SEARCH RESULTS

Have you ever listened to someone’s story or looked at their social media and wondered, “how did they get there?” Let’s back up a minute because, of course, you have! You aren’t human, if you haven’t wondered how someone else reached their current status – or even didn’t reach a certain status sooner! And I’ve caught myself thinking these things for many years because here I am in my forties and the time I thought it would take to reach success status is long in the past. Come on, mama, if you can relate, let a girl know because I’m tired of convincing myself I’m the only one wearing these shoes! You see, from a young age, I had Corporate America Executive on my brain. I wanted to lead the industry and leave my mark, a legacy to be exact. The problem with that dream? It wasn’t really my own. Don’t get me wrong, I am sure I dreamed it up. I’m a leader by nature, so I just assumed I’d lead anywhere I went to work. My dad was corporate, and from an early age, I was proud of the things he accomplished. Following in his footsteps would be an honor. But what would I do to get there? What industry interested me and would keep my attention? Photo by Federica Galli on Unsplash Thinking back to when I first loved something I could do for a living (besides cheerleading), I go all the way back to 1994 when my family got our first MAC. Computers! Ah-ha! This is when I found something to keep my attention. But computers were new and college classes were limited for this field which made it hard to choose a focus. So, I got that full-time job in Corporate America with an IT firm while still taking college classes at night. Eventually, I found the right classes and got my education while simultaneously working my way into a position doing what I loved most, designing websites. Not exactly executive material, huh? Maybe not, but this experience not only directed me to the education I would need to do what I love, but it also taught me a lot about designing my life rather than letting life happen to me. For the first several years, I managed to create opportunities to work for people that I knew, liked and trusted. But it’s hard to control and predict a position and status in Corporate America so, after about 9 years, I followed my husband’s entrepreneurial lead, left a job that made me feel tired, unsatisfied and downright unhappy to chase my new found dreams of becoming my own boss. To be honest, as joyful as that day was, it was also one of the first times I truly doubted myself. Society doesn’t highlight how to take what you learn from one experience and apply it to another when your heart changes gears. Society doesn’t teach you that within failure is success. You know what I mean? Are you now or have you been in a role that you thought you wanted, but it led to unhappiness or lack of satisfaction? Photo by Anthony Tran on Unsplash Look, if you’re new here, you probably don’t know how stubborn I am. And back then, I did not admit doubt. Because I let all the doubts and negative self talk eat away at my mind, I depended on others to guide me towards success. But I pushed through while still doubting myself. I’ve sold real estate, learned marketing and direct sales, assisted in a few start ups, partnered with my husband in his still operating landscaping business, signed up for network marketing – more than once, freelanced a lot of web design service, been a stay at home mom, volunteered as Coordinator of a local MOPS group, homeschooled my youngin’ during a season of pandemic while working from home, and I doubted myself the whole way. I wanted to quit everything. I figured life would be easier if I found another job. I knew I could make more money. But I also knew I’d lose my time freedom which now would mean giving up my mom schedule and opportunity to remain the primary influencer in my boy’s life. It’s taken me fifteen hard years as an entrepreneur paired with motherhood to piece together some valuable lessons that have brought me to the headspace I’m in today. Through it, I learned some foundational sales skills – necessary for businessmen, entrepreneurs and moms alike; I learned commitment – and everything worth having in life requires commitment; and I learned stamina – how to put one foot in front of the other because only I will decide where I’ll go. See, during all those years of doubt, I think my definition of success was something like “living the dream”, but I’ll tell you, I 100% never felt like I was living the dream. Therefore, my mind felt failure! I just wanted to design my best life which includes financial and time freedom while doing something that doesn’t feel like work! Can I get an Amen? I know what qualities and traits I have to offer. I’m a hard worker. I’m creative. I have skills. I’m not opposed to small business or network marketing. I’m loyal. And I don’t quit!! So, why didn’t I figured it out? And how could I apply all of this to something that will make money without getting another j.o.b.? It was time to make a change, and I decided to stop trying to reinvent the wheel. Thank you, 101 podcasts that helped me finally have this profound epiphany!! (Go ahead, drop your favorite podcast in the comments so we can compare virtual friends who inspire us on the daily!) Now, I choose to collaborate instead of depending on myself. I choose to seek out wisdom from those who have already accomplished my end goal. I study myself and how to reach my vision (dream or whatever pretty word you call your goal) . I let mentors guide and coach me through some foundational steps that allow me to avoid a lot of waisted time “figuring it out”. I discovered my why which was stronger than any motivation I’d had before. (If you haven’t figured out what motivates you, like really gets you at your core, you’ll need to figure that out. A good tip for starting, grab a friend and some oils and go through the 7 levels of why.) I dug dig deep, identified and admitted the things that have held me back. And I reset my mindset to gratitude and focused my intentions. Today, I have a roadmap for my dream. I’ve got structure and a plan. And, by the way, I’ve redefined failure and success… “Success is the ability to go from failure after failure without losing your enthusiasm.” – Unknown“Don’t worry about failures, worry about the chances you miss when you don’t even try.” – Jack Canfield“Failure is success in progress.” – Albert Einstein I’m still doing what I know best, freelancing my web design services, but I’m now zoned in on serving the mom with a dream like me which gives my work so much more meaning. I’m sharing the hard lessons learned to help other stressed, working moms streamline their journey to design the life they want. Doesn’t it make so much more sense to surround yourself with the right people, thoughts and encouragement, rather than being stuck with negativity, doubt, lack of confidence and all the other things that will hold you back? In addition, I believe in a few things to propel you towards a goal: Mindset, my friend. You can define a roadmap to your dream once you create the right mindset, practice it, stick to it and don’t quit it. Focus. Stay focused in on one area until you create habits and systems. Consistency. Again, don’t quit. Keep going. Growth. Grow through what you go through! If you are discouraged or looking for someone who can relate to the struggles you are going through on your journey, please reach out. I’d love to hear your story and be able to encourage you along the way. Comment below or drop me an email.

You might be here because you are legitimately looking to start an online business and you stumbled upon my blog due to the title of this post. Maybe you read my last post, and you want to dive deeper into creating the life you want. Either way, can I tell you a little bit about how I got here? Twenty years ago I helped start my husband’s company, and I was quickly convinced that I should be my own boss. Within 5 years, I left my corporate job. Since, I’ve spent the last 15 years working solely in entrepreneurial environments, contributing to startups and small businesses and offering freelance services. It wasn’t until the last year that I started to consider how I work today impacts how my life looks in the future! Let me make sure you understand me. I am smart, capable, dedicated and hard working, but I recognized that if I did not change the way I work now, my future would always look the same. I’d always have to work just as hard! Hmm… See, while I don’t have a problem with hard work, I have goals and desires that ultimately require time freedom. Not only do I want time freedom, but I also want the freedom to move around as I please. (LIGHTBULB) So, how do I make money while achieving these goals! It was time to look at my future and start planning backwards. It was time to make decisions that would bring not only financial freedom, but also time freedom without getting tied to one location! What’s the saying? Time to work smarter, not harder. This is when I started exploring internet marketing and online business opportunities. I’ve done a lot of research, come across many options, and ultimately I think you’d agree, the most common categories for making a profit online include affiliate marketing, educational online courses or blogging. But how do I get started? Let’s talk about it, but first start with the same question I asked myself. Photo by Simon Matzinger on Unsplash how do i want my life to look years down the road? Come on now! My mission is to help you PLAY BIG! Life’s not about finding yourself, it’s about creating yourself! So let’s stop here and answer these questions before we keep talking. Ask yourself, “What do I want my life to look like in 5 years? 10 years? 20 years?” Now if you’ve answered that question and you’re truly committed to building an online business, are you ready to build it around the life you envision? Because if you are, you need to get seriously focused. Here are 10 steps to building an online business: KNOW YOUR WHY! Identify your Target Audience. Identify your Unique Product or Services and create an Irresistible Offer. “If you can’t be the lowest price, be the highest price but add the most value.” Conduct sufficient Market Research and understand consumer habits. Create your Brand Identity. Clarify your Business Plan. Create a user-friendly Website with fast load time and mobile compatible. Determine your short-term and longterm Marketing Plan. Identify an Accounting and Payment System. Publish daily! Now that you have a checklist, are you ready to take your business online? Icons8 Team I want to you shape your future too and discover how to design your business around that so you don’t waste precious time like I did! I’m starting Build a Blissful Business on Monday, April 20th; a course created by my good friend who built a million dollar brand in just 20 months. If you’re ready to start, you should jump in this course with me. She closed the registration doors for Build a Blissful Business on April 14th, but shhhhhh!!! she approved 5 more seats for me to fill, if you jump in by midnight on Sunday, April 19th. So what are you waiting for? P.S. Get ready to build a business where you find your voice, work less and enjoy more! Doors are closed, but join the wait list now. Click here.

Whoa! The world has changed, hasn’t it? Are you taking advantage of your “spare” time? Oh wait, mama, did I just see you cut your eyes at me? Okay, okay. I know you’re busier than ever right now, since adding all these new titles of teacher, chef, house cleaner to CEO of your home. But are you carving out any time for yourself? Let me encourage you to take care of yourself. Give yourself time to breathe, hear your own thoughts, and even relax. This could be the perfect time to reinvent yourself and play BIG. I’m staying busy with all the same things that keep you busy right now, but for my self-care, I’m focused on my continuing education for online lead generation. I mean every one of you has asked me about that at one time or another. I’m also getting ready to host a free webinar that’s gonna help me prepare a bonus training for my friend’s new course “Build a Blissful Business”! Did. You. Hear. That. Want me to say it again? I’m creating a bonus training for my friend’s course! Friends, this is huge because I’ve been “training” for course building for a year now. Online courses don’t come together over night, so I am super excited for my girlfriend who has worked her tail off for this one. And I am very honored that she’s asked me to add additional value to her class. My mission is to help you PLAY BIG! Life’s not about finding yourself, it’s about creating yourself! When you can’t find what you need, create it! Mama, you may have all the things you need, but if your heart is aching for more, can I just tell you? It’s possible to have it. If you crave community, create it. If you want more or better friends, find them. If you want to produce an income doing the things you love, do it! Learn more about me in my bio, here. Let me ask you, do you have an online business concept? How about you stop dreaming about it and turn it into cash? Listen here, you don’t have to do this alone. We’re better together. If you’ve failed a million times or never tried before, it does not matter. The past, YOUR past does NOT define you! Don’t freeze or get stuck. Surround yourself with people who understand that burning desire to do more, be more. Choose people who push you to go after them. You could be just one choice away from a totally different life! I’ve got one secret that I know to be true. Learn from others who have gone before you and apply what they’ve learned. Let’s work less hours and make more money. Are you with me? I want you to discover what you really want your life to look like and design your business around that so you don’t waste any precious time like I did! So… I’ve got an invite to my girl’s FREE Masterclass where she’s giving away four tips that helped build her million dollar brand. UPDATE: Registration has closed for Build a Blissful Business, but I know this online course is going to knock your socks off, so, I’ve negotiated 5 more seats. You must act before midnight on Sunday April 19th for your chance at one of these final seats. Act fast! Click here and create the life you want! Get ready to build a business where you find your voice, work less and enjoy more! Doors are closed, but join the wait list now. Click here.

Something hit me today, as I looked ahead to see how I could manage things under our new circumstances. I dig change! Not everyone does, and that’s okay. But as moms, we’ve already been trained to roll with the punches. So I see an opportunity to have some fun! Try something new and look for some lessons God has for me in this time of change. What can I learn from the circumstances He’s put me in? Question for you. Are you trying to fit learning into your quarantine or are you treating it like an extended spring break? (There’s not right or wrong answer here.) For my family, we aren’t located in a school zone that I don’t consider an option for us. We are very unsure about where to place our kiddo as he begins his elementary education. Personally, I don’t feel equipped to homeschool, but maybe God is trying to show me different OR trying to show my husband that, in fact, that is NOT an option. And because my boy is one of the youngest in his class, some think we should let him repeat kindergarten. But I don’t want that for him, and I’m willing to work hard with him in these early years to help him avoid spending his 18th year in high school. So we’re gonna fit in some learning using scholastic.com/learnathome and the encouragement from my friend and home school mama, “learning doesn’t have to be structured like school. it’s why homeschoolers love it. there is freedom! let your kids have fun learning!”1 (Thanks for that, Alison. I do think the average mom needs this reminder!) But the transparent truth is, we started off the morning in bed to finally watch Frozen II together. I’m pretty sure @disney released it early for our entertainment during this quarantine, and we aren’t complaining!! So how will we react to this crisis? Don’t you agree that how we respond will teach our kids a lot about how to handle crisis? I want my boy to look back and feel like we handled it with grace, like we made a seamless transition, but recognize that we handled our responsibilities too. As another friend said, “I hope it affects the way they parent in the future.”2 Like what you’re reading? Subscribe to get a notification when I’ve posted something new to my blog! Mamas, it is our time to shine! Don’t let fear or overwhelm take over your family. Be an example! Be a leader! We’re already familiar with crisis. Momming has trained us for this with very unexpected step of motherhood. If you begin to feel the overwhelm, take a minute to regain your perspective! Stop with the plans and have more fun! Throw a dance party in the kitchen with your wooden spoon mics. Have a picnic in the yard. Finger paint in the tub. Or just send the kids to a space where they can entertain themselves for a time because they don’t need you 24/7. Give them a chance to get creative or wild and messy without you. “You have your whole life to clean the mess (and so do they).”3 What activities are you planning for this time? Are they kids activities, family activities or what? Let’s help each other out by sharing our plans for each other to grab some inspiration. Friends quoted today: 1. @thealisonpage, 2. & 3. @lindsayteague

What an emotional week. Have you ever experienced so many highs and lows at once, you get the feeling that you can’t breathe? Stress can be very overwhelming and when you have a history of anxiety, some situations should be avoided; yet they can’t always be. I have so many things on my plate this week that it took me until Monday night to even hear about the fire at the Notre Dame Cathedral, but when I did, I felt a rush of emotions. Of course, my immediate response was sadness, but then I felt a rush of gratefulness for all of the travels I experienced almost twenty years ago. Having a passion for landscape photography, I believe I photographed (with film) every church I passed through all 8 countries I traveled. (Maybe I’ll try to dig some of those images out of their albums and scan them in to share with you soon.) I never made it to France, thus not having the pleasure of visiting Notre Dame, but it’s been on my bucket list and I have sought out photographs of this cathedral for years. Here are a few of my favorites from this week for you to enjoy! Witnessing the unity from this fire makes me hopeful that we (the people of this world) can love each other as much as we love a place, a building. It makes me hopeful that we can recognize the little things, needs and even the history in our own backyards. What need will you recognize and move on? Today, I’m getting out of my comfort zone, asking the hard questions, and collecting resources for those who feel there is no hope. There are so many victims of domestic violence who feel there are no resources to help. Let’s bring those resources to the forefront and give back hope. If you have resources for Georgia Victims of Domestic Violence, please drop them below. #faith #mombossencouragement #worldevents

Today, there are a ton of tools on the market for building your own website. Doing it yourself is a great low-cost-solution for an entrepreneur, non-profit or startup company that does not have the funds in their budget to outsource the project. WEBSITE DESIGN TOOLS Let’s talk about Design Tools. First, you’ll find a few tools that are free to use with a friendly user interface. Typically, this free tool offers an upgraded plan that comes with more features. Last, you’ll find a list of tools that are only available at a cost. While I’m not going to review each tool today, let me at least provide you my list. Free Design Tools: Google Sites (though I will warn you, this is not designed to create small business websites) Ucraft, Weebly, Wix, and WordPress.com. All of these tools will display an ad on your site in exchange for free use, some will limit your bandwidth (how many users can visit your site each month), but most of them offer free upgraded plans which come with better features. Paid Design Tools: GoDaddy.com – GoCentral Website Designer, Wix, Squarespace, WordPress (click here to choose between WordPress .com and .org) and there is also a web design tool called Zenfolio for photographers. I haven’t built a site using Zenfolio yet, but it seems like a good all-around-option for the photographer who wants to build their own site and pay for multiple features in one monthly payment. Currently, my preference is Wix. But why? As an affordable web designer, Wix allows me to start with a client-approved template but gives me the freedom to be as creative as I want. Wix offers a collection of tools such as a customer management system including contact lists and an automated email system, an online store, a members-only area and so many more features which allow for and support growth. WHY HIRE AN EXPERT? So with all of these tools available, why should you consider hiring an expert Web Designer and/or SEO Copywriter? The top reason to hire an expert is to get it right the first time and time management, of course. Rather than spending your time learning a new skillset and the functionality of tools that do not benefit your business beyond the design of your website, hire it out. Product choice. Do you know which web design tool offers all the features you need to create your final product? Can you choose a tool that will grow with your business, or will you end having to redesign and relaunch as after your business outgrows your initial website? Time to market. Even if you’re not open for business yet, I bet you have a start date in mind. Have an expert complete your website for you, in order to launch on time. Expert launches make the biggest impact. Are you capable of creating the right amount of buzz about your website launch before you launch? Do you know how much bandwidth is necessary to keep the site live during a launch? Those are all great reasons to work with an expert Web Designer, but don’t forget the most valuable asset of SEO knowledge. SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization and is arguably the most valuable asset of a website. While social media and ads can target your audience, ads have a cost associated to them, but a website with good search engine optimization will target your ideal audience without the demand for recurring, costly ads. SEO STRATEGY TIPS FOR THE DIY-ER If you are still unsure about whether you want to tackle your own web design or hire an expert, download my FREE Guide. At least these tips will help you consider the different aspects of SEO. Comment below with your experience about building your own website or hiring an expert. @Tiffanie Teel | Facebook: @TiffanieTeel | Instagram: @TiffanieTeel

Today is an exciting day. I get to launch the most beautiful website that I’ve ever designed, and even better, it markets a friend and her business. Kayla Duffey is such a talented photographer, and I feel so lucky that she asked me to design her very first website. I’m so honored and thrilled to share it with you because I’m so happy with the final result! THE DESIGN PROCESS I’ve been waiting a long time to work with someone who was deserving of the look and feel this website brings. Don’t get me wrong, any client deserves the best, but you gotta stay in your lane. Not just any industry website can be as pretty as one of a photographer. Once Kayla decided she wanted to move forward, I interviewed her. It is important for me to understand the vision my clients have for the final result. Otherwise, how can I deliver a satisfactory product? Kayla’s photography is light and airy, so it was important to portray that same look on her website. First things first, filter through all the images. And let me tell you, that part didn’t suck! Her work had me longing for photos of my own. Besides identifying the right images for her site, we had to find the perfect script font, identify the topics that needed to be covered, and sections of the website that would draw future clients in so that there would be no other choice in photographers. I can’t tell you how laid back Kayla was to work with. She is a super busy mom of two in school, and she’s already booked out into 2019. I was constantly surprised at how fast she was able to get me all the things, like her bio and so many other things that a designer depends on her clients for. With behavior like this, we were bound to produce a beautiful thing! WHAT YOU GET The result is stunning! The entire site is desktop and mobile-friendly, allowing both audiences to navigate the sticky menu with ease. Kayla’s Instagram feed is to die for, so this is an aspect I had to feature throughout the site which will give site visitors a new look each time they land anywhere within kayladuffeyphotography.com. MY FAVORITE I think my very favorite aspect of this website is how each page scrolls on a desktop. It feels modern, but yet looks so classic! I also love how Kayla detailed and what each of her packages includes and the price. As a shopper, I want to know if I like the style of the photographer and can I afford her. And Kayla answers these questions for her audience. THE DETAIL Did you know Kayla Duffey is a 15 time published photographer? And there are new publications up for review right now. Whether you’re looking for engagement photos, a warm wedding venue, or just want to know who your photographer is, you’ll find it here when searching for the Top Newnan Wedding Photographer. Please take the time to visit and look around the site. I would love to hear your feedback, so leave a comment below. I certainly hope you love it as much as I do – so be sure to check it out from your mobile and a desktop! If you are all ready to book a session for 2019, click here, and mention my name! Did I mention she will travel? Now, it’s time for Kayla and me to pop the champagne and celebrate!

I entered one of the biggest transitions of my life, recently. And with it came heartache and tears, joy and happiness, laughter and friendship, and so many more adjectives. Honestly, I don’t know how I am already reflecting on the past four amazing years that I was given! But the days of parenting at home with my boy all day, day after day have passed. Now, we’re a few months into our new normal. It’s funny. I had all these plans for how I would spend my mornings while he is in PreK, but it seems those dreams need to wait a little longer. God threw a few blessings my way which are blossoming into these beautiful projects that make me feel accomplished and even a little giddy. I didn’t realize a little techy project could fulfill my inner soul so. If you know me well, you know that before parenthood, I designed a few websites here and there, managed a few small businesses' social media, and dabbled in a few other marketing strategies, but did you know I’ve been doing it again? Yeah, so get this. A sweet client from my past called and wanted to run a few web solutions by me. He said that he’d been approached by several companies trying to convince him he needed to update his website, but, note, they all said the same thing. While your site doesn’t have a current design, it’s doing its job, well. The funny thing about this one is that we knew when we put that site to work over 5 years ago, it wasn’t a savvy design then, but to keep the cost down, we worked within the parameters that we were given. In other words, he had a small business that needed a solution to fit his budget. I made that happen then, and he called me back. I seriously told myself that I didn’t want to do this kind of work again. But as we sat discussing what these companies were selling, I couldn’t stop myself from getting back in the game. So it seems, I should stop saying, “no, God!” Because He’s gonna keep saying, “yes, Tiffanie!” Back to when I mentioned “reflection”. Wow! God, once again, knew what we needed. A little extra income, new friends, a community of people who need the solutions I can provide, and even a confidence boost for a mom who has self-doubted herself since the moment her smarter-than-she-is boy began to walk and talk. (Read between the lines. Parenting an infant was sweet and beautiful, but as soon as the infant became a toddler… life got messy and harder than ever.) “It’s all messy, the hair, the bed, the words, the heart, life.” I’m so proud to say that we are settling into our new season. The new Newnan Routine feels pretty good, and I sure adore witnessing my boy come home talking about all the things he’s learned with all the friends he has made. The website that started all this was published, and I can proudly say that it’s shuffling all the daily traffic and it meets today’s design standards too. If you want to hear more about my next few projects coming down the pipe very soon, stay tuned. As it turns out, affordable small business solutions are scarce. I, however, can help! Newnan Small Business Solutions are just a phone call away from me.

Before I became a parent, I had several friends who entered the parenthood world before me. Way before me. I experienced the roller coaster of emotions that came with my role as a kid-free-friend. And if you’re a woman whose friends started having children before you, you know what I mean. Picture life before kids. Always busy. Dinner plans a few times a week. Dinner, drinks with the possibility of local music at least a couple of weekends out of the month. Concerts a few times a year. Vacations. Oh, the days of fitting in vacations with friends. This is the time of your life when you’re choosing your framily, friends who are like family. You cannot imagine life without them. Then someone gets pregnant. Because you love them like family, you’re thrilled. You can’t wait to plan baby showers and celebrate their growing family. And you really can’t wait to get your hands on that itty-bitty-baby. These are the moments when you imagine being the best aunt in the world because, of course, you’ll be just as involved; you’re already sharing life with these people. You and the besties plan a baby shower and invite all of the other friends with who she has been doing life. It’s so much fun because everyone is giving cheers to the parents-to-be. It’s the best baby shower that has EVER been thrown! A few weeks later, you get the call that the mama-to-be is in labor. They’re heading to the hospital and updates do not come often enough. But FINALLY, that call comes in. It’s a healthy baby girl. She’s 7lbs 10oz and 20.5″ long. You can’t wait to get to the hospital for a visit, but wait… Your framily just requested no visitors. They want privacy to settle in as a family. A few days will do. They said... “Maybe you can come by the house in a few days after we get home and settled?” Jaw On The Floor. As the next few weeks and months pass, you find yourself questioning your friendship because (what felt like) the sudden change in lifestyle with these friends who you chose to be your family has you all up in your head. In fact, after you find them seeking out new friends with babies, you begin to mourn the life you had before their baby arrived and these feelings come with a lot of guilt. If you were the first friend to have a baby or were expecting your first right behind her, you may not have found the connection to this story yet, but keep reading. You’ll find a connection before I’m done. What’s the saying? Time heals? I don’t know if this is actually true in any loss, but what is true is that time allows you to find a new normal. This is a good time to learn and pray... “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” And then guess what happens next. You become pregnant. If you’re in similar shoes to mine, you’ve been through the whirlwind I just described enough times that it became the norm. Those changes were no longer something that lived in your conscious. And now that it’s your turn to enter the other world, you aren’t even thinking about the differences. You are living in your moment. You’re blissfully happy about soon being a mommy. The only subjects you know are pregnancy and baby. Your friends start planning the best baby shower ever thrown. And it’s fun, all right, but instead of soaking in what will possibly be some of the last moments you share with a few people on your guest list, you’re thinking about your baby’s wardrobe. Dreaming about how these amazing gifts you were just showered are going to set you up to be the best mom in the world, having the most fun time in your life. Then, labor comes and the baby arrives. It’s a healthy baby boy. He’s 8lbs and 20 inches long. Even if you don’t ask for no visitors, it’s now, it’s that moment when you have your first flashback. You flashback to the moment when your friends asked for privacy to settle in as family and you get it. You GET IT. As you live in every single moment that comes over the next few days, weeks, and months, you gradually start to recognize how drastic your lifestyle has changed, and you compare how different it is to when you thought someone else’s change, changed your life so much. Are you following me? Let me say that another way. As time goes by and you settle into parenthood, after catching up on some much-needed sleep, of course, you gradually start to compare the difference between the change that just happened in your life to when your friend had the first baby and you were still kid-free. A light bulb or two might go off in your head as you start to relate to “that other world” which you could-not-relate before but are now living. The next few years bring around many more light bulbs that are similar to that. But sometimes, you find yourself experiencing confusion and doubt again, just like when you were kid-free. While you may have mourned the loss of the lifestyle you had before your friend had the first baby, when everyone was doing life together, now you find yourself mourning the friendships you feel are lost due to your having the baby. Because of seasons. Seasons come and seasons go, but some things stay the same. I’m not claiming expert status on life as it has to do with friendships, new moms, or life’s seasons, but I do have experience in these departments. Isn’t it experience and the sharing of experiences that make navigating life changes easier? This morning, I found myself missing many faces. Faces that I use to see daily, weekly, or at least monthly. I can’t name the last time that I saw a few of them, though I think of them often and imagine if we were back together it would feel like life just stood still. Like not a moment passed. Yet I’m finding the absence to feel like an eternity. If you are the person in this story who is kid-free, consider the changes happening for the new mom in your life as a natural progression. These changes are not pre-calculated or expected. And as much as this may sting, these changes are not about you, because of you or for you! New moms have no idea how their lives will drastically change because the only thing they pre-calculated was throwing that kid on their hip and toting them right along with them. Reality just slapped them in the face, honey. And it was a bigger shock to them than the feelings you are having. If you are the new mom in this story, whether you’ve had a friend go before you or not, consider that your kid-free-friend is not experiencing the natural and progressive changes that are happening for you. They do not and cannot understand, but they are also experiencing a change (though it is different from yours) which also impacts them big time. A change that also matters. Which side is your story doesn’t matter when it comes down to how this knowledge can build stronger friendships and understanding of the gap between our worlds. What matters here is how you act. What you do or don’t do. I recommend that either party put in a little extra effort. The effort you might feel the other party should make first. Take action. Send a text when that person crosses your mind. Have Siri dial them and have a chat, long or short, while you’re driving down the road. Do something that lets the other one know you still care. You still think of them. These actions can simply reassure someone that you look forward to the day when our faces meet again, if even for a different-than-our-usual-visit, if only for a quick hug if we just take the chance. The chance to hang onto a friendship through life’s seasons of change. The result just might be beautiful.

It’s so funny because just yesterday a friend shared a link to a blog, Perfection Pending. I read this re-post to husbands about their angry wives. Not only did I laugh out loud, but I felt like the original author, Jesica Ryzynski of Her View From Home, was dead on the money! Because I too often feel like an angry person, myself; so through my life, I’ve had to create coping skills or good habits to help me manage. Some people might think that I am just bottling it, but really, I’m just trying to buy time to figure out what I am really feeling and why I am acting angry before others feel the repercussions of that anger. So, as you can imagine, this article about angry wives is on my mind, but I get up and walk through my morning today like an angry wife. Sure as her article stated, my husband asked me too, “Are you okay? Something seems to be off with you this morning.” Well, duh. The list Meredith gave husbands to deal with their angry wives… I hadn’t shown him the article yet. I just need to stop and read it to him. Or… I just need to use those coping skills and get to the root of my mood swing. I chose honesty. I also chose to leave it alone after sharing the issue. You know? Rather than nagging and harping on something that I just explained once. It turns out, I got more results than when I keep up the complaints and the nagging. Maybe I will eventually show my husband the article that Meredith re-posted, but for now, I’m just going to let him be himself, and I’m going to love him through the mess because I’m my own mess too. If I haven’t perfected him after 15 years of marriage, I’m probably not going to get perfect. But I sure do love his imperfect, perfect for myself. So here are a few of my tips for the moody wife whose husband might read as angry: Ask for sleep. Don’t assume they’ll read the article that says to give it to you or provide you a quiet place to nap. Ask. Demand, if you must. Don’t let them be the ones to leave pee for you to sit in or step in. If you sprinkle, when you tinkle, be a sweetie and wipe the seatie! I’m just sayin’, TELL your husband that he might not want to be the one you're cleaning up after all the time. Teach him, over and over, to HELP pick up after himself, as he goes. I don’t appreciate hearing, I’ll do it later. If you know he’s stopping for food on his way home, ask him to bring you some too. Don’t assume he will. This moody mama has 100 things to do besides feed me. I’m usually starving by the time I will make it a priority, but he doesn’t know that. He assumes I’m a grazer too. When you’re just DONE, tell him you need to run an errand. Buy a cheap meal, sit in a parking lot with your favorite tunes on blast, and eat in your version of peace and quiet. Don’t expect him to send you, just find your way out the door, ALONE, and make the most of it. This can be more therapeutic than you think. Savor every bite. Wake up early, if you haven’t pooped in days. Make a peaceful time to drink your coffee in full, so you can get through one, hot cup and poop before the kid wakes up because he, your hubby, won’t ever stand guard for you. Revert back to number 4. Kill two birds with one stone, if the children’s tv and their little voices are driving you crazy. Don’t ever let your husband buy the coffee, unless, of course, this is one area that you’ve perfected and he KNOWS not to wake the beast by bringing home the wrong (possibly decaffeinated) coffee. It really doesn’t get any better than writing to the husband of the angry, moody wife, like Jesica‘s approach, but let’s be honest, my husband would read that article, get a laugh and move on with all his bad habits. I’m better off solving these issues and taking the chance with honesty when he notices something is off. Today’s honesty encouraged him to FINALLY unpack his suitcase from last week’s vacation end AND earned me a thank you for the morning muffins I prepared and made available before he left for work. Total payoff. What’s the last thing you learned about stabilizing your mood swings? Tell me below.

After my sister took her two boys (5 & 7) skiing last year, I’ve wanted to teach my boy early too. And it always takes time to plan a good trip, but it takes extra time to plan travel on a budget. Needless to say, we’ve been counting down to this trip for about 6 months. My parents and I shopped bargains and deals until we booked it all for better than fair prices. If you want to know how I book travel, one piece at a time while on a budget, comment below. With enough requests, I’ll write a separate post about this. Day 1: My boy has been so excited about traveling on an airplane with his grandparents, my parents who go by Popaw & Lollee. We have slightly different travel needs than they do, but I found us flight times that seemed perfect for all. Atlanta's departure time was 1:05 pm and their arrival into Denver was 2:15. Just enough time on both ends to be relaxed about our travels. Or so I thought… I thought my boy would nap on the plane, and if not, I figured he’d definitely sleep in the car. Unfortunately, this little man fell asleep during landing and in the car two times right before we got out to shop and eat. Oh, we had a delayed arrival time which pushed us right onto the interstate for Denver rush hour traffic. Awesome, right? We tried to make the most of it by jumping off the interstate for a wholesale shopping trip and then scooted up the mountain range to Idaho Springs for a great meal at Tommyknocker Craft Brewery and Pub. I mean, they have an AWESOME Peach IPA, and I didn’t even get the name of it. We wrapped up and hoped to arrive in Buena Vista, Colorado within a little bit of time, but the roads weren’t all great and we drove through a beautiful white snowfall, all while my boy was in and out of car sickness and sleep. Car sickness. Can I say that again? Moms, if you are reading, who has experienced car sickness with their toddlers? This is new to me, and HARD. I don’t know when he is really going to get sick vs he might puke or he thinks he just wants to stop. Message me, here, if you have any feedback. If I’m honest, I dosed in and out of sleep myself, while half-way turned around to hold my boy’s hand. I don’t remember all of the drives up. I was tired. But I remember driving into town, following Google Maps towards our VRBO when the rest of the car said, “did that sign say, ‘CAUTION! Entering State Penitentiary Territory. Do NOT stop!’?” You better believe I sat straight up! I’m thinking, who successfully rents a VRBO without disclosing how close they are to this “TERRITORY”?? Our renter, obviously. Turns out, we missed a turn, but DANG! We aren’t that far from that warning sign. I should probably be worried! Day one finally ended after unloading into a cozy home on the Arkansas River, and I have forgotten all about that territory up the road. *wink-wink* However, I’m still worried about whether the Arkansas River and one mile is enough space between my family and the sign we read. Day 2: I take pride in my travel planning skills, until now. As a mom, I tried to consider all the details around my child’s schedule and needs, as well as everyone else’s travel, wants. As the alarm went off at 6 am, I knew I messed up by booking my boy’s first ski lesson for 10 o’clock am on our first ski day. No one was ready to move that early, especially me. Did I mention that we didn’t find our house until around 1 AM, our time, or later? We did NOT get out of this house on time, and I was quite stressed about getting us fed, renting our ski equipment, and arriving for this lesson on time, much less 15 minutes early. Thankfully, someone smarter in the car suggested I call the ski resort when the ski school did not answer my call to request a later lesson. It worked. We got the lesson moved from 10 AM to 1 PM. I sighed relief, for a minimum amount of time. The extra time allowed us to find a great breakfast at the Golden Burro, rent our equipment from Paul at Bill’s Ski & Snowboard Rentals in Leadville and get up to Ski Cooper in time to get my boy in his gear before his lesson. Meltdown enters here, but first, let me describe what this day was for me. Today. This is the day I chose to get back on a pair of snow skis for the first time in about 10 years. It was emotional. Imagine the excitement that I had starting my day knowing the joy I would be experiencing again, yet not on my own. We had private lessons set up for my boy too!!! But you know what; it was hard! Things weren’t as they should have been (in my head 😂). As a first-time mom, I was not smart enough to avoid booking his first ski lesson during nap time (our time which, of course, his body is still on our time). Que #Meltdown. Let’s just say after my boy had his meltdown, one of his first public kicking and screaming fits, my mama, Lollee, showed up just in time to take her break from the slopes and let me take a break from motherhood to get on the mountain myself. It was this part of the day that all.the.feels. came. I felt exhilarated… and then I freaked out. I couldn’t feel my toes, then my feet, then the numbness started rising to the top of my ski boots. My goal was to get back to the lodge, but it meant another lift ride and trail run. But on that lift ride, I wanted to go into full meltdown myself. My shins were numb; all of it was numb. Once we exited the lift, I found a spot. This spot. The one that allowed me to generate blood flow back to my feet by removing my boots. (Yes! My boots were too small, but I still had to wear them until I could exchange them back in town.) The boys took another run, as I released the biggest sigh of relief, sniffed some Valor, and gave myself a pep talk. Then, the guys came back, and I was ready for the all-time best trail, the Molly Mayfield. Getting down this one included another stream of emotions because I had my first fall (frustrating), but also felt the groove, and I finished like a champ (for my level, of course). Do you know what else was even better than that feeling? Skiing up to see my boy on skis and skiing to his daddy. Lollee for the win!!! She managed to spend that little (but what felt like an eternity for me) time with him and talk him into skis. The best feeling in the world and exactly what I needed to return to! Of course, at the end of a day like that, you can’t help but laugh out loud at losing the sole of a shoe you are forced to wear in public for the remainder of the day! But hey, these boots were with me for my first ski trip, over 20 years ago, so I am okay to retire them in the same resort where I learned to ski. I’d love to say the whole day ended on this happy high, especially after I walked into The Lariat with a one-missing-heel limp, but no. Our review of this restaurant left us with quite a different feeling. The beer was good, but the food did not meet our standard. Let’s just say, if they said they were serving bar food it would have been way better than what we were served. Day 3: My worst night of sleep ever. You know when you’re in a new environment and you can’t get comfortable. Each room has its own floor heater and thermostat. The first night, we froze. This night, we were SO HOT. I was up every two hours feeling my body coming down with something. I failed to bring a glass of water up to my room before I went to bed, and because I didn’t want to make the trip downstairs in the middle of the night, I found myself drinking from the bathroom sink every few hours. Once the boy woke us, I knew I wasn’t well. And this means, our trip is definitely not going to go as planned! So, here I am excited to get my boy back to his rescheduled ski lesson, yet I’ve got a throbbing head, the one when you can feel the congestion in your sinuses. You know what though? I didn’t care. I was going to push through because it would be worth it to spend the day with my boy who was finally excited to be on skis. Then, it was time to get dressed and go, and I was unable to leave bed. I had already made multiple trips to the bathroom, but now, I had to return… all the cookies were lost! Oh no! I can’t go to the mountain, sit in a resort with a bug that I might possibly give to someone else. This means, I can’t go, but I couldn’t say it out loud. Thankfully, moms (no matter how old you are) know what you need. Lollee comes in to suggest I stay home and they take my boy for the day. Everyone knew I had to push through the funk to find the freedom of health again. Talk about an emotional roller coaster. I felt like such a failure at this moment. How could I miss a vacation day with my family? How could I miss my boy’s ski lesson? It’s a good thing someone else pretty much made the decision for me. As soon as they were out the door, I bawled like a baby but melted into the couch for a nap. My body was not right. Stomach issues. Sinus issues. Now, maybe a fever. It wasn’t good. Even after waking from my first, short nap, I couldn’t even open my book. You know me, I was prepared for the good and bad. I was already doused with essential oils because I do not travel without an arsenal of oils. Thankfully, by lunch, I was ready to soak in a bath and shower which helped me feel like a new woman. The rest of the day, I tried to enjoy myself and this beautiful view. I got into my book a little, watched a show, took a few pictures, and waited very impatiently for updates from my family about their day on the mountain. NOTHING. It’s funny! As a mom, I’ve dreamed about a day to myself in less of a setting, but now that I have a better-than-imagined setting, I want to be somewhere else. Unfortunately, cell service up on the mountain is terrible, and no one could get out an update or picture for me, until their drive home. It was so great to hear that my boy went to his lesson, even though he enjoyed more snow angels than time on his skis. Maybe 3.5 is a little too early for someone who doesn’t live in a snowy region? I don’t know; I’m not ready to give in, so tomorrow… I said. “Tomorrow, I’ll spend the whole day on the magic carpet and bunny hill with him.” I was determined to get back to 100% and get us out there again the next day. Mindset: Makeup for a lost day, right? Oh, and you know what my family did when they got home? My boy walks in with a bouquet of flowers and said, “I sorry you don’t feel good, momee!” 😍 Then the rest of them split up all the other duties like bathing my boy and cooking dinner. Aren’t they amazing? To end the evening, we indulged in the HOTTEST pot of chili any of us have ever had. Someone, I won’t name TBone, over seasoned with Cayenne Pepper. 😅 Day 4: 100%, I felt like a new person when I woke up today. Thank the good Lord. We got up and out the door thrilled about another day on the slopes together, and then… Car sickness. Or bug. I don’t know which, but my boy puked (a lot) in the car on the way up the mountain. Poor boy. We had to stop so many times, and by the time we arrived at the resort, I was nauseated too. Day 2 of poor health on vacation and I don’t like it!! We sent everyone else up the mountain, not wanting to hold them up, and we stayed in the warm car to see if the tummy aches would pass. Eventually, we found a table at the pub away from everyone else with a sweet server who took care of us all.day.long. My boy didn’t even like the walk from the car to the building, much less want to play outside in the snow. All he wanted was the iPad and quiet space; so I indulged. As a mom on a budget, it wasn’t super hard to give up a day on the mountain, knowing I could sell my ski ticket for almost twice what I paid for it. Now I have two tickets to sell, and I should be able to make enough money to cover my boy’s ski lesson. Any other mom’s think like this instead of fretting about what they missed? I have to say though, our evening was one of the best we’ve had. We started at the Silver Dollar Saloon for some shuffleboard and brew. This is seriously one of the oldest, coolest bars I’ve ever been in, and honestly, I wasn’t ready to leave after one game; but we do have a toddler. So, it was onto dinner at Quincy’s Steakhouse. My dad has raved about how good the food is here. They pick 2 cuts of meat and one pasta option for their menu only to keep costs low. A prime rib plate or ribeye steak plate with salad and baked potato or for $12.95. They often have filet mignon too, but not this night. The horseradish was amazing and the prime rib quite worth the almost $13 price. It was a great meal, a cool building, and quiet atmosphere. On the way home, we made a quick pit stop at the grocery because a snowstorm is headed in overnight. You know how us Georgian’s act; milk, bread, and eggs just to be safe! My boy fell asleep on the way home and went straight into his bed. And that means, I’m about to say goodnight here, so we adults can play some cards. Day 5: This day was a scheduled rest day and it may have taken the cake. My computer DIED. As in, the hard drive is dead. So NOT good. I might be a little too attached to my electronics, but it is where my photo editing tools are, it’s where I stored all of my photos since becoming a mom (dumb, dumb), and I have just moved all of my pictures from this trip to a folder on my computer. So, you’ll have to excuse me if this post is not updated with photography and graphics in a timely manner. I’ll have to get home before I can repair the problem, so I’m slightly flipping out. No. I’m really flipping out. A lot! I sure hope we can recover my pictures. That’s the only thing I care about because the rest can be replaced. And if you’re reading this, do yourself a favor… backup your images. Put ALL OF YOUR PHOTOS on a cloud drive, Dropbox, Google Drive, iCloud, One Drive or somewhere that will save you in this situation. Why I haven’t, I don’t know. I’m so much smarter than… but, maybe I will find a way to recover them. Regardless, you don’t ever want to be under this stress, so learn from my mistake. On top of that, I got sick again. Stomach sick. It’s really confusing me and making me worried about what could be wrong. Seems, right after I eat, I am getting this issue. Thought maybe car sickness or altitude, and I even thought maybe it was my vitamins because let's be honest, I’m taking a lot of supplements. However, today, I was hydrated, didn’t take the vitamins and we weren’t riding in the car. It took half the day, a Coke, and, get this, a bowl of HOT chili to get better. The only common denominator so far is eggs. No other dairy is bothering me though, so let me know what flashes through your mind after reading this. There are, of course, some really beautiful things about today. Capturing my husband and boy on a walk through the snow. Yes! Beautiful winter snow came through and we had a winter wonderland here during our rest day. My mom and dad were able to get out and enjoy the hot springs which was a priority for me too, but I didn’t feel right about taking germs to the hot springs, but maybe we’ll find a little time for that heat before the end of the trip. Okay, friends, it’s already time for me to get my boy in the bed again. How do the days go by so fast? And it’s time for us to decide if we’ll ski tomorrow or Monday. For the record, I never vote for a big activity the day before we travel, so stay tuned to see who gets their way. 😉 Day 6: We did it today. Even after disagreeing about which day should be our last on the slopes (Sunday or Monday), we got out the door and on the mountain again for our last day of skiing. Only one pit-stop for car sickness today, period. That was a win on the way up, but the bigger win for the day was the beauty we enjoyed in God’s creation. I spent the first few hours with my boy enjoying the crisp air with the sun shining on our faces. We played in the snow, built a snowman, shopped for gloves (with no success because I’m pretty sure my boy thought he would have to ski if he had gloves that he liked – more on that subject later), and talked to some locals who also have littles but don’t let that stop them from enjoying activities such as skiing.) When Lollee swapped with me today, I went up the mountain with TBone (have I told you that most people, including myself, refer to my hubby as TBone?) and Popaw (my dad). They had already explored the trails and knew which ones were perfectly fit for me, so we went up the front lift and straight down the backside of the mountain taking Tenderfoot. They chose well; I improved every time we went down, but I’m not gonna lie, I was TIRED by the time we went back down the front taking Molly Mayfield again!!! However, I got down just-in-time for mama to go back out for one last ski. Watching my boy ride the front of Lollee’s skis to the car was such a great way to end our week. Even though my 3.5-year-old didn’t actually like getting on his skis, he loved to talk about it and acted like he wanted to ski with us, until it came time to do it. Who knows if a lack of good fitting gloves had to do with it or if he just didn’t like the work, but I am so glad we tried. Introducing him to skiing, having him watch his daddy ski, and even witness me on skis was a great step in the right direction. I’m proud of myself for getting back out there too because it would have been a lot easier and cheaper to just say those days were behind me. However, I felt the muscle memory, remembered the fun it uses to be for our family and was such a great reminder of what it could be for my family. I am so glad that we ate a lot of our meals in Leadville this week. The food and atmosphere have been so much better than our experience in Buena Vista. After hitting the Silver Dollar Saloon a few days ago for shuffleboard and a beer, we decided to go back for dinner, and you'll… it was amazing food. I highly recommend stopping here for a great, all-around experience. Like many before me, I wanted to track, evaluate, or figure out if one could teach a toddler to ski; therefore, I started documenting this trip. So you may ask, can you successfully teach a toddler to ski and enjoy your travels at the same time? Though we didn’t bring out a skilled toddler skier, I do believe we enjoyed and experienced a successful vacation in the midst of watching our ideal goal fail. Ultimately, I believe if you can go with the flow, you can enjoy any type of travel with your family. Just keep family first, and all the rest will work out. Day 7: Today is our last day before having to travel home. Once the sun came up, I cracked the french doors in my bedroom to let in the cool breeze sneak in while staying snuggled up in a down blanket. I could smell the coffee brewing downstairs but just wanted to sleep a little longer. So, I was so thankful to be able to sleep in for a bit after paying all the dues with my boy this week which did include a 5:30 morning wake. I’ve had a little bit of a struggle trying to keep up with my daily blog since my computer died. Knowing that I need to get it fixed fast so I can keep moving forward with this and my regular, daily activities on a laptop have me a little stressed out. My boy spent the morning being quite hyper and I could tell my parents were getting a little frustrated by his behavior. After all, we’ve been sharing the same space for a week now. It would make sense for any of us to be a little on edge with each other’s habits by now. I found myself getting overwhelmed and then sick to my stomach again. In fact, it sent me to the bathroom with a green face. Now, it’s crossing my mind, do I have an ulcer? Is stress inflaming it? Who knows? I’m definitely not a doctor. I most certainly don’t diagnose myself correctly on most days. HaHa! I have, however, figured out some coping skills throughout the years, so a little peace and quiet, Stress Away essential oil blend in the diffuser, Frankincense on the crown of my head and on my wrists, and a few positive affirmations got me back in the game. I was not going to let day 7 go down without me. Let’s get out of here and see more of this beautiful area we have been living in this week. In fact, we did a little Buena Vista shopping and then took the mostly dirt Co. Rd. 371 up the valley through three natural tunnels, with views of the rocky terrain in search for Mountain Goats and Bighorn Sheep. Who knows which ones my parents actually spotted last year on their travels to Buena Vista because one minute they were naming goats and the next it was sheep. We didn’t see either, but we did spot a few bald eagles and a lot of mule deer, including many in town, crossing the streets. Of course, one of our favorite things to do on our travels is found good food. I’ve talked about most of the food we’ve eaten this week, so today, we were on the search for Pizza since the original Eddyline Brewery was closed for renovations. After a little research, I found some options in Salida which is just south of Buena Vista. You know, we’d been going north to Leadville, so we were excited to go south and explore a new town. Between Moonlight Pizza & Brew Pub and Amicas Pizza Microbrew and More, we chose Amicas. If I’m not mistaken, Moonlight might be out of Big Sky, MT, and though we love their pizza, we wanted to try something new. We were not disappointed. Immediately after being seated, my boy received a piece of raw dough to shape up. They take it back and bake it for the kids and bring it back with honey. Isn’t that a nice touch? The pizzas were all on real thin (flatbread) type crusts. It was delish! We’d definitely like to spend more time in Salida for eats. After lunch, mom and I walked around town browsing the consignment shops. If you know me well, you see me in cowboy boots more often than any other shoe. I need a black pair and you guys… I found a mint condition, used pair of black Lucchese Cowboy Boots that felt like butter on my feet for $150. Now, I know that seems high, but knowing that a brand new pair of these boots go for $499, does that still seem high? Yeah, okay. My husband also thought it still seemed high for a pair of used boots. But if we weren’t spending all of our spare change on vacation and my hard drive had not just gone kaput, I would have splurged on that beautiful pair of boots, but instead, I kept it smart and walked away from the boots that I’ve been dreaming about. I sure hope Free the Monkey Consignment finds a buyer who will love those boots as much as I would have! We did go through one or two others, and mom sure found a deal in each one! All in all, today was a great day to end with. Tomorrow, we hit the road, then air for travel home to Georgia. Day 8: You must know what it’s like to get up and need to load the car and hit the road on the last day of vacation, so rather than filling you in on what that looked like for us, I’ll just hit the highlights of our day for you. Like the one where I had a car-sick, puking toddler on the way back down the mountain terrain. Poor kid! I don’t think he road in the car one time this week without getting sick. The iPad seemed to help nausea subside for him sometimes, but for others he would throw it back at me and ask for a cup. At least toddlers can learn how it’s done! The last day of vacation can often be depressing or even paralyzing. It can be hard to enjoy because the thought of getting back to real-life can be overwhelming when you’re not ready. I didn’t experience that today because we had some fun surprises planned on our way back to the airport. Surprises that included old friends and new, as well as a little tour of the town where my mom grew up. How cool to drive through Lollee’s town with your hubby and boy? I’ve been lucky enough to visit Golden, CO with my mama before. She’s toured me through it all, from grade school, high school, her home, and even some of her jobs, but making the time to drive through some of it with my family was extra special. The friends we saw were the icing on the cake. Visiting an Atlanta friend who is living out her dream in Colorado, and ended up in your mama’s home town was super fun for all. I’m so blessed to know some great people, and it’s really cool to visit them all over the world. And I find it interesting that distance can’t separate you from someone who was meant to be in your life. We didn’t know each other very well before she left Georgia, but our friendship keeps blossoming through the years, even though she now lives across the country. I don’t need to trim the fat with you, girl. Thank you for taking the time to see us and sharing the fish tacos which were so yummy at the Table Mountain Grill & Cantina. Then my mama’s sweet friend from her childhood came to spend some time with us. And she brought her daughter, my friend who I haven’t seen in about 20 years. Twenty. Years. Wow! From Pen Pals to Social Media, we’ve always stayed in touch, but the face-to-face time is little. What a beautiful surprise to have her make time for us and have the pleasure of meeting her three beautiful children. We had so much to connect on, and I believe God may use this visit for His greater good. #staytuned If I didn’t mention our flight experience for this trip was with Southwest, let me just say that they have SUPER DEALS, and I love their open seating. If you’re diligent about checking in on-time, online 24 hours before your departure, you’re bound to get decent boarding. We fall into family boarding, so unless we get A Boarding Priority, we board between the A’s & B’s. This makes flying with a toddler and a car seat quite a bit easier. A 6 PM departure out of Denver gave us enough time to enjoy our final day, but it was a late night. I believe our tailwind pushed us into Atlanta about 45 minutes earlier than expected, but we were still not in bed until about 1AM. If you’re planning to travel with a toddler, make sure you consider departure & arrival times, as well as nap & bedtimes (along with the time changes). Last, if you’re still reading this, thank you for stopping in to share this journey with me. I hope you picked up a few travel tips, eatery suggestions, and more. I’d love to hear from you. Please share your favorite places to travel in the comments below. Tiffanie Teel Photography: if you’d like to view more of our travel album, click here.

The little face revealed in this post below has challenged me as much as it has made me fall in love. Knowing I am the eldest of six children, you would imagine I was all prepared for the reality of motherhood, but can anyone really ever be ready for what it brings? Spit-up. Diapers. Laundry. Bottles. Food Processing. Snuggles. Love. Then in a flash, all of those things have turned into a whole new list. Muddy boots. Pee Pants. Poopy Pants. “Mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy” (while pulling your clothes right off your shoulders). Hitting. Biting. Negotiating. Crying (lots of crying, by both child and mommy). Personality. “Yes ma’am, mommy” (withheld dropped in disappointment – every – time – they – have – to – say – it). And every now-n-then, the “I love you too, mommy.” Needless to say, I was, of course, warned about the terrible twos, but where were all the mom’s who should have warned me about THREENAGERS? This is a real thing. My toddler has turned into a full-blown, disrespectful teenager in a tiny body. How is this possible? Mirror. Reflection. Oh no!! Has my behavior worn off on him? I know you all think that I am only the angel that you know and love, but I have a secret. When it’s just me and my family and something sets me off, I raise my voice. They like to call it yelling. My temper is sometimes short, and my discipline not always consistent. And I look in the mirror and see why this sweet boy that was gifted to me is acting ugly. Then, guilt. A whole flood of guilt creeps in like a raging storm. Of course, my angel is talking back and hitting. He gets spanked all day while I raise my voice and tell him what not to do, all. day. long. Retreat. Thankfully, I was raised in a Christian home. Thankfully, I’m God’s child. I know that I can retreat to His arms and ask forgiveness and receive it. I can ask for His guidance, and He’ll give it. Bad habits are hard to break. I can’t sit here and tell you that I’ve stopped yelling. That we no longer spank without explanation. But I can tell you that if you listen, you will know if your actions are lead by Him or by the flesh. And you can break the cycle. A little bit of change goes a long way because it leads to more change and future bettering of yourself, your child, and your family. It’s like any relationship, really. Lines of communication need to be open and honest at all times, and there needs to be respect. When you feel yourself getting in a rut, stop and back up. Find a quiet place. Reflect. Pray. Restart. Proverbs 20:15 says, ” The rod and reproof give wisdom; but a child left to himself causeth shame to his mother.” I’ve been told this won’t be the most challenging time of motherhood, but I can say, it sure feels like it. Some days, I do not know how we will manage to get through the day. Anxiety at an all-time high, fear of failure creeping in, and then I remember Romans 4:20, “yet, looking unto the promise of God, he wavered not through unbelief, but waxed strong through faith, giving glory to God”. If you too have been suffering through hard days of parenting, stop and reflect on God’s word, ask Him to share His wisdom, and find peace in Him. For tomorrow brings a new day. Today, I feel led to pray for you all of the mothers who are facing a challenging season. Won’t you pray with me? Dear Father, I come to you right now and praise you for who you are to us, for holding us in your arms and offering forgiveness when we are not worthy. Today, I ask you to touch the hearts of all mothers who need your touch, who need hope, who need confidence that they can be strong, loving mothers who offer biblical guidance and respect to their children. Grant them forgiveness for their shortcomings and love through their failures. Provide wisdom to change while we raise our children to be strong, loving, Godly people. We ask these things in your son’s name. Amen. I would not be capable of writing this without the love and support from other moms who have locked arms and decided to do this thing called motherhood with me. So, I’d love to hear from all the mothers who have “successfully” conquered this season with your first child. Sharing insights and tips with each other is what helps us become stronger, smarter moms. Comment below with your insight to support each other and me.