You could sit and do everything that needs to be done during your waking hours,  or remember why we are working from home and  realize that our children need us to pay attention to and have fun with them. Here are some ways you can make time for family and have fun in the process.

A good way to start is to gather your family together and discuss how you’ve been spending so much time being “busy” that you haven’t been able to spend the quality time with them that you want to and that you do miss it. Letting them know you miss it lets them know that you do miss the fun you had with them and really want to have more of it because it was fun rather then you feel obligated to. If you feel like you need to, apologize to everyone and let them know you want things to change.

Ask your children what activities they miss doing with you. Maybe you used to play board or card games with them before you got busy. They may miss the fun of building with building blocks or making clay creatures. Ask them; they’re sure to have suggestions. If they are stumped offer some suggestions to help get their memories flowing.

Can you set aside one day a week for family fun activities? Maybe your family used to go camping when your children were younger and they really miss that. It may be that you truly can’t leave for a long weekend to go camping, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy camping in your own back yard. If it’s too cold, you may be able to pitch a tent in your living room and camp inside.

Plan a night to watch movies together. Let the children pick the movies out and try to enjoy them no matter how corny they may seem to you. If you don’t think you’ll enjoy the movie, watch the children instead. They’ll probably be funnier than the movie anyway.

Be sure to eat meals together. This one activity can do wonders in keeping your family connected. Enjoy the time you have together and let each person talk about their day. Listen to each child and you may be surprised at what you hear. If there is a a break in conversation, ask a question a family question for our dinner table is ‘What did you learn today’ each member in the family is asked which leads to some good conversations.

Start making plans for a special vacation during the summer. Brainstorm ideas of where you might be able to go or what you may be able to do closer to home. Discuss ways you can have fun without spending an entire month’s salary. List places you’d like to visit or things you’d all like to do, then make plans to enjoy yourselves.

When you work long hours or are always busy at your home, whether you have a home business or not, it may seem that all you do is work. Your children miss you and probably think that all work and no play make Mom a dull Mommy. Take time today to find ways to reconnect with your family and have fun with them.

What do you do to help prevent you from being a “Dull Mommy”?

Briefly as to why I call it a road map, I figure life is a journey and when you take a trip it is also a journey. You would not leave the house with out a road map with a list of places you want to visit or see while taking your trip. So over the next year of my journey I make my planned ’stops’ which are like goals or plans, to on my trip through the months to December.

These are my stops in no particular order, I update this post as they are finished. Some I don’t mark off because I feel they can be revisited.

Business

• Create a detailed Business Plan
• Set Hours
• Ask for help when Needed
• Learn to Market Properly
• Be Open to new things
• Build a Community

For Me

• One afternoon/evening a week Do something Just for ME
• Journal my feelings/thoughts
• Do a work out 5 days a week
• Eat breakfast everyday
• Become more active at Church
• Ask for help when Needed

For the Family

• Family Home Evening Regularly
• More Fresh Meals
• More ‘game’ time
• Create a better Schedule for us
• Get the family out of the house more often
• Help the children become more organized
• Help them read the Scriptures daily

For My Marriage

• More time with Ned when he is off
• Electronics off at a certain time
• Work on communication
• Date Night even if its at home after the kids go to bed
• Before going to bed write down 5 reasons I love him that day. Then share them the next day.
• Make his lunches more often

In December I want my family to be healthier and happier and have a successful business. I was told this morning by Brendan my 6 year old son, “If you believe you can do it!” And from today I Honestly believe that I Can do it. I do realize it will take some time and I will need some help. So that is going to take in to part of my stops. I am going to have to work on that.

Thank you For reading my Road Map for the next 12 Months. If you are willing to help support me and my stops over the year ahead please let me know, if its an ear to talk to or maybe help with the business directions. I would really appreciate it.

Becoming a mom - it’s the most life-changing event we go through. Our children become the center of our lives, and we must make adjustments to in our schedules and priorities make sure they’re cared for. Instead of hiring nannies or using day care services, more and more moms are choosing to start their own online businesses so they can be there for their kids and still contribute to the family income.


This is especially true right now during the tough economic times we’re living in. Even if you’re comfortably existing on one income, you may find yourself on no income soon enough if your husband gets laid off, downsized, rightsized, outsourced or whatever they’re calling it these days. Do you have the recommended 6 months’ living expenses tucked away in savings in preparation for this event?

Statistics show many of us do not. This is all the more reason for mom to look for ways to make money online before the disaster strikes.

Starting an online business has a number of advantages for moms. These include:

• Start-up costs can be kept low. So even if you are not currently working outside the home, starting an online business is usually within reach with small adjustments to the budget. Setting up a website means acquiring a domain name and hosting space - and with tools like Wordpress available at no cost, you can literally be up and running for around $20. You will also want to invest in some education. Learning the basics of how to market your website online are not difficult, but be careful where you get your information.
• The Natural Mom Business Guide is one solid source of info. It includes an ebook with detailed information about researching your target market, the various ways to make money with a website, and how to get the traffic you need to earn income. It even has video and audio tutorials as well as printable “cheat sheets” you can keep by your computer to remind you of the essential steps you need to take in your business to build traffic and make more income.
• Doing business online doesn’t require one to keep regular hours. You can work early in the morning before the kids get up, during the baby’s nap, or late at night when everyone is in bed. And with the automation that the Internet has to offer, orders can be processed and virtual products delivered while you are sleeping or taking care of the kids.
• You can get some work done with the kids right by your side. Older children may even be able to help you with simple tasks. Did you know that the IRS allows you to deduct wages (up to a certain amount) paid to a child who is age seven or older to work in your home business from your taxes? I have even trained my oldest son to add articles to my websites. He earns a nice wage for doing so, far more than an allowance, and is providing a valuable service to me.

There are all sorts of online businesses that are great for moms. You could sell your crafts or start a recipe website, or you could start a podcast. You might offer services such as writing, transcription, web design or virtual assistance to customers around the world. Or you could create and sell information products. Even blogging offers impressive money-making potential. The possibilities are many, and there’s sure to be something out there that’s just right for any mom.

Moms make up a large portion of the people who are making money online. This allows them to take a hands-on approach to raising their children while still making money to support the household. They don’t have to count on a sitter to take care of their children’s needs, and they don’t have to make a commute part of their daily routine. It’s no wonder that the number of moms starting online businesses is growing in leaps and bounds.

If you need some assistance choosing a niche, get some coaching from an experienced online marketer. Take the leap - you’ll be glad you did!

Carrie Lauth is an internet marketing mom who loves to help other moms launch profitable websites. She created the Natural Mom Business Guide for women who want to market to the “natural family” niche. To learn about how
she can give you one-on-one coaching, visit Carrie Lauth today.

In reality as wives and mothers, we often think about our children and spouses well before we think about ourselves. Before we know it, we begin to realize is that if we don’t take care of ourselves, we can’t adequately take care of the ones we love. Moms, with the new year here,  it’s time to learn to pamper your inner soul!

Do you even know how to pamper your inner soul? Here are some ideas of things you may want to try:

Take a bubble bath. Set aside an hour one evening or during the weekend. Fill up your bathtub with your favorite bubble bath and soak. Every woman knows that a long, hot bubble bath can soak away the cares of the day. Why not set aside the time and take one soon?

Go for a walk. Exercise can clear your mind and nourish your inner soul. It also does great things for your body. Whether the air is crisp and cool or warm and breezy, going for a leisurely walk can make the difference in how you feel.

Share the love. Nothing pampers your soul like getting the love and attention of your children or spouse. Bear hugs and sticky kisses can make even the worst day seem better.

Splurge and head to a day spa. Talk about being pampered. Go for the full treatment - facial and massage. Why not get the works? Remember that you’re worth the time and money you’ll be spending.

Listen to your favorite music. It has been said that “music soothes the savaged soul.” Pull out your favorite tunes and relax. Add to the fun by singing or dancing along.

Hydrate yourself. Be sure to drink plenty of water. Dehydration can make you feel run down and inhibit clear thinking. Take a few minutes to drink a cold glass of water and you’ll pamper your mind as well as your soul.

Buy yourself a journal. Let out some of the feelings you may have been keeping bottled up inside. Don’t suppress tears if you feel them coming. It’s been said that crying is good for the soul; it may be time to let the tears fall.
While you have your journal out, list three things that you like about yourself. Quite often we’re guilty of not thinking well of ourselves. Take a few minutes and seriously think about things you admire about yourself and write them down.

Reach out and touch someone. Is there a friend you’ve lost touch with? Now would be a great time to reconnect. Talking with an old friend can be good for your soul. Who have you been missing?

Meditate or pray. Meditation and prayer can both be rejuvenating. It can also reach a part of your soul that nothing else will.

You want to be a better wife and mother so you may want to take the time to pamper your inner soul. If you’re relaxed and at ease it will show through in the love you give, the time you spend, and how you make others feel.

Taking care of yourself and your inner soul is especially important during the winter months this can help prevent SAD. I am not saying it will prevent it all together, what I am saying is keeping in your heat and mind your self worth can help you from falling in to depression.

What are some ways that You do to Pamper your Inner Soul?

Thanks for Stopping by

I sit and wonder if I could do it over again what would I change? On one hand everything on the other hand just that I would have slept more so I could handle the stresses better. I know I would not be the mom I am today had I not been faced and conquered everything that I did over the last year, well over my life time.

As the year ends this evening, I sit reflecting on what has happened, and what I can do to change as 2009 begins tomorrow. I do realize that the big thing is mainly loosing my temper to fast. Not my strongest moments.

The other thing I am going to work on is not stressing on things I have No control over, I often do this. I ask my self after its over ‘Why should I have done that I my stress and worry over that did nothing except make me in a bad mood’.

So As I say good buy to 2008 I also hope to leave these two negative behaviors behind with it. They got worse in 2008 so I am going to leave them here.

The Good times included fun trip to Seattle, many trips to see my parents, fun family home evenings, baking with the kids, teaching them to cook, family dinners, and taking time for Me. These are some of the things I plan on holding on to and taking with us in to 2009. So the year was Not all bad.

What are you taking from 2008 to 2009 with you?

I have personally decided that it was time to stay off the roads, I got stuck twice and had a little accident and went in to the snow on the side of the freeway.  I am just fine I was just shook up.  However after that 24 hours I decided that it would be best to just stay home safe and sound since I am a Cali driver not a snowy driver. Keep everyone safe is the important thing if you ask me.

The kiddos have decided it would be a good idea to enjoy this white stuff rather then have it drive them crazy
The last picture of of Alin he is about 6ft 3 in the snow pile is almost as tall as him

So we are spending the days playing in the show, competing on the Wii and playing board games, to help us keep busy and not get to overly bored here.

What are you doing to help not be bored in this crazy weather?