{Top 5} Productivity Software for Homemakers/Bloggers/Writers/Everyone

Time is of great worth to me at this point in my life.  I've always had a "Type-A" personality, but with an 18 month old I've definitely been forced to learn how to be flexible, patient and adaptable.  I'm going to let you in on a (not very secret) secret.  {I'm a closet geek.}  Well, actually, I've been out of the closet with my geekiness for a while.  I like computer games, the full blow online fantasy RPG kind.  (If you don't know what that means…its okay…probably better for the both of us.)  Anyway, this edition of my Top 5 (is not about gaming) highlights the software/productivity programs that make my life easier to manage.

I'm not getting any kickbacks here, folks, just sharing the secret weapons of household/life/sanity management.

{5} G-what what! Google---mail, calendar, analytics, talk, voice, plus…you name it.  I love it for my personal account as well as my professional.  I love the calendar sharing, the way it is streamlined and easy to use.  Fantastic.  If it bears the Google name, I'm likely to use it.  Sad, but true!

{4} iPhoto/Picnik - I was once a PC elitist…but now that our household is outnumbered by Macs 5:1, well, I've become sort of infatuated with anything that bears the Apple emblem (who isn't seriously!?).  I love iPhoto for organizing my albums and swiftly
uploading.  It definitely doesn't have the editing power of other
programs, so that is where Picnik comes in.  Free to use, but worth paying the $25/annual fee for the premium features.

{3} Spotify - Okay, yeah, it isn't technically a "productivity" program…but I feel like everything in life can be better experienced with a good soundtrack.  I'm LOVING Spotify and have tried premium…and plan on subscribing in the near future.  I don't know how what they do is legal, but I love that it is!

{2} Mint.com - As far as free goes…this is probably the best financial software you can snag up without spending a dime.  Manage your accounts, track your budget, and set goals.  I really enjoy looking at the pie charts at the end of the month to see where our cash is going.  Can be very eye-opening!


{1} Evernote - As a writer…I use this for EVERYTHING.  I mean everything.  When I save blog posts that I enjoy (recipes, diy, tutorials, etc.) in my reader, I go back through them and clip whatever specific details I want saved to my Evernote.  I am then able to make notes, and organize everything.  I can't even begin to tell you how useful this program is to me.  I add writing ideas and inspiration, keep track of passwords, take notes during church services.  And the best part (besides that it is FREE!)?  It syncs with all of my mobile devices.  Seriously amazing program.

Do you have any secret weapons for managing your household/business/life?

Let's Connect!

       

Wordless{ish} Wednesday

It has been a tough week for me.  I'm dealing with health issues that are making life difficult to say the least.  I will write more about that later, but for now I just want to share my beautiful little girl and her "Pree-Cuh" {Princess} Couch that she got from her Nana.  

The couch/sleeper is a Christmas present, but was needed, so we gave it to her early (Nana approved!).  She loves it.  I scored the cute little sparkly purple tray at a trip to Michael's today for only $5!  She loves to unfold the couch into the bed, snuggle up into the blanket and then pretend to snore.  It is hilarious.  I love seeing her so happy that she has her own big girl seat.

Hope you are all having a fantastic week! 

Linking up with these ladies today:

          


Let's Connect!

       

Welcome Carly of Texas Love Birds!

Hello Life with the Baxtrons readers! My name is Carly and I write over at the blog Texas Lovebirds. I was so excited to win Courtney's amazing giveaway of the extra large feature and ad, and I am so excited to be posting here today.

I live in Texas (hence the blog name) with my husband, our two dogs (a Great Dane and a Boston Terrier), and we have a little boy named Gunner on the way. Texas Lovebirds started as a blog of "Dear Peanut" letters to my son and soon became a way for me to document my beautiful life. I still write my "Dear Peanut" letters, but you'll also see posts about my random thoughts, our daily life, crafts, recipes, and much more.

Courtney gave me lots of great suggestions of what to write about in my feature post, so instead of picking just one or two, I thought I'd briefly address them all.

What's your six word memoir (read more about six word memoirs here)? "So called youngins, so in love." I haven't written about it on my blog (yet), but Cody and I are "young." I'm 22, he's 25. We've been married for two and half years, and like I said, we have our first child on the way. We were so ready for marriage and we are now so ready for a child, but that doesn't keep others from judging. I feel like Cody and I can live our lives as a strong example of "youngins" who are living and loving in the greatest way.

The best thing about being a wife or a mother?Since I'm not "officially" a momma yet, I'll go the wife route. For me, one of the best things about being a wife is serving my husband. I must admit, it's something I just recently found the joy in, but I really love it. I'm so thankful that God has begun to create this servant heart in me. It brings a smile to my face to get out of bed a few minutes before Cody and make him a pot of coffee. I truly believe in the calling of service and really enjoy partially fulfilling that calling with my husband.

How do you maintain your "self" while flourishing as a wife/mother/any other role? I again went the wife route with this question...for me, this is a tough one. My husband is my best friend and we enjoy so many of the same things (football, Sons of Anarchy, The Hunger Games book series, etc.), plus his work schedule at the fire station already makes our time together limited...thus, maintaining my "self" is definitely something I could work on, and something I've really thought about lately. Blogging is really a me thing and I try to make time to just be by myself with a cup of coffee and my thoughts...I know I need more though, any suggestions?? I'd love to hear them!

If you could change one thing about today (about anything), what would it be?I think I'd have to change the society and culture that kids are growing up in today. Sure, I know it's a big task, but the question said anything. There's so much to be worried about...idolization of reality TV stars, girls starving to be a size zero, the willingness to do anything for money... Man, oh man.
If you've made it through this entire post, thank you so much for reading. Again, thank you to Courtney for giving me the opportunity to post. I really enjoyed sharing my thoughts and I'd love for you to stop by my blog and say hi! Leave me a comment or email me if you have a blog you'd like me to check out, I'm always looking for new reads.

Below are just a few places you can find me and one way you can contact me:

Blog ~ Pinterest ~ Email

Love to all, Carly

Carly, I'm thrilled to have "met" you through this giveaway and I'm very excited to watch your adventures unfold as a new mother!!  Lovely readers, be sure to visit Carly at Texas LoveBirds to say hello! XO, Courtney

Pinning {Wk. 4} - Winter Whiteout

Welcome to Pinning {Wk. 4} Winter Whiteout:

Before I share this weeks finds…just a reminder that following the theme is optional, the linky is for any Pinterest finds you'd like to post.  The theme is only necessary if you want to compete for the award of "Pinning-est".  Also, don't be afraid to get creative with your interpretation of the themes, just keep it simple and have fun!  :)  

1} 2} 3} 4} 5} 6} 7} 8} 9}

Are you dreaming of a White Christmas?  Do you love or loathe snow??   

THANK YOU for Linking up last week…

What are you pinning this week? 

Are you "Pinning"?  

Come on, everyone is doing it.  

Join me MONDAYS for weekly sharing of Pinterest finds.  

After all, together we are "Pinning!"

{Rules}

This Week's Theme: Winter Whiteout

Next Week's Theme: All that Glitters (Holiday Party Fashion)

Week After's Theme: 12 Days of Delish (12 Mouthwatering Recipe Pins)

Let's Connect!

       

{Top 5} Reasons Everything {REALLY} Is Better in the PNW!

For those of you who missed my guest post on Amanda's blog, I'm reposting this here!  I couldn't pass up the opportunity to share my love of the PNW (again)s and didn't want you to miss out.

If you're familiar with my story, you know that I grew up in the Seattle area.  It is where my "crunchy granola" roots originate from.  One thing you will learn about me after knowing me only a short while is that I firmly and unwaveringly believe that everything in life is better in the Pacific Northwest.

Get cozy and top off your coffee for this {top 5} post…speaking of coffee:

Reason number {1} the best Organic, free trade coffee in America.  Local coffee houses filled with locally roasted beans, aromatic brews and rich dark flavors that not even the snobbiest of coffee aficionados can deny.  We are not talking Starbucks here friends…and don't get me started on Tully's or Seattle's best.  We're talking the wood-floored, rustic, artsy-fartsy coffee brewhouses that are worth the extra 5 minute drive in rush hour traffic to fuel that much needed good-morning buzz.  I mean, even the infamous "Twin Peaks" features a quaint little PNW diner serving up a "Damn fine cup of coffee."

My favorite coffee place in Washington?  Victor's Celtic Coffee in Redmond.  Add it to your list to visit, when you go (and trust me, after you get finished reading this post…it will be hard not to plan a trip!)

The best time of year to visit is late July or August, in my humble opinion.  You can be sure to enjoy this next benefit of life in the PNW:  PERFECT SUMMERS.

Reason number {2} 100 days of sunshine.  When I think back to my many years spent hibernating the Winters, shielding myself from rainy Springs and Falls, it does not  at all taint my glorious memories of Summertime.  The familiar, often played out favorite, "I Can See Clearly Now" brings me fondly back to Summers filled with rock & bridge jumping, sunbathing at Alki Beach and camping/hiking adventures in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness.  Most Summers are mild, temperatures rarely reaching above 90, the humidity is trivial and there is less than an inch of rain per month in July and August.   Basically, consider yourself given the greatest secret about Seattle…the Summers.

It only gets better.  While you may have heard about the notorious never-ending rain showers, I challenge you to think of the positive side of this: lush, green vegetation.

Reason number {3} climate = perfect grounds for locally grown organic bounties year round.  It isn't just the Farmer's market, or the green grass growing everywhere, there are so many different climate zones in Washington state, that you can have a taste for everything.  All year long.  We have deserts to the East, mountains all over the state, hundreds of lakes, we even have a rainforest in the West which is like walking into an enchanted scene from Lord of the Rings.

Did I mention that Seattle is ranked the 8th best city to live in with a family by Parenting magazine? With all the trees, just think of the freshness of the air that you breathe!  I can tell you that I never once suffered from allergies until I moved across the country to dirty NYC.

Reason number {4} Bodies of water - lakes, rivers, ocean, Puget Sound - provide one of the best treats of the region - SALMON.  Wild, fresh, bright pink salmon.  If you have never eaten wild salmon from the Pacific Ocean, and not just Alaskan (although, it is easier and less expensive to get there)…you are totally missing out.  I balk at the Atlantic salmon they try to sell to me in stores here in Manhattan.  And then there is Dungeness crab…are you kidding me…you have never had it?  Basically, I rarely eat seafood here in NYC because I have been disappointed so many times {in other words I'm spoiled and a seafood snob}.  My mouth is watering just writing about it.  And I could go on and on and on about the health benefits of salmon, but I digress.

If I haven't sold you on at least a visit, let me finish with some of my favorite pictures I've taken over the last several visits home.

Reason number {5} This.  THIS.

So, are you packing your bags yet?  There are so many more things I could mention, but this post has to end for now.