Gettin’ Cozy with Cozi!

The only thing good thing about my exacerbated forgetfulness during pregnancy was my ability to blame it on those crazy hormones.  When my son was a baby, I had a new excuse…sleep deprivation.  These days I’m still just as forgetful, but I have nothing left to blame it on.  I’ve been known to forget appointments, get-togethers and more.  And now that we have a baby, the chaotic schedule that is our lives is magnified.

Thanks to Hybrid Mom Bloggers Network, I was introduced to Cozi, a free online service that helps families organize their lives.  Cozi is more than just an online calendar.  Once you’ve signed up you’ll be able to track your families’ schedules, shopping and to-do lists, and communicate throughout the day via instant messaging.  Take a look at the Bailey Family’s site.

Your family’s home page (which can be personalized with a photo) is where you’ll find the Family Calendar, Shopping Lists, Messages, the Collage screen saver, and the Family Journal (Cozi’s version of a blog).  Cozi allows you the option of color coding family members on the calendar which I find to be particularly useful. My husband and I have demanding jobs with long hours.  We also pack in a ton of activities on our downtime so it helps to have a quick visual of who is doing what.

While cooking is not my forte, grocery shopping is. The messaging system is convenient for having my husband notify me of those last minute ingredients he forgot to write on the  list.  And if you happen to forget your list, call Cozi’s toll-free number from any mobile phone and have your list read to you or sent as a text message.

Some of Cozi’s other smart features includes it’s ability to synchronize your home and work calendars a photo collage that serves as a reminder for important family appointments.  Most importantly, it’s easy to use.  I often find that the more complicated the program/software, the less I’m likely to continue using it. Cozi covers all of my basic organizational and scheduling needs.

If that isn’t incentive enough, check out hundreds of new ways to get Cozi!

For more information, take a tour of Cozi on their site.

Gettin’ Cozy with Cozi!

The only thing good thing about my exacerbated forgetfulness during pregnancy was my ability to blame it on those crazy hormones.  When my son was a baby, I had a new excuse…sleep deprivation.  These days I’m still just as forgetful, but I have nothing left to blame it on.  I’ve been known to forget appointments, get-togethers and more.  And now that we have a baby, the chaotic schedule that is our lives is magnified.

Thanks to Hybrid Mom Bloggers Network, I was introduced to Cozi, a free online service that helps families organize their lives.  Cozi is more than just an online calendar.  Once you’ve signed up you’ll be able to track your families’ schedules, shopping and to-do lists, and communicate throughout the day via instant messaging.  Take a look at the Bailey Family’s site.

Your family’s home page (which can be personalized with a photo) is where you’ll find the Family Calendar, Shopping Lists, Messages, the Collage screen saver, and the Family Journal (Cozi’s version of a blog).  Cozi allows you the option of color coding family members on the calendar which I find to be particularly useful. My husband and I have demanding jobs with long hours.  We also pack in a ton of activities on our downtime so it helps to have a quick visual of who is doing what.

While cooking is not my forte, grocery shopping is. The messaging system is convenient for having my husband notify me of those last minute ingredients he forgot to write on the  list.  And if you happen to forget your list, call Cozi’s toll-free number from any mobile phone and have your list read to you or sent as a text message.

Some of Cozi’s other smart features includes it’s ability to synchronize your home and work calendars a photo collage that serves as a reminder for important family appointments.  Most importantly, it’s easy to use.  I often find that the more complicated the program/software, the less I’m likely to continue using it. Cozi covers all of my basic organizational and scheduling needs.

If that isn’t incentive enough, check out hundreds of new ways to get Cozi!

For more information, take a tour of Cozi on their site.

Blogworld 2008

The dust hasn’t even settled from BlogHer and low and behold there is an even bigger blogging event…Blog World! I first learned of Blog World at BlogHer this summer. I was completely amazed not only at how hugely influential blogging is, but how wonderful it was to meet my favorite bloggers in the real! Blog World boasts that attendees will be more influential, more effective, and more connected. I soo want that! I’d also really like to learn more about the technical side of blogging. There are going to be some amazing speakers including Zac Johnson, John Chow, Problogger, ShoeMoney, and Copyblogger.

It just so happens that Zac Johnson is holding a contest and the prize is a full conference pass to Blog World!  He will be on a panel discussing Making Money Online with a Blog.  And who wouldn’t love to tap into the minds of some of the most successful and influential bloggers of this time…

Head on over to Zac Johnson’s site for your chance at a full conference pass!  Hurry!

The Responsibility Project

We live in a society that requires us to be responsible…with our health, our time, our resources, our children.  Even now I’m thinking about how to instill a sense of responsibility within our little boy.  Doing the right thing isn’t the norm anymore.  Responsibility is a concept that must be learned, practiced, and integrated into all facets of life.  

You may remember Liberty Mutual’s recent commercials based on the concept of “pay-it-forward” - someone who sees another person participating in an act of kindness and is inspired to do the same for a stranger. The commercial received an overwhelmingly positive response and out of that Liberty Mutual has created The Responsibility Project…a website to help parents talk to their children about personal responsibility in a meaningful way.  Their goal is simple…to create a better world by fostering discussion about responsibility through a series of short films.  I really enjoyed the films and even wanted them to continue.  The movies are powerful, some conveying a message with minimal dialogue.  I particularly liked Transit because I feel like so often people stand by passively allowing injustice.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8F9Yjf-VukI&hl=en&fs=1]

You’ll find animated and “real” films that portray themes like growing up, altruism, relationships, forgiveness, conflict resolution, and morality.  After watching the films, you’ll find discussion guides that will help facilitate discussion surrounding the topic presented in the film.  The site also features a blog and a resource page.  I encourage you to sit down with your children and check out The Responsibility Project.

What kind of world do you want to live in?

Green Me: Sustainable Dinnerware

I love inviting friends over to the house.  It’s so much more personal than a noisy, crowded restaurant. What I don’t love is the clean-up afterwards, which is why I always opt for disposable cups, plates, and silverware. Unfortunately, many of the products on the market are made of petrochemical-derived plastics. Plastic really is forever if you consider how long it takes to break down.  Paper does not fare much better. Our precious forests are being cut down to foster the convenience of disposable products.  Bleaches and colors add to both the attractiveness of disposable tableware and the destruction of our environment.

In my search for eco-friendly, disposable dinnerware, I happened upon VerTerra, a company who’s mission is ”to produce the highest quality products using sustainable production methods and fair trade labor for the environmentally and socially conscious consumer.”  VerTerra’s fashionably sustainable dinnerware reduces the amount of waste crowding our landfills and the amount of time I have to spend cleaning up after guests!   VerTerra’s dinnerware collection includes modishly designed plates, bowls, cups, and platters made from 100% renewable and compostable plant matter and water.  A pack of ten products retails from $8.99 to $12.99.

The anatomy of VerTerra’s production method is ingenious.  After collecting fallen leaves, steam, heat, and pressure are applied to transform the leaves into durable dinnerware products that will naturally biodegrade in 2 months.  The result is a product free of chemicals, waxes, dyes, or toxins that have the potential of leeching into your food.  The company states that the dinnerware is durable enough to endure the microwave, the oven and the refrigerator.  I can attest to the fact that it upheld it’s shape in the microwave but I was a little nervous to put the plates in the oven.  It’s also reusable which is a great characteristic since the products are much too pretty to throw away (just don’t put them in the dishwasher!).  Check out VerTerra’s complete line of products designed to make entertaining fashionable, fun, and eco-fabulous!

Profuse thanks to VerTerra and the Family Review Network for this review opportunity!

Cross-posted at Peekaboo Picks Magazine