The Gift of Snow

Snow day in Colorado!!!!  I woke up and went to the gym like I do every day...but about an hour into my workout we got the notification that school was cancelled!  So I got to stay extra long at the gym before making the treacherous 5 minute drive back home!!

What is it about a blizzard outside that makes me want to snuggle up under a cozy quilt, turn on the fire and watch movies all day?  Anyone else?

Not Lincoln, apparently.

Oh, I do like to throw some baking in there, too.  Luckily my girls decided to make a cake...without any supervision...  "Don't worry, we'll clean it up!"  Heard that one before.

It's all about staying cozy, right?  Warm fluffy pancakes for breakfast, lots of blankets and snuggles and pretty much doing a lot of nothing at all.   I introduced the kids to Survivor, Season 1 (remember Richard Hatch?!  We didn't get to the episode where he starts walking around naked...didn't want to scar them for life.)  Now we are watching Hook.  Things like unexpected breaks in our routine don't come up all that often.  The best thing about being my own boss is being able to be completely present for my family on days like this!

Snow days are good for the soul.  

Just Say No!

I've spent my whole life as a "Yes" girl.   Anyone needed a favor or a ride or a loan or a kidney--I was the go-to girl.  I couldn't say no.  No matter how overwhelmed or overworked I was, I was somehow physically unable to get the word "NO" to come out of my mouth.  This has led to me doing some things I wasn't really thrilled about.  Babysitting the neighbor girls for hours every day for free comes to mind....what can I say?  I'm a people-pleaser!

That has HAD to change as I've had my home business.  Juggling four kids and their various schedules and activities, household management, church responsibilities AND trying to work full time from home...I just can't say yes to everything anymore.  As much I like helping people and want to serve others, there are times when I have to just say no--and not worry so much about what people think about me when I do!  One great idea for me has been to set business hours for myself.  When you work from home, it's easy to let other things slip in when you should be working.  It's also easy for other people to not realize that you work and ask you to do stuff.

I've had to realize that it is okay to say no.  It really is!  Practice with me now.

NO!

Kind of liberating, isn't it?    Set your priorities and work your way down.  For me, family always comes first.  So sometimes I have to say no to business things if they conflict with family time.  And it's OKAY!!  When I was asked to take on a HUGE volunteer opportunity in the community earlier this year, I really struggled but ended up saying no, knowing I did not have the time available to commit to it.  And it was OKAY!!  I know my limits and no one is going to protect my sanity except for myself!

Things to remember:

--It's usually a good idea to not rush into anything.  Take some time--you don't have to commit to a decision right away.  And if you are feeling pressured into making a decision quickly, it's likely not the best thing to be jumping into!  If someone can't wait for you to make an educated decision, then they have effectively made the decision very easy for you.

--Just because you are capable of doing something, doesn't mean you HAVE to do it!  Even if you know you could do an amazing job at it...if you are worried that you won't have time, that it won't be done well, that you have too much on your plate...you probably do!  Take the hint and move on!

--Only you know what will work best for your schedule and your family and your situation and your mental health.  Don't worry about how it looks or what people might think.  I think often in this day and age people aren't used to hearing the word no.  They'll get over it.  DO NOT allow yourself to feel guilt over guarding the well-being of your work and family life!

--Along with not worrying about what other people are thinking, don't compare yourself with other people.  I know a few Superwomen.  They are amazing, impressive and I really think they can leap over tall buildings in a single bound while cooking homemade whole wheat crepes and creating intricate personalized Valentine's for every student in their kids' classes and chairing the school fundraising committee and selling adorable wall-hangings on Etsy and running 50K races on the weekend.  That's not me.  I can only do so much and comparing myself with these ultra-humans serves absolutely no purpose.  Remember, "Comparison is the thief of joy"  (Theodore Roosevelt.)  So don't do it.

So, I hereby give everyone permission to say no when necessary.  Politely decline.  You don't even need to give a reason.  Mind-blowing for some of you, I know!  You can do it!!

Just. Say. No.

Clean up, clean up, everybody, everywhere....

I don't know why, but I seem simply unable to function if my house is messy.  Clearly this isn't an ideal situation when you work from home.  I'd like to say I can just retreat to my sanctuary (what I call my office), close the door and ignore it, but I really have a hard time doing any work if I know there are crumbs on the counter, dishes in the sink, dust bunnies on the floor (2 dogs, don't forget) or beds unmade.

The Sanctuary

As soon as I was making enough money from my own business I hired a cleaning service and it has been the best thing ever!!  Knowing that my house is getting a deep clean once a week takes a huge burden off my shoulders.  And they do SUCH a good job!!  (If you live in the Denver area and want their number, let me know!!)  The fact remains that with six people and two animals living in this house, I still have to spend time every day straightening up or I start to feel the anxiety building...

A quick 30 minutes of straightening up in the morning after breakfast and in the afternoon when the kids get home usually keeps things under control.  And then I try to never go to bed without the kitchen being clean and the family room put back together.  Those short bursts of cleaning really help me be able to focus and get stuff done when I sit down to get stuff done!  Now if I could figure out a laundry system...

What do you guys do to keep the house under control while trying to live in it, raise a family in it and work from it?  Or am I the only one that is kinda OCD about this?

Quick--enjoy it now before I have to start making dinner!

Multi-tasking--all the cool kids are doing it.

One of the first things I did when I reached a certain income level was take myself over to the Apple store and buy myself a MacBook Pro.  Best. Decision. Ever.  Yes, my husband about died (not about the price tag, more about the fact that I went over to the dark side.)  But seriously, it has taken things to a new level for me.  Like my ability to get work done WHILE I cook dinner.  The ability I have to get work done in airports, hotel rooms, on the beach (if I'm careful with the sand), while camping, in the car waiting for kids after school...the list goes on and on.  I do believe between a laptop and a Smart phone, I've got the whole world in my hands when it comes to running a business and being a full-time parent!!    Technology is where it's at, peeps!!  So whether you are a PC or a Mac...it's a good investment in your business to be able to be mobile! (And bonus!!  Tax write off!!)

When Mom is gone...

A couple times a year I get to travel for my business.  I know that some work-from-home moms struggle with doing this and the "mom-guilt" that ensues.  I don't get "mom-guilt," despite my kids' best, most valiant efforts to give it to me.  (A few months ago my girls texted me over 20 times in one day while I was on a trip saying things like, "When are you coming home?", "Can you come home early?" "I miss you!")  Yes, I miss my family when I'm gone.  But the chance to leave, interact with adults, see new places, learn new things and spend some time alone is rejuvenating for me!  I always come home a better mom!  There should never be any guilt when you are doing something to help yourself become better.  That's my 2 cents.

I do like to try to make things easier for the family while I'm gone.  I pre-make as many dinners as I can fit in the freezer, make bunches of muffins for quick breakfasts and pre-pack all the school lunches.

I also spell everything out in detail for my husband...heaven knows with four kids, our schedule can be a bit chaotic!!

I just got back yesterday from an amazing trip to Dallas where I was trained, inspired, uplifted and motivated.  I also got to ride a mechanical bull (still recovering from that one!) AND see Silento live and in person (for those of you over 15, he is the singer of the "Whip Whip Nae Nae" song.  You might need to go Google it.  My husband did.)  I was gone for four and a half days and it was wonderful for all of us!!

Watch me, watch me...

All six of us learn and grow from the experience of Mom being MIA for a little while!  :)

Yummy, healthy breakfast for those crazy busy mornings...

For me the key to making this lifestyle work for us is planning ahead!!!  With four kids in three different schools (all with different start times) mornings are hectic for us--I have a daily business call in the middle of all of that, too! This is one of my favorite breakfasts for the kids because I can make it the night before, it's healthy and they LOVE it!!

Baked Oatmeal with Bananas and Blueberries--adapted from Skinnytaste.com

Ingredients:

2 medium ripe bananas, (the riper the better) sliced into 1/2" pieces
1 1/2 cup blueberries
1/4 cup honey 
1 cup uncooked quick oats
1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 scoops vanilla protein powder (optional)3/4 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
1 cup fat free milk (or Almond Milk if you are dairy-free)
1 egg white
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375° F. Lightly spray a 8 x 8" or 9 x 9" ceramic baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.
Arrange the banana slices in a single layer on the bottom of the ceramic dish. Sprinkle half of the blueberries over the bananas, 1/4 tsp of the cinnamon, 1 tbsp of the honey and cover with foil. Bake 15 minutes, until the bananas get soft.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the oats, half of nuts, baking powder, protein powder, remaining cinnamon, and salt; stir together. In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining honey, milk, egg, and vanilla extract.
Remove the bananas from the oven, then pour the oat mixture over the bananas and blueberries.

Pour the milk mixture over the oats, making sure to distribute the mixture as evenly as possible over the oats. Sprinkle the remaining blueberries and walnuts over the the top.

(I do all this the night before and stick it in the fridge. Then the next morning...)

Bake the oatmeal for about 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the oatmeal has set. Serve warm from the oven.

Things don't always (read: NEVER) go as planned. :)

One of my business partners, Audrey Beth.

Here we go...the inaugural post.  And I find it seriously ironic that on the day I'm planning to launch my blog all about balancing home, family and work life, I'm not able to get ANY work done due to home and family life!   Lincoln (the 8 year old) and Chloe (one of the twins, age 12) were both home from school sick and I ended up driving to and from the doctor's office in a neighboring town TWICE...as well as to the pharmacy once and Wal-mart twice.  So basically I spent the entire day in my fancy second office...also known as my Ford Expedition.    Thank goodness for Smart phones and wi-fi!!  Balance...um...some days go better than others!   Diagnosis of strep and a round of antibiotics...and we just roll with the punches.