My Guilty Pleasure

The challenge for today, brought me to think about my guilty pleasure. I am not a materialistic person at all and rarely find myself getting anything for myself. Most of what I buy is for my kids or the house... and then it hit me! The little lightbulb lit up! My guilty pleasure is blogging. It now consumes my free (and sometimes not so free) time. I find myself sitting up late at night typing more words or doing more research.

Blogging is my "me time" in a sense. I often get completely lost in my writing and research and tend to tune out the days troubles and stress.

My words allow me to be completely myself, to say what is on my mind and in my heart. Sure, sometimes things tend to be a bit random but I tend to just let it flow as it comes to mind.

I have been on a journey to find myself again. Yes, at this point in my life I have an idea of who I am, but I have lost myself in the process of being a wife and mom. I have been trying to refocus and center myself again. Blogging has played a HUGE part in this!

So tell me, what is your guilty pleasure? What do you make time for no matter what is going on in life around you?

Finding That Balance When You Work From Home

I have been a stay at home mom for a few years now and absolutely love it. While it is the most rewarding job I have ever had, it is also the most challenging at times. At the beginning of this year, I decided to become a work at home mom. My husband owns a lawn business that he does well with but I just felt like I should contribute somehow. Having three young kids, daycare costs would be out of this world and I would strictly be working to pay day care.

While this blog is a new found love for me, I have been doing freelance writing for several months now. When I started, I became faced with a huge challenge. How was I going to find balance between work, being a mom, and being a wife. Yes, I know, people do it every day. My problem came in finding time to dedicate to work between three kids constantly needing something, etc.

While I have by no means perfected this, I have found a few things that help me to get it all done and still keep my sanity somehow!

Wake up early

Sounds crazy huh? Most moms do not get enough sleep as it is so why in the world would a mom WANT to wake up early?! For me, I have become accustomed to having very little sleep at night. I am also a morning person so I do not mind getting up early. I actually LOVE the quiet time. It gives me time to get my thoughts together and figure out what the day will hold for us. The stillness of the house before the hustle and bustle begins is priceless.

Set Goals

Goals are very important if you are going to accomplish work from home. I have goals pertaining to my blog, goals for my freelance work, goals in my family life, and goals for our home. I am a very visual person and have found that actually writing my goals now, makes me more accountable. I work harder to achieve them so that I can mark them out. Gives me an absolute sense of satisfaction.

Make a Checklist

I find that making a daily checklist of things that I want or need to accomplish, helps to keep me on track throughout my day. Some days I get to check everything off and other days, the kids simply have a different idea in mind for me. I usually take my morning quiet time to get my list together. These are sometimes simple tasks such as organize the silverware drawer. Other days it may be a bit more involved. You might find it easier to make one checklist for work and home life. I personally make a separate one for each. While my work is from home, I still try to separate the two as much as possible to help with that balance.

Involve Your Kids

I know that often times when you recruit the help of the kids (depending on age), the simplest of tasks seem to take twice as long. But, kids love to be involved. If my kids are having a hard time entertaining themselves I put them at the table with me while I am on my laptop. I give them paper, pencils and crayons and give them simple little tasks such as "draw mommy a picture of" or "write this". They feel like they are working as well and it keeps everyone in one area. My kids are fortunately still at the age that they love to help around the house as well. They have to clean their own rooms but I try to give them other tasks to make them feel involved and important as well such as, taking the clothes from the dryer and putting in the laundry basket, sweeping the floor, dusting, etc.

Multi Task

I have become a whiz at multi tasking since I became a mom! I always try to find ways that I can do a couple of things at once. I will start the washer and then sit down to write for a bit until I hear the buzzer. I always keep an extra notebook in the car so if I find myself sitting and waiting somewhere, I can pull it out and work on simple tasks such as blog ideas or article prompts. Multi tasking really helps me get more accomplished throughout the day.

Know When To Stop

One of the biggest struggles I have faced since I started working at home is knowing when to stop. For a while I was staying up super late at night trying to get a little more writing done or an extra load of laundry. Just because you work at home does not mean you have to work constantly. Learn to treat it just like a job that you would commute to. Know when to close your laptop and be done for the day. Make time to enjoy life and make memories with your family. Not only is this important for family relationships but for the sake of your sanity as well.

Hopefully these tips will help you in finding some balance with being a work at home mom. For me, it is constantly a learning experience and I have found that my "plans" are ever changing! Good luck in your journey!!

The Greatest Woman I've Ever Known

My Blog Challenge for Day 4 is my greatest childhood memory. As I was sitting and thinking about what I should write about, I was flooded with SO many memories and I had a really hard time settling on just one I should write about. The more I thought, the more I realized that one person kept flooding back into my mind in all of these memories... my Mamaw (this is what I called my grandmother).

When I think of her, the word amazing always comes to mind. She passed away 18 years ago and I would give anything to have her with me today. To meet my kids, to see the woman I have become, to be a part of our life. Growing up, I spent more time at my mamaw's house than I did my own. Anytime I didn't have school, I was there!

My sister and I used to make up dance routines. Now looking back I know that we were such a hot mess. We would then perform these routines for my mamaw and she would sit and watch every single move and tell us over and over what an amazing job we did.

She was an encourager. She always taught me to do my best no matter what the situation was, to always put my best foot forward. She was always very well put together, no matter the day of the week or if she was leaving the house or not. I do not remember her as being someone that wore alot of makeup but she always had her nails nicely filed and painted and her hair done. She could not have pierced ears (her body just rejected them) so she wore clip ons. No matter how much she loved her earrings, she always let us play dress up with them.

Still to this day, every time I eat a peppermint, I am flooded with memories of her. She had a small candy jar that was always full when we would arrive. She just left it out on the table for us to take one as we wanted. For us kids, this was a HUGE deal! 

Sunday mornings were always spent in church with her with a trip to the local burger joint afterwards, on the way home.

I can not help but think, if she were here today, life would be so different. My family would still be together. She was the glue they kept everyone involved in each others lives. Now, everyone has gone their own separate ways and barely speak at all.

While she is not here with me, she has instilled so many morals and values in me at such a young age. Characteristics I still hold on to today. That, is absolutely priceless!


Do you have someone that was a positive influence on your life? Are they still alive today?

What exactly is Random Ramblings?

So, here we are on Day 3 of this Blogging Challenge. Today is the meaning of my business name.

I am a very random person. When I decided to get back into blogging, I had a really hard time coming up with a name. I wanted something that didn't sound too cliche' but something that would also cover the wide variety of content that I knew my blog would cover.

Random Ramblings just came to mind. I jotted it down and throughout all of the other ideas I had, I kept going back to it. I decided that must be the one!

Now that I am more into the blog world, I see other titles and think WOW! I really like that. But, this was my original plan so I am going to stick to it!

Challenge Day 2: 20 Facts About Me

So here we are on day 2 of this blogging challenge. Woohoo! I am on a roll! 2 days in a row!! :) Today is 20 facts about me.. I will say, I decided to brainstorm on this one a little bit ahead of time and 20 is alot of facts to come up with when you stop and think about it....

1. I met this guy back in 2009. We met at the street races originally because we had friends in common but didn't actually speak until a few weeks later at a local tattoo shop. We starting dating and moved in together within a week. Crazy right?! But here we are 6 years and 3 kids later.

2. I have always had a crazy fear of heights. I don't know what it is about them. As I have gotten older, I have gotten better about it. I can remember as a teen I would literally have panic attacks when it came to something as simple as climbing a ladder.

3. I moved to Florida 6 years ago. Mike (my hubby) and I were laying in bed one night having pillow talk and he just randomly said "hey, let's move to Florida" Ha! Little did he know, I have said since I was a little girl that I wanted to live in Florida some day! I agreed right away. He was in shock at first but then we both knew we would make it happen. Three weeks later, we were packing everything we could fit into my truck and headed south. We never looked back.

4. As we have already established, I am a Pinterest addict! If you share the addiction, you can find me here. 

5. I am a note taker. I jot down the most random things. I have tablets and notebooks all over the house with stuff written in them.

6. I have a crazy obsession with office supplies. It makes me sooo happy to get new paper and pens or even a notebook!

7. I got married on the beach. A really simple ceremony with a few close friends and our kiddos. A friend of ours mother actually married us.

8. I have 3 dogs. Two pitbulls... a rednose and a blue brindle, and a yorkie. My pits are big babies and my yorkie is like a grouchy old man!

9. I have a really hard time trusting people, therefore my circle of friends is really small.

10. Reading is something I have a passion for. I always have. No matter the stress or troubles I am facing in life, when I get engrossed in a good book, I forget about them for that moment.

11. Music feeds my soul. I have been through some challenges in this life of mine and music has helped me through alot.

12. I have 4 tattoos (will eventually have many more). I did not get my first until I was 31 and fell in love with it. I have fallen asleep during all except one of them!

13. I have never been fortunate enough to travel outside of the Southern United States. There is so much of the world I hope to see and explore some day!

14. I love shark fishing. Yes! Sharks! There is just something about the fight of reeling in this huge fish and not knowing how big it is or what is is on the other end of your line. The biggest shark I have caught was a 10 feet long and that sucker put up a heck of a fight! yes.. I also bait my own hook :)

15. I had never had a broken bone until about 3 years ago. I tripped over a baby gate and broke my arm right by the elbow. Graceful huh?!

16. I have 4 kids. 2 boys and 2 girls. The oldest 2 are girls and they are 19 and 5. The boys are 3 and 4. Never a dull moment in our house!

17. I am a beach girl for sure! There is just something about having my toes in the sand and soaking up the sun!

18. I am a country girl. I would much rather live in the country than the city any day!

19. I was the first in my family (parents, grandparents, cousins) to graduate high school.

20. I suffer from horrible road rage. I simply do not have patience for people that think they are the only person on the road!


Whew!! I told you 20 was alot! I will admit, it took me some time to come up with 20 things that I thought were worth posting lol.

Day 1 of The Challenge

I am, without a single doubt, horribly addicted to Pinterest. Ok, it is not a horrible thing. It provides me with incredible recipes for dinner, and amazing ideas for home decor that I can actually afford! Well, in my daily pinning, I came across a 31 day blog challenge. I do after all love a challenge so, for the next 31 days, I will be posting something that is a bit more personal about myself. No worries, I will not totally bore you with random facts and tidbits about myself. I will still blog about other stuff just as I have been. This challenge is just an added bonus!

Day 1: Introduction

So, who exactly is this lady pecking away on the keyboard? I am a 37 year old wife and mother of 4. My kids are 3,4,5 & 19. Give me the toddlers over a teenager any day!! We currently live on the Southwest coast of Florida. We moved here just over 6 years ago. I was born and raised in Mississippi and one day just decided to pack all I could and head south to start over with my boyfriend at the time (he is now my husband).

I am a stay at home mom, a freelance writer, and a blogger. While I absolutely LOVE being home with my kids and being here for all of their firsts and learning experiences, it is by far, the hardest job I have ever had! They will all be in school this coming up school year and I will be at an absolute loss. My role of wife and mom are very important to me and while I cherish it, I have lost myself somewhere along the way. I forget to make time for myself and I'm really trying hard to get better at that. A bit of soul searching I guess you could say.

I decided to get back into blogging after taking a break for a couple of years. Let's face it, having 3 toddlers in the house just doesn't allow much extra time for things like blogging. But, now that they are getting a little older and starting to do more on their own, I figured it was the perfect time to get back into it. After all, my blogging is totally me... I get to be myself, speak what is on my mind, be totally random if I want, and just let it all flow.

While I am very random, I am also a bit outspoken... ok more than a bit. I am ALOT outspoken. Sometimes, too much so for my own good.

I have the need to nurture. Maybe it is because I am the oldest of 4 kids and had a mother who didn't take the responsibilty of being a mom too seriously. I had to grow up pretty darn quick and that responsibilty has just kinda stuck with me. Within our group of friends, I am the mother figure. Everyone comes to be for advice or expects me to be the voice of reason. It is a hat I wear well.

As the challenge moves on, you will see much more of who I am, who I was, and who I hope to someday become. It is sure to be a rollercoaster ride. Wanna join in the fun?

I Did Not Know That As A Mom...

I had my first child 19 years ago... wow.. that was a long time ago!! I was young and felt so unprepared to be a mom but, I managed to figure it all out along the way and make it through not only her being a baby, but a toddler and then even the teen years!! I pretty much started over and had three more kiddos. They are now 3,4, & 5. One thing I can say for certain... there are just some things about being a mom that I did not find in any of the books I read, none of my mom friends told me... I truly think they left these random tidbits out on purpose in order to get a little humor. You know, the whole shock and wow factor.

I did not know that as a mom.....

I would simultaneously love my husband so much, and hate him to the point that I planned to smother him in his sleep.... ok kidding.. I would never smother my husband in his sleep. I need someone to run out and get coffee on those mornings when I am out!

There would be not be any more random Dollar Menu Trips to McDonalds. Now every trip consists of Happy Meals... nuggets, fries, drinks.. which likely end up spilled in the car.

That poop comes in more colors than Skittles! No joke here! I can't tell you how many times I have asked "what in the world did you eat??"

It take soooo much longer to get to the store than it does to actually buy a gallon of milk. Are you sure you can't just eat your corn flakes with orange soda?!

That if you can wash your body and shave your legs in the same day, it has been a pretty good day!

Your hair does not have to be brushed on a daily basis, weekly might do just fine.. oh and those round brushes do not come out of long hair without lots of tears and scissors... I hope that patch grows back soon!

You should cross your legs when you sneeze and pray that you don't pee!

Silence is NOT golden!! If they are quiet for more than 3 minutes... you better go check!

The colorful Skittle poop that was mentioned earlier... it will become fingerpaint at some point.

Child proof does not really mean CHILD proof.. it really means ADULT proof! Especially when it comes to toilet locks and needing to pee at 3 a.m.

Your house will never stay clean again until they leave for college. I can assure you that by the time you get one room or mess cleaned up, two more will be made!

That it takes 5 times longers to accomplish anything. Even simple tasks such as taking the clothes out of the dryer.. yep.. takes so much longer!

How you have to smell things, in public, and try your best to remember when we had chocolate pudding last.

How you will secretly scratch $20 dvds, because if I have to hear "Let It Go" one more time, I am gonna lost my mind.

All of your identities are replaced with one, "MOM"

How you stare at them while they sleep and can't believe they actually belong to you... and then do some ninja moves to get out of the room so they don't wake up.

When they are playing nicely in their room, DO NOT make eye contact!! Trust me on this one!!

Never smell your sock if you step in something wet. Take them off, dry the floor, and keep it moving! You just don't need to know that bad!!

That I would have to start getting ready to leave 5 hours before it is actually time to go and this will consist of changing my clothes a couple of times.

You never have your own plate or food... again... like ever. Find a secret stash place, set the alarm for 1 a.m., eat by the light of the fridge, and swallow it whole. It must be gone in 2 minutes. Also, don't brush your teeth so you can taste it, whatever it was, as you fall asleep.

All kidding aside, being a mom is one of the absolute, most rewarding things I have ever experienced in my entire life. I promise you, the dirty diapers and sleepless nights will not last forever.. ok.. maybe a really, really long time. But, they grow up way too fast. The best advice I can give you.. cherish every single moment with them!!

Beach Must Haves For Kids

 Planning a family beach trip can be alot of fun but, at the same time can be a bit stressful! If you are like me, you worry yourself silly that you will forget something that you really need for the day. We live about 15 minutes from the beach and make a family trip every weekend and then I typically take the kids on my own a few times during the week. It is safe to say, I now have packing for the beach down to an art!! I have gotten together a list of things that are really important for your beach day. Hopefully it helps to relieve a little bit of the "Did I forget anything" stress!

Sunblock

This is a super important must have for any beach trip!! Not only for the kids but for the adults as well. Make sure if your kids are younger, you get the correct SPF. When everyone is playing and having fun, it is easy to forget to reapply but this is VERY important! If the family has been playing in the water, make sure you dry off and reapply afterwards. If it has been more sand play, you will want to reapply every couple of hours. Sunburn is not fun, especially for kids!

 Arm Floaties or Life Jacket

The beach is way different than going to the swimming pool. Make sure you take arm floaties or a life jacket for the little swimmers. My youngest will not venture into the water without his life jacket on. My older 2 can both swim but we always use caution when they go into the water because the waves tend to get big and there is also rip current. One thing about the ocean, it is very unpredictable.

Cooler

A cooler stocked with plenty of ice and drinks is a definite must have for any beach day! The sun can really dehydrate everyone so taking lots of breaks to rehydrate is super important. Make sure you aren't packing all sodas or sugary drinks in the cooler. You will need plenty of water and/or Gatorade to keep everyone going throughout the day. Pack it with as much ice as possibly because it tends to melt in the summer sun.

Canopy or Umbrella

The sun at the beach gets HOT!! You will want some sort of shade throughout the day. Not only for the kids, but for the adults as well. The sun can be brutal. Please remember, even if you are spending a good bit of time in the shade, reapply your sunblock!!

Toys

To make any beach day a success, bring along beach toys!! You will need buckets for building sandcastles, shovels for digging , boogie boards for water play, water squirters for water fights, and of course goggles for those moments in the water. Ok.. you don't have to have all of those. Just take along whatever your kids may enjoy playing with. While there are lots of opportunity at the beach for adventure, they will also enjoy just sitting and playing in the sand.

Towels & Beach Chairs

This is pretty much a given. That sand is gonna get super hot and at some point you are going to want to sit down and take a break from all of the fun. My kids always want a beach towel when they get out of the water. No matter how hot it is out, they like to dry off.

Baby Powder & Ziploc Bags

One of the absolute best things to have at the beach is baby powder. This stuff works wonders when it comes to sand! Just sprinkle a bit on the kiddos feet and the sand will wipe right away. Both of my sons also tend to get a yucky rash when playing in the water and running back and forth. Baby powder helps to relieve the discomfort. We all take out phones, keys, etc to the beach. Make sure you pack a few Ziploc bags. You will have stuff you want to keep dry or safe from the sand, these work well. Where I live, we have sharks teeth on the beach with the shells. I also give a Ziploc to each of my kids with their name and they use it to keep their treasures in throughout the day.

Snacks

One thing is certain, all of that playing will work up a big appetite! Make sure you pack plenty of snacks for everyone throughout the day. I try to stay away from things that have to stay cold. I would rather use that space for drinks in our cooler. We tend to take things like Goldfish, carrots sticks, snack crackers, chex mix. No, not super healthy but, it keeps everyone fed.

Trash Bag

On the beaches around here, the nearest trash cans are normally a good little hike away. I like to use Walmart bags for trash bags while at the beach. I already have them on hand. We just use them throughout the day and then put them in the trashcan at the beach on our way back to the car.

I am sure you will customize this list to fit your family trip to the beach. These are just the things that we take every trip. Try not to stress too much over what you may be forgetting and just enjoy the sun, sand, and water!!

Vinegar Can Be Used For All Kinds of Things!

In my efforts to have a more natural lifestyle at home, I have also been trying to use more natural cleaning products instead of so many harsh chemicals. It has been a welcome change to not feel the need to wear a gas mask while cleaning my home. Frankly, some of the natural stuff works way better than any store bought cleaner I have ever tried!! One of the best products I have come across is White Distilled Vinegar. I am not kidding when I say this stuff literally has HUNDREDS of uses!! I won't be listing all of them but, I will be sharing those that I have tried and found to work.

• Cleaning: When I say cleaning, I mean just that! Vinegar is great for wiping down counters and hard surfaces as well as mopping the floors. I have a spray bottle mixed with equal parts water and vinegar. I keep it handy for anytime that I need to wipe up a spill, or clean the counters. When it comes to mopping, I add 1 cup to my bucket of water. Yes, I know the vinegar stinks to high heaven but, I promise you, once it dries, you can't smell it anymore. As far as my floors go, I have all tile in my house and with 3 small kids and 3 dogs, I am mopping several times a day. They always come out clean and streak free!
• Laundry: Adding 1/2 cup of vinegar to laundry is really beneficial. It takes odors our of the laundry (including the smell of mildew) and helps to freshen and remove stains as well. If your towels are not quite as fluffy as they used to be, it could be due to the build up of soap for regular washing. Vinegar helps cut that build up and freshens your towels. If you have sweat stains on your shirts, apply 1 part vinegar and 4 parts water to the spot. Rub it gently and then toss in the wash
• Clean Mirrors & Windows: Vinegar is AWESOME when it comes to cleaning mirrors and windows. I use the same spray bottle that I already have mixed up for my general cleaning. Instead of using paper towels, use tissue paper. Your glass will be clean and streak free everytime without the harsh smell of ammonia in most window cleaners.
• Unclog Your Drain: One thing I can not stand to buy is drain cleaner. I mean it is literally just pouring money down the drain. Let's face it, the stuff isn't cheap either. Vinegar is great for unclogging or degreasing your drains!! Heat the vinegar (adjust the amount, depending on how tough the clog is) Pour 3 tablespoons of baking soda down the drain and then follow with the vinegar. It will bubble up and out of the drain a bit, but don't worry, it won't be much. Do not add water right away. Let the vinegar and baking soda work and bubble away all of the grease and grime in the drain. I follow that with a pot of boiling water just to get anything that might be left and make sure it gets washed away.
• Clean Your Dishwasher: Add one cup of vinegar to your empty dishwasher and run it through a cycle. It will clean the inside of the dishwasher and get rid of the soap build up. Not only does this get rid of any lingering odors but it also cleans everything inside so it can work properly.
• Clean Your Glassware: Over time, glassware tends to get a soapy buildup and then begins to look cloudy instead of shiny and clear. Mix half vinegar and half water in a sink and soak glassware for 20 mins. Rinse with plain water afterwards and it will look as good as new!
• Clean Your Coffeepot: This is a big one for me! I am always worried about the hidden goop and even mold inside the coffee pot. I use mine daily not only for making coffee but tea as well. Fill the pot with 1 cup of vinegar and the rest water. Run it through a regular cycle and then follow with a full pot of just water and run through a full cycle again. This will clean all of the parts you can not reach and keep everything in good working order.
• Killing Weeds: One of my flowerbeds in my front yard is with rock instead of mulch and it seems like weeds just sprout up all over the place in that bed. I don't want to use roundup due to it not being very environmentally friendly and also the risk of killing everything else in sight. Spray straight vinegar on the weeds and it will kill them. For me, I had to do this 2 days in a row for them to die but it worked like a charm!
• Soothe a Bee Sting: Bee stings hurt! No matter how old you are, they just hurt!! Soak a cotton ball with vinegar and dab it on the sting to soothe it and take some of the sting away.
• Boiling Eggs: Add 2 tablespoons of vinegar to the water you are going to boil your eggs in and it will prevent them from cracking.
• Animal Urine: Blot up the urine and flush with clean, lukewarm water several time. Spray with 50/50 water and vinegar mixture, blot with a clean cloth, apply clean water again, blot and let air dry.

My new adventure is a learning experience each and every day and as I try vinegar for new things, I will post another blog with even more uses!!

Peace & Serenity

Nestled on a small island in Southwest Florida is my happy place. No matter the stress or struggles I am facing, once I cross the bridge to Boca Grande, the salty air grabs those troubles and sweeps them away. Once you cross the bridge, you are brought into a different world. An entire little town. Most residents there ride around on their golf carts to go to church, the library, or even the small store.

The beaches are absolutely amazing! Beautiful shells can be found and amazing sandcastles built. Our family has been going here for several years. Spending days at the beach, swimming, shark fishing, and just simply enjoying our surroundings.

While sitting on the beach with your toes in the sand, you can watch the beautiful clouds passing by. I have also seen some of the most amazing storms ever roll in from across the water. Staring into the clouds allows for daydreams and the ultimate escape from reality for a little while!

Nestled on one of the beaches, you will find a beautiful lighthouse. They have turned the inside into a small museum/information center that is open for a few hours daily. The big wrap around porch is always open and provides for a breathtaking view any time of day!

On one of our many adventures walking the beach, we found this awesome shell tree! At one time it was a huge tree and now it is pretty much laying over and dead on the beach. People have taken this dead tree and made it so unique and beautiful! There are all sorts of shells hanging on it!

Some are strategically placed.

You can tell that each one has been placed with thought.

The amazing thing is that these shells manage somehow to stay in place even through the rough storms.

For some, I am sure the placement of the shells holds a special memory.

Some are the same but yet, so very different.

One of the best things about spending the day at Boca Grande, is the amazing sunset at the end of it. Florida sunsets are by far, like nothing I have ever seen before! You can cast your troubles into that sunset and watch them fall down into the horizon with the promise that tomorrow is a new day!

I am very blessed to live near this amazing island and its beautiful beaches. I know for some, the beach is not just a quick drive away. If you have a bucket list, I encourage you to add this one to your places to visit some day!!