and the winner is...

Thank you to everyone who entered my free planner contest. But mostly thank you for your awesome feedback and comments!

I had more than 20 entries so I get to give away two planners! I conducted the drawing when I had several witnesses in the room to make it highly scientific and official.

And the winners are:

Lynn Wagner
and Sarah Williams

WOO-HOO!! (applause)

I will be sending both of you an everydayMOM planner. Please just e-mail me with your address.

back to my free planner contest

Thank you to everyone who has entered my FREE planner contest. Back to the rules and an update for anyone who still wants to enter. (Make sure you keeping reading for the first ever comment from everydayHusband!)

I have been so excited about all of the feedback I have been getting about my everydayMOM and Brain Book planners.

Just post a comment here about my planner or send me an e-mail. It could be something you love about it or an idea to improve it. If you don't have a planner, send me one of your own organization tips. Or just send me a note to say that you love chocolate, love the color brown or just love life. I'm good with any kind of note.

For every 10 entries that I receive, I will draw the name of one person who will receive a free planner! If you already have one, you can give the extra to a friend. The contest runs until this Friday, Nov. 7.

If you post anonymously, please also send me an e-mail, emilyneal@comcast.net, so I will have your contact info!

More comments:

First, from my everydayHusband who is filling up my love tank with words of affirmation. =]

To all everydayMom’s: As the everydayHusband I just want to take the opportunity along with all of you to talk about the success of this planner from someone that is on the receiving end of an organized home and the sharing of "Moments Of Meaning”. There are times like the present that work takes me out of the country not for a few days, but weeks at a time. I can tell you that it’s not easy leaving knowing the burden that is left on the everydayMom at home to get through the long list of daily tasks that are required of family. One thing that gives me a real peace of mind is knowing of Emily’s ability to keep on task in a God honoring away and meet the needs of our children while I’m away. I cannot tell you what a blessing this is to me! I would encourage each of you to continue to share your success with others and try to find someone this Christmas to pass this planner onto as a wonderful gift to them, but consider the blessing it could bring to their spouse and children by them having the means of organizing their home and making their day meaningful. everydayHusband

Wasn't that the sweetest thing you've ever read?

I love the planner. I love the colors (& chocolate – dark preferably). My only suggestions would be a smaller daily place for household chores, (I am lucky if I get to 1-2 things a day), and a larger daily place for phone calls. I always seem to have a list of them everyday. I hope that helps. You’re a working mom (everydayMOM) hero of mine!

That's a great suggestion!

This one is about the Brain Book: I LOVE the inclusion of "coaching" topics for consultants to have on hand to review for themselves when they are starting out and then to use with their new recruits. A suggestion for in the future layouts, maybe have a section at the back for recruit leads and hostess leads, as I like to not have to flip through pages to find those lists and it would just be a matter of flipping to the back section or a front section for that information. Just a thought!

That's a good thought! I have gone back and forth on how to organize that part. Thanks for your input! You also can put a colored paperclip or a colored post-it note on the page for the current month and the next couple of months to make it easier to find those lists.

I am addicted to my planner. I have it out in plain view all day long and refer to it, write in it, and check things off my list all day, every day! I'm so glad I have one! One thing I would like is if you could add a pocket to either the inside front or back cover. This would be a great place for me to store field trip forms, etc. that I need to follow up on. I suppose a paper clip would do the job too...Thanks for the great planner!!

You are the second person to request a pocket. Maybe I will someday get a real publisher (not a self publisher) who can help me figure out how to add that!

I just checked it out and it looks awesome - I so need to get organized! I love the fact that it has the 2-day month spread and then the weekly pages - great idea! It seems like it's always one or the other and certainly never the cleaning, cooking, pages which I love as well - do they include all the famous Emily recipes??

My goal is to start putting some recipes on my blog. And for those who don't know, an "Emily recipe" is one that is super simple, but looks like it was hard!

I had the 2008 Brain book, and the one thing that I would have liked with that is some blank pages for each month. I use a second notebook for taking important phone messages, Must do contact things that don't fit. Anyway, that's what would make it perfect for me.

Another good suggestion. With each page I add, my cost grows, so it's always a balance!

I really liked the idea of the tip sheets right inside your Brain Books... seems that to run a business successfully, the calendar is always there.. so why not have some inspiration every time you open it up! I also loved the inspirational messages at the top of each page.

You can read more past comments here.

Free planner contest, Day 2

I'm having WAY too much fun with my very first ever, one-of-a-kind, earth shattering, let's-go-crazy, free planner give-away contest! Be sure to check the previous post for the rules and then post a comment or send me an e-mail to enter!

Here are some of the great comments I've received so far. Of course, I've also got some really nice little notes from other people that have nothing to do with the planner. And that is wonderful, too. You HAVE been entered in the contest!

Here goes:

Comment/Idea... a page for important phone numbers that you always want with you.... dr., car repair, hair, etc...

Good suggestion! I meant to do that! Actually, I did give more space than in my first edition, but not enough!

Love the section on "grows".... this is the first calendar in which I have EVER seen this incorporated... and it is so crucial to be intentional about our growth... otherwise life and the demands of it... will crowd that out quickly!

Thank you! That was one of my main goals with the planner: to encourage moms (and other people) to take themselves seriously! Set goals. Plan to grow personally. Our kids have to do it in school, sports, etc., and we can too!

I'm telling (my husband) I want one for Christmas! I have really enjoyed reading your blog!

And thank you for reading! I'm always so excited when I get a comment from my best buddy from high school! Remember when we used to be Emilynn or was it Lymily? Maybe you'll win! I could rig the contest, but that just wouldn't be fair.

I bought your Brain Book last year and your MOM calendar this year. I'm trying to "merge" them in my brain! I love the meal planner and shopping list blank pages ... and I really like it that you even gave us your list. I know, it's something that we should all just DO, because there are standard things that I buy and it sure is nice to have them on a list. I've even shown it to 2 of my non-DT friends and they think it's very cool. Nice colors too!

Thank you! Do you think I should make the lists available as a download on Lulu? I've been thinking about it. That IS an option! I was thinking maybe $1 or something and you could download them. That would allow you to print as many copies as you want.

I love your planners. I have both the everyday MOM and Brain book. I actually panicked this morning because I could not find my planner. I did find it, thank goodness! I refer to the everydayMOM planner every morning to see if my children have hot lunch, sports or special things going on at school. I love my Brain book too. If I did not have it, I would have lots of little pieces of paper all over the place with peoples names on them. I can refer to my book to see who I need to call and keep track of my hostesses and potential recruits. Love it!! I also gave the everydayMom planner to my friend after she had her third child and she loves hers too. She told me the night I gave it to her she stayed up late filling in all her dates and info. I am so glad you have created these planners! Thank you!

You're the best! Great moms... I mean minds... think alike!

I have heard how your planner is awesome. I need something like that for next year, now and every year. (My friend) raves about it. And it keeps her nice and organized and accountable to everyday life stuff.

Yea!! Maybe you'll win!!

Finally, after years of searching. A planner that fits my life. Really. I love the design. I have a question, though. In my dream would, it would be a bit smaller like 6 by 9 and have a pocket. Then I realized its lulu...maybe you'd be willing to republish it in the smaller size? So, I'm writing to ask if you would.

I have had several requests for the smaller size, so I AM working on it! I'm just trying to figure out what I can condense to make it all fit on that smaller page. Not sure about a pocket. That will have to wait for another year. Thanks for the great suggestion!

**
If you post an anonymous comment, please make sure you also send me an e-mail so I can enter you in the drawing!

I'm giving away FREE planners!

Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who has purchased one of my everydayMOM or Brain Book planners!

I have been so excited by the great reaction I have been getting, so I decided to have a little contest. This is really to help ME make my planner better in the future.

Just post a comment here about my planner or send me an e-mail. It could be something you love about it or an idea to improve it. If you don't have a planner, send me one of your own organization tips. Or just send me a note to say that you love chocolate, love the color brown or just love life. I'm good with any kind of note.

For every 10 entries that I receive, I will draw the name of one person who will receive a free planner! If you already have one, you can give the extra to a friend. The contest runs until this Friday, Nov. 7.

I will be posting some of my e-mail comments here, as well. If you post anonymously, please also send me an e-mail, emilyneal@comcast.net, so I will have your contact info! I'm looking forward to hearing your feedback!

my "new" blog

I'll admit it. I've been secretly blogging for more than a year now. Well... if you call about 12 posts in 15 months blogging. And does it count if you don't tell anyone you have a blog?

But here I go... finally making my blog public. At the same time, I'm launching my everydayMOM planner, which has been in the works for a while now, too.

It all started a couple of years ago when I was looking for a planner with enough space to keep track of all of the contacts, phone calls and bookings for my direct sales business. I created my Brain Book, which I started selling to other direct sales moms.

At the same time, I made myself a personal organization system that I called my everydayMOM planner. The MOM stands for Moments of Meaning. And the goal is to help moms organize their everyday tasks to give them more time to add some meaningful moments... with their kids, their husbands, friends... in their spiritual journey or pursuing a dream.

When other direct sales moms would ask me how I kept my home life organized, I would show them my binder. "Can I have one of those?!" they would often ask.

So, after several years of trying to create a format that others could use, I've finally published my everydayMOM weekly planner! Check out the link and let me know what you think!

I'm planning to use this blog to add ideas that aren't in the planner. And I would love to hear yours, too!

My Links

My Discovery Toys business

My 2009 planners: everydayMOM and the Brain Book

My personal web site

my planners

The 2010 everydayMOM planner is here!

How to order:

If you are local, for a limited time only (while supplies last) get your planner for only $15 (no tax or shipping if you live close enough I can hand deliver). Just e-mail me to let me know I should save you one!

If you live in the United States, you also can get in on the $15 special, but it will cost an extra $4 to mail. Just e-mail me. This option is checks only and features the new darker colors on the cover. Click here for a full preview of the inside pages!


If you live outside of the United States or would like to use a credit card, you can order directly from my online storefront. Click here. Two cover styles available, plus my everydayKIDS planner!

What's in the planner?

Calendar is a weekly spread.
Each day includes room to track all that a MOM does everyday.

She:

• remembers: Appointments, holidays, events
• plans: Things to do
• shines: Housecleaning chores
• cooks: What’s for dinner
• grows: Personal growth
  

At the back of the book, I have included my personal planning sheets, plus blank sheets for:

• Meal planning
• Grocery shopping
• House cleaning
• Ideas to add Moments of Meaning
  

What past customers are saying:

I love your planners. I have both the everyday MOM and Brain book. I actually panicked this morning because I could not find my planner. I did find it, thank goodness! I refer to the everydayMOM planner every morning to see if my children have hot lunch, sports or special things going on at school. I love my Brain book too. If I did not have it, I would have lots of little pieces of paper all over the place with peoples names on them. I can refer to my book to see who I need to call and keep track of my hostesses and potential recruits. Love it!! I also gave the everydayMom planner to my friend after she had her third child and she loves hers too. She told me the night I gave it to her she stayed up late filling in all her dates and info. I am so glad you have created these planners! Thank you! ~ Christy

I LOVE the inclusion of "coaching" topics for consultants to have on hand to review for themselves when they are starting out and then to use with their new recruits. ~ Traci

I am addicted to my planner. I have it out in plain view all day long and refer to it, write in it, and check things off my list all day, every day! I'm so glad I have one! ~ Michele

I really liked the idea of the tip sheets right inside your Brain Books... seems that to run a business successfully, the calendar is always there.. so why not have some inspiration every time you open it up! I also loved the inspirational messages at the top of each page. ~ Dawn

Here's my feedback after one full week of using the planner (sorry it's only one - I'm a newbie): I love that I can look over my week and easily see what I got done and what I have left to do. Very helpful! ~ Lara

I love your planner! I purchased one last year & didn’t really start using it til right after Convention when I found my motivation again!! I really like being able to see the whole month at a glance! I plan on doing more with my business in 2009 so will utilize the other pages more so next year – ie the recruiting pages & hostess pages. ~ Lauren

I HAVE YOUR EVERYDAYMOM PLANNER. I think it's great! I like the shopping list too! ~ Deanna

Love the section on "grows".... this is the first calendar in which I have EVER seen this incorporated... and it is so crucial to be intentional about our growth... otherwise life and the demands of it... will crowd that out quickly! ~ Ginger

I bought your Brain Book last year and your MOM calendar this year. I'm trying to "merge" them in my brain! I love the meal planner and shopping list blank pages ... and I really like it that you even gave us your list. I know, it's something that we should all just DO, because there are standard things that I buy and it sure is nice to have them on a list. I've even shown it to 2 of my non-DT friends and they think it's very cool. Nice colors too! ~ Kari

Finally, after years of searching. A planner that fits my life. Really. I love the design. ~ anonymous

To all everydayMom’s: As the everydayHusband I just want to take the opportunity along with all of you to talk about the success of this planner from someone that is on the receiving end of an organized home and the sharing of "Moments Of Meaning”. There are times like the present that work takes me out of the country not for a few days, but weeks at a time. I can tell you that it’s not easy leaving knowing the burden that is left on the everydayMom at home to get through the long list of daily tasks that are required of family. One thing that gives me a real peace of mind is knowing of Emily’s ability to keep on task in a God honoring away and meet the needs of our children while I’m away. I cannot tell you what a blessing this is to me! I would encourage each of you to continue to share your success with others and try to find someone this Christmas to pass this planner onto as a wonderful gift to them, but consider the blessing it could bring to their spouse and children by them having the means of organizing their home and making their day meaningful. ~ my husband, Kent =]

**



Preview or order my 2009 planners:

everydayMOM

Brain Book weekly

Brain Book monthly