I better not be getting the flu!

There is nothing worse than a mom with little kids getting the flu. Most of the time, we are the ones responsible for getting the kids to school, dinner, dishes, and laundry. We get up in the middle of the night with our newborns. We suffer through irritatingly long well-checks and PTA meetings. We can't get sick! There should be a rule that mother's can't get fevers, headaches, diarrhea, or nausea...let's throw menstrual cramps in there for good measure.

I have had a headache for the past 12 hours and I am fearing the worst is yet to come. With my daughter filling me in that 13 children were absent from her class today and her newly developing fever I just discovered (just great!), tomorrow isn't looking that great for me. I guess I will just pop a few vitamin C's and a Tylenol, hunker down for a good night's rest, and hope that all of this paranoia is a distant dream by morning.


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Trying out eHow

Since my husband lost his job a few weeks ago, I have been searching for more ways than ever to earn money online. It is becoming ever more obvious that this does not happen easily or quickly but the turtle won that race , right? I have decided to push myself harder and write by butt off until it does pay off. No lazy Sally here. I know it will pay off, I just have to keep with it.

Recently I started a writing how-to articles on eHow. It takes time to write the articles but when you are done, you just sit back and let the passive income from ad clicks come in. Sound easy? It can be but getting enough articles is what takes time. I am pretty sure that 150-200 articles is what it will take to see any significant earnings. I'll let you guys know how it works out. I've only been there 4 days so I may be presumptuous but I fully expect to kick butt over there.

A Busy Day

Normally, my Saturdays are very laid back and quiet. Every other Friday, my parents keep all of my kids over night and bring them home Saturday afternoon. Not this week...my mom had foot surgery and could not possibly keep up with them. My husband, who used to work 60 hours a week, is home all the time now. I love having him here but I do enjoy when I'm alone. I can stay in my pajamas and write all day long. Not today.

Since Roger is home and the kids are here, I feel busier than ever. Not only am I behind on 2 lenses, I have to get a shower this morning and and cook a roast. My hubby has invited him family over to watch the UT game today. I'm not really a football fan but if I have to watch it, I'm all VOL. I need to pick up the living room and do a load of dishes too...ugh!

Oh yes, I almost forgot...the flea market. We did go yesterday and it was a total wash. I don't think it was because people didn't like what I was selling...it was just dead. I'm not going to dwell on it because we plan on going back tomorrow and making a killing...finger crossed.

My husband was laid off today

That pretty much says it in a nutshell...he was laid off. So what does this mean for us? I have no idea. We just bought a new car. We have a mortgage, furniture payments, and three kids to feed. I have been hearing stories of people all over the country losing their jobs for the past year now. You never think it will happen to you until it does.

Let me start off by saying that if this has happened to your family, I completely empathize with you now. If it has not happened, prepare for it! You think it couldn't happen but it can. Save, save, and save some more. We have nothing to fall back on and I'm not sure what we will do.

I can tell you what we won't do. We won't feel sorry for ourselves. We won't dwell on the couldas and shouldas. We won't panic. We will persevere and overcome. I am convinced that a positive attitude will only help as we start what is sure to be a long, hard journey.

I am hoping to find other means of income while my hubby looks for another job. I have been making jewelry off and on for a few months now so I am going to try to sell off a few. My husband is a wonderful bow hunter and makes his own arrows. He is putting a coat of stain on some as we speak. We are going to take these things down to the flea market this weekend and hope to make enough to tide us over. I am trying not to have unreal expectations. I will let you know how it goes either way.

I am going to continue to blog and try to keep my honest personality in tact without getting too serious. I can't stand whiny people. I don't want to whine...I just want to talk. Isn't that what these things are for anyways?

I wish you all the best in your day to day and I will keep you updated with mine. Until tomorrow, good night and God bless.

Picture courtesy of Allposters.com.

What is Squidoo?

Squidoo is a site that I belong to. I started in January of this year when I read a 'lens' called Are you a stay at home mom (or dad) interested in earning a monthly income?. The writer was so honest and intriguing that I had to sign up.

Squidoo is a place where everyone is an expert. Whatever you know, you write about. If you know how to make candied apples, share it on Squidoo. If you know the best tips for saving money, share them on Squidoo. You are the expert and people really want to hear your advice.

I have to say that I love this site! The people and the staff are amazing and I have made so many wonderful friends. You will not, however, get rich on this site. You can make a living off of it if you put in the hard work. Check out the site and let me know what you think. I know you will fall in love with it just like I have.

When was the last time...

I have always been a fairly conservative girl. I wasn't flashy and I was shy. I don't rough house and get my hands dirty. I was raised solely by my mom and I have one sister (no brothers) so I contribute my 'girliness' mostly to that.

I got married to my husband when I was 18 years old. He, on the other hand, has two brothers and no sisters. It's like we are from two different worlds. The things that boys do are not normal! They are rough and play stupid games...or so I used to think.

A few months ago, my 22 year old brother-in-law started a new family game. You smack somebody in the chest with the back of your hand and yell, "When was the last time you had one of these?". It's a really childish game yet oddly addicting. The whole family does it now. The problem with that is that now, all the family members watch out for it. You have to act casual and let it come out of the blue.

My husband has become quite fond of this game and 'gets me' all the time. I, of course, have to retaliate. Lately, we have been running around like idiots trying to get each other. We play and prank each other. We are just having fun. I almost feel like a kid again. It's nice because it is completely out of my very deliberate character. Cutting loose is liberating and relieves a lot of stress for me. I want to thank my brother for his ridiculous game and I would like my readers to ask themselves..."When was the last time...?".

Two Years

My middle daughter started Kindergarten this week. My oldest is in fourth grade and my baby just turned three. This realization didn't hit me until the other day. In two years, I won't have anything to do all day. Of course, there is laundry, dishes, and mopping the floor. Will doing just that make me a maid? I don't want to be a maid or a chauffeur or any of those other things that moms sometimes call themselves. I am a woman. I am smart and goal oriented. I want to do big things with life. I have the college degree, the marriage, and the kids but I want more. Don't think of me as selfish here. I'm not selfish; I'm driven.

So I have two years...two years before the kids are in school and my hubby is pushing me to get a job. The only chance I have is to make a living from home. I like to think I am smart enough to figure out a way to do this on my own. My husband thinks I'm 'living in the clouds' but I don't care. I want him and my kids to be proud of me. I want to have a secure future where I am not dependent on a boss or paycheck that is far to little for the work I do. I think most of us feel that way but only a handful of us moms actually do it. I want my identity back. I want to make a name for myself that I choose. 'Mom' is great, but 'creator of my own destiny" is so much better. Here's to the next two years....

Image courtesy of Allposters.com.