Cozi Blog

Stay Organized with LABELED To Do Lists!

by Jennifer Leal

In order to stay on track with creating healthy meals, I need to be organized and now that my blog is turning from a hobby into a business, the scribbled notes I leave everywhere are not helpful anymore. I have found an easy way to start become efficient and stay on track: By utilizing Cozi’s To-Do Lists.

I now have a number of lists including ‘Savor the Thyme,' ‘Weekly Meal Plan,' ‘Recipe Ideas,' ‘Articles.’ Plus, I create one each evening in preparation for the next day. I also love that I can create sub-headers that help me prioritize. I do this by typing all in caps, such as, MORNING, and I can then list the items that need to be accomplished first.

The best part is that I can assign and share these lists with my husband. I mean, really, an electronic ‘honey to do list’ is so much fun. Husbands may see this as technological nagging but I say it is a way to remind him without using my voice.

The fact that I can update and access this list anywhere remotely is very useful to me. Whenever a recipe idea or food topic hits me, I add it to my list and then even switch over to my grocery list (to be covered another week.) For the times when I will not have an electronic device or just feel the need, I can print my list. I love flexibility and this is why Cozi is now a part of our healthy family lifestyle.

Get your family organized and on the same page with Cozi, the free online family organizer.

Jennifer Leal is the author of Savor the Thyme, a blog focused on family-friendly food and lifestyle. She holds a Master’s of Science in Immunology, and prior to having her two children, now ages 3 and 5, Jennifer worked for a large pharmaceutical company.

When Crayons Explode

This morning I was working away in my office when I heard Adam’s voice. It sounded sort of small and distant, as though it were coming across a string and into a tin can held up to my ear.

Strange, since I didn’t have a tin can telephone on my ear. Even stranger, it sounded like he said there had been an explosion in the basement.

Lucy and Alice were in the midst of a giggle fest in their bedroom, so I had to holler at them to pipe down for a second.

Then came Adam’s voice again—through the laundry chute.

 “I must have misheard you,” I called down. “It sounded like you said ‘explosion.’”

“Yep,” he said. “In the dryer. It’s really bad.”

I don’t know about you, but when I hear explosion, basement, dryer and really bad all together in one sentence, I have but one thought:

“Oh no. A rat crawled into our dryer and died and somehow through the process of decomposition accelerated by heat, its guts burst from its belly and are now sliding slowly, cruelly down the sides of the dryer, weaving awful new patterns into our clothing.”

But maybe that’s just me. In my own personal dictionary of life’s little traumas, “bad” by means rats, dead or alive, along with innards of any sort.

So it was good news, then, that the basement explosion involved neither rats nor their juicy bits.

It was a crayon, hot pink, that made it through the wash and into the dryer before it succumbed to the heat and exploded all over every single long-sleeved uniform shirt the kids own, as well as our bath mat and Adam’s pillowcase, which he tossed into the wash yesterday after it got covered in lavender bubble bath.

(This bubble bath business is a long story unto itself, as is the reason the bath mat was being washed in the first place. Let’s just say that the bubble bath meant Alice had to take a second bath right after the first, only this time without bubble bath because the last of the bottle was on Adam’s pillow. And I am pleased to report that it was chocolate on the bath mat, and not what I’d originally suspected.)

In any case, the good news is at least there were no rats involved, unless by “rat” you mean the kid who put the crayon in her shirt pocket. (And I know which kid it was. The shirt looks like her heart burst. It’s sort of gruesome.)

Oh, but I joke, I joke. Who hasn’t put a crayon through the wash? Any kid who hasn’t probably doesn’t color enough. Or that’s what I say to make myself feel better for not checking pockets thoroughly before I toss stuff down the laundry chute.

The hard part, though, is getting the crayon out of the clothes and off the drum of the dryer. But even that isn’t as hard as I’d feared. 

A friend sent along a recipe for removing crayon wax from clothing. The list looked long at first. But then when I went down and compared it to the list of things I’ve accumulated as a parent—Shout, OxiClean and the leftover Borax from the slime we made at Lucy’s “gross and disgusting”-themed birthday party—I realized that I already have it all.

And that is true, in an even bigger way. Stuff goes wrong in life. But when you have the wisdom and support of friends, a well-stocked cleaning supplies cupboard, and acceptance of the fact that small calamities will happen even when we are busy with other things, you feel better, almost instantly.

But I’ve still made it good and clear to the kids that crayons don’t go in pockets. Judging from the looks on their faces when they saw their school shirts, this time they’re going to remember.

--Martha Brockenbrough

Things People Usually Forget to Buy at Thanksgiving

• Butter, enough for serving at the table and for cooking potatoes and rolls and dessert
• Whipping cream or “Cool Whip” for desserts
• Club soda for cleaning up wine
• Candles for the table
• Nice napkins and paper goods (it can be great to use paper plates for the dessert to minimize clean-up time)
• Extra ice
• Extra drinks, sodas
• Snack foods like chips for in between meals and during football games, TV parades, etc.
• “Sandwich makings”—mustard, mayonnaise, buns/bread, lettuce, tomatoes, and other needed items for making turkey sandwiches

Add all these items to your Cozi shopping list, instantly! (you may need to sign in to your Cozi account. If you don't have a Cozi account, sign up, it's free!)

Never forget another shopping list with Cozi Shopping Lists, accessible from anywhere, anytime.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!

Certified Professional Organizer Lorie Marrero is the creator of ClutterDiet.com, an innovative program allowing anyone to get expert help at an affordable price. She is also the author of The Clutter Diet: The Skinny on Organizing Your Home and Taking Control of Your Life. Her organizing books and products are sold online and in stores nationwide. Lorie has been a spokesperson for Brother label makers and FedEx Office, and she is a sought-after expert for national media such as CNBC, Good Housekeeping, WGN News and Woman's Day.

Bridge the Organizational Divide with Your Spouse

<By Kavita Varma-White

My husband and I are “on the same page” when it comes to a lot of important things. Parenting values. Good exercise habits. Healthy eating.

Where we differ greatly (not the same page, book or even author!) is in organization. He believes in it, lives by it. His phone is The Repository for his work commitments and our general family scheduling. Whether it’s the kids’ next dentist appointment, a soccer tourney or when my car needs an oil change, you can find it (and I do!) on his phone.

Me? Well, I try! I am organized in a work setting because as a journalist/writer, my career is driven by meeting deadlines. On the home front, my efforts at organization have been mediocre at best. One of my New Year’s resolutions for 2010 is to use technology to make me a more efficient mother/wife/household manager. (This was also a 2009 resolution; suffice it to say it’s an ongoing project.)

Two things have happened recently that are making changes in the way I do things, and by gosh, I think they are working!

I got an iPhone, which makes texting, emailing, taking pics, getting directions and finding news and info so easy and so 24-7 accessible. Now if I can just figure out how to use the zillions of other cool apps out there...

I’ve started using the Cozi online calendar for my family’s activities. The color-coded guide makes it easy to see at a quick glance who has soccer or basketball practice, when I’m volunteering at school, when my husband is traveling for business, and so on. I synched the calendar to my iPhone (so easy to do!) so now I can view it on the go. (I prefer the weekly calendar because it’s easier to read; the monthly calendar's really big numbers made it hard to see individual activities.)

One of the calendar’s best features is the ability to send a text message reminder of a certain event. To practice my new Cozi way of life, I set up the phone reminder access for both mine and my husband’s phones. He was home on a weekday so I sent a reminder for him to pick up our daughter from school. 

After he left the house (of course, he already had the task noted in his phone’s calendar) I texted him: “What did you think about the Cozi reminder?”

His reply:  “Good reminder. I couldn’t remember why I was parked outside this school.”

Get your family organized and on the same page with Cozi, the free online family organizer.

Kavita Varma-White is the author of The Bellevue Blogette, a micro-blog serving Bellevue, WA. A former lifestyle editor of the Florida Sun-Sentinel, she is now the Seattle editor of Red-Tricyle.com, a website focused on kids and families. She is also a consultant and writer for Lifestyle Insights, a firm specializing in women-friendly new media content. In service of her ongoing search for great things for families and kids to do in the Seattle area, Kavita deploys the hard-hitting analysis of her two children, ages 10 and 7.

 

Families: Communicate Better with the Cozi Calendar

by Sarah Pinnix

With three kids, a husband, and myself going four different ways, it can be hard to keep up with everyone's schedule! We have done the paper calendar in the kitchen, but I'm usually the only one who looks at it since I'm there all day. My husband is at work all day, and if I'm out and about I can forget about remembering. (Get it?)

Yes, I can keep my schedule on my Blackberry, but Judd doesn't have one! What do do then? Enter Cozi.com. This month, I'm transferring all our family appointments, classes, carpools and parties on the Cozi Calendar, so we can access it wherever we are, even by mobile phone. 

With Nutcracker rehearsals, holiday band concerts at school, my business meetings, etc, we are going to need SOMETHING to keep us all on track! I made a video where I show you why I think Cozi is going to keep our family on track and help us communicate our schedules to each other!

Play Sarah's video:

Here are some features of the Cozi calendar:

• Quick and easy entry of events
• Color codes for each family member
• Access online from anywhere
• Mobile site for smartphones, where I can enter and view events.
• Text and email reminders

I have a couple of questions about the calendar that I hope to discover:

• Does it synch wth Outlook, which will synch with my Blackberry?
• Will it ever become cumbersome to enter events online, because I think you would have to use it all the way to be effective?

Sarah Pinnix is the author of Real Life Blog, and a mom to three beautiful girls-ages 8, 6, & 4. Her blog includes personal family stories and faith issues, as well as tips, reviews and giveaways. A former piano and voice teacher and avid performer, Sarah can be found on a variety of new media forums including MomTV, the High Country Mom Squad, the Wii Mommies website and BlogTalk Radio.
 

Happy Birthday, Sesame Street!

Happy Birthday, Sesame Street!

Sesame Street celebrated its 40th birthday this week. Do your kids love the show as much as you did when you were a kid? If so, you may want to have your own Sesame Street birthday celebration. And who better to inspire you than Elmo?

Small children love Elmo, so this is sure to be a wonderful theme for children between 1 and 3 years old. If Elmo is your kid's favorite friend, have a look at the ideas below for birthday party ideas with this sweet, lovable character!

Decorations:

• Use primary colors of red, yellow, and blue: they work very well with the Elmo theme, and they may be more budget-friendly than themed party supplies. Splurge on a few Elmo Mylar balloons to attach to the birthday kid's special chair.

• For a table centerpiece, have Dorothy the Goldfish swimming around in her bowl. You could also have other small fishbowls filled with fish-shaped crackers for the kids to enjoy. Before they start eating the crackers, ask them guess how many are in the bowl. Whoever is closest wins a prize.

Food and beverages:

• Elmo's favorite food is pizza, so this is a perfect (and easy) food for this party. For an activity, serve mini pizzas with sauce and cheese, and let the kids decorate them with fun toppings. Pop them into the oven, and have the kids do some party activities while the pizzas bake.

• For the beverages, make a primary-color frozen drink in a punch bowl. Orange or red flavors will match Elmo, and using club soda instead of water makes a really easy and tasty punch. For extra fun, find Elmo gummies to freeze into ice cubes and add to the punch.

Elmo activities:

• Fill a wading pool with little foam fish bath toys that have magnets attached. Rig up a small fishing pole with a paperclip on the end, and let the kids go fishing for a bath toy.

• Have a "Fill the Fish Bowl" relay race. Divide the kids into two teams. Give each child a small cup of water, have them run to a fish bowl, pour the water in, and run back to their team; each team member does the same.

Additional activity ideas include:

• Coloring or drawing pictures of Elmo

• Making things with red clay

• Playing musical chairs to Sesame Street music

• Blowing bubbles

• Goody bags can be primary colored bags, sand pails, or cups filled with Elmo stuff, including notepads, pencils, stickers, bubbles, coloring books, crayons, Elmo gummies, etc.

Happy Birthday, Sesame Street!

--Lisa Kothari, Peppers and Pollywogs

How to Use Lists to Take the Stress Out of Family Travel

Welcome to 30 Days of Cozi - where four top bloggers try Cozi for 30 days and tell us how they fared. Can Cozi keep even the busiest power moms on track?

by Jody Halsted

I don’t think there is much that is more stressful than packing for a trip, especially if you have kids! It can be difficult to remember the necessities when you have to remember which “cuddle buddy” is the favorite this week and which movies the kids want on the DVD player / laptop / iPod.

To take the stress out of packing I make lists. In fact, I make multiple lists. I find the Cozi Shopping Lists to be a great tool for all my list-making needs. Let’s use our upcoming trip to Texas as an example. For this trip I will actually access two of my already prepared lists: Visiting the In Laws & Warm Destinations.

I can view the lists I have prepared, see what I need to buy before leaving (looks like travel toothpaste and sunscreen) and easily add those items to my Cozi shopping list for Target. When I am shopping I can have the lists sent to my phone via text message or access it with the mobile Cozi (if wi-fi is available). I love this feature because I often forget lists at home-usually next to where I keep the reusable shopping bags-but I rarely go anywhere without my phone.

Next I print the list(s) I will be using and pre-pack what I can about 2 weeks before we leave. For this trip I will pack swimsuits, warm weather clothes and toiletries in advance, marking them off the list(s) as I go. I continue to pack slowly, as I can, during the two weeks before the trip. By the night before, I have everything packed, except what has to be used the morning we leave. By printing the list and crossing off items as they are packed I don’t forget anything in the mad rush to get out the door.

Other handy packing tips:

• If you are driving consider using Rubbermaid storage bins instead of suitcases. They hold so much more, especially if you also utilize Space Bags. Get more tips with this packing light video.
• If your drive will take you to a hotel for a night or two place everything you need for those stays into a single suitcase. It’s less hassle and you have less opportunity to lose something.
• If you are flying consider shipping items. This is especially handy for gifts. If you take a gift on an airplane it cannot be wrapped. If you check the bag it may become lost or damaged.  And you often have a checked bag fee. Alleviate the stress and use UPS.
• Take only half the clothing and plan to do laundry once during your trip- or take it to a cleaner.

Use Cozi Shopping Lists to keep track of everything you need to pack or buy for your next family trip.

Jody Halsted plans adventures near and far to share on her travel-oriented website Have Kid Will Travel. She also writes a lifestyle blog, Iowa Geek, and is the founder of the I_Blog Conference, the first blogger conference designed to serve the US midwest. Jody is also "Mommy" to two preschool age daughters, "Wife" to Doug, and "brush wielder" to Toby, a 12-year-old St. Bernard mix.

8 Old and New Ways to Send a Holiday Card

Now is the time to gather holiday card ideas. Whether you have your own holiday card tradition or are looking for new card ideas, you have many options for sending a greeting this holiday season. However you choose to communicate, sending a holiday greeting is a great way to stay in touch with those whom you’ve shared a meaningful connection with this year.

Here is a list of holiday card options to consider. Pick one, or a few, and get started!

• Pre-packaged holiday cards from the store. There is no shame in these. Try to make them a little more personal by adding a note to the recipient.
• Holiday letter on themed stationery. With the letter, you can add as much or as little information as you would like. It is common to use the letter to sum up the year for a family, or make announcements. Although, please remember, not everyone will be as thrilled to hear the details about each tooth that Jimmy lost.
• Homemade holiday cards. With today's plethora of pretty papers and card-making supplies, you can let your creativity run free here. Start thinking of ideas.
• Have holiday cards personalized and printed. There are many places that will do this for you now. They usually will include a printed message inside that you have written.  Many services will even supply postage and mail the cards out for you.
• Photo holiday card. I am always a little disappointed when a Christmas card comes in the mail from people I don't see often and there is no picture. A photo card is an attractive way to go, but don't forget to include a personal note or letter!
• Purchase your holiday cards through a charitable organization. Visit Cards that Give for an impressive selection of cards that will benefit quite an array of organizations, and ultimately, people.
• Holiday eCards. While eCards may not be a traditional method for sending holiday cards, they make both a good time-saving and money-saving option. There is a growing variety of eCards available. Electronic communication beats no communication.
• Send a family moment as a holiday card using the Cozi Family Journal. Create a special family journal entry just for the occasion, including a festive greeting and a special picture. From there, send the email card to as many on your list as you'd like. Find out more about sending a holiday card in Cozi.

Jennifer Tankersley is founder of ListPlanIt.com, with over 400 printable lists and planning pages, including everything you need to prepare for the holidays, manage a family, and organize your life. Jennifer is also the creator of 100 Days to Christmas: a daily dose of inspiration and motivation to help you through the busy holiday season.

Send a Holiday Card in Cozi

Holiday cards are expensive! By the time you buy cards to send out to everyone on your list, you could spend well over $100, possibly much more if you have a large list or a fondness for fancy cards. This doesn’t even include the cost of stamps or special address labels.

Even with the cost, though, holiday cards are fun to send out, and fun to receive. The tradition of exchanging yearly cards is a good one, but modifying it slightly could save you money and time; Cozi can help!

Instead of sending printed holiday cards to your entire list, consider dividing your list into categories. Within your list, you undoubtedly have a wide range of people, starting with your inner circle of close friends and family, and spiraling out from there to include a range of far-flung friends from the past, neighbors, work colleagues and acquaintances. It’s nice to extend season’s greetings to all of these people, but it might not be necessary to send an expensive card to each of them.

For at least part of your list, consider sending out a holiday card through Cozi. You can create a special family journal entry just for the occasion, including a festive greeting and a special picture. From there, all you’ll need to do is click on “Send by e-mail," and add the e-mail addresses of those who will receive the card. Click “Send," and you’re done. It’s that simple!

You might even find that this option allows you to extend your holiday list to include more people you’d like to connect with, but couldn’t afford to keep on your list with the expense of printed cards. In addition to enabling you to reach out to more people, just think of all the time and money you’ll save by using Cozi to send out some of your cards!

Before you know it, you’ll be able to cross off “Send Holiday Cards” from your To Do list, and move on to the next item. That’s what Cozi’s all about; simplifying family life!

Use the Cozi Family Journal to send fast, free, personalized holiday cards this year!

What to Do With the Holiday Cards You Get This Year

The holiday cards that arrive throughout the month of December are like little gifts in themselves—a fun way to reconnect with friends and family and see how families have grown over the year.

After the holidays, though, it’s hard to know what to do with those special cards. Adding them unceremoniously to the recycling bin seems like sacrilege, knowing how much effort, time, and money went into creating them.

Here are a few ideas for what to do with those cards when the holidays are over:

SCAN THEM: Scanning your cards onto your computer won’t take long, but it will allow you to enjoy them over the course of the year.

COZI COLLAGE SCREENSAVER: Once you’ve scanned the cards, you can include them in your Cozi Collage screensaver. With card photos in your collages, fun holiday memories will pop up unexpectedly all year long.

WALL COLLAGE: After you’ve saved your cards by scanning them, you can have fun with your kids by creating a poster-board collage. Try giving your kids free reign with cropping and arranging the cards on a winter evening by the fire, and see what they come up with. You can then put the collage up on your fridge, or on a bulletin board in the family room. Once you think it’s run its course, you can tuck the collage away—and pull it out next year to see how much everyone has grown.

SPECIAL GIFTS: The photos included in most family holiday cards portray families at their best: a freeze frame that represents the family for the year. Some families might keep a copy for themselves, but most send out every last card, thinking they have plenty of their own pictures. Even those who keep a copy probably don’t have copies of each year’s cards together in one place. Imagine how special it would be to quietly keep a file of the cards from your closest friends through the years, and use them to create a special gift down the road. What better surprise could you give your childhood best friend than a 15-year compilation of her children’s holiday photos for her 50th birthday?

These are just a few ideas for ways to enjoy these special cards after the holidays. What do you do with your holiday cards?

Let Cozi help you manage your family's holiday calendar, organize your holiday lists, and capture the chaos of the holidays with family journal entries.