My storage needs are covered

This storage unit is neat, but the building this is in, is even better!!!

Check it out!

How happy would you be working in a place like this?!!!

Great office space :)

Home office or commercial office?

Working from home seems as such a great idea at times... But I found out that work never ended. I would get up in the middle of the night to check something out. Or get mad at the kids, basically for being kids (laughing, screaming, asking for stuff all the time) 
I love the fact that I didn't need to rush in the morning getting dress, or even combing my hair.
Working at home requires a strong ability to separate personal and business lives. A home office contains a lot of distractions, whether your family distracts you from your work or your work distracts you from spending time with your family.
I couldn't separate them. In fact I was often being asked favors from friends and family (even my hubby). "Since you are home all day, could you..." (fill in the blank). I mean, I don't mind doing favors, but although I was home all day, I was working, or at least trying.  And when the kids came home after school, I was still working, trying to catch up with all the things I needed to get done.
So, the best thing I could do, was finding an inexpensive office, not too big, but it includes the utilities, and I can use the conference room for free, I couldn't receive clients at home ever before, but now that I have the space, I just might 
And they have free parking too, and if I ever need it, the building has storage down stairs.
I don't know if you can feel this through the screen, but I'm happy!!! No more errands to distract me. Production is rising already. This cute office is paying for itself. 
Peace and quiet all day :)
I'm still my own boss, and I decide how many hours I work. But now I can say "oh, I'm sorry, I have to go to the office all week, I can't wait for your couch to be delivered sometime between 9AM and 4PM"
:)

Primer semana de clases en Argentina

Esta fue la primer semana de clases en Argentina, no se como sobrevivi!

Lunes: nos levantamos a las 6:00am, desayunamos, y fuimos felices al cole, una hora y media de charla de bienvenida, etc, etc. 17:30, de vuelta en casa, merienda, sacarles con tirabuzon como les fue. y oh sorpresa! la primer notita de "para mañana traer...", la primera de tantas que durante el año uno lee mientras esta haciendo la cena, y hay que salir corriendo a conseguir lo que sea que se le ocurrio a la seño antes de que cierre la libreria.

Martes: primer dia de la combi, estuvieron listos a tiempo. Bien, bien...

Miercoles: "estas medias no me gustan; me falta una zapatilla, la tenia aca recien...". El chofer de la combi toco el timbre y salieron corriendo. Tuve que ir corriendo porque uno se dejo la cartuchera en casa.

Jueves: el nene se dejo el almuerzo en la combi, y no me avisaron, el gordo le aviso a la maestra, su respuesta fue dijo "bueno, espera un segundo", y se olvido por completo de el... hasta las 2 de la tarde cuando se acerco a su maestra (ya de vuelta en el aula) y le dijo "tengo hambre, no comi"...

Como lo resolvieron? Le pidieron lo que le sobro del almuerzo a mi hija, y lo dejaron comiendo solito en un banco en el patio. Pero lo peor fue la nota que me enviaron en el cuaderno de comunicaciones: "Familia, hoy Oliver accidentalmente se olvido la vianda en la combi. Compartio el almuerzo con su hermana."

Dicho asi suena lindo...

Viernes: "necesito la otra remera, estas medias tampoco me gustan, peiname asi, o mejor asa..." relativamente tranquilo. A pesar de que en diciembre me dieron una larga lista de utiles escolares, ahora llego la lista de los libros, y de los materiales de plastica...

Homeschooling seria una buena opcion, pero quiero conservar la poca cordura que todavia me queda jajaja

Increiblemente ya tenemos un fin de semana largo en puerta. Creo que no es por el carnaval, es para reponerse de la primer semana de clases!!! jajaja

Is it just me? The dirty dishes and laundry conspiracy.

I think there's some kind of dirty dishes and laundry conspiracy to keep me from leaving the kitchen. It seems that every time I think "good, I'm done", there's another bunch of dirty pants and little dresses, and after I take care of those, I turn around to find a dozen of glasses next to my dear hubby's computer (I think his religion forbids him to pick them up and take them to the kitchen sink, and forget about washing them).

What's going on? We are only four in the house, two lovely children, my husband and myself. Are we doing laundry for the neighbors?

Are aliens abducting laundry from other houses and throwing it on my hamper?

Maybe I forgot to pay the bill at the restaurant and now I'm forced to do their dishes.

I don't know. But I think my choice today is to leave it all as it is, put the detergent down, and just make myself a cup of coffee (which I'll have to wash later on), grab my brushes and paint something nice.

What do you think? Is it just me, or did this ever happened to you before?

5 minutes for mom!

This is a very good cyber spot to visit!

I'm not particiating in the contest, but I just wanted to share this with you.

Changing directions

There are time where you shoudl just stop, take a breath, and decide if you are going in the right direction.

This happened to me afew years ago. I was working as office manager for a developer. The job was ok, the pay was good, but I found myself draging my feet to go to work. One day I realized I wasn't happy working in an office. I was feeling tired, and with a headache all the time.

So I decided to leave everything behind and start over.

I spend all my life taking art related courses and workshops, since I was almost 8, but when it came the time for me to pick a career I chose Business administration (amongst other failed careers), because they were good money making careers... and left the art for myself, hidden in my house.

After I left my job, and didn't know what was I going to do for a living, I tried many other things, thinking that maybe the problem was the office, until it hit me.

I did know about the law of attraction, but didn't really give it a lot of thought, until one day my daughter invited her friend over to play, when she and her mom arrived, the mom pointed out a sculpture to the little girl, so we started talking about art, and I did something I never thought I would do, I told her that I was a painter, and she told me she would like to see my work, because she was an art dealer and had a gallery.

Well, need I say more? I'm happier than I ever was. I do what I like now.

And this taught me to tell my children they should choose to do whatever they like in life, I used to do that before, but now I really mean it.

I'm taking the day off

I love taking care of my children, my husband, the house, my work, pets, plants, etc, etc, etc.  But sometimes I need little time for myself, from time to time, when life gets too real, I send my husband to the park, movies, and maybe Burger King with the kids, and just take the day off.

I start with a long bubble bath, and my favotire music,  then I put my feet up with the detox foot patches,  great to relief stress, put on all sorts of creams on my legs, hands, face, and read a book or a magazine, drink a cup of coffee, some juice....total relaxation.  After a couple of hours I'm completely recharged.

What do you do to beat stress?

Back up your movies!

I don't know about your kids, but mine can watch the same movie over, and over, and over again... and then some more.

I had to buy The Incredibles twice, because they played the dvd so many times it wore off!!!

But the other day I found a software to back up the dvd's.  It's called 123 copy DVD. I haven't tried it yet, but I think it's a great idea to have a back up of the dvds.  If you've tried it let me know.

It seems very easy to use, I'll see what happens.

Great for young readers

This is a great tool, I like it as much as hooked on phonics, very interactive.

I got it from a place called Click'nRead Phonics, my kids are only 5 and 7, so this is great for them, it gets harder as the lessons advance. The best part is they have a great time and learn at the same time.  They think it's a great game...how cool is that!

Children, children, children!!!

Hi there! Having two little kids of my own (plus nieces and nephews too), these are a few of my favorite sites.

The I SEE ME site offers personalized books with the child's name on it. They have "my very own fairy tale", "my own abc's", the world according to your child kit and book is great, they send you some interview questions to ask the child, such as what the child wants to be when he or she grows up, the child's favorite things, and more. Color markers and drawing sheets are provided for the child to do 6 drawings, including a self-portrait. Once you complete everything, you mail it to them and they will make a beautifully printed book that I'm sure you'll treasure forever!, and my favourite, the personalized floor puzzle, it was a great hit at my nephew's birthday party! Of course I'm only the coolest aunt ever...

Check it out and let me know how did you liket it!