Get Organized Now! Weblog

One House, 18 Ladies, Mega-Scrapbooking and Lots of Fun!

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This past weekend was so wonderful. I went on a ladies only scrapbooking retreat at the Magnolia Ridge Hideaway Crafter's Retreat House in the Wisconsin Dells.

Eighteen of us got together for a weekend of scrapbooking, food and fun. The weather was gorgeous, the views were beautiful and, being an avid scrapbooker, I got tons of layouts done!

My biggest challenge actually was in preparation of the trip. Normally, you just bring your clothes and toiletries and you're done. This time, I also needed to bring food (we all brought food to cook and share), my scrapbooking tools and all the layouts I planned to work on.

Since I haven't done this before, this took a little bit of extra thinking. Luckily, I started planning early enough to avoid any last-minute stress.

For my clothes and toiletries, I simply used my regular travel packing list--so I knew nothing would be forgotten. To make my suitcase light, I determined exactly what I would be wearing each day and only packed those items. Since we were in the Dells, which is a popular tourist spot, I figured if something spilled on the clothes I had and it was bad enough, I could always stop at a store and pick up an extra T-shirt if necessary. It wasn't necessary, and I wore everything I brought.

Instead of my regular slippers, which are a bit heavy, I just tossed in slipper socks.

Of course, instead of large bottles of shampoo, deodorant and the like, I just brought along travel-sized products.

For the weekend, I was able to put these things, including my camera, into one small, rolling suitcase.

For the food I needed to bring, I grabbed our rolling cooler and put everything inside. I even included a can opener and small strainer right in the cooler.

As far as scrapbooking tools went, I only brought the essentials--a trimmer, a pair of scissors, a tape runner, Glue Dots, and a hole punch/eyelet setter.

The pages I worked on took the most preparation of everything. I actually digitally formatted all my layouts in Publisher exactly how I wanted them to look when I scrapbooked them. I then printed out the layout in black and white so I would have a guide to follow.

I then printed all the photos, and my journaling, using my color printer. I gathered appropriate paper and cardstock for each layout. As far as my embellishments, I have one Crop N'Style zippered case filled with them, so I brought them along to pick and choose as needed. All the layout projects went into a 13 inch x 13 inch box. separated by a piece of cardboard.

Whew! It was a lot, but I had it all organized a few days before the weekend. Because of this, my mini-vacation was not only fun, but super productive!

Just goes to prove that a little bit of planning can go a long way!

Back From Philly

We just recently returned from our trip out east to visit with my family. At the tail end of our visit, we ventured off to Philadelphia, PA for a bit of sightseeing.

Thanks so much to all of you who offered so many tips and ideas for hotels and attractions. The information was extremely helpful.

Since we have a Hilton Honors card which we're building points on, we decided to stay at the Homewood Suites. It was a little bit outside of the historical area, but easily accessible by a bus that we caught right outside.

The prices were very reasonable for the area--less than $200 per night. It was a comfortable, large room with two beds, a full kitchen, a tv/reading area and an eating area. They also had free wireless access. Breakfast was included each day (we weren't there on a weeknight, but if we had been, dinner would have also been included!) and the people running things there were exceptionally lovely. It worked out very well.

We made the most of our 4 days in Philly--Sesame Place, Independence Hall, The Franklin Institute, The National Constitution Center, The Please Touch Museum and The Liberty Bell--just to name a few. We also ate at City Tavern (George Washington ate there!) and a few very cool restaurants in nearby Manayunk. We even took a very tourist-y ride on The Ducks, which are basically tour buses that ride on land and water.

We were hoping to get into Bucks County and The Amish Country, but there just wasn't enough time this trip. That's fine, because we'll have somewhere to go next time we're in Pennsylvania.

We had a very nice, informative trip. It's a great place to visit and there's definitely plenty to do.

If you're interested in seeing our Philly photos, just email me at getorgnow@charter.net and I'll share the link.

It's worth it to ask

Thanks so much to all of you who have graciously offered suggestions and ideas on hotels and activities for my upcoming Philadelphia family trip. Your input has been so helpful.

Speaking of input, wow, the Internet has done wonders for being able to get honest-to-goodness, real-life information.

As a consumer, I always want to make the right choice-- especially when it comes to big purchases.

For instance, I want this trip that we're taking to Philadelphia to be a pleasant one. Who better to ask advice, than those who live in Philly or who have vacationed in Philly?

We're currently in the market for buying a new camera. My husband, Joe, has been diligently researching high speed cameras that have the ability to take great shots, even in low light. While we can learn about the features from the camera companies, who better to ask advice than people who have purchased the cameras we're looking into buying?

What so many of us are always looking for is 'information.'

Yes, there is lots of information to sift through on the Internet, but I feel that since it's come along, with diligent research, we've been able to come up with good answers for many of our purchases.

It's worth it to ask around, rather than just taking your chances.

Advice on Philadelphia Hotels?

I'm planning a trip with my family to NJ this spring, and will be making a 3-day trip-within-a-trip to Philadelphia, PA. If you live in Philadelphia, or are very familiar with Philly, I would love your advice.

We plan to do all the tourist things -- Liberty Bell, Betsy Ross House, etc. -- and would like to stay at a hotel right in the middle of the action (so to speak) or as nearby as possible.

What hotel(s) would you recommend? We prefer a name brand hotel, such as a Loews, a Hyatt, a Marriott, etc. We're looking for a 3 to 4 star hotel in a safe area.

If you can offer any advice, I would greatly appreciate it!

Vacationing in Our Own Town

Our family travels a few times a year--usually one 7-10 day trip to visit family members, another 7-10 day trip for just the three of us to enjoy, and occasionally some short weekend trips.

We're planning to make our family visit in early summer and are going to Disneyworld in December, so our bigger trips are already set.

We wanted to do a short trip around Eastertime this year and were trying to decide where to go. We ended up deciding to stay close to home--downtown Milwaukee, which is only about an hour away from where we live.

Normally, we would just drive to Milwaukee, see a few things and drive back the same day. But, we thought it would be fun this time around to just stay in a hotel (The Pfister) and make a weekend out of it, so we're able to relax, enjoy and not worry about rushing back the same day.

Besides taking leisurely strolls along the lakefront, dining and likely a little shopping, we'll also see the Bodyworlds exhibit at the Milwaukee Public Museum, catch an IMAX movie, and maybe take in a puppet show or watch some Irish dancers at the Betty Brinn Children's Museum.

No airfare or airports. Light luggage. Plus, how nice it will be when it's time to make our way home that we'll only need to drive one hour to get back!

10 Below? Do Something That Warms You Up!

I woke up this morning, took a look at the outdoor thermometer and ouch! 10 degrees below zero. Can someone, please remind me why I live in Wisconsin?

The one thing I started doing to stay warm, is to begin thinking warm.

We just started planning our Disney Vacation for the end of this year.

I've been to DisneyWorld three times so far--none of those times with kids. This year will definitely be different with our 4 year old daughter, Amanda.

Even without kids, when my husband and I visited Disney when we were first married nearly 11 years ago, we did quite a bit of planning. Neither of us are ones to waste time wandering aimlessly or getting mad because we didn't make a reservation for dinner and now we have to wait an hour or two to be seated.

This year, the planning is even more in depth.

1) Get info from others. A few friends of mine have shared their planning tools and strategies from their Disney experiences. Why not learn from what others have been through?

2) I picked up 'The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World.' It has already proven to be a magnificent resource.

3) We have our hotel reservations all set at one of the Disney Resorts.

4) We purchased the Deluxe Dining Plan, so our meals will be paid for once we get there. I've already begun making a spreadsheet of when we'll eat and where, and we'll make reservations shortly.

5) I'll be securing our airline tickets over the next few weeks.

6) In February and March, I plan to have a rough itinerary including the Disney sights and activities we want to see.

Come spring, we should be well ahead of the game, and we'll be able to use the rest of the year to make any necessary adjustments to our itinerary, based on shows that come up or new attractions.

We're so looking forward to this trip, and planning for it is the perfect way to stay warm during these frigid January days.

Drivers Sit in Traffic One Work Week Per Year

According to a national study released last week, drivers waste nearly an entire work week each year sitting in traffic on the way to and from their jobs.

The nation's drivers languished in traffic delays for a total of 4.2 billion hours in 2005, according to the Texas Traffic Institution's urban mobility report--that's about 38 hours per driver!

Just another reason to pick up a few extra audio books to listen to, in order to make that sitting time more productive.

Another possibility if convenient in your area would be to take mass transit-- then you'll have the opportunity to read or work on your laptop, without having to worry about driving at all.

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.

Going on a Trip? Don't Leave Without this Helpful Tool

Soon, we'll be visiting my family in New Jersey. We can't wait. What a joy it will be to see my parents and my sister's family. We'll be spending the first few days at my sister's beautiful home in North Bergen, NJ. The entire family will then drive on over to Hershey Park, PA for a 4-day side trip. Finally, we'll be spending the last few days of our trip in Princeton, NJ--a short drive away from where my parents live. We're looking forward to this much needed break.

In anticipation of our trip, I'll be updating our travel checklist this afternoon. I have it set up in a computer spreadsheet with 4 columns. The first column includes all the items we'll be bringing. The second, third and fourth columns are labeled Joe, Maria, and Amanda at the top, respectively.

For example . . .

Item Name..........Joe..........Maria..........Amanda
brush
comb
shampoo
conditioner
shaving cream

It's organized by categories like toiletries, clothing, personal entertainment, etc.

Once printed out, this format allows each person to check off if he or she has packed that particular item.

In addition, there's an extra section at the bottom of the checklist for items we need to bring that don't necessary belong to only one of us, such as laptop computer, digital camera, GPS system, airline tickets, extension cords, etc.

Prior to every trip we take, I take a quick peak at our last travel checklist, deleting anything that no longer applies and adding anything new we need to bring that pertains to the upcoming trip.

As we put each item into the luggage, it gets checked off. Later, when we're ready to return home, as we put each item into the luggage again, we circle the original checkmarks. In doing so, there's never a chance of us leaving anything behind.

This simple tool can save you lots of stress and aggravation, and will help you avoid making trips to the store at your destination--especially some of those higher priced tourist destinations.

A Visitor from Portugal

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We had a lovely visit with Joe's stepfather Bill this past week. He is nearly 90 years old, and he traveled alone--all the way from Portugal.

One of our readers asked me if Bill spoke any English. That really made me laugh because Bill has lived in Portugal nearly 30 years, and only speaks English. He doesn't speak a word of Portuguese. He does, however, understand it a bit. Bill is actually Irish, and Joe's mom was Portuguese. She recently passed away, but Bill still lives there.

He really enjoyed the visit. Besides getting to spend rare time with his granddaughter, Amanda, and with us, we enjoyed visiting parks, restaurants and other relaxed- attractions in the area. In the evenings, Bill enjoyed watching our DVD set of The Honeymooners, and a bunch of Murder, She Wrote episodes we taped for him on DVR. In addition, he read two books during his 9 day stay (The Caterstreet Hangman by Anne Perry and A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines.)

Right in the middle of his trip, Joe took him to the VA Hospital in Milwaukee for some paperwork--he was a World War II veteran. While there, he had them check his legs and feet which were a bit swollen, and they actually admitted him for 2 days! They ran a bunch of tests on him, and he was discharged with a clean bill of health, except for a bit of dehydration. (Another reminder to remember to drinks lots of water during these summer months.)

Bill didn't mind the two day hospital stay. He got to meet some wonderful, helpful, friendly people. He could not get over how attentive and kind everyone was. He even met a nurse named Hazel who promised him a dance on his next trip back to Wisconsin.

We wanted to extend his stay a bit, but were not able to. When we originally purchased his tickets, we purchased paper tickets--big mistake! US Airways would not allow us to make any changes over the phone, and instructed us to go to an airport ticket counter. We drove all the way to the airport (about 90 minutes away), and as it turns out, they couldn't even help us. * Our lesson learned: We'll never get a paper ticket again. E-tickets are definitely the way to go.

The original airline ticket was around $800 or so. They wanted to charge us an additional $1200 to change the ticket to just 4 days later. I couldn't believe it, and was very disappointed that they didn't inform us of this over the phone. They would have saved us an additional trip back and forth to the airport. The other option was to charge us a $300 change fee, but on those flights Bill would have had a 9 hour layover in Philadelphia. We all agreed that would be too much for him.

Anyhow, to make a long story short, he left yesterday on the original flight we set up for him, and we just spoke to him a little while ago. He made it back to Portugal safe and sound to the delight of his two cats Baby and Samantha, who were under the care of a friend.

We hope he's doing well enough in a year or two to visit again! We know he would enjoy it, and we would be thrilled to have him again here too!