This time of year certainly holds a lot of nostalgia, doesn’t it? I don’t care how old I get…when mid/late-August rolls around I am itching for the start of something new. New routine, new weather, new clothes! But I have to say at the top of the list of favorite things…New School Supplies!!

That list comes out and there are some things that just don’t change…

1) Crayola crayons,They have a distinct smell and they just color better than any other brand. I have tried some “off” brands….not even close to worth the $.50 I saved!

2) #2 Pencils…sharpened! Nothing better than a sharp tip on a new pencil. I personally prefer Ticonderoga #2. Ever get one of the “rubbery” pencils??!! Such a bummer…the tip breaks right away and never gets quite sharp enough. In 3rd grade, one of my friends got Smencils …totally jealous!

3) Folders always make the list. On most lists, they ask for plain folders, but we all know that is NOT going to happen! I distinctly remember getting Strawberry Shortcake folders, My Little Pony folders and Cabbage Patch Kid ones. And as I got older my choices got much more “mature”…Michael Jackson or Menudo. But how could we forget the culmination of folder greatness…the Trapper Keeper! The day I got that for 6th grade will forever be remembered.

I hope you had a chance to peruse the school supply aisle this year, even if you weren’t buying. There is a renewing quality…a start of something new…a clean slate, perhaps? What is your favorite school supply?

Summer is upon us…granted, here in the Chicagoland area we are questioning that! I think today’s high temperature was 76 degrees when normally we are flirting with the 90s. But alas, it is the end of July and summer is in full force.

One of my favorite things about summer is just being outside. You can do so many more things outside that the rest of the year we are relegated to do  inside. You can even do a chore outside that you normally don’t…try drying your laundry all outside. Not only is this different but it’s green too! This article has some great, yet easy, tips on how to enjoy the great outdoors during the summer.

One of my most dreaded part of the summer is hearing the phrase “I’m bored!” from my kids! My first reaction is generally anger, but the reality is they need to figure it out for themselves. Allowing them to have some unscheduled time is a good thing! This article includes great tips on how to help your kids get the most out of summer!

In these crazy economic times we are all looking for frugal ideas of how to make summer fun! Just look to your backyard or neighborhood park…we at Rule29 have taken to Whiffle Ball. Check out the mad pitching skills of this kid. Now that is dedication to a game you love.

What is your favorite part of summer? Least favorite?

So here we are…3 days from Father’s Day! This may be old news to you, but quite possibly, some of you are now starting to sweat and frantically trying to figure out what to get that very important paternal figure in your life!

Well, we at Rule29 have done some of the research for you. From the homemade to the extravagant, there is a never ending list of wonderful gifts for Dad, but here are a few our our favorites:

1) For the dad who loves to be the center of attention-Fauxshow. A personalized “radio” show just for your dad. Of course , it is never actually aired but he doesn’t have to know that!

Read the rest of the entry >

Now I must admit that I have fought, somewhat, the green initiative that has become so fashionable. Not sure why, but most likely it is because it is something that takes effort (see this link). I am not a lazy person, but I am a very busy person. The thought of having to come up with ways to become green leaves me tired! 

But the reality is that there are so many resources out there to help me. For example, see Yahoo’s Green Living Page. Most things have already been thought of and I just need to apply them to my life. The reality is, once I start it will become much easier and more natural.

I have four kids, ranging in age from 3 to 9. I have goals and dreams for them and one of them is to make them more socially responsible – and this includes being green. They hear about it in school, friends’ houses, and on TV…shouldn’t they hear about it in our home too? The answer is, unequivocally, yes!

So we are starting small, but will build our list as our kids start to grasp the concepts and develop the habits, which is the whole goal. Here is what we are doing now:

1) Turning off lights when you are not in the room.

2) Trying to decide what we want to take out of the fridge BEFORE we open it (my 6-yr-old came up with this one!)

3) Recycling – cans, bottles, paper, etc. We have a fun can crusher the kids get to use.

4) Refilling water bottles with our own filtered water.

5) Using compact fluorescent bulbs.

I realize that most people are doing these things or at least know about them. I am trying to develop the habits and having conversation with my children while we are doing these things – showing them why and explaining our responsibilities. As they get older we’ll have larger goals, but right now this is our little start…and it’s working! It’s becoming a part of our family vernacular and lifestyle. It may not be easy, but it is worthwhile!

For more great ideas on staying green as a family, check out this link.

So we all have a “thing”, right? Something that makes you feel like you are doing what you are made to do or meant to do. For a long time I didn’t know what it was for me. I tried a lot of different things and they were good but not the “thing”.

I work with creatives…wildly creative people. Designers, artists, writers, strategists. I handle the finances and that is a good thing because it allows them to do what they do well. But it is not my “thing.” Creativity is not my “thing”…at least that is what I thought.

I figured out that I needed my “thing” and what I found was competition. Actual competition…racing, training, times, distances. I competed in the Batavia Duathlon last year and I was hooked. Competing is my “thing”. Not against anyone else…just me. Can I run faster? Bike harder? Become stronger?

But what was interesting was that I found I was creative! I had to be creative in order to stay motivated. What was I going to do this week and the next in order to compete? What was going to be my new training regimen (P90X, Body for Life, Bosu) ? How was I going to eat to make my body work better (Weight Watchers, Atkins, South Beach Diet)? How was I going to find the time to even get the workouts in? Creativity played a role in answering all these things.

This year I have 4 races on the calendar. The Galena Duathlon, Batavia Duathlon, Bix7 and the Chicago Triathlon. Each an opportunity for me to compete. Each an opportunity to be creative.

What is your “thing’? If you have found it…I applaud you. If you have not, I challenge you.