my businesses and my BEAUTIFUL gals

It's been a long while since I've written!  In fact, this might just be the longest bloggy break I've ever taken.  Don't know why ... I haven't felt very inspired to write I suppose.  Nothing much to write about as well.

That, however, doesn't mean I haven't been busy as can be!

We've had quite a few visitors wanting to see our adorable, beautiful, and SO easy going Gloria.  I've also been at work quite a lot already.  My godmother came to visit this entire week and I put in about 25 hours to get things settled and organized so that when I do return in a week, things will be more put together for me. 

I've also been VERY busy with the etsy shops.  Yes, I said SHOPS.  I started a second one with some invitations, menu cards, etc. and while it's not nearly as stocked as the other one, it has added some more work for sure!  I've already printed about 150 invitations for people and it's so fun bringing some happiness in to these events and doing it for a reasonable price.  I get so ANGRY when I see how much others charge.  Yes, it takes me a HUGE amount of time to print them, cut them, and go to the post office everyday, but I like doing it at a reasonable price.  Not everybody can spend $50,000 on a wedding.

I digressed.  When I finally got the inspiration to write today, I thought I'd write about the two things that have been occupying my mind lately: my businesses and more importantly, my beautiful gals!

C'mon Let's Celebrate. Here I have invitations, menu cards, programs, and more.  I'm trying to add more listings (because I have the BIGGEST list of ideas on my phone and computer) but it takes quite a lot of time to design them and my attention is more on the sides of looking at this beautiful face as often as possible. ; )

Gloria has been SUCH an awesome baby.  She had 3 rough days last week because I gave her a stomach virus and while I was sitting on the toilet she was spitting up.  It wasn't pretty.  But the good news is she continued to sleep through it all (we're averaging about 5.5 hours between feedings, but sometimes get as much as 6.5).  I'd LOVE for it to be longer sleeping, but we go from about 9:30 to 3 and then 6:30 we wake up for the day.  Evan does the 3 am feed most nights so I'm sleeping from 11:30 to 6:30 most mornings and with a newborn that's pretty dang good!  As for the daytime, she continues to be SO easy peesy.  She just does tummy time or sits in her boppy for 45 minutes looking at the world without a fuss.  Then when it's time to eat, she lets you know!  But, she feeds quickly, and then takes a snooze or continues on her merry way looking around happily.  It's so wonderful!

So I've discussed one beautiful gal and one business.  Here's the SECOND business.

Pretty Prints Shop is all about that: any print I can imagine.  I've done signs for people's weddings, quite a few baptism gifts, things for the kitchen, and of course a ton in the nursery! I add more to this one because it's my baby and I've had ideas for it forever.  

And my original baby ... here she is ... in her full glory.  She is SO stinking fun right now.

Liliana sings and talks up a STORM.  Her favorite things to say are "Daddy and Mommy are silly!" or she's a big fan of saying "Ok Mommy be right back!" when she goes to the potty.  This morning, she told me "Madrina has my heart"  Yeah, she's warmed up to my godmother quite a lot!  She's such a brilliant little stinker.  I'm pretty obsessed with her.

All in all life has been great since Gloria was born.  I'm REALLY overwhelmed with the thought of going back to work full-time without any help (Evan's hours continue to be insane).  But, that's another blog post for another day. : )

Controversial Thoughts On Being a Working Mom

I had a planned post about being 16 weeks pregnant and about the fact that I'm already getting excited about decorating a nursery.  But then I saw that this week on Kelly's Korner is "Working Moms," and I just had to post.

This is something very near and dear to my heart. 

I am a full-time working Mom.  I have a 20 month old daughter, another daughter on the way, and a husband who is a surgery resident and works upwards of 80 hours a week.

It is tough at times.  It is trying.  But it is the way I WANT it to be.

I went to law school and after finishing decided to take my career path in a different direction.  I don't currently work at a law firm.  Instead, I am the Academic Director for the Middle School and Upper School of a very prestigious school.  My hours are manageable compared to my husbands and those of an attorney, but on average, I work about 45 hours a week.

People have often asked me things such as: "don't you want to see your children walk for the first time?" or "why do you work if your husband is a doctor?" (yes I've been asked both of these MULTIPLE times)

I used to get REALLY offended.  I think working Moms are usually lumped in to this category of "we only do this because we HAVE to."

Not the case for me.  I WANT to work.  Personally, I enjoy coming to work everyday, and to be COMPLETELY honest, I think I'm a better Mom and wife because I work.

No the balance isn't easy.  Having her in daycare and dealing with dropping off and picking up everyday can be tiring.  When the daycare is closed and I have work, we're always in a pickle.  If we pay for someone to babysit all day that could be very expensive, but then again, I get very little vacation throughout the year (we're talking 5 days total) so taking one day is a big sacrifice.  My husband surely can't cancel a ton of surgeries, so like I said those days are really rough.  When she's sick we have to manage and balance.  But we find a way.  Also, my daughter has the most amazing immune system know to man kind and hasn't had a sickness with a fever since she was about 4 months old.  She got Daddy's immune system.  I'm very thankful for that!

You just rearrange your schedule and have to live very organized.  I HAVE to go grocery shopping on the weekends because by the time I get home from work I wouldn't have time to go grocery shopping.  Yes this means we have quick and easy meals often, but it works for us.

The biggest advice I can give for it all:

(1) make sure your husband is supportive of your working or not working.  I HATE it when I hear husbands resent their wives working or not working.  Fortunately for me, Evan WANTS me to work.  He knows it makes me happy, he think it's what fits US as a family, and he realizes that we can balance it all and be happy.  I know of couples that the husband automatically thinks the wife will stay home and what if she doesn't want to?  I see these things as FAMILY decisions.  I don't see why the woman is always the one that has to stay home.  What if the husband wants to do it too?  I think it's a totally personal decision and I truly support EITHER way of living.  Just make sure you and your spouse are on the same page about it.

(2) make sure to still make time for yourself.  This is probably the hardest part of it all.  Since I do daycare drop off and pick up everyday, this takes another chunk out of my day.  And since I HAVE to be at work by 7:45, I don't get to stay up late. We pay $700 a month in daycare and when #2 comes along, that will double.  By the time you do the math, my paycheck really isn't helping much.  This is very difficult to come to terms with sometimes.  But since this is what I WANT to do and since I am still helping a good chunk financially, it works for us. If the baby has a rough night, I can't just come in later.  It's easy to feel drained in this regard.  BUT, I still make it a point to find me time.  Sure this means that the laundry often isn't done or that the kitchen isn't perfectly clean, but for me, my time to exercise is sacred.  I go about 3 to 4 times a week and yes, we pay more for a gym with daycare, but it's so worth it.  I don't go for long, but while I'm on that treadmill I'm in my zone and by the time I'm done, I am rejuvenated, feeling good about myself, and ready to finish the evening with my lovely girl.

LAST thought on this topic and the most important to me;

DO NOT judge people on whether they stay home or work.

I must admit I am guilty of thinking "what do SAHM's do all day?" before having children.   HA!  I don't think this anymore.  Trust me.  NOT AT ALL.  I know it's consumed with cleaning, feeding, keeping the kids under control, just hoping that nap time comes faster, etc. 

On a different note, don't judge a Mom for wanting to work.  If that's her decision, be supportive of it!  Let her know that it's a different balance.  Let her know you support that.  I think people often say "being a stay at home mom is the most difficult job on Earth" and you know what?  I AGREE!  I couldn't do it!  But on the other token, why can't we give credit to Moms that help provide financially and still take on the Mom and cleaning/ cooking etc. role as well?

Every Mom in the long run wants to do what's best for their family.  And criticizing others for this decision isn't going to help one bit!

I say ... want to stay at home?  GOOD FOR YOU! 

        ... want to work?  GOOD FOR YOU!

Let's all come together and rejoice in the fact that we're fortunate for what we have and support each other while we're at it.

"Pick a Color"

I'm not going to lie, the last week at work has been QUITE stressful.  I'm not sure I've ever truly explained what I my job details are on this blog ... don't know why.  I guess I do it 50 hours a week and don't want to talk about it more than I need to.  I know I've mentioned that I love what I do, and that still holds true.

This semester, I was the "Academic Director of Academic Achievement for the Upper School" and I taught Economics to one section of seniors.  NEXT semester, I won't be teaching Economics (because it's a one semester course) and I will be promoted to "Academic Director of Academic Achievement for the Upper School & Middle School!"

I am REALLY excited about this promotion.  I started hearing that it might happen a couple months ago, but on the first of December, it became official. So what does this mean job wise?

What I do is help students that struggle in school.  This can mean learning differences, it can mean organization issues, note-taking issues, test-taking anxiety, whatever it may be.  The other big part of my job is to make sure students are receiving accommodations that they should be receiving.  In other words, if the medical evaluation says they are permitted to use their lap top to take notes on, I  need to ensure all our faculty is compliant with this.  This gets really complicated when each individual student has different needs.  I know it's tough for the teachers to remember, so that's where I come in.  I do a TON of talking with parents, holding parent-teacher conferences when grades are low, etc.  Even on days where I think things are going to be slow, I end up being busy.  The last part of my job: finals time.

About 30 of our upper school students are permitted to take their final exams in a "quiet testing environment."  A few of those are permitted to have scribes, a few are permitted to receive the exam orally, and a few just need some extended time.  It all depends on the individual student.  The stressful part is ORGANIZING it all.  Where will each student be?  Who is going to proctor it?  How do I let each student know where to be?  Who gets and how much extended time do they get?  Who is permitted to use a laptop?  How do I communicate this to the faculty? Etc etc.

I must admit I was nervous on how it would all go down.  I can GLADLY say, I am proctoring the LAST final exam of the semester as I type this and it went PERFECTLY.  NO problems.  I've only heard GREAT remarks about the organization of it all this semester.  Most teachers say "you are the most organized person I've ever met," to which i respond "how can I TEACH organization if I'm not organized myself?"

The last few days I haven't had time to even pee at work.  Today though, once these tests are done, the hardest question I'm going to have to answer is "What color do you want?"

After finals, I am going straight to my favorite nail salon and getting a pedicure.  I deserve it.  I'll read some trashy "People" magazine and will delight in Christmas break. 

Yes, I have a ton of company arriving TOMORROW and truly, we're not ready ... but this afternoon?  It's me, myself, and my toes.  For one hour, I won't be a busy working Mom, I won't be a wife that is married to an incredibly busy surgery resident, and I won't even worry about what Liliana is doing at school.

 For one hour, I'm going to be a girl without worries, well other than making sure the color I choose looks just right. : )

What did I wear today? Outfit pictures below!

This sounds silly ... but I have sent Evan a picture of what I'm wearing to work a few times.  See, Evan leaves EARLY EARLY every single morning (ahh ... the life of  a resident) and by the time he gets home in the evenings, I'm in my work out clothes looking sweaty and stinking like BO.  SO, I want him to occasionally see his wifey looking nice. 

Therefore, I take a little poorly lit picture for him to see.  He always responds "holy jesus you're beautiful" or something like that (that's the one I got today).  It makes me feel nice to hear a compliment at 6:45 in the morning.  I think everyone should get a compliment BEFORE even heading to work.  Now THAT is a way to start off your day!

Anyway, I thought I would share for you guys what I wear to work lots of days.  I've seen "outfit" posts on blogs before and I always like seeing how people dress and what creative yet classy ways they put thier clothes together.  My FAVORITE thing about those posts?  When people say WHERE they bought stuff because sometimes I want to copy cat and buy it too!

I wore this to work a few weeks ago and had SO many compliments on the dress.  My Momma bought it for me at Belks.  I'm actually wearing it backwards!  It's low cut in the front and not appropriate for work, so my Mom had the idea to simply turn it around.  She's a smart woman!

Outfit:

Dress: Belks ($40 on sale)

Shoes: Carlos Santana (bought 5 years ago)

Earrings: gift from Evan from NY & Co ($10)

Even though this shirt is longer, I wore it in August because it was sheer and breathes so well!  That's exactly what I need in these hot summer months.

Outfit:

Shirt: The Limited ($30 at a 40% off sale)

Pants: NY & Co (free bc I had a ton of gift cards)

Shoes: NY & Co (free bc I had a ton of gift cards)

This outfit was a little on the boring side, but I really like the necklace and durability of that shirt ... it is TEN years old!  Gotta love the Banana Republic Outfit.

Outfit:

Shirt: Banana Republic Outlet ($14)

Pants: NY & Co (again, ton of gift cards)

Necklace: The Limited ($18 bc I had a buy one get one free coupon)

Shoes: TJMaxx ($14 in clearance rack)

Here I am today! I really should take these with a decent camera huh?

Outfit:

Shirt: The Limited ($16 in a 40% off sale ... I did damage that day, even with great prices!)

Pants: Old Navy ($20.  They occasionally have some GREAT slacks)

Shoes: NY & Co (same from above pictures)

Bracelet: Park Lane Jewelry (don't know how much it cost, it was a gift)

There ya have it!  While getting dressed every morning is a little stressful, it's actually quite fun to plan my outfit out.  The only problem?  I'm also starting to like shopping!  To make matters worse, my husband and I don't have the typical relationship where he says I shop too much.  He ALWAYS tells me I worked hard to get back in to my pre-pregnancy clothes and should reward myself. ... well ... if you insist! 

Have you guys seen any good sales lately that I have to hit? : )

Working Momma Once Again!!! ... PLUS, I need work fashion advice!

Last Friday, I started work at my school here in Arkansas.  I can't give you guys too much information, because believe it or not I've heard that these little stinkers will google my name incessantly.  I can add that I'm fortunate enough to work at the best private school in the state and quite frankly, the place is amazing.  They treat their staff and the stuents so well. 
Example: I showed up to work on Friday and by 11 I had a BRAND NEW FREE laptop, AND my first paycheck!  DANG, talk about a sweet first day.

I will be SO very busy at the school.  I am the Academic Director of the upper school and teach economics.  I will also do legal work for the head of school whenever they don't want to send things to legal counsel.  Basically, I have the best job ever...it's a little bit of everything, I am incredibly busy during the day, and I work with a bunch of wonderful children and with a very hard-working staff. 

While my hours don't seem like they'll be horrible, they definitely won't be a cake walk.  I leave the house around 7:20, drop Liliana off at daycare, get to work around 7:45 and so far, haven't even had a chance to pee until I get home in the early evening!  YIKES!  Honestly though, I wouldn't want it any other way. I love a busy job.

On the weekends, the job won't necessarily require  I go to too many events but it is "strongly recommended" and even more so, I WANT to go!  This school is so impressive and truly cares about the children that attend.  So to go to football games, to see the choir concerts, and to go to the student council events will definitely take time, but I'm so very excited to get to know these upper school kids (and hopefully children from the lower and middle school too).

It has definitely been a transition going from staying home for 2 months while we settled in to the house to going back to work full-time without Liliana by my side.  I wake up WAY earlier now that I'm back to work and quite honestly, I much prefer working to staying-at-home.  It just suits me really well.  This is an entirely differnet topic, and I understand it's controversial, but working is what works for our family and I'm happy it's all working so brilliantly!

Liliana, of course, has transitioned without any difficulties.  When I drop her off, she just turns around, blows me a kiss, and says "Bye bye Mommy!" .

... and walks off.

No crying.  Not a peep.  For a 14 month old baby, she is QUITE independent.

ANYWAY, I need some advice from everyone!!! HELP me!!

 I have to decorate my Achievement Center room and need your help!  It's QUITE ugly right now.  Pictures to come soon!  We'll have to get our decorating shoes on.  Any ideas for a cute office at work? 

Second, this job makes me dress all fancy schmancy ... I mean, I can't even wear capri slacks!  I just bought gorgeous ones from the Limited and ... nope ... can't wear them! BUMMER. Any advice?  Where to shop for clothes, for shoes, for jewelry, what to wear while still being comfortable, etc.? 

Evan told me he'd help pick outfits for me on-line and you know what he's looking at right now? 

Lingerie. 

Don't really think that's what I had in mind!  WELL, at least not for work. ; )