When You Don't Know Where To Turn

I just finished up a big project at work, and with that big deadline behind me, I've had a little more opportunity to follow some of the threads on MaineMoms. One thread really got me in the heart this week, and the frustration that one mom was feeling was really clear in her writing. I feel for her, because I have felt frustrated and discouraged as a parent myself, sometimes.

As moms we give and give and give to our children, sometimes to the point that we are totally depleted ourselves. Have you ever heard that analogy that being a caregiver is like an airplane emergency? Put on your OWN oxygen mask before trying to help someone else with theirs. Too true.

I don't pretend to have all the answers, but here are a few resources that have helped me in my life:

1. Your employer's (or your partner's employer's) EAP (Employee Assistance Program). When you have a problem and don't know where to start to get help, this can be a great resource.

2. Ingraham: 1-888-568-1112. This is a 24-hour crisis hotline, and wow, that night when my life felt completely bleak, and I was up crying at 3:00 in the morning, this was the right number to call.

3. 211. Did you know that you can call "211" toll-free from any Maine phone and connect with a real, live human being who has access to information on all the social services available in Maine? If you need help for any reason at all, this is a great place to start.

MaineMoms is a place that many of us have been able to get feedback from other moms who've "been there," but sometimes life can just feel so hard.... I just want you all to know that help is available if you need it.

Are you an organized freak like me?

Well, I wouldn't say freak really, but there are some days (more often than not) that I just get in these moods. If I'm having a slow day at work I make little labels for everything, I put things in order alphabetically, and I even will clean out my pen jar if it looks too cluttered ( I know pretty sad huh?) I'm also a big list person, you usually can find a To-Do list both at work and home and my husband always has a honey-do list going, which he loves....not really. I recently found this new website, ListPlanIt.com, where you can find and download any list that you could possibly think of. You can find Grocery Lists and Menu planning, Holiday and Party planning, even Calendars and To Do lists. It's so great, and better yet, the founder, Jennifer Tankersley, is from Maine. Now as I agree it's great to be organized, there comes a point and some people may get stressed because as we all know there is always a To-Do list going and generally the second you complete one thing another one comes up "My plate will never be clean." is a nice saying that my co-worker always has to remind himself of, with saying that though, at some times in our lives, especially with kids there's usually so much going on that we tend to forget and that's where a list really comes in handy to me.

And while you are checking out ListPlanIt, make sure to check out Jennifer's blog where she blogs 'List style.' It's another blog that I'm addicted to myself. I find that I relate to so many of the list that she's posted. And right now she's got a contest going where if you post a comment in one of her posts you could win a free Home Eplanner from ListPlainIt. I won one myself and trust me when I say it's AWESOME. Thanks Jennifer.

So, whether you love lists or love the idea of Lists, make sure to put these websites on your To-Do List.

My Little Movie Star

You will soon be seeing my little family featured in a WCSH promo. For those of you not in the news biz-- that's like a commercial for our station. We have many promos on the air, and a lot of them usually feature staff from behind the scenes.

I think they asked me this time because of my adorable daughter. She makes quite the movie star.

We met the promotions team out at the Brunswick walking path on Tuesday morning for the shoot. Even though I have been in the news business for almost ten years now, I had never experienced their end of the business, and I was quite impressed. It was more of a creative process than in news. Since in news we shoot "actual events", we can't ask them to do it again. There are no "do-overs" in life. In commercial or promotion shoots, there are many, many re-takes! Let's just say Matt and I had to run so many times for one of the shots that Matt has sweat pouring off his neck. They kept yelling, "Again, again!"

But I must give kudos to my daughter Rosa who smiled on cue every take-- even though she was missing her naptime. She is my little movie star in the making, but I promise not to get all stage-mom.

I won't get into what the subject of the promo will be; that will have to be a surprise. But Karen, the promotions producer, tells me it should start airing by the end of June. Stand by!

Twilight- A Book and a movie for Both of Us!

One of the gifts my daughter received for her 13th birthday was Twilight by Stepehnie Meyer. A book she had wanted for quite some time now. Twilight is the first in a series known as the Twilight series. The series consists of four books Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and the fourth (Breaking Dawn) coming out in August. We recently found out Twilight the movie will be in theatres December 12th, 2008. My daughter and I decided it would be a great book to read together and watch together when it comes out in theatres. Seems like a great way to bond with my daughter. Has any one else read any of the series? If so, I would love to hear what you think. To check out the movie trailer for Twilight click on the following link: http://twilightthemovie.com/