The post is sponsored by Post-it Brand. All opinions are my own.
As many of you know, I left my little Nora for the first time last week to go on a mini mama-only “vacation”. It was SO hard… and yes, I cried when I left, but it was also SO worth it.
I’m super excited to share that my 2-day blogging trip to San Francisco for the Evernote Conference was amazing, AND that Nora handled my absence MUCH MUCH better than any of us expected!
Besides refusing naps (which isn’t that abnormal) and a rough first night away from mom, she hardly even mentioned my name.
And when I excitedly walked through the door on Friday night, she gave me a big hug and immediately had to tell me about how she hurt her chin on her Jack-In-The-Box. Then she marched right back into the living room and started playing with her “boom box” — apparently my mom brought this over while I was gone!
As I mentioned in my post last week, I was so excited to finally do something for myself. Yes, I was super nervous and had a lot of guilt leaving Nora for the first time, but I knew the timing was right.
I also felt this trip would be a great opportunity for me to get away, to network, to learn more about awesome products that will help us get more organized, and (hopefully) to create a good learning experience for Nora.
I think it was a success on all levels — and I can’t tell you how happy and relieved that makes me feel. I went with my gut, and I think my gut was right!
Oh, and thanks for all your kind words, well-wishes, and prayers. They were very appreciated (especially the day I left!)
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More about the conference:
The main purpose of my trip was to attend the Evernote Conference; however, I was personally sponsored by 3M and Post-it Brand — yes, you read that right!
For those of you who use and/or know a little bit about Evernote, you might be wondering why on earth Post-it Brand would want to send me to an Evernote conference.
Well, first of all, I think you all know how much I LOVE Post-it Products 🙂 I’m kind of obsessed!
Second, one of the purposes of the Evernote Conference was to unveil a brand new (and totally amazing) partnership between the Evernote App and Post-it Notes — basically providing a seamless bridge between the analog and digital worlds. A.K.A. even less paper clutter in your life!
Since Post-it Brand and Evernote share a mission to provide people with tools they need to be more productive in their daily lives (a mission I also share), I feel like this partnership is a perfect fit, and I’m so happy to be the one to share it with you.
If you’ve never used Evernote before, its basically a super intuitive (and completely free) information organizing tool you can use on any computer — and a free App you can download on any smartphone or tablet device. Learn more about Evernote here… or watch some helpful video tutorials here.
And since I’m assuming you are all fully aware of the awesomeness of Post-it Notes, I’ll spare you that explanation!
Both products are amazing tools on their own… but the partnership of Evernote and and Post-it Notes takes it to the next level. I’ll be going into more detail about exactly how this partnership works (along with how this partnership will help us to all be way more organized), but if you can’t wait a few more days for me to explain it all to you, you can read more specifics here.
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For the time being, any time you buy a specially-marked package of Post-it Notes, you’ll see the new partnership information (and the Evernote elephant) on the front and back of the package — and you’ll get a coupon code for one free month of Evernote Premium inside (Evernote Basic is totally free all the time).
Learn more about Post-it Brand and Evernote by visiting your local office supply store, visiting Postit.com/Evernote , following Post-it Brand on Twitter, or liking Post-it Brand on Facebook.
Evernote and Post-it Note users — you should be very excited!
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More about my trip:
I’m most definitely NOT a world (or even a state-wide) traveler! But I will say that traveling is always so much more fun and relaxing when someone else does all the planning and leg work! It was so nice to leave my house knowing that everything was already planned out for me and all I had to do was show up at the right places at the right times.
The flights were great and I had almost no layovers or issues. The accommodations were lovely. The food was fantastic. And the company was superb — I met a few other fabulous bloggers “in real life” and had so much fun with the Post-it Brand team!
my new friends: Jen from Tatertots & Jello and Krissy representing 5 Minutes for Moms
We toured a local Staples store with their brand new display of Post-it Products front and center. I posted this picture of myself holding their new Big Pads on Facebook and some people asked what I would do with them.
I honestly wasn’t quite sure… until I got home and Nora immediately used them to decorate our non-magnetic refrigerator 🙂
She calls them her “daddy stickers” — which basically means “big” in her language.
I was pretty busy the entire day of the conference but my two 4.5 hours plane rides gave me the opportunity to read this entire book.
As with all parenting or informational books, not every single piece of advice will work or apply to your life. However, I definitely felt like I learned A LOT about Nora and about what we should and should not be doing with her. There are specific age-related sections towards the back of the book so I could focus in on the toddler age bracket for a lot of my information. I’m sure I’ll be talking more about some of the parenting books I’m reading in future posts, but just wanted to mention this book today.
Oh, and just for laughs, I stopped at Starbucks to get an ice water because the drinking fountains in my wing of the airport weren’t working. So while I can still say I’ve never PAID for a drink at Starbucks, I now have this picture to make me feel cool!
All in all, this conference was JUST what I needed to get away from my normal life for 2 days and I’m thrilled Nora seemed to handle it so well. For the record, my married but childless sister who watched Nora while I was gone admitted that she now understands why I’m so tired all the time!
While this trip wasn’t exactly “restful,” it most definitely WAS re-energizing and relaxing just to have a change of pace and to be able to think my own thoughts all day. Also, chatting with real life grown-ups and eating food while it was still hot at fancy restaurants were nice bonuses too.
I’m so thankful to the folks at 3M, Post-it Brand, and Evernote for giving me this awesome opportunity at just the right time!
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So in preparation for my next post about all the cool new Evernote + Post-it Note features, I’d love to know…
Renee Spindle says
What a great trip it sounds like you had Andrea. I’d love to hear about the Post-it notes and how your using them with Evernote for your blogging organizing. Thanks for sharing some wonderful information for all of us organizing fanatics!!
Barbara says
So glad everything worked well for your daughter and the trip! Wonderful!
It is good to learn more about Evernote and Post Its too.
On another topic, planners for the new year have been on my mind. I wondered if you have any ideas to share with your readers about planners for the new year. Will you be using what you did this year again? I so enjoy your writing and sharing through the years! Thank you!
Patti Trevino says
Hi Andrea… So happy that you got to have the experience that you did at the conference. They could not have selected a better candidate to sponosr! I love Evernote, but know that I do not use it to its full potential so I will look forward to your future posts/tips. Thank you for your gracious heart, sharing all of this good stuff!!
Sending a bit of Southern California Sunshine your way!
Andrea says
Thanks Patti! It’s been super cloudy and raining here in Michigan the past couple of days — so I’ll take that sunshine!
JoDi says
Oh yay! So glad to hear the trip was a success all around! Hope this means you’ll be able to get out some more on your own and with Dave before baby arrives!
Andrea says
Thanks JoDi — we’re actually already planning a VERY mini getaway over Christmas break to give Nora an opportunity to “practice” being away from both of us for a whole day and night before the baby comes. I’m just a little excited 🙂
Kalyn Brooke | Creative Savings says
Glad you had a wonderful time!
My husband bought me Evernote premium for my birthday {I had been using the basic}, and I was so excited! I use both Evernote and post-its ALL the time, so it is truly a great partnership between them. Can’t wait to hear more about it. 🙂
Loree says
I’m a relatively new user of the free Evernote app, but I don’t really feel like I’m using it! It seems simple, but I just need something to jump-start my thought pattern of how it might work best for me, what other tools it might enhance or replace, etc. I’m all about consolidating and keeping it simple. I REALLY look forward to your next few posts where you share about Evernote and Post-it Notes. Glad you had a good time away and Nora did well also!
Patty says
I am so glad to hear that your trip went well. I remember well the first time I left my kids, I was pregnant with #3 and went to visit my sister who was pregnant with her first!
I am excited to learn more about evernote. It looks really interesting and I think hearing if from someone who is in the know will be helpful!
Cherie says
Andrea,
I can not say enough how finding your blog has been so helpful to me and you going to this conference and sharing the information is awesome. Evernote has changed my life in an organized way. I too am a paper girl but that has changed since stumbling on evernote.
* I have scanned all of my journaling into my evernote
*I scanned all of my paper recipes and now I just clip the recipe from the web
this may sound crazy to others but when I have to have a challenging conversation with someone and it can not happen right away, I type what i need to say into my evernote so that I can stay focused on the detail. I have a folder labeled conversations that includes not just family and friends but work and bill issues as well. I use it in so many other ways.
I can not wait to hear what you learned about evernote!
Erica says
I LOVE Evernote, use it for all sorts of things.
Darla says
I have been using Evernote for a few months and I absolutely love it! I stopped using Post-it Notes several years ago because I hated the clutter they created and because my kids were always taking them. I can’t wait to hear how you will be using both Evernote and Post-it together. Glad you had a good trip and that Nora did well while you were away.
jen @ tatertots and jello says
It was so much fun meeting you. I think you are amazing and I hope we get to meet again soon!
xoxox
Lynn says
That sounds so wonderful! I’m so glad you got to have some adult time and Nora got some learning how to be away from you too! Sounds like a win/win.
Stel says
Don’t know much about Evernote, will follow the links, but would like to now how the two would work together. The big pads is a great idea!
And – that book you’re reading is great – I also have one of those super-sensitive souls and it helps a lot to understand what’s going on.
Andrea says
Thanks Stel — it was such a helpful book! I had sworn off all parenting books after Nora was born because none of them were helping, but I suppose I needed to be a bit more open minded 🙂
As for the Evernote + Post-it Notes, you can read more about the partnership here — and I’ll be talking more about it next week too!
Chris says
It is great that you read a book on highly-sensitive children and found it helpful. I am highly-sensitive myself but never noticed it until some time ago because my mom and my sister are HSP as well. The books of Elaine N. Aron are very good and helped me a lot to understand why I feel the way I do. And your daughter is such a sweetie, she will be an awesome great sister!
Melissa says
Glad you had a great trip!
A couple things I’m wondering…
Post-Its can be expensive, how do you save on them?
How do you use Evernote?
Andrea says
Thanks Melissa, I’ve had really good luck finding Post-it Notes at Staples — sometimes a huge jumbo pack for $2. And as for Evernote, there is SO much I could tell you, I don’t even know where to begin! You can find tons of helpful information on their website here.
Andrea says
Hi again. I realized that you were asking me personally how I use Evernote right? Not just how to use it in general 🙂
I mostly use it to store information like recipes, photos, ideas, ext — kind of like Pinterest but better, because I can save magazine articles, news papers, business cards and more. I can also make to-do lists and share them with Dave via the app for our phones, etc. There’s a lot you can do with Evernote and I’ll be talking more about that in my next post!
Rebecca @ Rebecca's Delightful Home says
I love it! “daddy stickers”!! So cute! We all LOVE our Post-its in this house! Wish they were less expensive though. My favorite are the tiny book mark Post-its – so handy!
Rhonda says
Love the giant post-it note. I will have to check out evernote and see what is about. Love your blog.
Andrea says
Thanks Rhonda — and yes, the giant Post-it Notes are super cool for Nora right now 🙂
Patty says
You are so doggone cute! So glad you had a great time and especially glad Nora did so well. I am open to learning anything you have to share. Thank you for such a great blog!
Andrea says
Thanks Patty 🙂 We’re all super happy the trip went well and that Nora seems to be unscathed!
Steps to Save says
I love those big post-it notes. My kids would have drawings all over our house! Sounds like you had a nice getaway and a little time to unwind and do something for yourself. Hope you have a wonderful weekend~
Deni says
Hi Andrea, I’m so glad your trip went well and mostly that Nora handled it so well! As a mother of two, I think it does all Mom’s a world of good to have a little time to ourselves to get refreshed and nurtured. I think it makes all of us appreciate each other more, and have new and exciting things to share. BTW, you looked lovely 🙂
Andrea says
Thanks Deni! I definitely appreciated Nora more after being gone for 2 days. I know it sounds crazy, but a little time away was definitely good for both of us I think!
Jen says
This trip sounds awesome. I’m glad you went, for you and for us, because you had a great time and we get the benefits of the stuff you heard about and experienced. My toddler would LOVE those huge Post-Its. I’ll have to look for them once our current “no-spend” month is up. 🙂
Andrea says
Thanks Jen. I’ll hopefully be sharing lots more details (along with video footage of me at the conference) next time. I’m just waiting for the videos to be fully edited and ready to go 🙂