Quiet week

This might be my favorite week of the year.  The craziness of Christmas is over and all of the year-end cramming has come to a close.  There are very few people in the office.  This is the week that I minimize my meeting schedule and I’m able to get oh so much done.  But this is also the week that helps me get off on the right foot for the whole next year.  Here’s what I've been working on …

• Clean up {and out} my hard drive & backup critical documents
• Organize my papers
• Organize & update the decor in my office
• Prep for next year … supplies, etc.
• Goal planning for next year

Hope you're either on vacation or enjoying the quiet time like I am.  

p.s.  this is a picture I took in the Philippines - I think i might try blowing it up to put in my office ... 

A healthy challenge

It’s no surprise to my friends that this summer I’ve been in a bit of a funk … too much work with no breaks and a milestone birthday that I’d rather not have celebrated.  J  But now that those two things have passed it’s time for me to snap out of it … and what’s more … I only have 7 short weeks until we leave for Hawaii and dare I say my body is NOT in any shape to be seen in a bathing suit.  Soooo … I’m challenging myself and I will track my progress to you … gulp. 

Ok so here are the details for each week: 

-          2 weight lifting sessions (30-45 min)

-          3 – 5k training days (yes I’m training to run a whole 5k – 1) Yes I’m in that bad of shape and 2) Yes I’m really going to TRAIN to run a 5k)

-          Eat “per the plan” 7 days/week

-          Only 1 cheat-meal/week

Wish me luck!  

-kris

new supplies ...

Why do kids have to have all of the fun with new school supplies?  I remember growing up and getting excited to pick out my strawberry shortcake lunchbox and glitter pencil grippers.  So I’ve decided I’m going to treat myself to a few new fun things to celebrate my kids going back to school. Here are a few of my favorites.  

Resources:

Laptop bag - $168 - nordstroms

Notebook ($6) & notepads ($6) - poppin

Calendar ($30 & coffee mug ($19) - paper source

Pens ($36) & pencil bags ($30) - see jane work 

Enjoy!

-kris

back to school … supplies

It’s that time of year … Target has officially put out all of the back to school supplies and my kids are like a moth to a flame!  Now we don’t actually buy ALL of the stuff on “the list” – oh no way – in fact I must put a shout out to School Tool Box.  This is the company my kids school uses and it is not short of GENIUS!  They pull everything on every classes list – they even specialize for gender – and all I have to do is pay online.  I even have friends who have tried to do it the hard way and they say the cost comes out to be about the same.  I’m sold!  However, my kids can’t be THAT EASY.  Oh no … the journals, pencil cases, Kleenex, etc are just “not cute enough”.  And until my school starts requiring the same backpacks, lunch boxes and water bottles … well my kids will want to personalize these too.  Thanks to super Target we could get everything in the same place … so while I was busy getting milk, eggs and oreos … my kids picked out everything they could possibly need and then some … here are some of {my} favorites: 

Resources:

Small Personalized Notebook $14.99 - Tiny Prints

Personalized Folders $7.75 - Personalization Mall

Personalized Bookmarks $7.75 - Personalization Mall

Personalized Notebooks $14.95 - Personalization Mall

Scented Glitter Pens - $8 - See Jane Work

Pencil Cases - $6.50 - PB Teen

Happy Friday!

-kris

ohhhhh the tree house books really are magic!!

a few weeks ago, while visiting family in michigan, my little man received a halloween gift which included the 1st magic tree house book.  the last couple of years i've heard that many young boys really like these books and i tried to get baby girl to look at them at them at book fairs and in book stores - but she showed NO interest.  but back to little man ... he has been obsessed with these books - we're on #2 and every night i get "mom, can we go read the book again".  this is a kid that has about 50 (maybe more) learn to read books in his room.  now while he can't sound out every word i'm going to continue to encourage this reading as long as it lasts!  are there some reading strategies for your kids that you've either hopped on the bandwagon or tried?  

 

happy reading!

-kris

the teal pumpkin project

growing up i loved going trick-or-treating with my family and friends.  i never thought such a fun and exciting holiday could bring so much anxiety to some kids ... until i had my little guy.  you see he is allergic to peanuts so he's excited at the thought of getting candy - he's not excited about getting candy he can't eat.  when he was about 3 he would go up to a house and ring the door bell and say "trick or treat - i'm allergic to peanuts do you have anything i can have?" - all in one breath.  as cute as it was (and it really was) it was also very sad - especially when he came home with about 50% of the things he was given having peanuts in them.  

we don't keep nuts in our home and don't give out candy with nuts - just for that reason; however, i just heard about a campaign that the FARE (food allergy research & education) group is sponsoring - it's called the teal pumpkin project.  the idea is that you have a separate bowl of non-food items that can be given to kids that have food allergies so they can go home with something that can keep them safe and have fun too!  i'm so excited to be participating in this program this year and can't wait to go out and find some fun stuff that kids would want to get (rather than candy). 

you can either paint a pumpkin teal and put it on your front porch to indicate you're a family that supports this project or you can hang a sign on the front of your house.  you can get that sign here. we will be doing both & hope to see many other homes supporting this cause!!  

happy trick-or-treating.  

 -kris

i {heart} philippines

great cause ... pick up one on jcrew online today!

-k