about me

Hello. I'm Emily, known here in BloggyLand as everydayMOM.

I'm a stay-at-home mom to three kids who get their good looks from their dad and their creativity from moi. Fortunately, they are all really cute, since they sometimes use their creativity in ways that aren't super productive.

The boys are 8 and 6, and our daughter is 4.

My wonderful husband and I are both in the toy business. He makes sure the little freebie toys that you get at restaurants or in cereal boxes are safe. I know... I know... you thought there was a factory of elves making those little toys, but it's really him. In fact, he spends a good chunk of the year traveling the world to find the best factories to make little toys that children love and then, well... how do I say this? ... discard.

I, on the other hand, sell high-quality educational toys, which many people refuse to throw away even when their children have gone to college. I sort of stumbled into my business, and I'm glad I did. It pays for our kids to go to private school and has also earned us some amazing vacations around the world.

The idea of the everydayMOM came after I created a planner for the ladies I work with selling Discovery Toys. I had searched and searched for the perfect planner to organize my business and, when I couldn't find one, I decided to make one myself.

In the process, I realized that organizing one's time to run a home based business is hard, but many women also felt very disorganized and out of control of their No 1 job of being a mom.

Life at home can get kind of mundane, what with all of the poop, puke, dirty dishes and mac n cheese. Early on in my stay-at-home mom days I was ready to dismantle the dishwasher because it seemed that no matter how many times I emptied it, hours later, it was full again.

A friend encouraged me to empty that dishwasher with a happy heart because it was the job God gave me to do. He was right! And since then, I remember his words every time I stack those sippy cup lids or pile the plastic bowls in the cabinet. The fancy dishes will get their day on the table soon enough.

I believe God gave me the idea for the everydayMOM planner as a way to encourage other moms to take their job seriously! The planner is meant to help moms organize all of the tasks they have to do everyday to give them more time for what really matters -- those Moments Of Meaning with their kids, spouse, friends or growing, either in their faith or as a person. So often, as moms, we don't make a PLAN for our personal growth and development. My planner even includes a spot to think about how we want to grow each day.

In my previous life, aka Before Kids, I earned a master's degree in Public Affairs Reporting and spent about 10 years as a reporter and editor. Most of that time, I covered Illinois government and politics.

Writing my blog is a way for me to channel some of my creative energy, and I don't have to worry about a deadline! But my favorite part is connecting with anyone who stops by! So, feel free to say hi. I love it when you do!

Make it a great everyday!