Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Mother's Day Gift Ideas from Chronicle Books -- Remember One Moment Every Day w/ a Memory Books OR Stay Organized with an On-the Go Mommy Planner (Review)

Disclosure:  I was sent samples from the vendor in order to write up an honest review.  All views shared are mine and mine alone.


Chronicle Books


When it comes to holidays like Mother's Day, I love sharing great personalized gift ideas, as these are the gifts that moms will cherish for years to come.  With that being said, have you heard about the new Three-Year Memory Book from Chronicle Books, which you can personalize?  Don't worry if you haven't heard about it, as I hadn't either, until I visited Chronicle Books' website while preparing my Mother's Day Gift Guide.  

As soon as I saw this keepsake book, which lets you jot down one line a day for 3 years of things your child says, I had to get my hands on a copy.  Like the say, "Kids say the darnedest things."  Well, times that by two in my case, and I hear some crazy and heartfelt words spoken by my girls on a daily basis.  And, while Bella is starting to talk more and add new words to her vocabulary, leave it to her to come up with the majority of silly things that are worth writing down and remembering. :-)



The One Line a Day customized three-year memory journal gives you the space to record one thought, event or quote each day - creating a keepsake to be treasured for years to come. Personalize with a name, cover color and the month you'd like to begin. Order your custom memory journal today.

When I first saw this book, I thought to myself, "Why didn't I think of this earlier?"  Like most new parents or parents of young children, I find myself whipping out my phone or camera to take a photo of the girls' first, or other memorable moments I want to capture and treasure.  But, I totally forgot about jotting down what they say, as well as special events or thoughts I may have on a given day in one centralized location.  

While I journal and write about things that are happening with the girls, my journal is not just a book about them.  And, those baby milestone through school years books are all well and good, but they are never handy when you need them and want to write something down.  What I love about the new personalized 3-Year Memory Journal is that is small enough to keep on your office table, on the kitchen counter, in your diaper bag, or wherever else you think it would be handy to grab when you find yourself wanting to jot down funny things your kids say or do, or a special milestone like rolling over, taking their first step, first words, first solid foods, etc.  


This memory journal would be perfect for new or expectant moms, who can start documenting things from the start.  But, parents with older children like myself can start anywhere, and continue this memory journal ling, so that when the kids get older you can share this book with them, and they can see what funny things they said and did, as well as special moments that melted your heart.  Like the other day, after the girls fought over a toy they each wanted, Bella walked over to Savannah and gave her a big hug and kiss out of nowhere, and then followed up by saying, "I love you big sister...this much," as she extended her little arms out as far as she could. :-)  They couldn't stay mad at each other for long.  And, while this will probably change as they get older, it was nice to be able to jot this moment down in this handy memory journal. :-) 


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I have found that my mind is not as sharp now that I have kids. I am chalking it up to sleep deprivation and stresses a parent of children experience.  Try asking me about what I had for dinner or even lunch last night, or a few days ago, and i will be hard pressed to give you the right answer.  Days of the week are a blur for me, as are actual dates.  So, I have to make a point to keep to-do lists and calendars handy to keep everyone on schedule.  Take my calendar and to-do lists away and I would be lost.  

But, I have been noticing lately that with the girls taking different classes weekly, events we sign up to attend in the community and other medical and personal appointments, my little pocket calendar is filling up and starting to get confusing to read.  We were supposed to be at an Easter Egg hunt last weekend on a Saturday.  But, I read my scribbles wrong and showed up a day late.  The girls weren't happy, and I was frustrated with myself yet again having confused dates.  

It wasn't until a few days later that my saving grace arrived in the form of a family organizer that Chronicle Books offers.  "The Mom's Ultimate Family Organizer: A One-Stop Planner For Busy Moms" was just what I needed.  

Mom's Ultimate Family Organizer 

The planner comes in a sturdy binder -- think your old trapper keeper from back in the day.  :-)  This binder was created by a mom with moms in mind, so you know that it will help get you and your family organized once and for all.  

Inside the binder you will find the following tabbed section to help you organize and stay in control of everything in your family's life, right down to the grocery list and even birthday reminders.  The tabbed sections include:
  • On the Calendar -- Features blank calendars that you can add everyone's appointments, sports practices and games, birthdays and more.  I especially love the fold out "summer at a glance" calendar, which lets you see 3 months during the summer for quick day trip planning with family and friends, etc.
  • Family 411 -- In this section you can keep track of emergency contacts, frequently called family and friends and repair people, as well as local take out restaurants.  So, no more looking around for that scrap of paper you wrote that important phone number down on.  Instead, reach for this binder and go to the Family 411 section to have all your important numbers at hand, in one convenient place.
  • The Best Laid Plans -- Need help planning a party or just planning the weekly menu?  This section offers a wonderful selection of organizational tools to help you better plan meals, menus, summer schedules, birthday parties and more. I found this section to offer so much valuable information, and is a section I continually flip back to to utilize these useful tools.
  • She's Making a List -- Consider this your cheat sheet of lists.  Here you will find quick tear out sheets that you can fill out to hand to the babysitter, when you need to write a quick note to your child's teacher, your infamous to-do or to-remember lists.  I like how there is also "to do this week", "to do today," "weekly menu" and "grocery list" tear outs, as these also seemed to be the lists I would make and leave out on the counter or put on the fridge.  Whatever checklist you think you will need, this section has it.
  • Resources and Recommendations -- This is another favorite section of this binder, as it offers so much useful information the mom who created this planner gathered through her own experiences, as well as talking with other moms.  Every mom struggles with work-family balance, and the resources provided in this section will help alleviate some of the stress your may feel, while offering up suggestions on how to better stay organized and calm when keeping yourself and your family organized.

The above two books from Chronicle Books would make for the perfect gift for Mother's Day.  Even if you find yourself purchasing one or both for yourself, you will get a lot of use out of them.  From writing down memories and things your child has said or done over the course of 3-years, to having a binder with all your lists and must-have handy information in one place, you will find yourself more relaxed and ready to conquer the world...well, at least tackle that "to do" list you created. :-)

To learn more about the "Mom's Ultimate Family Organizer" or the One Line a Day customized three-year memory journal, head on over to Chronicle Books today.  Once there, you will also find great personalized books you can create and share with your child at bedtime, as well as other books with moms in mind.
 


Disclosure:  I was sent samples from the vendor in order to write up an honest review.  All views shared are mine and mine alone.

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