Mom, Can I Have a Snack?

I used to hear this question all day long from my 3 year old daughter, Amanda--until I came up with a new system.

I always allow a certain number of healthy snacks throughout the day, as long as meals are eaten. Instead of trying to think something up every time Amanda asks me for a snack, I get all of her snacks ready for the next day--the night before.

* In the pantry, I have a kid-size Hello Kitty bucket. Using small zip-lock snack bags, I portion out appropriate snacks such as raisins, Quaker Oat Squares, nuts, pretzels and graham crackers.

* In the kitchen, I've dedicated the bottom shelf on the refrigerator door for Amanda only. I include pre-portioned snacks such as fruit, apple sauce, yogurt and cheese.

* There is also a small fruit basket within her reach on the counter, with apples, bananas and so on.

Now, whenever Amanda wants a snack, she just looks in her bucket, basket or on her fridge shelf and takes what she wants. She knows she cannot take from anywhere except those snacks designated specifically for her.

If, for some reason, she doesn't eat most of her regular meals, the snacks are then off limits--the bucket gets moved to a high shelf for example, until she eats her next meal and at which time it gets moved back into her reach.

We've been using this system for a week now, and it's working like a charm. We never hear, 'Can I have a snack?' and we know exactly what she has been eating during the day. In the evening, there's often snacks left over that she hasn't chosen--which stay in the bucket, basket or fridge for the next day. We replenish her snack 'areas' each night and we're all set for the next day.

Just Picked Up My 2008 Calendar

Yesterday, our family visited our local town bookstore to browse a bit. While there, I noticed the 2008 calendars were out and picked one up.

Yes, it does seem early for a 2008 calendar, doesn't it? But I already need to jot in some 2008 events (like a wedding and a major birthday bash), plus school and extracurricular activities my daughter is involved in.

I always buy a pretty calendar that I love to look at all year long. For 2007, I've been using an 'Under The Tuscan Sun' calendar, with beautiful photography depicting life in Tuscany. This time around, I picked up an Audubon Engagement Calendar, filled with gorgeous nature photography.

I'll fill in all recurring events and activities, in addition to the one-time-only events that are already scheduled.

If there are lots of similar recurring events, for example, my daughter's tap class, I'll simply make labels that will say 'Amanda-Tap 1:00P' and tape those labels to the appropriate dates. This way, I won't have to keep writing it over and over again. I have a label machine to do this, but it can also be done on a regular computer and printer, using file folder size labels that you would normally use to label a file folder.

If you already have 2008 dates to keep track of, pick your 2008 calendar up today and you'll help ensure nothing will fall through the cracks.

Tick Bite

It was at a cookout this past Saturday evening when I felt a bit itchy right above my right knee. I figured it to be a simple mosquito bite. I immediately put on some bug spray and didn't think about it the rest of the evening.

When I woke up on Sunday morning, I had a huge rash that was terribly swollen in that same area. It was both itchy and painful. The rash was circular--about 5 inches in diameter.

On Monday morning, I went to my doctor, who diagnosed this as a tick bite. Ouch! The tick was not attached, thank goodness. But ticks sometimes carry Lyme Disease, which was obviously a big concern for me.

To play it safe, I'm on amoxicillin for the next two weeks. That and Benadryl have both helped the redness and swelling to go down. Now it just feels tender to the touch--like I have a black and blue.

I'm guessing I likely got this bite while camping out at the Relay for Life event on Saturday. Although I was wearing long pants, they were a loose fit. Next year, I'll be applying one of the EPA-approved tick repellents as noted in the prevention article below:

Preventing Tick Bites

Ticks like to rest on low-lying brush and 'catch a ride' on a passing animal or person. The areas that hold a high risk of tick infestation are wooded areas, low-growing grassland, and the seashore. You should exercise caution where you go.

To reduce your chance of getting a tick-bite:

1) Avoid tick infested areas, when possible. Avoid short- cuts through heavily wooded, tick-infested areas. Use caution when you are entering tick-infected areas. Stay in the center of paths, avoid sitting on the ground, and conduct frequent tick-checks.

2) Dress properly. Wear light-colored clothing. This allows you to more easily see ticks on your clothing and gives you the opportunity to remove them before they can attach to your skin and feed. Wear a long-sleeved shirt and long pants. This reduces the skin area exposed to ticks. Also, tuck your shirt into your pants and pants into your socks. This keeps the ticks on the outside of your clothing and thwarts their efforts to crawl onto your skin. However, during warm or hot weather, this is not practical. So, if this advice is ignored, we suggest that you increase your vigilance in conducting tick-checks.

3) Use EPA-approved tick repellents. During the summer months, it can be inconvenient to wear pants and long- sleeved clothing, so using repellents can help protect yourself from ticks. Wash off the repellents when you return inside, and children should always have an adult apply the repellent for them.

4) Conduct frequent tick-checks. This includes a visual inspection of the clothing and exposed skin, followed by a naked, full-body examination in a private location. Be sure to check the scalp, behind and in the ears, and behind any joints.

5) Remember to check your pets too! This is not only for your pets' safety but for your family's as well. Pets can bring ticks in from outside and put you and your family at risk for infection.

Source: http://www.lyme.org/

Team Photos and Totals

Thanks again, from the bottom of my heart, to all of you who supported me and my team (Watertown Newcomers and Neighbors Club) in my efforts for this year's Relay for Life event in Watertown. Here are some team photos from the event:

http://gracia-family.phanfare.com/album/380012#imageID=23904933

The numbers are almost in. Our town is closing in on its goal of raising $93,000 for the American Cancer Society. This year, from the 39 participating teams, as of 11:30 a.m. Saturday, the total collected was $92,500, according to Chairwoman Donna Niay.

Wow! Very impressive. Together, we can make a difference.

The Christmas Catalogs are Already Coming

In just the past few days, I've received about 3 catalogs promoting early holiday shopping. Here in Wisconsin, while we're experiencing some of the most humid days of this year, it's difficult to think about Christmas. But time does seem to go fast once September hits!

One of the catalogs was specifically geared towards children--filled with toys. One caught my 3-year old's (Amanda) eyes yesterday and she's already asking for some of the items in the catalog.

We gave her a red holiday box decorated with snow flakes. We told her that if she sees something she may like to receive this Christmas, that she should tell mommy or daddy and we'll put a little star next to it. We then help her tear out the page (ensuring the web site is at the bottom of the page) and she puts it into her red box.

When it gets closer to the holidays, we'll have her choose the 5 or 6 items she really would like to have and we'll discard the rest.

Those are the items that will end up on her letter to Santa, and her wish list for mommy, daddy and her close relatives.

This is also a very effective idea for adults that practically eliminates fish ties and other gifts that would otherwise be stuffed in a drawer never to resurface again.

Just a Few Days Before the Relay

I wanted to take a moment to thank my many readers who have supported me in my Relay for Life effort this year. We managed to raise approximately $3500 to be donated to the American Cancer Society (and more is still coming in!), which is just wonderful!

Our town's Relay event will take place this year at the Watertown High School track this coming Friday, August 10th and will run all night until Saturday at noon.

If you haven't donated, but you wish to do so, I can still accept contributions through my Pay Pal account: getorgnow@charter.net

I can turn in any money I receive over the next few days on the night of the Relay. Thanks so much and may you receive many blessings for your generosity.

P.S. Here are some photos from last year's Relay event. I'll post photos from this year's event sometime next week:

http://getorganizednow.typepad.com/get_organized_now_weblog/2006/08/photos_of_the_r.html

Back From a 12-Day Trip

We just returned from a wonderful 12-day trip. We spent the first 5 days with my sister and her family at her home in North Bergen, NJ. Then, we picked up my mom and dad, and we made a 4-day visit to Hershey, PA. Finally, we went back to my mom and dad's home for the last few days of our vacation.

Here are my top three favorite 'organizing' tips from the trip:

1) Pack one suitcase half full. Of course, since this was a 12-day trip, we had quite a bit of clothes and toiletries to pack--never mind the big bag of wires we needed to keep our cell phones, DVD player, camcorder, digital camera and laptop up and running. My husband packed one suitcase (his included those wires since he always packs light), I had one suitcase, and my daughter had one smaller suitcase. We also had one extra suitcase that we used for a few odds and ends, that was only half full at the beginning of our trip. Between the gifts we received and the souvenirs we purchased on our vacation, we had enough to fill that half-empty suitcase on the way back.

2) Ride, then rest. Hershey Park is a huge amusement park in Hershey, PA -- sort of like a Great America or any other typical theme park. In order to avoid stress and aggravation, never mind heat stroke (it was so hot and humid that day!), our ride rule for the kids was that they could ride on 3 rides and then rest, 3 rides and then rest, etc. Being that the kids were aware of this rule, there was no crying when it was time to rest. Rest time included either having some food or water, sitting on a bench for a little while to people-watch, or sitting down to watch one of the performances.

3) Do laundry while you're away. There was no way I was about to return home and have to do 12 days of laundry for 3 people. I did all the laundry wherever we were, during the time we were eating breakfast or just sitting around relaxing. We did not have to put one piece of dirty laundry into our suitcases, and when we returned home, we were able to simply put all of our clean clothes back in the closet and dresser.

P.S. If you're interested in visiting Hershey, PA, it's a fun place to go. If you enjoy amusement parks, you'll love Hershey Park. It's enormous and has oodles of things to do. My only advice would be to go on a cool day, since there is a lot of walking necessary.

There is a slow-moving ride that takes you on a simulated trip through the Hershey Chocolate Factory. There is also a very cool 3-D show and a trolley tour of the town of Hershey.

We stayed at the Hershey Lodge, which was lovely. It had 4 restaurants right in the hotel, an indoor and outdoor pool, a mini-golf course, as much free chocolate as you want, and appearances by the Hershey characters throughout the day.

Although we didn't do it this time around due to time limitations, you can take a short drive to the Amish Country or Gettysburg if you wish.