If I've never said it in this blog, I pretty much love our family doctor. Like, more than anything. So, back story time! (That's right, I'm digressing before I even get to the main point of this post!)

When I was 17, I was diagnosed with Systemic Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. The actual diagnosis came in July that year, but the symptoms started in early April. It took a LONG time and a LOT of testing to come to that diagnosis - my rheumatoid factor has never, ever popped up positive which made diagnosis that much harder. We went through testing for it all: Lyme Disease, Cat Scratch Fever, Hepatitis, Leukemia, Lymphoma... but our doctor, at my very initial appointment, was the one to say, "I think it might be Rheumatoid Arthritis." About 200 vials of blood, quite a few x-rays and body scans, and one bone marrow extraction later, we found out for sure he was right. So, it's safe to say, I trust the man more than anything. And when we knew we were having our first child, we knew we wanted our son there too. 

I remember walking into the room with our first born at his one week appointment. I think my husband and I must have looked totally doe eyed and "exhausted" (I use that term lightly, because our son didn't sleep through the night until he was 14 months old, and the exhaustion would only worsen!). I was so anxious, and I had a running list of questions for him in a list on my phone (and I made sure to ask them all, too). Toward the end of the appointment, I remember asking him how he had done this seven times (they have SEVEN kids, six sons and a daughter!), and he told us that around 18 months we would start to see a sweet little personality emerge, and we would tell ourselves it would be a great time to have another baby for him, not for us. 

So when Harrison's first doctor's appointment rolled around, we walked in even more exhausted but slightly calmer than with Henry. He asked how things were going, and we told him we were doing well. I didn't have a list of questions written down this time, and we all seemed more at ease. And we talked about that. He reminded us of coming in for Henry's first appointment and how scared we were and told us this was the natural progression with parenting. You calm down, and subsequently the baby calms down too. And then he dropped a truth bomb on us. 

"Emotionally, you might feel better the second time around. You've done the rodeo before and you know what's to come and that you'll get through it. But physically, you're more tired than before. Because even now when you DO get a second to breathe from the baby, there's someone else that needs you." I expressed to him how hard the balancing act had been and how I wanted to make sure I was still getting enough quality time with big brother. And then the second truth bomb came (and maybe even the permission I'd been looking for). "You're going to have to let some things go. Like the house. Just let it go. It can be a mess. Take care of the kids and each other. The rest will wait." 

I swear I took that to heart, and in that moment, I said, DONE! This, truly, is a total departure for me from what I normally do. I'm pretty (read: A LOT) anal about the house being picked up. I hate when things are left out (like, for instance, today's toys are still all over the floor, and my son's lunch plate is still sitting on the table with food on it (and lunch has been over for HOURS). All our holiday decorations are still up (and most likely will be for awhile). It still drives me nuts, but I'm letting it drive me less nuts right now because truly, it doesn't matter. It drives me insane, but it doesn't actually matter. Getting quality time in before my husband is back to work matters. Spending a few special moments with my oldest matters. Seeing those sweet baby eyes looking up at me matters. 

Everything else? It can wait. 

A birth story: How Harrison Edward joined our family!

I cannot - CANNOT - believe it's been five weeks since our newest addition joined our family. Harrison arrived on November 17 - and what a birthing experience it was! 

With our first son, Henry, I went into labor on my own two days before my due date. He was born just one day early, slightly punctual, just like his momma likes to be. I (wrongly!) assumed this is what would happen with Baby Putt 2.0. But it definitely did not! 

My due date was November 13. My whole pregnancy, I had a feeling I would deliver early. Well, November 13 came and went, and I was still oh-so-pregnant. It's funny, really, but being a massive overachiever and always journalist, I started to get a little down that I hadn't hit the deadline in place. I know how ridiculous that sounds, and even in the moment, I knew it was ridiculous. But your brain starts doing weird things when you've been cooking a little one a little too long.

At 39 weeks, I had my last appointment with my doctor. She was slated to be out of town for my 40 week appointment, and I (wrongly!) assumed we'd see her or another doctor in her practice at the hospital well before the 40 week mark. But, at that appointment, we scheduled my induction just in case - she said most of the time when inductions were scheduled, babies knew, and they decided to make their dramatic entrances on their own. Ours did not! And I (wrongly (are you seeing a pattern here?!)) assumed Baby 2.0 would be like his brother and start this process on his or her own. Alas, no such luck. 

So at 40+3, I called our hospital to see if we were scheduled to come in that evening. The nurse on call told me we were to report at 7:30, so we packed our things, kissed our eldest goodbye (he was off to Papa and Momo's house for the weekend), and made our way toward the hospital. We checked in the way you do at a hotel - calmly, pulling luggage, and hoping you might get a room upgrade. It was the TOTAL opposite of Henry's check in where the seconds ticked by as we waited to get in to triage. We never even retrieved our luggage with him until after he was born because he came so quickly. 

The Putts are checking in!

 Once we settled in our room, we met our nurse for the night, Alyssa. She explained to me that the doctor would come in to check me and we'd decide a course of action then. He showed up about an hour later for the check, and I was only 1.5 centimeters... I'd dilated about half a centimeter since my last appointment a week and a half ago. I figured we'd be in this for the long haul and tried to have zero expectations. Because baby was so high, and because my cervix hadn't softened enough, he decided Cervadil was the best course of action, so I got my first dose at 10 and another dose at 2 a.m. I was contracting regularly when I came in - a great sign - the Cervadil only helped to speed that along. Around 4 a.m., the contractions really started to intensify, and it was impossible to sleep from that point on. 

So, at 7:30ish when my doctor came in to check me, I was 3 cm dilated (woohoo!), and we knew the next step would be to break my water, which she did at 7:41. She told me she'd be back at 10 to check me. There was a shift change then, and my new nurses, Jacki and Carole, stopped in to check on us too. 

And THAT'S when things got crazy. The contractions were coming fast - about every 90 seconds, so there was no real chance for recovery in between. So at 8:20ish, I asked for the epidural. Nurse Jacki gave me a look - like - are you SURE you want the epidural?! I was SURE. She and Carole went to ask the anesthesiologist to come, and that's when I found out it would be another hour until he got there. 

I knew in that moment I wouldn't be getting that epidural. 

I labored for a little bit longer in bed before the nurses suggestion I use the bathroom one more time before the epidural. When I came back, they had me stay sitting up on the bed so I'd be ready when the time came. I was in a LOT of pain, and I'm pretty sure Dan (and potentially the nurses!) thought I was being a big of a wimp, but they told me to hang in there and that I was doing great. 

Instead, I told the nurses I had to push. They told me that I could lay down and they would check me, and that's when I heard the words out of Carole I was mostly dreading - "Okay, so you're having a natural child birth whether you want that or not!" And this prompted me to ask, "Is it too late for other drugs?!" I knew baby was close, but what I didn't realize was about 90 seconds later, HE would be here! This baby was READY to be born. I panicked, and my hubby had to get in my face a bit with a little pep talk and some reassurance that I would not pass out.

So a push or two later, before the doctor could get in the room, out came Harrison Edward with his cord wrapped through his legs and over his shoulder. Those first few minutes were chaotic as nurses (and eventually a doctor) rushed in to help and Dan tried to jockey for a position to see if our newest babe was a he or she. His birth was glorious and terrifying and painful and exhilarating and everything I never imagined.

HE is here!

And now, our little 8 pound 8 ounce 21.5 inch bundle of joy has been here for five weeks. Big brother has adjusted beautifully, and I can see how much they love each other already! With less than three years between them, I think they'll be the best of friends. Harrison has proven to be more colicky than his bro, but we're hoping to outgrow that soon.

Brothers are built in besties.

Speaking of grow, this baby IS. He's gained two inches and three pounds (!!!) and doesn't appear to be slowing down! We're starting to see glimpses of his little personality, and I can't wait to watch this little one grow! Welcome to the world, precious boy!

Stitch Fix #24: A post-baby wardrobe!

You guys. WHY has it been so long since I've blogged?! Seriously, where did the time go?! 

In short, here's what happened. We had an incredible fall that was mostly spent soaking up time with our little man, working on projects around the house, and prepping for baby Putt 2.0 (surprise! It's a boy, born last month, and I'll have his birth story up on the blog soon!)! We've been a family in transition, and blogging unfortunately took a backseat this year. BUT, it's going to be a higher priority going forward, and I'm looking forward to getting some writing done again! 

It had been FOREVER since I got a Stitch Fix. I did get one maternity Fix early on in my pregnancy because I knew we were going to Vegas for KEEP's conference, and I wanted some cute and fashionable maternity clothes to take with me. I scored an adorable dress (the same one I ended up wearing to my baby sprinkle this fall - total winner!)! But I think that was my only Fix this year! So, about three weeks before I had Harrison, I got an email from Stitch Fix that they'd like me to get another Fix, and they were even willing to pay my styling fee! UMMM, yes! I explained that I was due to have a baby any day, and they told me they would delay my Fix until December AND focus on post baby basics.

If you don't know about Stitch Fix (<--Referral link!), let me give you a little rundown. Stitch Fix is a clothing subscription service, and you decide how frequently, or infrequently, you'd like a shipment. You'll fill out a detailed style profile about your sizes, style preferences, and budget (and it's super fun to fill out the profile to see what your style preferences are!). Not only does Stitch Fix offer clothing, but they have accessories, bags, and even shoes now! They style both men and women, and they offer extended sizes. You pay a $20 styling fee that gets applied to your purchase, but right now, if you sign up for your first /fix through my link, your first styling fee is waived. Zero risk! And, if someone signs up through your referral link, you get a $25 credit to use toward your next purchase! (And let me tell you, that adds up to some awesome free close!)

You can see my previous Fixes here:
Stitch Fix #1

Stitch Fix #2
Stitch Fix #3
Stitch Fix #4

Stitch Fix #5
Stitch Fix #6
Stitch Fix #7
Stitch Fix #8
Stitch Fix #9
Stitch Fix #10
Stitch Fix #11
Stitch Fix #12
Stitch Fix #13
Stitch Fix #14
Stitch Fix #15
Stitch Fix #16 
Stitch Fix #17
Stitch Fix #18
Stitch Fix #19
Stitch Fix #20

Stitch Fix #21

Stitch Fix #22

Stitch Fix #23

For this Fix, my main girl Serena was on the job! She had been on maternity leave for my last Fix, so I know she knows new momma comfort needs. 

And side note. Before you see these pictures, I'd like to remind you that I'm two weeks post-partum. And these were taken at night. After three days of not being able to find the time to take said pictures in the first place. I have to keep reminding myself it took nine months to put on the baby weight, and I can't expect a flat stomach overnight... but I SO wish I could! 

1. Skies are Blue Ortega Open Knit Perforated Cardigan, $48

2. MTLA Kristin Fleece Cable Knit Leggings, $38

Okay, this outfit is totally in my wheelhouse - post-baby or not! I LOVE the jewel tone of the sweater, and there's a really sweet scalloped edge at the bottom. And although you can't see the texture of the leggings here, the cable knit is really beautiful. They're actually a navy color, but, bad lighting. Because so, so tired. I like that this is an easy throw on and go outfit and super nursing friendly. 

3. Pink CLOVER Aysse Cross Back Pullover, $48

Oh, hi, check out the cutest little photo bomber! I really should have gotten a picture of the back of this sweater, because there was a sweet little criss cross at the top. But I'm just not sure I'm digging this one. I don't love the knit of the sweater, and I'm not sure this is a good color for me. But I DO love that it's long enough to wear with leggings! 

4. Octavia Fia Plaid Square Scarf, $28 

I love the colors of this scarf, and I think if I was keeping this sweater, it would look amazing together! I've been wearing more infinity scarves than anything else lately, but I love the lightweight feel of this one. I think I need to Pinterest new ways to tie my scarves though... I struggled with this one. But again, so, so tired (are you sensing the trend here?!). 

5. Crescent Ash Cold Shoulder Knit Top, $42

I kind of LOVE the cold shoulder trend - in fact, my favorite maternity top this time around was a cold shoulder top! And I love the length of this (plus, hello, floral sleeves!)! BUT, this one is tough to get up and down quickly for nursing the babe, and I'm worried by the time that ship sails, this top might no longer be trendy. What do we think?! 

So, that's my most recent Fix. I'd LOVE your feedback on what to keep and what to send back, sweet friends! And, if you're ready to try it for yourself, you can fill out the super fun style profile (and waive your first styling fee) here!

What have we been up to? A September update!

In short, here's what we've been up to this past month. 

Rebuilding a deck. Getting estimates for our new roof (wind damage was WICKED this spring!). Turning a nursery into a big boy room. Turning a guest room into a nursery. Growing a person. Watching our two-and-a-half-year-old grow and change before our very eyes. Running an at home business. Soaking up as much summer weather as possible. Zoo days. Park days. Beach days. Sidewalk chalk days. Coloring. Libraries. Target runs. Riding Sandy the horse at Meijer. Practicing our somersaults (the small fry, not me!). 

It's been busy, y'all! 

I'm starting to feel the need to nest kick in, so Henry and I have hunkered down the past few mornings to start organizing the house. If you've ever been to our house, you know that Henry's items have essentially taken over, and I imagine this will grow by three once new baby arrives and we need things like a swing, floormat, and pack and play back out again. So I haven't been too upset about having some concentrated time to get things done. Next week starts back to our normal morning activities - gymnastics, music, and library story time, so the time at home has been welcome! 

I'm 30 weeks pregnant (tomorrow!) now, and DEFINITELY starting to slow down. I feel like it's happening earlier this pregnancy, but that could also be from the combination of chasing a toddler all day too. My workouts are not what they once were, and I feel like my activity level is decreasing, so I'm attempting to combat that with more time on the elliptical and some stretching. Hoping to work some yoga into third trimester too! 

So, that's us in a nutshell. Livin' life. Workin' hard. Raisin' kids. And lovin' it all! 

Home reorg 101: Moving all the things!

I purchased my first home ten years ago this summer. I can't BELIEVE I've lived in this house for ten years, and looking back, my how it's changed! What started out as a home for three roommates eventually turned to two which eventually turned to my own humble abode. Later, this became the house my husband moved into and the house we brought our son home to. And now that he's two and we have another sweet pea on the way, well, we're outgrowing it FAST. 

We've been back and forth on when the right time to move will be. While we love the South Bend area, it doesn't make sense to stay here long-term when Dan is working 45 minutes away in St. Joe, Michigan. It made sense to stay here when we were both working, because this was a central location for our workplaces, but now that my business is completely flexible, we'll most likely move to St. Joe. We've been debating the right time, and we even talked about this summer, but when we found out we were pregnant, we kaboshed that. Our hope right now is to get somewhat of a routine established as a family of four before we uproot everything we've ever known. Makes sense, right?! ;) But really, trying to house hunt while pregnant and mildly hormonal just didn't make sense for us, so we decided to work with what we had. 

In order to make room for a nursery, that meant disassembling our guest room. But, we hated the thought of not having anywhere for guests to stay - because while we don't get them often - we do LOVE having them! So that meant moving our guest room from upstairs to our downstairs gym/office. As you can imagine, that meant taking apart and reorganizing the gym/office to fit a queen size bed, AND, finding a new location for a giant (read: heavy as hell!) dresser. We knew this was our June task...

...so naturally we accomplished it on July 2! 

But, ohmigosh, you guys, I'm in LOVE with the changes! I SO wish I had taken before photos, because unless you've been to our house since it became a kid zone, I don't think you'll understand how exciting these changes are! 

Our guest room was taken apart, and will eventually become our new nursery. The weights and elliptical went into the storage room (still usable! Just less scenic in there!), and the guest room went to my KEEP office area. It's super cozy in there, and we love guests! 

And the dresser - this is my FAVORITE! We took the mirror off the back, and it's now being used in our kitchen as a buffet! And ohmigosh, we love it put together! 

So for now, we're enjoying our new space and looking forward to making it even homier before baby number two arrives! 

When it's been three months since you've blogged, you start where you are

Look at these cute P kiddos!

Lordy, it's been a long time since I've blogged! Time has absolutely gotten away from us these past few months, but allow me to explain.

We survived the winter relatively unscathed, and we even took our first family getaway to Keylime Cove. Henry LOVED the water park and had so much fun going down the water slide, so that makes me super excited for summertime adventures. Since we basically had no snow all of February, and some really mild days, we started spending time outside. 

You guys. I've learned that my kid would live outside if we let him. Like, seriously, I don't know that he'd ever come in if given the option. So, again, summer is going to be a good one! 

So we were cruising along into March, when all of a sudden, I got in a car accident. It was the one slick night we had that month, and I was driving home when another driver lost control, sideswiped me, and hit the median. The driver's side airbags deployed (ouch, y'all. Those hurt. And they're LOUD), and there was significant front end damage. And because it wouldn't be fun unless it was complicated, I was driving my mom's car because she had my car with the car seat in it while babysitting Henry. The whole ordeal was odd. Two amazing good Samaritans stopped and stayed with until police arrived, and I'm still incredibly grateful for them, because this story takes a twist. 

While we were all stopped on the side of the road, a man pulled up behind our cars. He talked to us for a few minutes before announcing that his wife is the one who hit me, and he was looking for her because she called him. My new friends had the brains and the calm demeanor to ask for his insurance info, which they took a picture of before he left (his wife had stopped, but about 300 feet away and around the corner on a different street). 

Four weeks later, I saw that man's face in a mugshot photo on our local news. He had stabbed his wife to death in front of their three children - she died on their front lawn while a neighbor held him at gunpoint so that he didn't go after their children. It's the understatement of the year to say the whole situation gives me incredibly bad vibes. I never saw the woman who hit me, but the thought of her dying in front of her babies like that kept me up at night for weeks. To this day, it still bothers me, but I'm trying to make my peace with it. 

And then, just about a week after the car accident, as Dan and I were prepping for our all inclusive (and completely free) rewards trip to KEEP Collective's Glam Getaway in Punta Cana, we got something we'd been wishing for for months: A positive pregnancy test! 

Let me digress a little more here and tell you that our first child was born nine months and three days after we got married. There was no trying there. Just, BAM, pregnant, and I'm pretty sure God intended it to be that way, because this time around, there was a lot of trying. And a lot of months where it wasn't the result we hoped for. And a lot of sadness when it wasn't. So, that positive pregnancy test was so, so exciting! 

Except because of the car accident, it made me high risk for the first trimester. Two early ultrasounds later, we saw the heartbeat, and now at almost 15 weeks pregnant, we're moving right along! Baby P 2.0 will be here in November, and we're so excited to meet him or her! 

The same week of my positive pregnancy test, both Dan and Henry came down with strep throat. So we were all feeling pretty miserable (all while cancelling a trip to Zika-infested Punta Cana, by the way - a trip I'd been looking forward to for months!). So March ended with a bang! 

Then April rolled around, and I pretty much just wanted to fast forward it. While I was super sick in the mornings with Henry, this baby led me to be super sick from about noon to 10 p.m. daily. It. Was. Not. Fun. 

So here we are, and it's mid-May, and I'm just now getting life somewhat back together. I won't even pretend that it's fully back together! I know this blog reads like a diary entry, and at some point, maybe I'll break it down and elaborate more on the situations, but that's life in a nutshell out of our household these days! 

Bring on summer vibes, please! 

40 bags in 40 days

Like many people we know, we've acquired WAY too much stuff. We combined two households and never completely purged from that. Then we had a baby, and he has, you know, a ton of stuff! 

So, when a Facebook friend of mine posted an article about clearing out 40 bags in the 40 days of Lent, that sounded kind of perfect to me! 

The premise is simple. Each day for the 40 days of Lent, you pick an area and clear it. The goal is to donate 40 bags - whatever size bags you'd like - to local organizations in need. There's even a Facebook group you can join for ideas, inspiration, and motivation. I shared the article with my husband, and he jumped on board immediately. And since Lent starts March 1, we're off and running. 

Yesterday, we got the brilliant idea to move our bedroom furniture. For one, it hasn't been moved since I bought this house... almost a decade ago... so, it was time to deep clean anyway. And for two, the set up was just sort of not really working for us anymore. We spent three hours moving, cleaning, and purging, and the result was three LARGE bags we're taking to Goodwill, one laundry basket of items to resale, and a LOT of paperwork in the recycling bin and shredder. Our room looks amazing, and we FEEL amazing, and we're excited to keep digging in and clearing the clutter. 

It's amazing that we get to organize our house. But what's more amazing is that we get to donate great, useable items that are quite literally collecting dust in our home. It's a win-win, and really, our evenings can probably be much better spent doing this than watching more Netflix than I care to admit. :D 

What are you doing for Lent? And what do you think of the 40 in 40 challenge? 

Flexible entrepreneurship: Choosing the right Direct Sales company for you

When I was teaching, I loved my work hours. I loved going in early (hello, I'm a morning person!), I loved getting home before 5 p.m. I loved having two weeks off at the holidays. And let's be honest, I loved having time off in the summers to recharge. 

But when I had our son, I knew that this schedule wasn't one I wanted while trying to spend time with H. Those early evenings after work were great... but they were often spent grading until my eyeballs fell out. Weekends too. And summers could easily be spent revamping lesson plans, attending professional development, and rearranging the classroom for hours or days. So that schedule wasn't ideal for my image of mom life for me. 

I really didn't intend to work while I was home, but when our son was five months old, I got the itch. I needed something that made me feel productive. I needed something that was just for me. 

I needed something flexible. Something I could do from home. Something that would add a little income but on my terms and my hours. And I wanted something I truly believed in. I'm not a saleswoman, and I didn't want to sell. I wanted to share something I loved with people I love. 

Find a company with a mission you believe in. 
When I set out looking for a company, I knew I wanted one that primarily focused on women. I was looking for a company that related to my passions: people, family, reading, writing, story telling, or working out. And I wanted something that I hadn't seen 100 other people selling. 

If you ever get the chance to hear Jessica Herrin speak, you need to listen. I don't care if she's reading you her grocery list. There's a chance she's throwing in nuggets of wisdom sandwiched between her spinach and her bread. Her mission - to help women design their one-of-a-kind lives - is maybe my favorite ever. KEEP was a no brainer for me. Find the company that's a no brainer for you! 

Make sure it's a product you love. 
I have mad love for all sorts of products. Peanut butter. Shoes. Carbs. Facebook. 

But I wouldn't go broke trying to keep up my supply of those things. The second I saw my company, I knew I kind of NEEDED it all. It took me a week to place my first order because I couldn't trim my list. And the more I learned about it, the bigger my list grew. Financially, it TOTALLY made sense for me to join! If you love the product, you'll never have to sell a day in your life. Choose something you love. 

Think about the initial investment (not just of money, but time and energy too). 
I've never sold a thing in my life. I majored in English. I spent ten years in the classroom. The thought of owning my own business?! That was a scary one. What if I couldn't sell anything? I was invested emotionally, but I was scared to invest a lot of money into something that I didn't even know if I could do. For me, it made sense to go with a company that didn't require a huge start up. On the flip side, I know a lot of people who liked having a larger investment in their company because they felt like it would push them to be more successful. Whether I spent $149 or $10,000, I knew I'd make a push to make it succeed. 

Decide how much you're willing to invest. And then stick to that. Direct sales companies range from a super low start up to thousands and thousands of dollars. Make the right choice for you based on finding a company you love. 

Take into account how much space you'll need for inventory. 
Ya'll. Let me tell you a story. For MONTHS now, I've been trying to find a place in our house to put a desk. We used to have an office. But then we had a baby. And our workout room became a work out room/office. Only, we can't fit two desks in there. Alas, our house is FULL, friends. 

So when I was starting a business, I knew I needed something that didn't take a ton of space. I couldn't devote an entire office to paper products and inventory. And futhermore, I really didn't want to be with a company that I had to hold inventory for! I liked the idea of customers receiving their products directly from the company. I chose a company where the space needed is nothing more than the top of my jewelry case and my inventory is my own personal collection - my inventory! I don't ever have to worry about having inventory for customers because the company does it for me (and super flipping fast, might I add!)! 

Know what resources are available through your home office. 
Knowing nothing about business prior to starting with KEEP, I wanted a company with a ton of support, not only from my mentor and upline, but from my home office too. I wanted a company that had written resources that I could access whenever I needed them (especially because I was up a lot to nurse at night and had time to look!). I knew I needed resources I could look at when I had the time to look - and I loved that they'd be there for me. 

Ultimately, pick a company where you see happiness. 
There are so, so many direct sales companies to pick from. But ultimately, you're going to want to be somewhere that makes you happy. Do your research. Ask other consultants about their experiences. But in the end, pick the place that makes you happiest. Happiness wins - every single time. And if you're happy, your business is going to thrive. 

New year, new plans: My Plum Paper Planner obsession!

So life has been, well, busy. 

Like, super busy. 

And it means that every minute I can be productive, I need to be! I've always been a paper person - paper books, paper record keeping, paper planner. I've been on the hunt for the perfect planner for MONTHS now, and I'm pretty sure I found it! 

The past two years, I've used gorgeous Kate Spade planners, and I love them! They're beautiful, they were monogrammed, and they were a super simple design. But now, as life has become more complicated, it's been crucial to have areas to plan out family time, business obligations, and the normal hub-bub of every day. I went on the hunt for something different for 2017! 

I did a lot of planner research. Like a LOT of planner research. There are so many great planners out there, but I was sold on Plum Paper Planners for a few reasons. 

1. They have a gorgeous layout that can be broken down into M-A-E (morning, afternoon, evening). I love this because it helps me to budget my time throughout the day and not feel super overwhelmed by a daunting list. I can totally handle a few things in each subset of the day! 

2. They offer a lot of really unique and fun add-ons - sections for meal planning, finances, cleaning schedules, direct sales, stickers, and so much more! (More on what I added on in a bit). 

3. There are monthly goal planning sections at the beginning of each month. I'm incredibly goal oriented, and I LOVE that I can sit down at the beginning of each month and decide what's most important to get accomplished that month. I'm using my three sections for the three most important things for me: Family, KEEP, and House. One major goal for each category each month! (January's goals include planning a family getaway in the next few months, soaking in all the amazingness I can at Director's Summit next weekend, and finally tackling the organization of our walk in closet!)

4. There are SO many places to take notes! Like, every section has at least a note page or two, and there are additional note pages at the beginning and end of each month! If ever I'm out and about and genius strikes, I can jot everything down here instead of on something that will most likely get buried in the bottom of my purse. And since everything is tabbed and broken up, it makes it that much easier to find said notes!

So, now for my add on sections. There are truly so many to choose from, but I opted to keep it simple this year. 

Meal Planning add on: This is a constant struggle in our house. I have the best of intentions when I go to the grocery store every week. But inevitably, I walk out with things for breakfast, a ton of sides, and maybe a dinner or two. I sort of dread my brain around 3 p.m., because I know that's the time when I'm going to start thinking about dinner and how little I have in the way of an actual meal. So, I'm REALLY excited about this section. It's not fancy - sections for monthly meal planning and grocery lists, favorite meals, and take out places - but, I'm already seeing a difference (meals are planned through January 14, what what?!). I'm hoping this will help take the stress of what's for dinner away and in turn give me some time back in my daily routine!

Direct Sales add on: This is the one area of my life where I don't mind having the digital help, and I'm SUPER lucky because KEEP offers us an amazing Lounge that organizes our orders, contacts, sales, and reports. So while I don't need the help keeping track of hostesses or parties, I DO want to have a visual for goal keeping, and I LOVE that this add on provides that! Each month, I can sit down to decide my goal number of parties, sales, incentives, and so much more. There's tracking for expenses, mileage, and month to month revenue, and I'm REALLY excited that this will be another component I can use to track my progress! 

And I didn't even get in to all the OTHER customizing that can be done - covers, names, monograms, quotes, graphics, and so, so much more! Seriously, you have to take a look for yourself! 

Question of the day: What do you look for in a planner? Do you have a company that you stick with year after year?