Work/ Family Balance

Confession – I wish I had a commute

January 16, 2012 By Rebecca Leave a Comment

When I was in boarding school, I would have to take the train in to London every other month or so. Whether I was flitting off to find my folks in some far off land or begging a room from a friend that lived there, I would sit on the train, stare out the window and read. I watched commuters, half asleep in their suits and overcoats, typing away on massive laptops or scribbling in spiral bound notebooks and think, “That’ll be me one day.” [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Work/ Family Balance Tagged With: baby, bath, belly, commute, england, london, mama, mom, motherhood, pregnancy, pregnant, train

Organization time: My Work Bag

December 14, 2011 By Rebecca Leave a Comment

So, currently this is what I carry to work. Ridiculous, isn’t it?

We have an umbrella, a lunch bag, a computer bag, my purse, a bag of miscellaneous stuff and a coffee. I woke up this morning and realized that the shoulder aches are not part of pregnancy sleeping at all, but actually a result of treating my body like a mule.

Time to downsize and organize.
So, I emptied and laid out the important pieces.

That’s still a lot, but I should be able to find (or make) a bag to fit. After all, if I can pack a bag for a three and a half hour flight for me, Mike and Little Man, this should be a breeze.

I decided to work from the inside out.
Using a cereal box, some leftover material and the instructions on Fresh Crush, I made a purse organizer like this one:

This takes care of glasses, power brick, granola bar (Big Girl Snacks pt 1), pens, stamps, Baby Snacks, wallet, phone (which was used to take the photo!), Moleskine and camera, lip balm and roller perfume (photoed but not listed above).

The umbrella was dumped. I left one in my office, one in my car and one at home. Shouldn't need any more than that.

Now I just need to find (or make) a bag to fit the organizer, lunch, the cable bag and my laptop.

And so, Santa, you see why I really need the Sew Serendipity Bags book!!

Filed Under: Blog, Our Favorite Things, Work/ Family Balance Tagged With: bag organizer, diy, organization, purse organizer, sewing projects, sewing tutorial

I don’t know how she does it!

November 22, 2011 By Rebecca Leave a Comment

I saw this movie. You know, the one with Sarah Jessica Parker. It was cute. Completely predictable, but still cute. The thing is, she’s crazy busy, right? Juggling a high-powered career, a marriage, two kids, PTA, etc. and somehow manages to get it all done. That’s fine. I get how difficult that part is. I’m pregnant, tired and emotional, I own my own business, just moved house, have a toddler who wants mama more than anyone else, dog, cat, and now dog sitting, family in town for the holidays… What baffles me is, how does SJP get her nails done? Where does she find THAT time? And her hair cut and her eyebrows waxed (not to mention the other bits and pieces) and when does she go to the gym? [Read more...]

Filed Under: Belly Journal, Blog, Work/ Family Balance Tagged With: balance, Chief, christine lagarde, i don't know how she does it, IMF, juggling, mama, manicure, mom, motherhood, pedicure, real housewife, work and family

Yet another reason to have a dog.

November 18, 2011 By Rebecca Leave a Comment

Wembley, the dogly saint

Last night was rough.

We’ve moved into the new house, but Little Man can’t stay there during the day because, until yesterday, the paint was still wet and all of our worldly possessions are stacked in the middle of each room. So, every day we drop him off at our nanny’s house and pick him up at day’s end. All fine, except our nanny lives an hour away, sometimes more as traffic during rush hour is always going with you.

So, last night I left work at 4:45, got to her house at 5:20 (amazing time), packed him up and set off again at 5:45. He hates the car seat now so he goes stiff as a board when you try to put him in it and starts screaming. Last night he alternated screaming and whining for an hour in the car. I was so frazzled when we got home; I called Mike to vent but just ended up being nasty to him out of frustration (he was at the old house trying to empty the fridge). [Read more...]