Which way did she go? Which way did she go?

Things have been busy, you could say.

The last few years I have not felt the need to keep a schedule book handy at all times. I've been able to keep tabs on our schedules by sporadically writing things down on a wall calendar in the kitchen, but mainly just keeping track of who needs to be where -- and when-- in my head. I've kept the few numbers I've needed handy in my cell phone. And although I've been caught unawares by a phone call or two reminding me of a dentist appointment that I'd completely forgotten to write down when it was scheduled six months prior, on the whole been I've able to get by just fine.

Now? Not so much.

The two older girls are involved in two extracurricular activities this fall (gymnastics and swimming for A and art class and swimming for R). Not too hectic, you might say, but I am also dropping off and picking up A from preschool four days a week, doing a childcare swap on alternating Thursdays with a friend, and my in-laws are taking the girl at various times to spend some quality time with them individually. To help R with some social issues (real or imagined) that seem to be bothering her (she can be painfully shy and feels like she has no friends right now) I am also working on scheduling semi-regular play dates with a few choice classmates in the hopes of nudging along a friendship or two. And A refuses to be left in the dust - she's the social butterfly of the family with a social calendar to match!

Oh yeah, and I've decided to spend Tuesday mornings at R's school volunteering in the library and as needed in her classroom. It's a worthwhile investment of my time as I like to be aware of what is happening at school, and recent budget cuts have reduced the support in the library and classrooms to nil or almost nil. Luckily, R is still of an age where parental visits to the classroom are encouraged (by her and by her teacher). I'm sure there will come a time when mom's arrival at school will be a complete embarrassment so I'm getting my time in while I still can!

And then there are the evening meetings - preschool board meetings (not very often, but still can't forget!), book club (a monthly "me time" that I hate to miss), school events like curriculum night and the welcome back picnic that happened last night (the kids had a ball!), helping with fund raisers like bake sales, and so on and so forth.

To add to the mix, there is also church, choir practice for the girls, teaching Sunday school (luckily I just have to show up and teach - the lesson is all organized and prepared for me ahead of time), and a host of fall birthday parties on the horizon (including the party planning and prep for my two October girls).

A couple of weeks ago I started to feel the weight of the scheduling nightmare -- and a bit old and addled at the thought of trying to keep everyone's schedule straight in my head -- so, I went out and found a nearly perfect planner. If I could tweak its contents a bit I would, but it serves me well enough and it is certainly helping to keep me sane (relative term indeed...it is keeping me from jumping off the cliffs of insanity anyway). I also purchased a new bag ("Hi. My name is Jeanne and I'm a bag-aholic.") which has a handy outside pocket into which my bright and shiny new planner fits perfectly! (Thank you, mom, for the birthday money that financed the new bag purchase!). The bag also has end pockets with mesh bottoms that are perfect for a bottle or sippy cup of milk or water for the wee lassie as well as what should be my ever-present bottle of H2O (working on that daily goal). And the main compartment is big enough for my wallet, a diaper or two, a travel wipes container, and I bet I could even fit my latest book in there in a pinch if it is paperback and not too thick.

So, armed with my life in a book and a bag (and all neatly labeled with a few different colored pens and highlighters), I'm as prepared as I am ever going to be for the crazies of the season! If you are the praying type, just pray that I don't lose my portable brain planner or I'll be sunk!