For some weird reason, I think my life is going to get easier and I’ll get more time to do what I need to do. This week, both my girls were sick and I spent the week schlepping them to the doctor and nursing them back to health. We even had two cars this week, only for it to be raining with two sick kids for us not to enjoy it. Alas, I look forward to #AskAwayFriday where I can get to know another blogger, instead of thinking too much about this one.
This week, I exchange questions with Liv from Live by Surprise! New to the #AskAwayFriday scene, she’s jumped right in with some great questions. She is a momma of three that has found happiness with her second husband that could not be fulfilled by her first. Her story is one of inspiration, showing us her vulnerabilities of struggling with her ex, and making a great life with her husband, three children and a dog. Introducing Liv!
1). Do you feel like you’re a niche blogger? If so, what niche do you fall into and why? I started my blog with a “niche”, weight loss, but as I started doing more blogging, I realized I wasn’t interested in only blogging about weight loss, especially considering 18 months out of the four years I’ve been doing it, I’ve been pregnant. It’s no fun, at least for me, to blog about health and weight loss, when your cravings are sweets, junk and carbs! I love talking about money and making sure women make wise money decisions because historically, we don’t pay that much attention, but when divorce is 50%, you want to be prepared to take on your money portfolio and keep yourself on track! I will be started a new site just for this shortly about women helping women take control of their lives and getting the support they need to succeed!
2). For new readers of your blog (like me) can you explain what the 100 lb Challenge is? Oh, there’s technically no “100lb Challenge”. Although now that I think about it, I really should have one. It’s 100lb Countdown, and when I started this blog, I was 260 pounds, mostly from depression. I’m currently 230, and I’m working to get down to 160 (hence, 100 pounds). Working out is hard to do with the little ones around. I would love to run an actual challenge, but I have to get some other folks involved! With three kids at home, I’m normally swamped dealing with them.
3). Which of your blog posts most represents who you are? The ones that are just are… The ones that don’t have a blog hop attached, or a sponsor, or a point. I don’t do many of them, even though many of them are in draft. However, I love to educate people, especially women, as I mentioned above. Those are more “me”. It’s hard for me to sell, even if I’m selling me. I normally feel that proof is in the pudding, but after you graduate from school, the proof is a little harder to grasp and show off in concrete terms.
4). You are pretty active on social media. How do you use it to increase traffic to your blog? What’s your favourite social media site and why? I love Twitter mainly because I find it least invasive. I don’t know why I find other mediums invasive, but because of the speed of Twitter, even if you tweet something multiple times, people are likely to only see it once, if at all, which makes me feel more comfortable in using it. I’m not that active, at least not as active as I want to be. I use tools like Triberr and Tweetily to make sure my timelines are active, because I don’t want them to go dormant. I would love to be able to carry on more conversations using Facebook, but when a post is only shown to 10 out of 900 or 20 out of 4000, I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with that. Wait, did I just go on a Facebook tangent, I think I did.
Just in shear numbers, the more times you post your information out there, the more likely people will find it. Since people are being bombarded with posts and mentions and whatnot, Twitter is something I feel comfortable with. Always moving, ever changing.
5). How long have you been doing #AAF? What has been your favourite question so far? I think I’m at about 20 weeks, which means about 5 months. I had to dig to find my favorite question. I’m not sure that I have a favorite, but one that really touched me was from Carol: What is the most important thing that you want to teach your children? I want my children to be honest, hard working and smart individuals. I want them to find something the enjoy and work hard building it and making it grow. However, I want them to work smarter and not harder, when they can.
6). Summer has just started. What are your summer plans? I don’t really have any summer plans even though summer has been very busy. We’ve already been to Orlando, South Carolina and a slew of other activities. I think this is definitely the mos active summer that I’e had since I’ve had children and loving every minute of it.
7). Like me, you have three little ones at home. What do you find the most difficult with having that many? When they are all unhappy, restless or nasty. They seem to feed off of each other, and I can’t say I have the best coping mechanism. They become crazy, I become frazzled. They each have their way of dealing with it too… Bunny becomes hostile, Bee becomes loud and Butterfly becomes whiny. My head starts to hurt and separating them seems to be the only solution. What do you think is easier than just having one? They take care of each other. Just as crazy as they can be together, they also love each other. They will play with each other and spend time laughing and tickling each other. The television turns to something they all can enjoy and mom can get a few minutes to clean or whatever.
8). What is your favourite book of all time? I’m not sure I have one. When I was younger, I read like I ate, all the time and out of necessity. I digested books, like I did food at the time. I didn’t savor the moment. I enjoyed the book for what they are. I really enjoyed , which was a challenge read that I gave to myself as an adult. I love , the ones he wrote himself, not the ones ghostwritten.
9). Do you see your personality traits in any of your kids? Which ones? Goodness, I see so many. In Bunny, I see my quiet intelligence. It makes me question whether nature or nurture is what is ingrained in the child, because things I don’t feel that I “taught” him, he shows. Bee showcases my stubbornness. Although, as a child, I was quiet and reserved, inside I hated so many things around me, which Bee seems to easily exude any dislike or hatred. Even when I didn’t say anything, many felt my unhappiness. Butterfly seems to share my short-temperedness. I’m amazed at how an eight month old can roll her eyes and not want to jump in the drama of the older two.
10). What’s the best part of being a SAHM? Today, Bee and Butterfly didn’t feel good. I was able to sit with each of them in their grief, and nurse them to sleep. I may have not been able to take away their illnesses, but by being there, I know that they felt comforted. Even though having two sick children really sucks, those are the best days, the days that I don’t have to apologize for not coming in to work, the days that my husband doesn’t ask why dinner isn’t on the table, the days where holding my children are the most important task of the day.
And that’s it this week. Liv responded to my questions too! Make sure go over there and see her responses! Check out my previous #AAF posts!
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Great swap, April! I definitely feel better when I can be there for the kids when they don't feel good, which thankfully isn't often. For so many years, I couldn't be because I worked outside the home and I hated it! I can't wait to check out your new site! Divorce is never easy, especially when children are involved and I am so glad that I had a small support that came from my bestie, I could not have gotten through it without her! Have a great weekend, April!
I have a couple of friends going through it right now, and I have no advice for them. I'm only there as someone to lean on, even though I'm not sure they like to lean since we're a "happy" couple and I don't have anything to say. What was the best support for you?
Honestly, it wasn't so much advice or anything like that, but my bestie and her boyfriend (they might as well be married, they just aren't really interested in taking that step) they would call me on a Sat or Sun afternoon and invite my then 4 year old son to go do things with them…like go to the beach or out for a picnic. Her boyfriend would take my son to play in the water or rough house, and she and I would watch and she would listen as I vented or cried. It was really just the kind of support that any best friend would offer during hard times. Good luck to your friends who are dealing with this!
Thank you. That's great advice!
I love those SAHM moments that you know would never happen otherwise. The sick bed nurse times and the snuggles, naps, playtimes…it all makes it so worth it even when I'm on my 3rd cup of coffee before Noon! 😀
Yep! Even those days that I need "extra" coffee… like today. We're a Dunkin Donuts self-made coffee house here!
Totally hear you on the SAHM moments and I totally consider myself lucky and blessed at times like those, too that I can be home with the girls right about now, too.
There's just nothing like it. No excuses need to be made, it's your job and there are little ones who LOVE and appreciate it so much! You aren't considering how much work is piling up or work you're missing. It's great!
Awesome swap. I love being a SAHM. Oh and if you start up the 100 pound challenge, I would totally join!
She really got me thinking. I want to figure it out! I'll organize it and put you on the list!
I'm sorry your kiddos were sick! I hope they're on the mend and y'all have a great weekend
This was a great swap and I loved your answers! I just adore how your love for your kids pours out through your words. It really warms the heart
I love my babies. And as I get older, I love them more and more. I never knew that you can love someone so much!
That was sooooo much fun!!! Thanks so much for asking me to #AAF with you! I totally get you on the SAHM – I’ve extended my leave until the end of the summer…and I’m totally going to feel guilty going back to work.
I love being a SAHM, I'm so glad that I have the opportunity to be home. I can't imagine going back right now. I don't want to until the kids are adults! LOL!
It's funny how I think about the kids being sick as both the best and the worst of being home with them. If I wasn't home, what would happen? Who would care for them, and at what expense? So I'm thankful for that.
Love hearing more about your thoughts on social media and twitter, and the 100lb countdown!
I know what happens. You try to send them to daycare. Sometimes they'll keep them, sometimes they'll stop you from dropping off, still others, they will let you drop them off only to come back and pick them up. Then you spend the day wondering if their fevers are rising and if they are getting the attention they need. Then you call so often the day care is on the verge of getting tired of hearing you. Finally, based on your own concern you end up picking them up early or if you have a deadline, racing to see them, and spending time regretting that you dropped them off. Or at least that was my experience. I am learning more and trying to do more social media. I find it all overwhelming. I hope to start the 100lb Countdown challenge. I think it's a great idea!
Being able to take care of yout sick kids without stressing over missing work in one of the best things about being a SAHM. Finding time work out is hard for me too. I'm usually up late when I do workout. However, joing Operation Snapback has helped to motivate me to exercise more.
Cool. What's Operation Snapback? I can't work out at night. Normally that's when I'm tired and I don't work out nearly as hard then.
I love being at home because if my babies don't feel good, I am there to take care of them. Plus they give me motivation too.
Yes, my babies give me motivation to keep going. Sometimes, I just want to stay in bed, and I get up every day just because of them!