Tuesday, October 16, 2007

I need a Trapper Keeper


Something has got to give.

I've got papers coming home in a Kindergarten backpack reminding me to eat lunch with Bo on Monday. Reminding me of this event and that event.

I've got 5th grade papers, if they are lucky enough to make it home, keeping me informed of Briar's school activities.

I'm receiving letters in the mail from swim team - "bring an ad by Tuesday for the 'Heat Sheet'", "bring hot dogs and buns on Saturday for the hospitality room", "Don't forget, you volunteered to be a timer at the meet Saturday - be there at noon and stay until 3:00". Not to mention just finding out and remembering when my child actually swims in this thing.

Then there's the phone calls asking for a copy of Briar's physical for football. And then another copy of it because they lost the first one I gave them. Then a call from the basketball coach needing one too. Oh yeah, and a copy of last year's report card, please.

I have all these sheets of paper I'm supposed to keep up with for my soccer team - the contact info for all the parents. And that "Laws of the game" book I should be reading so that I don't make a fool out of myself while coaching.

I have a marathon training schedule. Hair appointments. Group rides. A school cafeteria menu (can't send the kids to school without a lunch box on "Salisbury Steak Day"). A snack calendar. A football schedule. A basketball schedule. A soccer shedule. A swim team schedule. I need to call about batting lessons. And remind J.T. about guitar lessons.

The birthday cake and cupcakes will be ready at 9 a.m. on Tuesday. The cupcakes and drinks need to be delivered to school at 2 p.m. Thank God J.T. can help me with this stuff.

And don't forget that report and oral presentation Briar has due in a couple of weeks on Andrew Carnegie. And he has to dress up like him, too.

Oh yeah, and I have a job, too.

I've tried to do it electronically. I've got a lot of this in my Outlook calender at work and then duplicated in my Yahoo! calendar so that I get reminders sent to my cell phone about the most important things. But when you have 10 minutes to get kids out of swim suits and into soccer or football clothes and you get 3 papers with upcoming "important dates" shoved in your face in the meantime - the high-tech solutions are failing me.

I need a Trapper Keeper. I need that pretty, sleek, purple, paper-trapping binder that solved all my problems in the 3rd grade. I need those folders in it, some paper, a pen, and some tabbed dividers. And I need to carry it under my arm, like I did in 3rd grade, everywhere I go.

And I think I'll change my hair color back to brown.

How else do you guys do this stuff???

14 comments:

Lauren Starks said...

color coded palm pilot that syncs with Outlook at home & work. I have one color for each boy, a color for workouts, a color for the husband, a color for work stuff, etc.

and a lot of refrigerator magnets.

Anonymous said...

When my three girls were younger, I thought I needed a degree in logistics just to make sure everyone made it to the right place at the right time. It gets easier when they start driving, but then you realize they have grown up too fast!

Taconite Boy said...

You should see Mama's desk at any given time...

;)

Lauren Starks said...

I have a hand-me-down PalmOne Zire 72s. My running partner got a blackberry (which I hear is just as good, especially if you like to blog/email from anywhere), and her palm was just sitting in a drawer. I mentioned needing to get one to get organized (this fall alone is 3 different sports (3 baseball, 1 football, 1 soccer, and I only have 4 boys!) and she offered it up. I'm not sure how I ever survived without it.

Stephanie said...

I am the Queen of To Do lists. (In fact, I'm ignoring one of the things on my list right now: "read 3 articles on shoulder pain.") I have a Daytimer that I write everything in. And I make a daily to do list on a separate sheet of paper kept on the kitchen table.

But sometimes I still forget things, like a swim lesson. Oops.

Tri-Dummy said...

I have a solution for you. Get a wife. That's what I did and it makes life so much easier.

My Life said...

I love Tri-dummy's bit of advice!

I don't have much to say - I can barely keep up with myself and my husband most of the time...

If you get a Trapper Keeper are you going to get one of those rolling backpacks too? Sweet!

Lisa said...

Again, you and Michele make me feel lazy! :)

Tri Girl said...

AS a long time lurker I thought I would throw in my 2 cents here!!
I was a single mom for a long time with 2 kids. Both are involved in tons of sports, school clubs, not to mention social lives!!!

I got on Ebay and bought the Pottery barn organizer system that has 2 mail holders. One for each kid.... then I throw papers in there as I need them. I aslo update the Google calendar daily so everyone can see what is scheduled. I even had to show their step dad so he could keep track of when his own daughter is coming and going from our house!!!

Good luck! Once you find a way...life will get easier!!!!

Benson said...

My mom and dad had to manage 4 of us kids, all 2 years apart in age and into all sports too. You have 2 super kids and that requires you to be a super mom. You're doing it.
All good suggestions above.

Janet Edwards said...

Oh my...I feel a little out of sorts minus all the kid stuff. I can only imagine!!!

I say She-Ra trapper keeper!

momo said...

no advice. it just gets worse. i had a palm, but it kept freezing on me. now i have a blackberry that is synched to everything, but that still doesn't keep me from forgetting who has to be where when. if you come up with something that works will you let us know?? please??

Rae said...

How about a personal assistant??? I think that would do wonders for the organization!

I hope our future kids are just nerds. I would never be able to handle all the activities!! =)

E-Speed said...

girl I don't know how anyone could stay on top of all that but somehow I know if anyone can you can.