This school year, I’m not going to buy into it. I’m not, not, not. And I’m going to mark my calendar for the beginning of Oct. so I’ll come back and read this post again and remind myself, once again, that I’m NOT.

Not what? I’m not going to let myself get sucked into the “I’m sooo busy” trap. You know it. Chances are, you’ve been in it with me. We may have seen each other at the grocery store, church, our kids’ school, and said “What’s new?” “Oh, I’m just so swamped I can’t see straight.” “Oh, I know what you mean. Between the school fundraiser and the kids’ activities and work and…”

“Blah, blah, blah.”

I may be bold this school year and take a Monday morning off and go to a coffee shop with the newspaper. Go get my hair cut on a Thursday afternoon. Read a BOOK. I don’t have to prove to anyone that I’m so important because of how darned busy I am every hour of every day. This year, it’s going to be OK to relax now and then. And to actually admit, in public, that I did, indeed, relax.

It’s a false set-up anyway. We moms seem to have to one-up each other in this area, and it’s a crock. I hear it every time I go to the grocery store and see two women parked in front of the dairy case, comparing kids’ schedules. Heaven knows I’ve done it. It gets old to listen to, and it really is a boring thing to discuss, over and over.

So let’s take a bit more time to relax this school year. And when we run into a friend? Let’s talk about the great book we’re reading, the fun new thing we did with the family the other day, the movie we want to see, the new hobby we’re enjoying. Anything but “If I have to spend one more minute in that car this week I think I’ll scream.” Because, frankly, if I have to have one more conversation about nothing more than that, I’m going to jump straight into the dairy case and hide behind the milk.

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Randy (AKA “The Hubs”) is flying home from a week-long business trip and is due in any minute. The laundry is done for the first time all summer. The dog endured his trip to the vet + bordetella shot today and is happily snoozing at my feet. There’s homemade chocolate cake in the house. I have lots of paying writing and editing work to do tomorrow. And Matt, my son, is downstairs playing Emerson, Lake and Palmer’s “Lucky Man” on the piano.

Life’s little pleasures. They mean a lot in the day-to-day scheme of things. (Although Randy returning after being gone for a week is a BIG pleasure.) A phone call from a friend. A great cup of coffee. An unexpected card in the mail. A walk on a gorgeous July morning.

What are the little pleasures in your life right now? Isn’t it amazing how something so small as (temporarily) having the laundry done can make your day?

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I’m feeling like a bit of an odd duck lately. I’m hearing a lot of moms say “Oh, I’m so glad it’s summer! Things are more relaxed and I have so much more time.”

Seriously? I’m feeling like I need a giant DO-OVER button for my summer. I’ve been:

° Working

° Driving Matt to activities

° Going to the grocery store

° Driving Matt to activities

° Going to Target

° Working

Now, I love Target as much as the next mom, but come on! I need to take a break and read a book on the deck, with my shoes off, while drinking lemonade. (OK, in the evening? Maybe a glass of wine.) I need to get off this work-schlep-chores train and relax a bit more.

Can you relate? Are you with me? OK, let’s go squeeze some lemons, grab that book and take our shoes off.

See you on the deck.

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What about you? It’s time to take a break and spend a bit of time on yourself. You’ll be a better mom for it, I promise. Yesterday I spent the morning at Salon H by Hala, in Torrance, California, going… BLONDE! Check it out. I had a blast.

What will you do for yourself this week? Let us know in comments.

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I got my iPhone yesterday, and I’m like a kid at Christmas. Almost jumped up and down (OK, maybe I actually did a little) when the FedEx guy showed up.

One of my favorite apps, already, is ColorSplash. It allows you to turn a color photo into black-and-white and then add back just a touch of color to any part of the photo you choose.

Speaking of a kid at Christmas, here’s one of my favorite photos of my niece, after I had some fun with it with ColorSplash.

If you’re a busy parent with an iPhone, I’d love to know what apps you use to save time, stay organized and have fun! Please share your recommendations in comments.

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I do. Right now. I’ve been toying with the idea of going blonde, via highlights, for some time. And I’ve decided to take the leap. I’ve had brown hair my whole life and I’m ready to see what life is like as a blonde. I’m not going platinum. But it will be light! I’m excited.

Got my appointment set for a couple of weeks from now, but I’m on the cancellation wait list, so the call could come at any time… Yikes!

What have you done to reinvent yourself? Hair color? Weight loss? New hobby? Let us know how you’re re-making your life.

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I’ve been busy washing Matt’s sandy stuff from Junior Guard at the beach, followed by his sweaty stuff from baseball.

Day after day.

I was going to whine here a bit, but then I realized how incredibly fortunate I am to have this wonderful kid who is healthy and able to do these activities. I am blessed.

Pass the OxiClean!

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For women, the first experience with heartburn is often during pregnancy.

In fact, studies suggest that more than 50 percent of pregnant women will experience gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms during pregnancy. This is due to pregnancy-related hormones and pressure from the growing fetus. Symptoms of heartburn resolve in most of these women after delivery of the baby.

Think you might be one of the 60 million Americans with GERD? Check out my article in this month’s MetroKids magazine.

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I’ve been complaining to myself lately that I need to remember to keep the batteries charged on two cameras and a video camera for all the end-of-year events coming up: Cinderella (performed by the junior choir at our church), 8th grade graduation, yada yada yada…

And I suddenly realize how incredibly blessed I am to have these wonderful activities — these wonderful PEOPLE — in my life.

If you’re a busy mom, take a moment with me today to stop and say “Yes, it’s a crazy time. But this is the good stuff.”

Then go charge up those camera batteries.

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Fellow moms, are you ever just POOPED? I am. Right now.

This week I’m looking at work deadlines, the church youth newsletter, baseball games, the church bake sale (gotta make some brownies), Hell Week (final rehearsals and tech week) for the church play… (Gotta love the words “Hell Week” and “church play” in the same sentence.)

The laundry is piled up. (Both clean and dirty.) The dog is begging to be walked. The fridge is almost empty.

And what do I want to do most? Meet a girlfriend for coffee. It’s my great stress reliever. It makes me realized how BLESSED I am to have such a full life with all these activities that, taken separately, I truly love. (OK, not the laundry or the grocery shopping.)

My girlfriends give me perspective. A laugh. A chance to vent and compare notes. In truth, sometimes wine is better than coffee for a girlfriend get-together. (AND as you can see, sometimes there’s CAKE.) But right now I’d settle for 30 minutes with a good buddy and a chance to sit back and look at our lives.

And laugh.

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