Random Tuesday: Stuffy Noses and Sore Throats

Whoever brought this sickness into the house, can take it back...now. Thank you very much.

What started out as one child coughing, has turned into 5 out of 6 people in this house being in varying stages of this, whatever it is.

Including me.

The only one of us who isn't sick, is Steve. How he manages that, I haven't a clue. Especially since he works at Wal-Mart and is exposed to all sorts of gross things there.

Even Swine Flu.

Yep, Steve was exposed to Swine Flu. Or maybe he was. He says it was someone on another shift, but doesn't he know...that stuff spreads!?!

I am not inclined to buy into the whole media frenzy surrounding The Swine Flu. I think that freaking out, just makes things work. But I am concerned. Concerned enough to start sanitizing the heck out of things...and requiring Steve to wash his hands before touching the kids...especially the baby.

So far, no one in my house is exhibiting any flu-like symptoms. Just sore throats, coughs and stuffy noses. And in my case an ear infection that hurts like..well it just hurts.

I hate being sick. Mainly because I don't get a sick day. I think I should....

Along with a paid vacation.

Totally Random Tuesday: Finding Balance

I have been thinking alot about this lately. Which probably isn't helping me achieve it any faster. I seem to lack whatever multi-tasking genes are needed to achieve balance in life.

I am blessed. I know that. I have 4 kids. A home. A husband. I have a full life. But can it be too full?

My husband works. Alot. Which means more often then not, I am left to my own devices with the four kids and the house. Did I mention that I am in the process of working from home too? Yea, life is full.

I am finding myself burning the candle at both ends, and eventually it will meet in the middle. And when that happens, I am sure it will be an event of catastrophic proportions...ok, maybe not that severe, but you catch my drift.

I have also been doing some free-lance writing for Associated Content and Examiner

I enjoy writing for both of these online publications, but it can be a bit consuming, trying to meet deadlines and produce quality content, while four kids are yelling and screaming.

Balance. I crave it.

So, lately I have been trying to find ways to promote balance within my life. Allowing me time for my work, my hobby (photography) family and house work. And it is hard. There just is not enough hours in the day for me to get everything accomplished.

Do I let some things go on some days? Or do I let go one of my writing jobs? Or do I just start earlier and work later? Is there really a happy medium to being a WAHM?

I am sure that there is. But between dirty diapers and dirty laundry and a looming deadline ( I still have to finish 2 articles by tomorrow) how do I achieve it without feeling like I am negelcting one thing or another?

I love my life, my full full life, I just want to find a little bit of balance..thats all...

Totally Random Tuesday Thoughts: "Oh...You're A Writer?"

I am *cough* 29 years old. It's taken me the better part of my adult life to decide what I actually wanted to be when I grew up. As if that would ever happen.

I have tried everything, I was a kennel cleaner for a dog boarding place, I taught preschool, I sold cars. And while I liked only a couple of these jobs, I still longed for something more.

I never went to college. Instead, I dated the bad boy, got knocked up, moved in with dad, moved out, moved in, got knocked up again, got married, got knocked up, moved a time or two, got knocked up again. In between that I worked various jobs. But I never found my *calling*.

A little over a year ago, I gave up, permantely, the 9-5. No longer hawking used cars at the corner lot. I became, what is by far my most favorite job, a stay at home mom.

Like most families, we knew that even with me staying home, I would have to find a way to make some income. And since selling my self on the street corner was out...so began my journey.

I tried a bunch of different things. But nothing really worked. Then I realized...I need to take a look at what I love to do and make that work for me.

Thus my freelance photography and writing journey began.

I love what I do. I write daily for the Examiner and weekly for Associated Content. I also have open bids on Elance. I love what I do.

Yes, I am a writer.

Yes, I am proud of what I do.

So why is it, if someone asks me "What do you do?" and I tell them "Oh, I am a freelance writer and photographer" I get the look.

You know, the I smell something nasty look?

Then they say "Oh...a writer. I can't imagine it pays much"

Then I fight the urge to tell them why I freelance. I don't do it for the money, I do it because it gives me a break from the romper room that is my life. I do it because it is cathartic for me, I do it because it is who I am.

Instead, I smile and say:

"Well, it sure beats a day working the corner"

Totally Random Thought Tuesday: Things I Learned In The Last Week

1.) Prior to Noah, the only real caffeine I needed was pop and the occasional Monster drink. Now, I cannot function without atleast TWO cups of coffee. French Vanilla Flavored with French Vanilla creamer and loads of sugar. Please.

2.)Noah can smile. And Coo. And Spit. Those 3 things combined have proven to be a great deterrent from the housework that needs to be done.

3.)That if I tell my husband "No its fine you can play on the computer" while I am cleaning and painting and he does it...that I really can't get too mad...but I still do.

4.) That updating the software on my iPod Touch will make it go back to factory settings. I will loose my 200+ songs. And the minions that work @ Apple.com in the customer service department are really overpaid.

5.) That exporting my husbands music off his iPod to itunes will allow me to get back all my music and all will be right with the world again

6.)That a 3 year old, Jeff Dunham, Walter, Achemed the Dead Terrorist, Jose Jalepeno...on a stick and Peanut...don't mix. Ever.

7.) That laughing at said 3 year old telling his brother "You idiot, you don't have an ass" will only make him say it more.

8.) That I am not as young as I think. And riding all the "make you wanna throw up rides" at the fair, especially after eating a polish sausage with onions and green peppers, will indeed, make me wanna throw up

9.) That laundry breeds indiscrimenantly while I sleep and there really is a sock monster in my washer

10.) That unless my kid is dying or really does have a broken bone, I am never taking them to the E.R. Ever. Doing so will result in my 2 year old having her leg in a temporary cast for nothing more then a splinter

11.) That I really am blessed. I have 4 wonderful children, a husband who loves me inspite of my flaws....

And an ipod loaded with music again.

Totally Random Tuesday...

Well, Noah ended last week and started this week with a cold. Probably as a direct result of mommy needing to sleep with the window open at night...but most definately as a direct result of D starting school and bringing home other kid's germs. But it really doesn't matter how Noah got his cold, all that matters is that my 2 month old is Miserable. With a capital M. And what really sucks is there is nothing that you can give a 2 month old when they are sick. Not that I am one to medicate my child at every sniffle, but still, something would be nice. But since there is nothing one can do for a sick baby....mommy has not slept in a few days. I am at the point where I feel like I am walking around in a haze. My muscles ache, my head hurts, I am exhausted. My dear, dear husband claims he cannot hear Noah cry at night, even though we share the same room. And he sleeps right next to the bed. It ticks me off to be woke up for the 4th time in as many hours and see my husband sleeping peacefully. Makes me want to hit him with something, then pretend to be sleeping.

Yesterday, I got what I think may be on the best. emails.EVER!! Ok, well maybe not that good, but still pretty exciting.

See, in Feburary of this year, my husband bought me my first ever SLR Digital Camera, a Nikon D40. I was in love. I take a ton of pictures of my kids and we thought that this would be the best option for me. I mean I take and develop enough that is pays for itself in the first use.

Since then, I have been toying with the idea of taking pictures on the side for a little bit of pocket change. I have been back and forth a million times with the idea. I mean, if I loved doing it, then why not try to make a little extra money on the side?

Well, I started a photography blog, thought up a cute little name, Come As You Are Photography. And left it at that. I put up pictures that I took and edited of my kids but really never pursued it much further then that.

Until yesterday.

I get an email. Someone is interested in my rates to photograph a 3 hour retirement party. Are you kidding me?!? After the inital shock wore of, excitement set in. This was great!!! Until it hit me...what are my rates? I wouldn't know what to charge to be fair, yet make something for myself. Also, I didn't even know if there was a place I could rent lenses as I only have the one that came with my camera.

After discussing with my husband, we agreed that I would put together a proposal for this guy to look at and if he liked it GREAT, but if not that was ok too. Because I am now going to focus on getting my photography business up and running with an anticipated offical launch in January!!

I am so freaking excited

Sometimes I wonder...(Totally Random Tuesday)

My house is a mess. It seems that while it takes the kids mere seconds to mess it up, it takes me hours to clean it back up. It never gets quiet right before the kids come tearing through it again, leaving a path of destruction in their wake.

I tried sending them downstairs to play in their rooms...you know the place where all the toys are supposed to be? Yea, that didn't go to well.

In the boys room, there is crayon covering every inch of wall, the doors and even the window. Several times now I have ripped their room apart trying to find the damn crayons. I can't find them..anywhere..

The boys also have an obsene amount of toys. Every year I cut their collection down by atleast 1/2 in preparation for birthdays and christmases. I don't buy many toys during the year for them...so tell me why they have enough toys to open a toy shop. Geoffery The Giraffe would be proud.

My daughter's room is no better. Except for she likes to take her diaper off...after she poops...I think its time to replace her carpet...

Anyways back to what I was wondering about...

When I was younger, my mom was a stickler for a clean house. She spent hours a day doing laundry, cleaning and scrubbing. I remember my mom, on several occasions, making me take every last thing out of my room, put it in the hall and then clean my room top to bottom.

I was a disorganized kid, and now I am a disorganized mom..

So, what I wonder sometimes is this..

Am I this way inspite of my mom? Had she not been so all like Mr. Clean on me, would I be more inclined to keep a tidy home? My mom pounded housework into my head, that I think like most kids, I just tuned her out, and became set in my ways. If you tell a kid not to do something a certain way...guess what? They are going to do it anyways.

So if my theroy is right, that my mom just set me up to be disorganized because of how hard she pushed me as a kid...then my kids are going to be freaking neat freaks..right?

I doubt it. Because there are holes in my theroy here...see the kids like not having an organized mom, because how can I yell at them to clean their rooms, when the remainder of the house is still in dissarray...

Just the other day, my sweet 7 year old told me..."Mom, I will clean my room....when you clean yours!!"

Check

And

Mate