Work-at-home Mom and Living: is it possible?
This is supposed to be my year of ACTION. A new year in which I accomplish my goals. I just have not been able to set them yet.
I am having such a hard time figuring out what to do with this blog. I named it “Mom on the Rise” because of the Maya Angelou poem “Still I Rise.” My mom thought that having a child (even after married and in my late 20s) was the end of my life. But I always felt that it was the beginning of a new one. I am a Mom, and still I rise. I completed my Master’s Degree and started a business.
But then I got tired.
I thought about letting it go and then about writing in more of a focused niche. And yet, neither has has sat well with me. I love this blog. The design. Some of the posts that I have written in the past. I’m not sure what the heck is keeping me from writing. Maybe it’s because I have WAY too many blogs. Or maybe it’s the web designing, consulting and running We of Hue….
Obviously, I tend to spread myself too thin. I have a problem saying “no” to people and focusing on what I want to do. In some ways, I think that I prevent myself from focusing because I don’t want to commit 100% and then fail. Or maybe it’s because I keep trying to live out the definition of “mom blogger” as set by others. Truthfully, I have been making decisions based on what I SHOULD be doing (as dictated by others) as opposed to what I want to do for a long time. It’s the result of coming from a very overbearing mom who really did not… Continue reading
Finding the Time
When I decided to shift to my niche, I asked readers to leave a question for me to answer in a blog post. It’s my way of encouraging a discussion and exchange of ideas and tips. The first question/comment comes from Jeanine aka NaturalMomma. Here is what she had to say:
Hi Kristina!
I have a question. How do you find enough time in your day for homeschooling and writing and meals and …?
I am making a bit of a switch, myself, in that I am wanting to write more, work one-on-one with clients less all in an effort to (1)live my purpose and (2)take my biz to the next level.
But as I have begun to spend more time writing mini-books and blog posts and reports and email follow-up messages, my son has begun to hate my computer!
Jeanine
My immediate response to Jeanine was a short reply which read, “You are not alone”. I stand by that still. You are not alone Jeanine no matter how it feels. Before becoming a work-at-home mom, I worked full time as an English teacher (9th grade) and for my daughter’s first year, I was also finishing grad school. I was a wreck. I left the house at 7:30 am and returned home most nights after 9:00 pm. On the nights that I was home earlier she was in bed by 5:30-6:00 EVERY NIGHT! I kid you not. I barely saw her and I was miserable.
After making the transition to WAHM I thought that life would get easier. I thought that I would have more time for her, but when you work from home it is even harder to draw boundaries at times. I was working 40-50 hour weeks trying to build a… Continue reading
My Love for You is so Timeless…
My husband loves the classic beauties- the hour glass figures of the pinup girls, vintage cars, and eating at diners with jukeboxes and soda jerks. He prefers suspenders over belts, low-cut neat hairstyles, cigars and pipes, and mom and pop shops. Even his taste in jewelery is classic- preferring pocket watches over wrists watches any day.
When we celebrated our first wedding anniversary on August 30, 2004, I scoured the Internet looking for a pocket watch that embodied the classic beauty of the old Hunter-case watches worn by the railroad workers of 19th century. It was virtually impossible to find one that had the look and feel of the old-style pocket watches,and the ones that I did find were extravagantly priced. Unfortunately, I could not find one that we could afford- you know, newlywed and barely making ends meet.
This year, however, as we come upon out 6-year anniversary, I have decided to bite the bullet and buy a pocket watch for my husband. I found a great, inexpensive collection of the Jules Jergensent watches for under $300. I plan on getting my husband the watch on the left with a phrase, “my love for you is so timeless” engraved on the back.
I guess this is going to be the anniversary of classic gifts, because when my husband asked me what I wanted, I suggested that he check out the Citizen Watches collection which includes and old-fashion-styled charm bracelet watch. I am normally not a fan of watches for myself, but this bracelet/watch is absolutely breathtaking. It’s going to be a great anniversary!
Product Review: Good Deals & Smart Steals
The tiny book packs a huge punch with how to get the most out of your money simply by knowing where to shop. Take, for example, auctions. When we think of auctions we think of Ebay or Yahoo, but did you know that you can find auctions through the United States Postal Service or the United Stated Department of Treasury?
In addition to auctions, some of the other tips include how to save money purchasing big appliances, organizing a clothing exchange with friends, keeping up with car maintence, and even maximizing coupons by shopping on “Double Coupon Days.”
If part of your New Year’s Reasolution is to save money, you will benefit from this amazing tips offered in ”Good Housekeeping: Good Deals & Smart Steals: How to Save Money on Everything“. This book gets two thumbs up from my family.