Turning 34 is Not So Bad

I had a birthday on Sunday which marked me being Randi's daughter for thirty-four years.  I did nothing special.  My husband bought me shoes and the kids gave me Happy Birthday serenades.  Although it seemed like a pretty ordinary day, I noticed a perk in my step.  Cooking dinner was no problem.  Kids wrestling and running through the house did not bother me. Every TV we own turned to Disney XD was no bother either (I guess the kids were making sure they could catch pieces of their shows as they scrambled through the house). I was telling friend how I had this certain perkiness about me and during that conversation I believe I realized it was because I am on a path to doing what I want to do with my life.

 

I used to have reflection and new goals on the blog whenever milestones happened.  When life changes, goals change as well.  Now is as great a time to project new goals and restart a new tradition.

1.    Finish grad school – May 2014, whew! I see the light

2.    Began freelance writing - specifically topics pertaining to community/economic development (I’ll have a masters catered – see #1) , business, careers, marketing and obviously parenting.  So if you need web or article content, I am available for hire. I would also like to guest post for other blogs.

3.    Obtain certification in the Community and Economic Development field.

4.    Take this blog to the next level – I have many blog idols. 

5.    Help my children define income streams of their own.  I want to teach about money and entrepreneurship.

6.    Be a better wife and mother in God’s eyes.

7.    Help my son attain his sports dreams.

8.    Write a book.

This is what is currently on my plate and all can conquered. Since the New Year is coming up, I am sure you have some outlook and reflection on your horizon.  What are your goals?

 

Getting Your New Business Right for the New Year

Halloween is past and Thanksgiving is right around the corner.  And Christmas will be here before we know it.  It’s getting close to a new year which means I am getting close to the end of my graduate program.  The end of one life event and the beginning of another often prompts reflection.   I believe there is motivation in reflection.   If you haven’t gotten around to what you feel like you should be doing by now, don't sweat it.  I tell my children every night, if there is something about this day you did not like, you'll get a chance to do it over tomorrow.  Many will decide that the big step into entrepreneurship is what they want for themselves. There will be new business owners in 2014.  Maybe you or someone you know will need some tips.  Here’s how to be a “small business super star“ with your start-up during the beginning phase of your business:

1.     Plan to fail.  Yes, expect failure.  You can have a business plan, marketing plan and even an emergency plan, yet failure will creep up on you.  Stuff happens.  When failure appears, this is the opportune time to see what you as the business owner are made of.  Will you stick you head between your legs and shy away?  You better not! This is what your naysayers are waiting on.  The haters will be in full effect when you open your business. They will be waiting on your fall.   However, failure is not bad.  It’s how you handle failure that will determine if you are the rock star business owner you aim to be.  Keep your head up, shoulders straight, and move forward. 

2.     Develop a business alter-ego.  When Beyoncé walks on stage, she becomes Sasha.  We stop and we give Sasha the attention she commands.  Everyone needs to know that you are serious about this your new adventure.  You cannot give away your product for free to Aunt Sally or your cousin Gina.  Being “nice Natalie” does not turn a profit, but “Decisive Debbie” gets the job done. Don’t be a push-over. If you don’t respect your business, neither will anyone else.    

3.     Get Social. You need to socialize every chance and everywhere you can. Get involved with the chamber of commerce, the local library, churches, charities and make friends with other business owners. Build an online community, as well. Respond to your customers or clients in all media forms.  Don’t be scared of how technology can keep you close to your customers or clients. Your company’s presence should be easily felt, seen and heard.  Your clientele needs to know you care about your community by seeing you involved in it. 

4.    Give the red carpet treatment.  It does not cost money to provide stellar customer service.  It can be as simple a quirky “thank you” given each and every time a customer or client visits your business or that special thank card slipped in each shipment. This will keep them coming back and making referrals.  When you visit businesses, start paying attention to how they handle customer service.  Decide how it could be better and implement that in your business.  Go out of the way for your customers or clients.  It will be worth it in the end.

5.     Get your money right.  Kanye West said it best – Wait ‘til I get my money right.  It would not be smart to start a business and your financial affairs are in an uproar.  This means that if you don’t know how you are going to pay for the first month’s lease payment on your store, then you might need to wait until you have the cash to invest in your dream.  Once you have the cash that is necessary to make your vision a reality, it is still necessary to know your next financial step.  Always, stay ahead by making moves with your next financial step while executing the current one.

These are among a few tips that will help you with your next phase of life as small business owner. Keep in mind that it will be hard, but nothing worth having is always easy. 

So now that I have given you that push, what are you waiting for?  Get busy! January 1^st is right around the corner. 

 

The Stay-at-Home Mom

About a few weeks ago my six year old and I were in the car having a conversation about what I do. I immediately assumed he meant what kind of job do I have. I guess he realized he had not been by mommy's office to wait on me to finish up a project or send a quick email after I picked him up from school or how I haven't closed my bedroom door in the evening after we get home to get some work caught up.

My kids see what my husband does for a living. He owns a business and when someone or something goes wrong, he has to go fix it. He's the boss. He’s had much more flexible time than I because he’s his own boss but there are still customers to satisfy. Needless to say, my husband works crazy hours.


I reminded my six year old that I was in school full time and staying at home to continue education and making his life much more easy at home. Words have to be chosen carefully when talking to a six year old. I had to say 'continuing college' because he believes that I completed college which I did and earned a bachelor's degree - years ago. I have been slowly having the conversation with him about how you can go to school and continue to learn. Learning is ongoing is what I always tell my kids.


So, that conversation brings me to my thoughts on staying at home versus working outside the home. There are trade offs to each. Some good, some bad. Either could be viewed differently depending on your home situation or your finances.

Time Factor

 

When I worked outside the home I was always in rush. And I mean, ALWAYS. I would hustle the kids out to school in the morning. I felt like every second counted. Every millisecond counted when thinking ahead to the traffic I would get ready to navigate through. Rush, rush. Hurry, hurry. Drink the juice, eat that food. Chew and swallow. Yes, I am guilty of asking them to rush the chewing and swallowing. I was so engulfed in my work that while I should have been talking to them in the car on the way to work and school, I was, instead, checking my email while driving (guilty, again) or sitting in my own silence planning out my day at work. I was a total grump during morning rides in the car. I usually growled at them in the car and suddenly - because I felt like I was supposed to – I’d tell them to have a great day at school when we arrived at their destination. I am sure they thought I was crazy. (I was.) It was a forceful goodbye but only because dropping them off interrupted my work thoughts. You see, I was at work before I ever arrived at the building.


My husband use to pick up my oldest because his school let out later. My youngest school age child went to an after-care program at his school. I worked around the corner from his school but always managed to either pick him up late or barely make it there in time. I would have good intentions on picking him up early but work always held me hostage. By being at home I have time to prepare better meals. We go to bed on time. Everyone is much more rested, me included. (Yes, LAWD!) I was never able to give the kids school work the attention it needed. I made decent money but not enough to pay a tutor and keep up our regular two parent income expenses. I'm so much more involved today.


Look at what my big head and I did together. It may be some ugly cake with flags to you but this was quality time spent together making a model of an animal cell.

When I worked, we use to eat out often. I would call in a to-go order from some restaurant and make sure I had the kids a decent vegetable as one of their sides so I could brush away the guilt of not preparing them a wholesome meal. And forget going on field trips with them or getting by the school to at least have lunch. I was far too busy to do such things. Now, I can do those things without a conscious. I live in a less time-sensitive existence.

Money (Isn't that what we all think it comes down to?)

With my husband and I working, our income was nice. We could afford to eat out, go to a movie, buy things off aisle caps in the stores - the aisle caps still get me. At my last job, my salary was the highest it had been in my working career.  It was good pay but I definitely worked for it. Because my time was limited, I was always spending money. But, it was not much of a worry. At least at the time I didn’t think so. If the kids needed something at school, I'd just go to the bank and get the money to pay for it. Never mind that I realized the “said” need at the last minute or that I could have budgeted better and paid for said need in advance. Let me be the one to tell you that the "Last Minute" mentality is expensive. Many people have it but don't recognize it because they have the money to spend on it or they think they have the money to spend on it.


Gone are the days that we just frivolously spent money. I thought I was budgeting before but now the budget is super tight and I try not to deviate from it. I cook just about every day. This has given a chunk of our family time back to us. Guess what? We, now, talk to eat other - go figure! These kids use to talk to me before (except in the mornings - see paragraph #4) but now it’s on another level.  We may eat out twice a week which consists of a fast food meal (weekday) and a sit down meal at a family eating establishment (Saturdays). This has given us more family time.


We plan dental visits around a budget. No longer are we just scheduling appointments on a whim. We make extreme calculated moves. We plan the kids’ activities around our budget. We are thinking so far ahead to how we will get new floors, make home repairs and even how and when we plan to buy a new house. Sure, I miss the extra money. I miss Starbucks frappes'. I miss quick weekend shopping sprees. I miss spur of the moment weekend activities. But I love my sanity.


When I first became a stay-at-home mom people used to make comments like, "Wish I could do that" or "Must be nice." It used to make me feel uneasy. I never knew how to respond. It sometimes made me feel guilty for my fortunate situation. On Monday one of my friends asked me how was the home life.  My reply, "It is pretty darn good." I have to own this stay-at-home status. Even with all the missed caveats of a career on hiatus, it is pretty darn good. Whatever the next phase in life brings me, I'll have to own that, too.


While, I know I am painting a picture of how it is best to stay at home, please note that is not always my true opinion. It just happens to be my circumstance at this time in my life. I know at some point I must go back to work. Whether that be away from the home is up in the air for now. I know that when I did work, I ROCKED! I also know when I worked, I STRUGGLED. Every time I won, I lost. I was never fully on top and nor was I fully on the bottom. I still have days where I crave the praise of a job well done but for now I'll settle for getting the kids to practice on time.

Creeping Around the Corner

I have been unemployed since May 31st of this year. I have worked a job since it was legal for me to have employment which has been since I was sixteen. Right about now it feels strange to not be earning a paycheck. I am blessed that we can afford to handle this life situation and it is not forced upon us like those affected from furloughs due the 2013 government shutdown. So what has been going on for the past couple of years? Well, to start off, I snagged a job that paid me the most I had ever made when I was employed, I hated that job and then, ultimately, I quit that long-hours-a-day-no-one-cared-about-me-uber-boring-life-sucking-cubicle job. It was just that serious. I have also committed myself to completing grad school in May 2014. In the past few months, I have picked up running, again. Running makes me feel good. The OWN Network (Oprah's TV Network for those of you living under a rock) is still on TV and I am still enjoying it. I have a 12 year old, 6 year old and a 2 year old. I am still married and live in the same house. Blah, blah blah…. Now back to the unemployed part. I really miss earning a paycheck and having regular money to spend. I don’t miss the daily grind or the rat race. I talk to my friends about their work life and I am relieved that right now I am unemployed. Whew! Now that I am unemployed I have been more conscious about my spending habits. I thought I was a nitpicker about expenses but now that I live in a one income household, I realized that before I really wasn't as conscious as I thought. Truth be told, we could all be a little more discipline in our spending habits. Right now, I am on my way to seeking happiness without being a slave to the paycheck. I am in paycheck rehab at this current moment, looking for other income streams. That's not so say that I may not get a job in the future but if I can help it, I won't. Since I'll have a master's degree, I plan to look into teaching some college courses at a local 2-year school. We’ll see. Since being at home, I have had some time to know what I'd like to do and that is to write. That is the main reason of why I am blogging today. I miss it. What I do know is that the more I write the better I should get. So bear with me for the time being as I transition my blog into something better. I know I love to read about small business success, community success, parenting, marriage, and innovation. So maybe you will see more post from me about these subjects so that those of you who like reading about the same topics can get my view on them as well. For now let's just roll with the punches. The only promise I can make is that I will be writing.

My Favorite iPhone Apps

As promised I said I would give away my favorite iPhone apps. Before I had an iPhone, I had a pretty basic phone. It took pictures but there were horrible. It had a speaker option but the quality of sound was not great. Let me not even speak on the texting capabilities. I'll just say I had them but they were limited. So without further ado, here are my iPhone favs:
 
Facebook -- this is obviously one of my favorite apps. I can look at Facebook at anytime, anywhere. It is safe to say I have not given up on Facebook but I have made some refinements.
 
AllRecipes.com's Dinner Spinner -- this app has helped me out on many days that I was not sure of what I was cooking. You simply pick choose what type of entrée you want to cook like Main Dish, appetizer, bread, etc. Choose a main ingredient such as beef, cheese, vegetable, etc. Lastly, select a time frame you want to finish your meal preparation. And just like that you'll have recipes at your fingertips. This is great for a horrible cook like me.
 
Shape Builder Lite -- My 3 year old uses this app. He can work my iPhone better than my husband. This app allows him to place shapes in contiguous sequences to form pictures of fun things like a violin, a donkey, letters and even kiwi. It really enhances his spatial abilities. When he gets a "puzzle" correct, he hears children cheering him on. The creator of this app really had kids in mind.
 
Walgreens -- I can refill prescriptions, upload pictures, look at the weekly ads and even find information on products they carry in the store. This app is a true gem. I can be at the park with my kids and fill a prescription or order pictures. Every retail outlet should take a note from Walgreens with this one. Good Job!
 
The Weather Channel -- This is app is self-explanatory. I can find out about the weather anywhere. I can look at maps and videos. This helps with travel plans.
 
OverDrive -- Now this is the newest app I've discovered. Did you know that you can check out audio and digital books from almost any library in America? With this app I can download audio and digital books from public library. I don't have to worry about late fees because once my time is up on a book it will delete itself. This is good for long car rides with family. There are only so many times you can sing "Yes, Jesus Loves Me"
 
I have become an iPhone junkie. I love finding out new ways to use new technology. I feel it enhances my life. I have yet to pay for an app. Each one I’ve listed here is free. So, I hope you will enjoy them and share your favorites in the comments below.

 

We'll see what happens

I am little bit behind but I still have time.



Visit NaBloPoMo

TMI, but bare with me...

I had a great interview on Thursday. It was so good that, immediately after, I was asked to come back on Monday morning for a second interview. I had to turn that time down. It was too short a notice and she said it was the only time. I had an important meeting scheduled with my current job at the same time. I hope the company I interviewed with will have a heart and realize I would be an asset and call me back. We shall see. Yet, Thursday was, still, a good day.

Later that evening I went to my oldest son's basketball practice. When it was over my husband ( he was already there because he is the coach) walks up to me and gets ready to speak but looks at me strange and says "Look at the big hickey on your neck! Looks like someone thumped you on your neck!"

WTH?!?!

I felt like a teenager coming home from a school basketball game, whose mother just confronted her about where she'd really been and who with because the evidence was all over her neck (disclaimer: this never happened to me.....)

Well, I go to the bathroom and there it is.

(the picture does not do it justice which is good because I don't want you guys to think differently of me)

Yep, my husband put a nice one on my neck and I interviewed with it stamped on my neck, "You had a good time before you came to this interview!"

I am so embarrassed because I hope to schedule a another interview with this company. I don't guess my impression was too bad because they did want me to come back but I am still embarrassed, nonetheless. (Just not too embarrassed to post about it, ha ha!)

Random thoughts on a Wednesday

* My husband gave me a surprise birthday party this past Saturday. I didn't see it coming! When I get pictures I will be sure to share.

* I was sick this past weekend. I was probably sick at the party. Being sick seriously sucks.

* The heater in my office is broken. That sucks, too.

* Tiger Woods is now a CHEAT-AH! (LOL! I read that one on Facebook.)

* My son's glasses have been broken 5 times in the last thirty days. Thank goodness we got the warranty.

* I don't have any little girls but I am excited about Disney's The Princess and the Frog. I may get my oldest niece to go with me.

* I had a job interview yesterday. I have another job interview with a different company on Thursday and another on Monday. None of them are making me jump out of my seat but I am thankful.

* I love free lunch at work.

*I want to redesign my blog but don't know how. Anybody willing to do it for free? I will give you kudos for life!

* I know I never posted pictures of my newly uncluttered house but that is because it got worse. Sorry, those pictures may or may not come at a later date. I'm a slacker.

* I have yet to decorate our Christmas tree but it has already been knocked over 3 times. KIDS!

Life Changes Ahead

Recently my son's daycare abruptly closed. It was hard on my husband and I, however we were already dragging our feet looking for new daycare/preschool, anyway. The series of events went like this:

*it rained on a Thursday evening,
*received a call on Friday morning about temporary shut down for a day - flood damage
*Received another call about closing for Monday and Tuesday
*Tuesday around lunch time I received the final call-We're closing indefinitely

OH, SHITTAKE!

I cannot tell you what is like to have your childcare snatched right out from under you but it leaves you with a feeling of inadequacy, urgency, and pure frenzy that makes you feel like you were the picture beside the word "chaos" in the dictionary. I took off Wednesday to search all around Central Arkansas for adequate childcare for my wild three year old, who needed some structure but a loving and caring environment that would allow his creativity to stay active.

I know I acted like I was looking for Mother Goose, herself. Let me tell you -- I didn't find her.

What I did find was a VERY structured preschool in a Christian environment with PATIETNT teachers. It is a predominantly black school which was a sort of turn off for me because I am all about diversity. I wavered with that for a while, but then realized that it doesn't matter what the make up of his school is as long as it is a good one.

I was scared for him but, I am glad in my decision. I didn't have very many options but glad this option was made available to me. I was nervous for him on his first day. I was worried his potty training may lapse. I was fretful he would be scared and mad at me and his dad because we took him to a strange place and left him.

I picked him up and he was fine. He was more than fine -- he was sitting in a chair watching the Disney Channel with the other children awaiting their parents to pick them up. At the old place he would be running around and helping some other child cause havoc on the teacher.

Sometimes things happen to make us move faster. I am in love with my son's new preschool and since his two weeks there he has already participated in his first Thanksgiving program and family day.

He is the one in the middle (orange shirt) hugging himself while singing the chorus to Jesus loves me.


I am not sure if I have mentioned that my job will run its course on December 31st and therefore, I will be amongst the growing number of the unemployed. At first, I was looking forward to it but, now I am nervous, all over again. I used to want to be a stay at home mom but I have since changed my mind. I have been given a lot of great advice about how to stay "in the game" even though I am not working. I am so thankful for the advice I have been given and some of it will be used in the near future. I am thankful that my husband's business is doing well but there is no doubt about it -- my salary will be greatly missed. I am pressing on and still have a few options but I have to be honest and say I am lost and unsure of my career's future. I don't know what is next. I love work. I want to work. I do have some ideas that I have tossed around to very few people, but nothing is etched in stone.

Then, as if I needed more life changes -- Oprah announced she was hanging up daytime talk. She doesn't know this but she helped me through those unsure months after college. I had no job, a toddler, and mounting school debt, yet, Oprah saw me through. I TiVo her everyday. She is my friend that I've never met. As I watched her announcement on Friday evening when I arrived home, I choked up with her. It felt like a break-up. You know, the whole "...it's not you, it's me..." routine. How could she do this to me?

So, in the words of an ex-girlfriend who doesn't want to let go:
PLEASE DON'T GO, OPRAH! I NEED YOU!

I'm BACK!

I have not actually been taking a break. I have really missed blogging but my laptop broke after my self pity party. I plan to buy another one in December so my post may be a bit random until then because I am blogging from work. In the mean time, I have posted some pictures of what has been going in my world.


We said good bye to this little dude and graduated to the porcelain god who we have been treating with the ut-most respect.


I went to D.C. for my job and enjoyed it, as I do every time I go.


I ate at this restaurant while I was there. It was delicious!


They had the coolest credit card swipe machine that the waiter brought to the table. No identity theft going on there. The waiter thought I was crazy for taking this picture. I know, I don't get out much!



My kids and I hiked this mountain. My legs hurt for days! It was great time with the kids though! We are bring the hubs next time.


Here is a shot on the way down. Everyone was grouchy and hungry by this time and had bad bug bites. We'll be better prepared the next time.


Oh, the Pumpkin Patch--it was wet and muddy! But, we came prepared.


I got these cute boots for the trip. I should have taken a picture of his because they were cute, too!


It has been college football season in Arkansas and everywhere you go there is a Razorback icon. Two things we love in Arkansas: Wal-Mart and the Arkansas Razorbacks. Wooooo! Pig Sooie!


I shopped at a great consignment sale. I will never buy my kids new school uniforms again!


We started the school year off right. Took a couple of weeks for me, the teacher and him to get on the same page but there is evidence we actually go it together. Look out Sasha Obama--I am getting him right for you. I promise I won't turn him over until he is well prepared.



Last but not least--someone had a birthday and sadly all we did was take this picture. :( I know, I should be ashamed. Next year, it will be on and popping!


In the mean time, please don't give up on me. I love blogging and I am a blogger! I will be back at your blogs as well. Let the comments begin!

Go ahead.....post your thoughts....


Right there below this post.


Yes...there.

Thank you!

Mommy's New Toy

I got a new printer this weekend. I no longer have to get my pictures developed at Wal-Mart. Yea! I love this new inexpensive printer. I can scan, print, and copy. I can now make homework for my son. Yea!



The kids appreciate my new purchase as well. Evidence below--their new toy.