I HAVE MOVED TO WORDPRESS! I'LL TAKE YOU THERE!

HANG ON...YOU ARE GOING TO AUTOMATICALLY TRANSFERRED TO MY NEW WORDPRESS SITE IN JUST A MOMENT .
If not please go here:
Organize with Sandy

My New Blog in Word Press is Open for Business!

Actually this blog should be shutting down today. You can go to Organize with Sandy and that
will take you to my new front page. Then you can pick where to go from there.
Later today this should redirect you automatically to my new site.
If you are on my followers list on the right hand sidebar...please sign up for either a e-mail or feeder subscription. I will not have a "followers" section on my new blog. Thanks!!

Construction Zone - Beware!

Construction Zone is happenin' in my house!! No...I am not having a room addition or house torn down...but
Construction Zone #1 - I am in the process of trying to switch over to Wordpress with my blog! LOL (I am having difficulties!) But I still hope it will be by Tuesday at the latest.
I have made a list of all the things I want to add and what I am having trouble with. I have been putting in many many hours this weekend on it though.

Construction Zone #2 - Remodeling bedrooms is another construction zone going on in our home. Not only are we remodeling one teens bedroom with the help of Your Zone from Walmart, but we are putting the other teen in an unfinished room in the basement (the Man Cave as he calls it). So we are working to finish a room with a closet under the stairs, peg board on the walls..painted basement ceiling rather than finished..you get the picture. (Actually I will have some pictures coming soon).
But with the Walmart bedroom, I have everything ready to go with the room make over except a Your Zone desk and comforter. (The above picture is a hint at what is to come!!....it will be soooo cool) There is a glitch in the system to order and I can't order them. I do have to say that Walmart was very responsive to the problem. Evidently, it is just problem in my area because of some kind of tax change. They will be able to change it with the next web change on the 20th, so that is when I will order them! So my project is going to be a few days late.

Construction Zone #3 -To top it off I also got a blackberry curve phone. This is ultimately a good thing, but I have never had phone with the internet. I have heard there is a learning curve with the curve. (Maybe that is why they named it that? LOL) For me any kind of learning curve with technology is a big deal. One of my older boys who has a blackberry came over to do a hands on tutorial with me. I watched the DVD that came with it to set it up and that helped. (I wish I had one of those to do everything I need for Word Press! But I am still learning how to use my phone. (But will be thrilled when I have it down).


Construction Zone #4 - Summer is over and school starts on Wednesday of this week. Getting back into the school routine instead of summer routine is transition too. We not only have school...we have 5 kids who are all involved in things. The two oldest have marching band practices and all their performances. One of those two also is on the cross country team. Meets start Saturday.
The triplets are in football and cheerleading. My husband is the boys assistant coach. At least football and cheerleading practices are on the same nights. Those are Tues and Thurs. Games will be Saturday and Sunday and those are not at the same times.
I can't imagine trying to handle all this without my palm pilot. (I am trying to switch that over to my Blackberry...but so far it won't work.)

I have hate when things are "out of order", I get frustrated when I can't figure them out, as I am sure many of you do too. The routine gets interrupted and it can throw everything out of whack.

But handling the chaos when things are in transition can be tough.

Join me tonight on MomTV at 8:30pm est to discuss more of how to handle things when they aren't going the way you expected.

Share my Recipe Sunday - Butterscotch Cake

I am giving my Gem of the Week Award to SnoWhite (isn't that cute?) from "Finding Joy in My Kitchen."
This cake looks soooo good! She gives the step by step pictures (which I love) to making this cake. You will have to go see the whole process. You can see it very simply by clicking HERE.


This cake is delicious. Reminds me of a butterscotch brownie, only in cake form. Yum. I found this recipe through Ultimate Recipe Swap, hosted each Thursday by FishMama. Let me tell you... I have found so many wonderful recipes through her carnival and other recipe-swap memes that I don't think I ever need to buy another cook book!

Butterscotch Cake* - Modified from Sweet and Simple Mama

Cake
1/2 C butter (1 stick)
1/2 C applesauce
7 T brown sugar, packed
1/3 C white sugar
3 eggs (I used two eggs and 1 egg white)
1 1/2 C flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3 T heavy whipping cream


Frosting
1/2 C sugar
1/4 C cold water
1/2 + 1/8 C whipping cream
3-4 oz cream cheese

SNOWHITE
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You can join in Share my Recipe Sunday by adding your name to the Mr. Linky. You can grab my button and put it on your post. Be sure to link Mr. Linky directly to your recipe on your blog (not your home page) and link the button and your post back to Share My Recipe Sunday on my blog. You may earn my Gem of the Week award too.

Gravatars and how to use them.

THIS IS MY GRAVATAR AS OF TODAY

Since I am going to be switching to Word Press (like hopefully today or tomorrow) there were some things I wanted to share with you.
As I have said a zillion times...I am very untechie. So there is none of this that seems to come easy to me or is a snap for me to do.
With that being said, I have been going to a lot of post lately to make comments and instead of the normal google section that automatically posts my picture...I get this Gravatar thing. I clicked on it once and there were all kinds of other peoples pictures. I didn't see how to load my own....so I didn't do it.
Wordpress just started using this "Globally Recognized" Avatar system this year. You used to have to pay for a Gravatar.
I just did this today and wanted to share this video that makes it very simple.
For those of you who are saying....ding-o...of course we know how to do this, why are you putting this Gravatar 101 post up? Well....kudos to you (wish I were more like you) ...but some of us are technology challenged and it is for those (like me) that I am posting this.

Interview with Maria Bailey!

This was an interview that I did while I was at BlogHer09 with Maria Bailey, one of the co-founders of MomTV,NewBaby.com, Bluesuit Mom, BSMmedia, award winning author, radio talk show host, Nationally known speaker....and I COULD go on! Anyway..I was thrilled to be able to even talk to her, let alone be interviewed by her.

Ok..yes I looked nervous (and I was) at least at the beginning. I wasn't scheduled to do my interview until the morning. I happened to be at the right place and the right time and Maria asked if I could just do my interview then. She is one great lady!

Organizing your dogs? LOL... NOT!!

Organizing and dogs don't really work! LOL You can organize their things of course...but not them.
If they are properly trained, going outside to potty is not a problem. But when they are sick...thing are different.
I am writing this because "things are different" in this house in the last few days.
Gizzy (above) has been sick. She started getting sick Saturday night and had me up 3 times through the night. She had both V and D. (I really don't want to write them out...I think you get the point...it is breakfast time you know)
I ended up taking her into the vet hospital yesterday morning. She had blood in both her V and D yesterday am. She has been in since yesterday and getting IV fluids to hydrate her. They think she has either pancreatitis from the high fat content in the steak bone we gave her Thursday night or an obstruction. They are holding off doing x-rays and all kinds of labs and just watching her (I appreciate that $$$)
Enter Sadie - She has been fine, just worried because her sissy isn't here.
But I came down to find two (one on linoleum but the other in the boys bedroom carpet...ggggrrrrhhhh)places where she had had D. No not her too!! (she is my soul mate doggie)
I called the vet and they said to take her food and water away. Give her ice cubes to keep her hydrated and cook up some hamburger meat (drained) and give her little bits and that helps with the D.
Dog hair to clean up, vet bills, ruined carpet (Gizmo chewed up a red ink pen 2 years ago and we had to replace the carpet in the family room because of it)from pens and D/V, rolling in poop at the farm, bad breath....WHY DO WE LOVE THESE ANIMALS? LOL I don't know...but we love them and they are a part of the family...so we deal with the bad along with the good.

Back To School Organizing - Are you Ready for the Routine to Start again?

Many of us have kids starting school within the next two weeks. My kids start next week..they are excited. I have the "mixed emotions" going on. I am not excited about the morning routine, homework, crazy mornings and after school....BUT I am excited that I will have some more time freed up during the week to spend with my organizing clients.
I discussed what Peter Walsh had to say about the school organizing. He talked a lot about "routine".
But what is the routine?
My Morning Tips.
1) Get up at least 15 minutes earlier than you "think" you need to. There will always be a glass of spilled milk or a "melt down" when you least expect it.
2) Have a "job board" if needed to help your child remember their morning routine.
3) PREPARE the night before!!!
* Pack lunches or lunch money
* Lay out clothes
* Have book bags ready to go
* Homework inside in the bookbags
* Library books inside the bookbags (you get the point)
* Take your shower the night before if possible.
* Have breakfast planned and table set

My After School Routine Tips
1) Routine...Routine....Routine. (kids need it)
2) Book bags emptied when they come in the door. Have a specific spot for their papers where you can go through them.
3) Snack
4) Homework time (don't delay it, get it over with..they are still in school mode..not play mode yet.)
5) Have a quiet place, with low stimulus for homework. Desk in their room without tv, or a kitchen table.
6) Put their book bags away in a set spot. Hooks on the back of a door can work great.


Get Ready...Get Set...here come the school projects!!

I'm Going to Be Moving!

My Blog is going to move to Wordpress!
It should be happening this week. I have to say that I am very nervous about it! Techie I am not, so for me to learn something new isn't so easy.
I am having my WP guru (Michael from Uncorrupted Hosting) and my blog designer (Revka from Berries and Cream) do all the dirty work for me. Heck, I am having them talk to each other to coordinate things since I have no idea what in the world they are talking about in most of the e-mails!

It looks like I am going to lose me followers and subscribers though....so hopefully you will all re follow me on my new blog!
I want to figure out when I can have a twitter party to celebrate. I have some great give aways and swag bags to give away.
I'll let you know as soon as I plan it!

Peter Walsh Back to School Web Cast with Office Max

I took part in a web cast with Peter Walsh that Office Max sponsored yesterday. He had with him in this picture from left to right a Teacher, a middle school student, Peter, a Mom and a High school student. He would ask different questions and then compare how the different people viewed the different situations.
He went over how to get organized to start school. I want to share the information that he gave because I think it is valuable.
(My pictures aren't very good of this because I took a picture of my computer screen and I kept getting the glare back)

These are the screens he put up. I wanted to show this one to show you what we saw..but I will just write up the test of them.

TIPS FOR HOME
1) Find the vision you have for a space (what do you want it to look like)
2) Make Organization a Family Value
3) Use the Right Tools for Organizing

TIPS FOR ORGANIZING YOUR CHILD
1)Show that you value Organization
2)Establish Clear Limits and Routines
3)Always Finish a "cycle". Finish a task

TIPS FOR THE CLASSROOM
1)Establish Clear Routines
2)Involve Kids with Classroom Organization
3)Use Word pictures and color to help Organize

One of the things that the teacher pointed out that really doesn't have to do with Organization but I thought it was a wonderful thing to mention was - That teachers do not want wooden apples and little gifts for holidays etc. They want classroom supplies. Peter Walsh said on the average teachers spend about $1,200 a year of their own money on classroom supplies. So next time instead of buying your teacher another little trinket that will add to her clutter at home....buy her things she can use for classroom supplies.

Peter got on twitter for about 15 minutes after the web cast. Of course remember he has over 200 bloggers all trying to "chat" with him via twitter. I said a few things, but he did respond to me.

I wrote him, Thanks @Peter_Walsh You are like chocolate to an Organizer.
He actually saw it and said Thanks Sandy.
I know that seems crazy....but it made my day. LOL

Recent Opportunities and question about Swag

I have had several people ask me questions lately about the "swag" we received at the Blogher conference and the opportunities I have had being a blogger and what that means.
I have to admit that it has been a lot of fun meeting new people and companies and that most bloggers I have dealt with are more than happy to help you in any way they can.
The MomSelect Swag Suite at the Blogher conference was a very popular place to be. Maria Bailey (founder of MomSelect and Co founder of MomTV )and BSM Media were in charge of that and they had a line out the door. They had some trouble getting some of their products delivered on time...so when the response was so huge..they had to shut the doors for a few hours to restock and get things organized before they could open back up.
Here is a list of the things they had for the bloggers (for those of you who have asked what kinds of things we received.) By the way...I am not trying to brag in any way here..I am trying to thank those involved for all they did for us and the companies for all the samples and products they handed out to us.
These were things that were available. They had them spread around the room and started us out with the Land's End Backpack to use as a goodies bag. I did not pick up everything because not everything was appropriate to my family.

AdoraPet DVDs - Triplets will love to watch it.
Beaute de Maman Samples
Build-a-Bear Workshop Bears -So cute!
CharcoCaps
Cultural Care Au Pair Memory Card Game
Cystex
Disney T-shirts/hand sanitizer
Easy Mac Cups
Enfamil Gift Bags
ItzaBitza DVD Game
Kindermusik Gift Bags
Lands' End Backpacks - Wonderful...to give to one of my boys to use.
Latitude Tools - Great level, can't wait to try it.
Moving Picture Books
My Princess Party To Go- Princess favors
No-Slip Grippies Tights
Paci-Plushies
Precious Moments Baby Clothes
Seventh Generation Organic Tampons
SoftLips I threw in my purse...nice
Wisk

It was fun to get all these things...but I would have loved to have just visited with Maria and others I have not been able to meet at Mom TV and Mom Select.

I have also had the opportunity to work with Walmart in a promotion to remodel one of my teens bedrooms. You can follow the progress of that and there will be a chance to win a make over yourself at the end of that.

I was asked to attend a P&G Bounty Experience today at COSI (Center of Science and Industry) in Columbus. I will be posting on that later in the week.

I have had many other opportunities lately and hope to have even more in days to come.
As a Mom blogger I will let you know that I look forward to working with more companies and other bloggers. I will be honest about what I tell you about and if I should promote something...it is because I like the company or product. They may offer to sponsor me or give me a product to review...but if it is not something that would be beneficial to my readers..I don't really care what they offer me...I won't be a part of it.
I will also post about contest or do a post because of a contest (as part of this one is) but again...if I don't believe that it is something I should post about or don't feel good about it..I won't do it.
But I am more than Happy to blog and thank others for the opportunities they are giving me or the products they have introduced me to.
Thanks!

Win $500 school shopping spree from Consumer Queen

This is a wonderful opportunity that I wanted as many of you as can be to have a chance at.
Consumer Queen is hosting a giveaway for a $500 school shopping spree at Walmart thanks to Nestles. (Isn't she so cute? I got the chance to get to know her at Blogher)
Go check it out and enter to win (I did!)

Wordless Wednesday

How does Chocolate help you organize? Well.....I have it...just a minute....I'll figure it out....
Let me see.....hmmm........Ok I have it!!
It relaxes us and calms us down so that we can think about what we need to organize. How is that?

TasteCasting - Morton's The Steakhouse (Yummy!!)

I went to Morton's The Steakhouse in Columbus Ohio tonight with my Tastecasting team. We were treated to a wonderful array of wonderful appetizers. These are part of the Bar Bites that you can get at Morton's. This is the Petite Filet Mignon Sandwich....outstanding! If you sit at the bar and have them between the hours of 5pm - close they are only $6.00. You can order these at your table, but they will be full price.

To see my entire post you can go to my Review site and see all the pictures of the Bar Bite Menu. (You will be hungry after you see it ...guaranteed!)

Room Remodel - Painting...oh my!

We have begun! We are completely redoing my 16 year old son's bedroom thanks to Walmart. Today is painting! (No..my son hasn't been sleeping on the floor without any bedding. LOL) We already carted out the the bunk beds that were previously in there. He did share a room with my step son. We have moved Drew down to the basement. {He chose it and is calling it his "man cave"}
We have already planned out the room on paper. We have purchased most of what we are going to use in the bedroom. I have a couple of things on order that Walmart does not have in the stores.

Now for the paint. My sister is an artist. She has such an eye for what looks right. So I consulted with her. We have decided to go with a very dark gray on 2 of the walls. I know it sounds really strange...but you will just have to follow along over the next couple of weeks to see how it is going to look.

Share my Recipe Sunday - Amy's Chocolate Pudding Zucchin Muffins!

My Gem of the Week award goes to Amy from Amy's Finer Things. She has this yummy zucchini recipe for Chocolate Pudding Zucchini Muffins. I have zucchini coming out the ying yang right now from my garden and I am guessing a few of you do too! I did a little looking and she also has this great page of links to other zucchini recipes on her site. You will have to look at it. I would have used it for this post but she didn't enter it in the Share my Recipe Sunday. I didn't think she would mind if I used a 2nd link to her site to share these yummy looking recipes with you!
Amy says that her children ask for them. She thinks they should be considered cupcakes!
I know I am going to try them for sure!

I would love to have you join my Share My Recipe Sunday! Just pick out a recipe you love..hopefully that is simple and easy. Post the link on here. Pick up my button and post it on your site with the recipe and link it back to here.
My Mr. Linky is finally working again! Yeah!!


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Chocolate Pudding Zucchini Muffins

* 3 eggs, beaten
* 1 c. cooking oil
* 1 1/4 c. sugar
* 1 large package chocolate instant pudding
* 2 c. grated zucchini
* 2 tsp. vanilla
* 1 c. unbleached flour
* 2 c. whole wheat flour
* 1 tsp. soda
* 1/2 tsp. baking powder
* 1 tsp. salt
* 1 tsp. cinnamon
* 1 c. chopped nuts (optional)

1. Beat eggs, oil, sugar, pudding mix, vanilla and zucchini together.
2. Blend dry ingredients and add to zucchini mixture; mix well.
3. Scoop into greased muffin tins.
4. Bake 17-20 minutes at 350°.

** Makes 2 1/2 dozen muffins. I made 2 dozen regular plus 1 dozen mini muffins.

** You could also grease two loaf pans and bake 1 hour at 350° for Chocolate Pudding Zucchini Bread.

A Big BlogHer Thank You!

(I saw this on a couple of blogs and loved the idea...so I did steal the idea of taking a picture of all the business cards. I know I was excited to see mine in someone else's pile....so look for yours and leave me a comment if you see it!!)

I have so many thank yous to everyone at BlogHer. Thanks yous for putting it on , thank yous for coming up to me and saying you recognized me (those were the coolest!), thank yous for being the first person to introduce yourself in line at the hotel (@mom101), for asking me to sit down and eat lunch with you and your daughter that first day (@mamacita) my roommate who gave up her free room to help me out since I had 2 people back out on me. (@military_mom) A big thank you for helping me feel comfortable in an uncomfortable place and for being nothing but nice to me (@craftymamaof4). I have big thank yous for these two Walmart 11 Moms for treating me as an equal although in the blogging world we are no where close (@mommybrain and @consumerqueen). Thank you to all the sponsors for all the fun swag they gave us and sponsoring all the parties and food and drinks. I feel I learned so much although I wasn't able to make it to hardly any sessions. (that is crazy isn't it?)
Thank you to the Label Daddy team for asking me to eat breakfast with them at the Newbie Breakfast.
Thank you to Annalisa from GM for discussing the GM cars and organizational features for a possible review with me.

Thank you to John Andrews (@katadhin)from Collective Bias and who started Walmart Eleven Moms for talking to me. I had never been able to meet you and was thrilled to realize how down to earth and nice you really were!
Thanks to Campbell's. I will be anxious to see the video I made about how wonderful my husband is...although I stumbled through it. Your team was awesome to talk to at BowlHer.
It was a pleasure to meet Ted Rubin (@tedrubin) from e.l.f. eyeslipsface.com and the fast response I have had in doing a review for one of their makeup bags.
Denise from brother was great to talk to and I look forward to working with you in the future.

I was thrilled to meet so many people that I see and talk to online IRL (in real life...I thought I would translate for a few like me who were slow to figure that one out)

To the Sponsors that I have pictures for...and this is such a small portion of you. But Thank you for all you did. Thank you for talking to us about your Brands and how we can help each other in this economy. Thank you for coming out to BlogHer and making it so much fun.
I especially want to thank my sponsors for helping to get me to BlogHer.
The Sock Sacks are a great way to organize your socks in the washer/dryer. LOL Kids and adults both will put their dirty socks in their own sock sack. Then you simply put your sock sack into the washer then the dryer...bring them out and NO SORTING! No more lost socks in the wash/dry cycles. I love them! Thanks Sock Sacks for helping me to be able to go.
The pouchee purse organizer is my other sponsor (well...that would be me, but I sponsored myself! LOL ) I did not make this purse organizer (I wish I did) but I do sell them because I am sold on how wonderful they are at keeping your purse organized.
For a Special from Blogher... if you order a pouchee and put in this discount code "BlogHer" you will get 10% off your purchase.


My daughter was thrilled with this new Moxie Girlz Doll that we received at BowlHer as part of our Swag. They aren't coming out until September. My daughter had a blast using the markers and painting the motorcycle and I think her shoes? She was showing me her wonderful art work and was so proud.

The kids ended up with so many fun things....book lights from PBS Kids, also a autographed picture from Nina from The Good Night Show on Sprout a cute pin from Disney (plus Disney had wonderful Mickey Mouse ice cream bars that saved me on one of my "I missed lunch" days), Disney also showed us a laptop computer made for kids that has a safe internet environment (Hint..hint...I would love to do a review and giveaway of one of those for you Disney!! ) and bears from Build a Bear, a Mr. Potato Head from Playschool, coloring books and so much more.
Jump Start was there. It was nice to talk to them as I am going to be doing a review and giveaway for them of one of their programs that my triplets are having a great time using.

Nikon put on a wonderful party and I was thrilled to go.
Pepsico also had drinks for us everywhere!
Tropicana had wonderful and cold juice for us to drink that was lower in calories!
This was the Quaker Oatmeal Smoothie bike! (yummy they were good)
So did you know that Pepsico had more than just Pepsi? I didn't....they have Tropicana, Quaker Oatmeal, Frito-lay, Gatorade Brands. See what you can learn at BlogHer? LOL

Michelin Tires was there with the Michelin Man!

The Swiffer company had a dress up area (as you can see!) at the SocialLuxe party and it was a riot to watch.
Tide gave us a really cool bounce 4 month dryer bars. I haven't put it in my dryer to try it yet...but can't wait. I won't have to have all those used dryer sheets that want to fall out of the dryer onto the floor floating around any more.
They also had Tim Gunn visit their booth. I didn't have time to get in line to take a picture with him, so I snapped this one on my way through. I think its funny that it looks like the word bubble is coming out of his mouth. Thanks Tide.
There are many more ...I mean many more sponsors...and this post would be way too long to list them all. I just want to give them all a very big Thank you!