together. Often I just go and sit in their room with them while they play and just by being there, they integrate me into their imaginary worlds.

Multi-tasking time There often aren’t enough hours in the day. No, strike that: there are never enough hours in the day. So the final, and perhaps most important, ‘M’ rule is multi-tasking time. Why do one thing when you can do two? An often sited example is cleaning the bathroom while the kids are in the bath. You could also take advantage of your commuting time if you commute by public transport or help your child practice their ABCs with refrigerator magnets while you are cooking dinner. I sometimes fold laundry on the rug while the baby is playing nearby. I’m sure that you have your multi-tasking time tricks as well.

You might say that it’s easier said than done to follow all these rules, but I find that they help me keep my life and family in balance. And in my house, a cranky mama quickly leads to cranky kids. I don’t like living my life that way- I’m sure you don’t either.

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Kelly is an American who has been living in France since 2000. A mom to three young kids, she is also a writer and a crafter (check out her Etsy shop). As if that weren’t enough, she’s going to be a full time student getting her MS in Marketing as of September 2008! You can follow her journey at Almost Frugal.

Let me tell you guys about the HP Photosmart A826 Home Photo Center. This beauty has been a hit in our household. This thing is amazing. First off, the printer plays music when you turn it on. How many printers do that? It’s definitely a pick me up. It has a 7 inch touch screen which you can navigate using the stylus pen or your finger. With a few taps of the touch screen you can make photos scrapbook ready without even touching a computer or leaving your house!

Packed with over 200 borders, graphics, frames, and effects, the HP Photosmart A826 allows for endless photo editing. You can crop, adjust color settings, and remove small imperfections such as red-eye. There’s no need for constantly loading the paper tray or worrying about dust particles building up on your photos. The built-in paper tray stores and protects 100 4×6 or 5×7 sheets of photo paper. Any plans to throw a party? You and guests can connect to the HP Photosmart A826 and immediately hand out photos without worrying about smudging or smearing.

There are many ways to connect to the HP Photosmart A826. Connect directly from USB flash drives, your camera’s USB cord, and the following memory cards: Secure Digital/MultiMediaCard, CompactFlash, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Duo, xD-Picture Card. You can even print from your PC or Mac. A USB-to-computer cable must be purchased separate for this. The HP Photosmart A826 even supports wireless printing through Bluetooth technology!

What about paper and ink? HP’s “My Print Rewards” program offers exclusive discounts on HP ink, toner, and paper with free next-day shipping. To optimize your ink cartridge, I recommend adjusting the brightness of each photo to the second to the last setting, otherwise photos may come out darker than usual, plus it takes more ink to print a darker photo. The cheapest I’ve found the ink cartridge sold for are $15.49 at ANT Online, $16.88 at Sam’s Club, and $17.99 at Amazon. Photo paper price comparisons can be found on Froogle. Oh while I’m talking about deals, there are some HP Photosmart A826’s going for below retail on Ebay.

I designed Jayden’s photo birth announcements in Photoshop to match our Baby Shower set and then printed them out using the HP Photosmart A826. Family and friends loved them! The HP Photosmart A826 is a gadget that is definitely cherished in our home. I can’t wait until the Holidays roll around!

HP teamed up with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) and Parent Teacher Association (PTA) to launch a first-of-its-kind national digital video service program that allows families to access and purchase age-appropriate digital content in a safe and secure online environment. The digital video service program also supports PTA’s mission, which is to help children reach their full potential by providing tools for parents to get involved and manage their children’s health, education and safety. A wide array of kid-friendly DVD and TV titles, such as Alvin & The Chipmunks, Bee Movie, Enchanted, Nancy Drew and National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets are available at ptavideostore.com and bgcavideostore.com. The PTA and Boys & Girls Clubs of America worked hard to make both sites a great venue for busy moms to conveniently and securely buy entertainment without having to worry whether it will be safe for their kids to watch.

How would you like to win a $25 gift card redeemable at ptavideostore.com and bgcavideostore.com? Visit either store and come back here to post a comment letting me know how you’d spend your gift card! You may do either or all of the following for 1 extra entry each: blog about this giveaway, place our button on your sidebar, or subscribe to our feed (to be notified of future giveaways). Let me know what you’ve done in the comments. This giveaway will end August 17th 20th at 7PM CST! This giveaway is open to U.S residents only!

This is advice for Mommy (Sheena) but I am sure that some of you dear readers can use this information as well.

My son is 14 months old and while I am not truly a “veteran” at mommyhood I do have pearls of wisdom to share. Sheena, you have a finite time between now and when Jayden starts to become independent, expressing himself in ways that may not always make you happy. So first off, I implore you, enjoy the newborn stage and don’t be in a rush for him to become mobile. Relish every moment of Jayden’s immobility because the difference between a newborn and a toddler are astounding!

Here are some things that will help you on your journey.

1. Never underestimate the value of spending time with your peers. Join Mocha Moms (www.mochamoms.org), a meet-up group or start one of your own. The time spent with your peers will provide you with a sounding board, help alleviate your fears and if the group has Mommies Night Out (I highly suggest finding a group with MNO, you can have fun without wondering if you are going to have to pull your boob out in the company of strangers) join immediately.

2. I know that you are nursing, please hear me on this one – WEAR A BRA AT ALL TIMES! Even to bed. Otherwise you will be looking at those girls sag wondering “what happened to my perky breasts? ? ?”

3. Time passes quickly, be sure to take as many photos of Jayden as possible. He is changing everyday and 10 months from now your recollection of what he looked like will be vastly different from reality.

4. Take time for self. ALONE. I am sure that being a mommy, blogging, and running your business are time consuming but you need to take a break from it all. Even if it is just to get a manicure, a cup of coffee, or read a good book.

5. If you have not already started, begin laying Jayden down for naps and bedtime when he is drowsy but not asleep. The ability for him to self-sooth will provide you with extra hours of sleep. This is very important. Sleep depravation is a terrible malady that most Moms suffer from. Beat the curve on this one, don’t be average! You don’t want to be the Mom that is still rocking your son to sleep at 3 years of age.

6. Schedule a date night (or day) at least once a month! Spending time with your soon-to-be husband without Jayden is vitally important to the success of your relationship. Trust me on this one, make it happen.

7. Find a good reliable babysitter so that you can go on the date referenced above. Don’t be like me and wait until he is 10 months before you and Greg have a night on the town!

8. Finally and most importantly – Enjoy yourself! Don’t worry about being a “good mommy” I am sure you are the best. Don’t question your ability to be a Mommy - remember that we all make mistakes don’t beat yourself up when you make one.

So there you have it. My personal pearls of wisdom. Kind readers I am sure that you have some pearls, please share them with us! Thank you Mommy (Sheena) and Daddy (Greg) for letting me take some space up in your blog. It has been fun and if you ever need advice in the middle of the night – please don’t call me. I will be catching up on all of the sleep that I’ve missed over the past 14 months!

Renée aka Mekhi’s Mom became a blogger to chronicle her life as a work at home mom, wife, new business owner, and early literacy consultant. Her obsession with diaper cakes motivated her to start Cutie Booty Cakes –Diapers Shaped Like Cakes. Her cakes are gorgeous, stop by the website and see for yourself.

I love when I can’t find anything quick to eat and then it arrives at my doorstep. That’s just one of the perks of being sent samples. Last Saturday afternoon I was starving. I needed to eat something quick. Jayden was fussy and Greg had just left for work. After putting Jayden down for a nap, I scurried off to the kitchen ravishing through the fridge and cabinets then…*rumble rumble rumble**knock knock knock*. The Fedex man left a box at the door. In that box were packets of Ronzoni Bistro meals. Ronzoni Bistro meals are 8 ounce savory pasta meals in a pouch that microwave in 90 seconds. It does depend on your microwave because I zapped mine for 60 seconds. Our microwave doesn’t have a low/medium/high setting, so I’m not sure of the temperature. That’s what you get when you buy the cheapest model from Walmart! Ronzoni Bistro meals are available in Spaghetti and Meatballs, Rotini with Tomatoes and Basil, Penne with Chicken & Broccoli, and Linguine with Chicken & Mushrooms flavors. So far I’ve tried Rotini with Tomatoes and Basil and the Penne with Chicken & Broccoli. I love them. They are rich in flavor and take no time to prepare. If I had a job to go to, I’d definitely pack them for lunch. If you plan on trying Ronzoni Bistro meals, be sure to visit ronzonibistro.com and sign up for the coupon to save $1 off the suggested $2.79 retail price!