{ ME }

Hi gang! Just back from LA where we went to the NAPO Awards Ceremony...as you may recall LobotoME was nominated for a green, eco-friendly product of the year award....we didn't win (boo hoo) but it was a great event to be at and we enjoyed everyone we met (especially Peter Walsh...yes, THE Peter Walsh...who is just as charming and friendly as he appears on television). Here are a few cute photos from the Office Max photo booth at the party.

ps. Two days of 75 degrees + sun + bike rides along the Pacific Coast beach path was pure bliss and just what this tired mama needed.

ps - I've got a sweet schwag back full of goodies from the event (Peter Walsh's new book; office max goodies, organizational products, a journal from The Container Store, LobotoME goods & more to give to one of you who voted for me! I've got the list and will announce a winner later this week. Thanks for your support! { Jana Wilcox, of California is the winner!) Thanks for you votes everyone.

{ thrive + ride }

Hi everyone! Thanks so much for your support with my recent breast cancer scare... there is just no other way of saying it but Cancer SUCKS.

I've been thinking a lot about my word of the year {thrive} and figuring out how to live that word on a daily basis. It means putting green, healthy foods in my body. Reducing our exposure to toxic chemicals both in our food chain and in cleaning products, etc. Negating our overall impact on the environment. Simplifying our lives so that we can spend time on what matters most. And living each day like its my last.

One of the things I went ahead and did was sign up for a 50 mile road bike race Memorial Day Weekend, the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic that I've always wanted to do (no time like the present my friends!) It's a great race with a WICKED hard course over several 10,000 foot mountain passes. I signed up to be a part of the Livestrong Team...and am going to ride to raise money for cancer research. The Livestrong Team is helping to raise money for the Breast Cancer Center at Mercy Medical Center, a place I got to become quite familiar with earlier this month, so the cause is near & dear to my heart. You can view a Team Livestrong video about the race here. I'm riding with a great group of women and we are going to start as a team and finish as a team. This seemed like one way I can {thrive} and help others thrive as well. I am hoping that many of you would be willing to help me raise money for the ride. Ten cents for every mile I ride is a $5 donation. One dollar for every mile I will ride is a $50 pledge. Here is a link to my personal fundraising page. $1000 is the minimum I hope to raise but I hope to blow the top off of that!

Thanks for your support + cheers! xoxo, jenny

{ on my mind + menu }

1. Love this idea of a family time capsule.
2. So, people, I'm not sure how I went from upstate NY to Colorado when I'm just not a huge fan of WINTER. I think perhaps I should have continued on westward...Anyway, I used to be a skier (pre-kids) and I know, I know, I COULD be the parent that takes Samme skiing, but I'm not and I'm just fine with that. Frankly, this is what I've decided about Colorado winters. The snow is pretty on Christmas day. I am much better at hibernating indoors and being ready with the hot cocoa & snack after the kids & my husband are outside sledding or skiing. I am much better at creating craft projects with the kids and making a bit pot of soup or chili. And I have determined that I must find a way to be in Mexico a large chuck of this weather period. I must. Okay, enough about the weather...
3. Here's a great list of healthy tips to start the new year off right...it's not too late my friends. It's never too late. Speaking of which did you buy Kris Carr's new book yet? GO!
4. Am in awe of this family & their zero waste home.
5. I am so on board with this project.
6. I love this post...is busy the new normal?
7. I love this bag. Love it.

That's all I've got right now peeps...a busy week ahead, will be back soon.

{ i love this image above via etsy/frecklewonder }

{ thrive }

Just a quick update to let you all know that my MRI & tests came back and the LUMP in my breast is just a benign LUMP...no icky cancer this time around (thank god). I am calling it my { love lump }. It's there to remind me to live each day fully and to love those around me because life is short.

I think I may change my word of the year from FUN (because boy oh boy the past few weeks haven't been very fun) to THRIVE. I want my body to THRIVE. I want it to be so healthy that cancer cells find it a inhospitable environment in which to grow. I want my relationships to THRIVE. With my children, my husband, my family & friends. I want my children to THRIVE in every way possible. I want my spirituality & faith to THRIVE. I also want my bank account to THRIVE. :-)

Thanks for all of your love, support + prayers the past few weeks. xoxo ~

{ healthy ME }

I think I dodged a bullet, a cancer bullet, last week my friends. I had my annual checkup with my great doc on Thursday morning. I came romping in there with my latest cancer screening bloodwork in my hands (which was the best it has ever been) ready to kick some major ass at the visit. Then, during my routine breast exam, she found the dreaded LUMP. Yikes. Triple yikes. It was in this weird spot that I don't think I would had ever discovered during my monthly self breast exams...anyway to make a LONG story short, I had 4 mammograms, one ultrasound and a breast biopsy...all in ONE day. The initial biopsy results came back negative which was great news but I still need to do a follow up breast MRI and an open biopsy due to my cancer history this week. Anyway, this was quite a wake up call to me & those around me that the most important things are our health & our family and that work and worries that are beyond our control should not be anywhere near the top of the list. And a loving reminder from ME to you to GO make your annual doctor's appointments & mammogram appointment now.

My goal this week (and forever) will be to ONLY putting things into my body that create a WELLNESS temple not sick, diseased, cancerous cells. Green juice today anyone? So I'm embarking on Kris Carr's Crazy Sexy Diet which isn't a diet but more of an overall health & wellness plan. I can't recommend her new book enough, just trust me and go get it today and join in and get your vibrant health glow ON. GO!


Anyway, once everything settles down over here, I'll be back! Thanks for your kindness + prayers! xox ~ jenny

{ organize ME }

Lots of requests for sneak peeks of my weekly planner so here it is before things are scratched OUT and filled to the brim. You can click on the images to enlarge them. I keep this on my desk on a clipboard and can cart it around with me when I have meetings or do errands.

What I typically do is keep our family schedule (trips, doctors appointments, visitors, etc) on Google Calendar. I also keep my LobotoME meetings & trips as well as our other business commitments on Google Calendar as well - typically up to a year or more out. Both my husband & I and our employees have access to this calendar. I can also access it via my phone. Then on Sunday's I will fill in a week or two of momME planner weekly sheets with our day to day stuff and transfer google calendar information in.


I am a very visual person and I need to have everything written down or it gets forgotten during the brain fog moments. I also plan out our weekly meals; schedule in what my workouts will be and when and schedule blog posts using one of the empty row's on the bottom.

I also love how my friend Maureen uses her momme planner to schedule out blocks of time during the day for work & mom stuff. And here are some more {day in the life of ME} guest posts that you might enjoy!

Let me know if you have any questions! GO!

{ new year's resolutions }

Good morning, my friends! I've got a free download for you today....a New Year's Resolution & Goals chart.

Are you ready for a whole new year? A whole new chance to be the person you’ve always wanted to be? A new opportunity to get healthy and organized? We love setting goals for our life and business and working on making them happen. We love the promise that a whole new year brings along with it. This year we've decided to help you (and me) set goals by creating a cute goal sheet that you could use any time — for new years resolutions or whenever you just need a little extra motivation to change something in your life.

So what are some of your goals this decade? If it’s to get more organized, you’re in the right place! Look for more fun organizational organizational products from LobotoME here!

Click here to download it. This is for your personal use only. Feel free to share it on your blog, facebook, twitter, but please link back here to LobotoME.com. Fill it in, GO, Dream, DO...live life to the fullest and have a great 2011!

{ drink more water }

Our Mantra Sigg water bottles from Cafe Press might make it a bit more pleasant....
And today's Mamapedia deal is for Cafe Press ($15 for $30)! GO!

{ organize ME }

Sneak peek at my weekly planner...more on this next week!

{ feed ME }

Yum. You know how I love Groupon. Well, today another deal site has an awesome online national deal... $40 worth of dried, organic fruit snacks for $10 (it says $40 for $20 but you get a $10 credit towards your first purchase- it will automatically be in your account when you register). Go, get this awesome deal while you still can! These are perfect for kids snacks, lunch boxes, when you need a little something healthy to snack on, etc.

{ keep calm + carry on }

Y'all know that's my #1 motto, right? And its very applicable this week! Back to school, no more sleeping in, no more lounging around sipping tea, no more playing hooky. Its back to work around here people. :) Media kits to mail, Groupon love to deal with, orders to ship, tradeshows to plan for, permits to apply for, races to schedule, workouts to do, healthy meals to cook.... It's GO time my friends!

Print via etsy

{ feed ME }

On my menu this week...

Salmon with Grilled Pineapple & Brown Rice

Couscous & Feta Stuffed Peppers

Chicken Curry with Vegetables & Couscous (using leftover couscous from night before)

Nie Nie's Tofu Stirfry

Big Batch Vegetable Soup

Make your own pizza night on whole wheat dough. Use leftover veggies from week.

Whole Grain Pasta with Pesto & Sauteed Zucchini

I think this will be on the menu for next week.

For breakfast its usually huevos rancheros; steel cut oats; granola & fruit; or protein & flaxseed packed smoothies. I generally like to start the day with a green juice.

For lunch I usually do a green smoothie or soup or a salad. For Sam's school lunch, I pack her a turkey/avocado sandwich, carrot sticks, sliced apple, grapes, etc.

Sunday prep:
Make couscous
Make brown rice
Dice veggies for stuffed peppers, amansala salad, etc.
Make big batch of veggie soup

What's on your menu this week?

{ 2011: the year of happy to be ME }

"Live well, laugh often, and may your heart be filled with the beauty in each day."- Unknown

I declare 2011, my 35th year as the "Happy To Be ME Year!"

There will be no grand resolutions pertaining to making $1,000,000 or paying off the mortgage in a one year time frame; there will be no pressure to lose that lingering 5 lbs or compete in a fitness competition or a marathon (when I really hate to run more than 5 miles); there will be no proclamations that I will have LobotoME notepads in all countries of the world by the end of the year. There will be no resolutions to never drink another diet coke again, because I will fail and feel guilty. But I do drink loads of organic green juice daily and that must counter-act the negative rusting my organs experience with the occasional diet coke, right?

But there will be lots of FUN! This is going to be a year of FUN. Fun with fitness. Fun with food. Fun with family. Fun with work. Fun at home. Fun traveling and fun adventures. Just plain old FUN. Because life is grand.

So, while I do have goals (because I am Jenny afterall) and while we are still working towards our families goals (these include things like no working Friday afternoon until Monday morning - I'm taking back my weekends from work people; paying off our mortgage early; and traveling more) I personally will not be putting any more pressure on myself than my natural Aries, Type- A personality already does. It appears this may be a trend for 2011...non-goals.

What are your goals or non-goals for this year? Do share. And remember, have FUN!

ps - This is a picture of my darling daughter. Isn't is awesome?