And the winner is...

Thank you all SO MUCH for entering my drawing for a free 2010 everydayMOM planner!

I assigned all of the entries a number and used random.org to select the winners. (Drum roll, please...)

SMG2008 said..

Love the blog - I added as a subscriber.

and


Selima said...I also subscribe to your blog through bloglines. Thanks, Selima

Please e-mail me with your e-mail address and I will mail you your prize! My e-mail is:
emilyneal (at) comcast (dot) net.

I'm waiting for the new planners to be printed, so it might take a few weeks.

THANK YOU!

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Don't forget...

Today is the last day to enter my drawing to win a free 2010 everydayMOM planner! Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who left a comment, subscribed or became a follower.

You can enter multiple times. Click here for the info and to leave a comment!

You can enter until 11:59 p.m. today. If you subscribed, please be sure to let me know in the comments section. And if you don't have a blog, leave me your e-mail so I can contact you if you win.

Be sure to leave your comments over here!

=]

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Bloggy anniversary and GIVEAWAY!

Updated: Works for Me Wednesday is having Organization Day this week! Well, my best organization tip is definitely using my planner to track everything I need to do each day, write down my meal plans, organize my cleaning schedule and set goals for my personal growth. Enter my drawing and you might win one for yourself!

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Today is a big day here at everydayMOM and a day you will probably want to mark on your calendar to remember year after year.

What's that? You don't have next year's calendar yet? Oh, you are in luck.

Not only is it my one-year anniversary of when I officially started blogging (oh, I know... you're asking yourself how you made it through the day without me last year), but I also finished my 2010 everydayMOM planner! So, to celebrate, I'm having a giveaway!

And oh, there is soooo much to celebrate! Like how I learned that real bloggers should never fake their own firing. And despite my strange sense of humor, people still read my blog. And think of all of the fashion advice you have given me, especially when it comes to boots. I survived several unfortunate brushes with wildlife not to mention some close calls with the weather. And I can't forget the whirlwind of change that hit me over the last year.

Seriously though, I really want to say a HUGE thank you to those of you who read my blog. I really didn't expect it to last this long. And I never knew I would enjoy writing it this much. I love getting to know those of you who leave comments and have blogs of your own, but I appreciate just knowing you are out there even if you don't leave a comment!

So, this week, I am giving away a few of my 2010 everydayMOM planners! You can enter lots of ways:

1. Just leave me a comment and tell me anything: where you live, how you found my blog, what keeps you coming back, ask me a question or just say "hello".

2. If you have used my 2009 planner, leave me a comment about what you do or don't like about it.

3. Subscribe to my blog (and then leave me a comment to let me know you did). Just use that button at the top right of the page.

4. Become a follower of my blog.

5. Send a friend to read my blog and have them mention your name in the comments.

6. Pre-order your 2010 everydayMOM planner (of course, if you win, you will get it for free anyway!). All pre-orders are at the discounted price of $15. If I can hand-deliver yours, you also save on shipping. If I need to mail it, the total will be $20 in the U.S. (that's $15, plus $5 for Priority Mail) and $25 in Canada.

I will randomly draw the name of at least one winner Friday evening. If I actually start getting more than say... 10 entries, I will give away more than one!

To check out a full preview, go to my online publisher.

Here are the important details about the planner:

Each month starts with a full calendar spread so you can see the month in one glance. This section includes space to write your goals for the month and any other notes.


The rest of the planner is in a weekly format. Each day, you have space to keep track of all the things a mom does everyday:

• Remembers (appointments, holidays, events)
• Plans (her priorities for the day)
• Shines (house-cleaning goals for the day)
• Cooks (plan out your meals for the week)
• Grows (she sets goals for her own personal growth and development in areas like reading, Bible study or exercise)

I have improved the planner by including holidays and the month name along the right-hand side so it's easier to find your place.

The back of the planner still includes my meal chart, grocery shopping list, house-cleaning chart and ideas to add those Moments Of Meaning to the everyday.


If you need some objective reviews, click here to read what other moms had to say.

So, go ahead. Leave me a comment. You will make me feel good. And even if you already have a system to stay organized, you can always use the planner as a gift! =]

**

Check out more organizational tips on Works for Me Wednesday at We are THAT Family!

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what I've learned and GIFT!

OK... So, I've learned a lot over the past few days about blogging. (Please keep reading because there IS something special coming...)

1. It's very difficult to detect extreme sarcasm in the written word. If you write something super sarcastic, you should include a line somewhere that says, "I'm kidding."

2. Lots more people read your blog than you know.

3. Those special ones who comment are extra special and you should never take them for granted. (More about this coming up.)

4. If people take the time to comment, you should offer them feedback, even if you didn't think anyone would check back to see what you had written.

5. Blogging is, for the most part, a one-way conversation, so if you have even ONE person who bothers to read your ranting and raving, you should tell that person THANK YOU! They have just offered you their precious time in life.

So, in the spirit of Thanksgiving and just to really say THANK YOU to my wonderful readers, I would like to give you a cute little gift. It's not expensive, but I think it's cute, and I would like to send you a gift as my way of saying thank you for reading my blog. By the way, I'M ABSOLUTELY SERIOUS! (I know the word "cute" would scare off any man, but if you are a man, I think you might like it, too.)

ALL you have to do is leave me a comment on this topic:

I've been wanting to make my content a little bit more specific. Some ideas I had were my weekly meal plans, recipes, tips that make life easier, inspirational quotes from books I'm reading ... stuff like that.

I stumbled on a blog today where this woman writes a post EVERY SINGLE DAY for the entire year about something to make in the crock pot, along with photos and recipes. Now THAT'S a unique idea!! Other people write blogs about arts and crafts, cars, country music, travel... you name it and there's a blog about it.

So, what would YOU write about in a blog? Or what would topic would interest you to READ IN a blog? Or what topic do you think I should include in mine?? Or if you have a blog, feel free to promote it here. If you don't have an idea, just leave any type of comment.

Leave me a comment by Monday night and I will send you my thank you gift. If you don't have a google account, just click "anonymous" and you will be able to write your comment. If I don't know you, please also e-mail me with your mailing address so I can send the gift. My e-mail is emilyneal@comcast.net.

And if I haven't said it already: THANK YOU for reading! =]

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!

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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!