Happy New Year!

Nope, it's not January, but it's the beginning of another school year.  If you're like me, you count years not necessarily by calendar year, but by school year.  And a new school year means a new calendar!  

I'm a little behind this year - I just ordered my new momAgenda.  Since it begins in August, I'll have missed almost the entire first month.  *sigh*  But I'm still excited about getting a brand-new planner!

For the past two years, I've used the momAgenda desktop (first in fuschia, then in turquoise).  I debated a bit this year - kelly green faux crocodile or soft gold?  I've always wanted a green one, but the soft gold looked so, so pretty!  Then, at a Girl Scout meeting tonight, a friend of mine had the Home Office edition in charcoal.  Yes, I looked through her momAgenda - and periodically peeked in it when I thought of other features I wanted to check out.  (She was very tolerant!)  

I'd briefly considered the Home Office edition before, but worried that it would be too big.  Then I realized that since my Desktop never fit in my purse anyway, what was the difference?  The spiral binding, the pockets, and the tabs helped me finalize my decision.  It's always nice to see and hold something that personal before you buy it, I think!  

There was just one more important decision - the color!  Hot pink, turquoise, zebra, or charcoal?  Hmmmm...

I chose zebra!  Yep, surprised me, too!  

Ok, so here's where I tell you that if you want your own momAgenda, you can click here and - if you are a first time customer - you get 10% off of your order (of $15 or more) and I also get a little credit in the form of momAgenda dollars (to help me support my momAgenda habit).  

What kind of calendar do you use?  Pen-and-paper?  Electronic?  Do you have one calendar for yourself and one for the family?  How do you keep yourself organized?

PS - You are welcome to take a peek at my momAgenda anytime!

A Party in Every Lunch!

It's Day 5 of this week's bento reveals, and this one's as exciting as all the rest!  Remember what I said yesterday about the classics?  Well, this one reminds me of my other first bento - a whimsy set with a purple case for my sweet girl. They've updated that classic, and it's now Confetti!

What little girl doesn't love purple and pink, with a few other colors sprinkled in for fun?   And I'll admit, I love these colors, too!  They simply make lunch fun!

There have been four other reveals this week - Daisy, Tire Plaid, and Stripes, and Primary.  All of the new bento kits are available today at www.laptoplunches.com.  Remember to use the code momsmagic for a 10% discount on any purchases.

If you're new to bentos, read some of my "lunches" posts to learn why I'm a fan!  If you are looking for lunchbox ideas, you can subscribe to a monthly RSS feed from Laptop Lunches! 

My kids love eating out of their Laptop Lunchboxes, and are willing to try new things that they find in their bentos.  You can bet I'll be reading these lunch menus to gain some inspiration and add some variety through the school year!

Sometimes It's the Classics...

It's time for Thursday's bento kit reveal - and to me, it's a classic!

One of the first bento kits that I purchased was an original bento in primary colors.  I selected it over a solid- or two-colored bento kit because it just looked like fun..  The 'primary' user was my little boy, so we opted for a colorful bento system that included a blue insulated case.  What you see here is the updated version - the 2.0 - including a thoughtfully redesigned case!

There have been three other reveals this week - Daisy, Tire Plaid, and Stripes.  All of the new bento kits will be available tomorrow at www.laptoplunches.com.  Remember to use the code momsmagic for a 10% discount on any purchases.

If you're new to bentos, read some of my "lunches" posts to learn why I'm a fan!

Update: click on these links to see all of the other bento kits revealed this week
Daisy - sweet flowers with a pop of lunchtime color
Tire Plaid - a fun red-and-black combo
Stripes - pretty shades of blue
Confetti - a party in every bento

Let's Go Sailing! (updated!)

It's actually called Stripes, but the latest Laptop Lunches reveal is a bento kit makes me think of all things nautical! 

There have been two other reveals this week - Daisy and Tire Plaid.  All of the new bento kits will be available on Friday at www.laptoplunches.com.  Remember to use the code momsmagic for a 10% discount on any purchases.

If you're new to bentos, read some of my lunches posts to learn why I'm a fan!

Update:  I just got a sneak peek at the rest of the new bento kits - love, love, love!  And if I didn't already have seven (yes, seven) in my cabinet, plus several extra pieces, I just might have to order one of the new ones!  So, do keep an eye on the blog for more news.  ALSO - if you are looking for lunchbox ideas, you can subscribe to a monthly RSS feed from Laptop Lunches! 

My kids love eating out of their Laptop Lunchboxes, and are willing to try new things that they find in their bentos.  You can bet I'll be reading these lunch menus to gain some inspiration and add some variety through the school year!

Update: click on these links to see all of the other bento kits revealed this week
Daisy - sweet flowers with a pop of lunchtime color
Tire Plaid - a fun red-and-black combo
Primary -  a classic combination
Confetti - a party in every bento

Rev Up Your Lunch!

Rev up your lunch with this new bento kit - Tire Plaid.  This is the second of the new Laptop Lunches designs being revealed this week.  (Looking for something more feminine?  Check out yesterday's reveal, Daisy!)

To take a closer look at this one, or any of the other new designs, go to www.laptoplunches.com on Friday.  Remember to use the code momsmagic for a 10% discount on any purchases.

If you're a new reader and wondering why I'm such a fan, you can read my "lunches" posts for the scoop.   You'll see quite a few of the lunches I've packed, but there are also posts why I like these lunchboxes so much - creating waste-free lunches and saving money are tops!

Update: click on these links to see all of the other bento kits revealed this week
Daisy - sweet flowers with a pop of lunchtime color
Stripes - pretty shades of blue
Primary -  a classic combination
Confetti - a party in every bento

Daisy, Daisy

There are some new Laptop Lunches bento kits coming out this week.  They'll be available on Friday.  Here's a sneak peek at ... Daisy!

I love the colors here!  I'll go ahead and admit - just between you and me - that we have several Laptop Lunch boxes.  I like to switch around the inner containers - reds in the blue outer container for patriotic holidays, brightly colored inner containers inside the black outer container for a pop of color as seen here, red and green inner containers at Christmas, all-red or all-pink inside for Valentine's Day, and other fun mix-and-matching.  It's just a small way to turn lunch into a celebration - and my kids notice!

To take a closer look at this bento, or any of the other new designs, go to www.laptoplunches.com.  Remember to use the code momsmagic for a 10% discount on any purchases.

Update: click on these links to see all of the other bento kits revealed this week
Tire Plaid - a fun red-and-black combo
Stripes - pretty shades of blue
Primary -  a classic combination
Confetti - a party in every bento

It's Giveaway Time

It's giveaway time again, thanks to Uprinting.com!

I am so happy with the postcards I had printed after my last giveaway, and now I am imagining how I could use custom-printed labels.

That's right - this time, the lucky winner will get 250 custom stickers! I can't even slim down the number of ideas that I have for how I would use custom labels - funky return address labels, a festive decoration for greeting card envelopes, to-from labels for gifts, bookplates, the list goes on!

Entering this contest is EASY! Just tell me how YOU would use 250 custom stickers! Here are the giveaway details:

• ONE lucky winner will receive 250 full-color custom stickers/labels, printed on 70lb matte label paper
• The winner can choose from three different sizes - 2"x3.5", 2"x4", or 3"x3"
  
• Turnaround time - 4 business days from the time you approve your proof
• Free UPS shipping
  
• NOTE: only US residents are eligible to enter this giveaway

This giveaway will be open for two weeks, so be sure to get your comments in by the 17th! I'll randomly select a winner and post the results soon after. (Anonymous commenters, leave a way that I can reach you - for example, name(at)email(dot)com.)

I'm so excited to read your ideas!

Still shopping?

Hi Bloggy Friends! Did you see that new badge on the right? ---->

Yes, that's right! You can use my special code (momsmagic) to get 10% off of your Laptop Lunches purchases! If you have been reading for a while, you know that we love our Laptop Lunch boxes! I pack two lunches a day, 5 days a week - and I promise it wouldn't be as much fun without the LLBs. Yes, I said FUN!

Click here to see some of the lunches I've packed. I haven't managed to take a photo of 'breakfast for lunch' day, but that's one of my favorites!

Full disclosure - I do receive some benefit when you use my discount code. And, as much as I'd love for you to begin using it today, from now through December 16th you can get 20% off if you use winter2009 when you check out.

Happy, Healthy Lunching!

Hiatus: A Contest

No, I'm not going away again - so what does a hiatus have to do with a contest? Let me explain....

A few years ago, I made a New Year's Resolution to begin sending birthday and anniversary cards to all of our friends and family members for whom I had date of birth and/or anniversary and an up-to-date address. With the exception of one month a couple of years ago when it all just fell apart, I kept it every month - until this past June, when it all fell apart again. After a month off, it was easy to let my unplanned hiatus continue right on through the (hot, busy, and fun) summer. Conservatively, I kept up that resolution for the better part of 5.5 years. I'm trying to get this practice back into my routine, though, because has become so important to me.

Looking through my book of days, writing a brief note and signing cards, addressing them and adding a stamp.... This quiet time allowed me the chance to think about the many people who have come into my life. To be thankful for them and to stay connected, in a way, to all the parts of my life that make me who I am today. This practice also helped me to remember those whose birthdays are listed, but who are no longer with us. It was a reminder to me to celebrate them, too - not with a card, a note, and a stamp, but with a prayer of thankfulness of the time we had with them.

I'm ready to start again, but I need to streamline part of the process. I can't streamline looking through my book of days - I am not willing to lose that quiet time to reflect and be thankful. I can't streamline the note-writing and addressing - even though I blog and email and facebook, I still adore sending and receiving mail. But I can streamline my shopping time by creating custom postcards or custom greeting cards. I've found that I barely spend time picking out the 'perfect' card anymore, so I'd rather create my own 'perfect' message instead. And, I'm having a little contest so you can do the same.

Thanks to the generous folks at UPrinting.com, two contest winners will receive 200 custom postcards!

• choose your size: 4x6, 4.25x6, or 5x7"); 14pt gloss or matte, 13pt uncoated
• full color on both sides (4/4)

The fine print: Valid for US shipping only, winner pays shipping (your coupon code will be sent directly to you via email).

To enter, leave a comment below, letting me know what you would do with 200 custom postcards. Invitations? Save the Dates? Birth announcements? Christmas cards? Promote your business? I've got birthday cards on my mind, but I'd love to get some inspiration and ideas from you!

Invite your family and friends to leave their ideas - who couldn't use a little inspiration? Just tell them to do it soon! Contest ends next Saturday, August 29th, at 10:00PM Eastern Time.