name: Jennifer

age: 33

current city: Bartlett, TN

living situation: We’re happily living in a suburban house, surrounded by awesome neighbors, shopping, school, and extended family. I live with my high school boyfriend, who smartly married me in 1997; our older daughter, Grace, who was born in 2002; and our younger daughter, Paige, who was born in 2004. Because I have allergies, we have no pets (unless you count the stuffed animals that seem to multiply faster than bunnies). By the grace of God, I have been able to keep a few houseplants alive, and the children as well.

occupation: I am currently a full time mother and wife. 

how do you structure your time and space? I love organizing my home and the feeling I have from knowing it is clean. Strangely, when I am the most stressed, my floors are the cleanest. Vacuuming helps me work through problems. Plus, it is great exercise! I am a big list-maker. I even have lists of my lists! One of my favorite apps on my android phone is the one for lists. I’d be totally lost without it.   

using the metaphor of seasons to describe the phases of women’s lives,

-what are the particular challenges and highlights of your current season? Since my husband is a meteorologist, it seems appropriate to describe our seasons in weather terms. I would say that I’m now in a calm season. I recently “retired” from my job as a Director of Youth Music in a church. Although I loved working outside of the home and was pretty good at what I did, I always had a sense of guilt that I was neglecting my children and husband. I felt as if I couldn’t do anything to the best of my ability while juggling so many things at once. It wasn’t an easy decision for me, and I feel as if I’m giving up a part of my identity and passion, but I know it was the best for us at this point in our lives.  

I feel blessed that we’re financially okay to do without my paycheck, and I owe much of that credit to Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace principles. We’ve been following Dave’s teachings for almost ten years, and it has been such a blessing for our marriage and family. 

I love that my children are so much more independent at ages five and eight. They can go to the bathroom by themselves, get a snack if they’re hungry, help with housework, entertain themselves, et cetera. I’m not a slave to their tummies, bowels, or nap schedules. I love that they can carry on conversations like little adults. It is neat to glimpse the people they are growing up to be.     

-what season(s) preceded this one? The last season was stormy. It was stressful juggling work and family and never quite meeting the expectations for either. I couldn’t fully enjoy things because I was worried about how I was going to tackle the next week’s schedule, project, event, holiday, meal, load of laundry, et cetera. It was exhausting. We were fortunate that the church where I worked had one of the best preschools in the area, so both of my children were able to attend preschool while I worked about 30 hours per week. It was difficult on holidays and breaks, though, trying to find a sitter or take them with me to my office. And it never failed that during my busiest times, one of my children would catch strep throat, have an ear infection, break an arm on the swing set, or get a chicken tender stuck up her nose. Yes, you read it right.  A chicken tender up her nose. We’re still not sure why she thought to put a piece of poultry in her nose on the day of a big concert at church. We’re just grateful that the pediatrician was able to get the chunks of chicken out without a trip to the ER, and I’m especially grateful to my husband who took her to that visit without me because I had to be at the concert. 

I can’t believe how quickly my children have grown up and I feel like I missed the opportunity to truly enjoy it because I was so stressed over all the things I thought I had to get done. In hindsight, I wish I’d not been such a perfectionist and just enjoyed the precious stages they were in. 

-what season(s) might your future hold? This fall marks a huge change for our family since both girls are in elementary school all day (kindergarten and third grade). I look forward to volunteering at their school. I might substitute teach there for some extra income. It will be nice to have the flexibility and freedom. I’m looking forward to enjoying the moments more, not worrying about things as much. Perhaps, when my children are older, I’ll return to directing music, because I did enjoy it, but for now I’m content and very blessed

 favorite family activities: swimming, playing wii together, dates with my husband, and  random Mystery Trips to surprise my children (ice cream, snow cones, movies, swimming, Levitt Shell, Memphis Zoo, Dollar Store, library, nature walks, concerts, et cetera)

 favorite solo activities: reading, catching up with friends and family on Facebook, shopping, and finding bargains.

source(s) of inspiration: God, my mom and dad, my siblings, my friends, and my wonderful husband. 

best MakeShift moment: Our Toy Jail has helped cut down on my children’s clutter. We remind the kids once (okay, maybe twice) before bedtime to make sure their things are put away. If the toys are left out, we simply put the toys in Toy Jail (a laundry basket at the top of the closet). 

If the kids have a clean day and/or have been helpful, they’ll get to pick one or more things from the Toy Jail. When the jail gets full, we throw away or donate toys. It teaches them responsibility for their things, we don’t have to nag, clean-up isn’t a battle, and our house pretty much stays clutter-free. 

I also use “creative descriptions” for things a lot. For example, we have a fluffy brown towel that neither child liked to use after bath time. One time I called that brown towel the “Chocolate” towel, and now they argue over who gets it. The once-coveted soft green towel is now second choice as the “Mint” towel. Go figure. 

jennifer invites you to check out her husband’s amazingly accurate weather website at http://www.memphisweather.net/. 

[if you or someone you know would make a good “mother of invention,” please check out the nomination process and questionnaire located on the sidebar to your right.]

first name: Wendy

age: 30

current city: Vancouver, British Columbia

living situation: I am fortunate to live with three beautiful souls: my husband, my son (four years old), and my daughter (18 months old).

occupation: stay-at-home-mom and blogger

how do you structure your time and space? On a regular weekday, my husband leaves to go to the office very early in the morning before the kids wake up. The majority of my day consists of caring for my two children and running our household, from meals to cleanup, to play time, to circle time (where I like to incorporate learning activities from My Tips To Share).

My son goes to preschool a couple of afternoons a week. In the late afternoons my daughter naps, and my son has quiet time to play with playdoh, color, or make crafts. During that time I write for my blog and/or read other blogs.

My husband comes home and one of us makes dinner. I like cooking, so frequently it is me, but my husband does a good amount too. We have family time (often outside). Some days, I go to an exercise boot camp, and family time happens without me. Next it’s bath time, books, and bedtime. Then, we do a little household cleanup, and often I finish up on my blog while my husband folds laundry. Finally, my husband and I spend some time together. At the present time in our lives this balance works well for us and makes us happy.

using the metaphor of seasons to describe the phases of women’s lives,

-what are the particular challenges and highlights of your current season? I have to start by saying I love all seasons! Just the word makes me happy because I look forward to the beauty and joys in each one, and the renewed feeling from the changing of seasons. It is a great metaphor for life, and with family life some days you can experience four seasons all in one day. My goal in this season is to focus on the positive, to enjoy my time with my children, and see it as a gift to treasure right now. I want to be a good role model because my children are little mirrors reflecting my behavior. I try to listen to my inner voice, to believe in and be confident in myself, to give back, and to believe in others.

I started my blog , Give Love, Create Happiness, to encourage people to believe in and love themselves and to live the best life for them. There is so much beauty and love to go around in the world when your heart is open to it. I want to do my part, however big or small, to increase this beauty and love in the world we share together. Blogging helps me to focus on the good, to unleash my creativity, to give back in a way I am capable of doing while maintaining balance with young children. What I didn’t realize when I started blogging is how much I would receive as a result. It feels like the love and support flood in and I am so very grateful.

-what season(s) preceded this one? In the preceding season, I let my heart guide the way, and I moved with my college sweetheart from the east coast of the US (New York) to the west coast of Canada (British Columbia). The move was very big and life-changing for me. It took me outside of my comfort zone, opened me up, and gave me the ability to truly appreciate what I love about my previous home and the seasons there. As well, it opened my eyes and heart to the beautiful things and seasons a different part of the world has to offer. Fresh out of school and in a place where I knew very few people, I worked outside of the home at a vineyard, in a friend’s newly created coffee shop, and in administrative jobs.

However the most significant part of the preceding season was the time my husband and I spent focusing on one another. We were the center of each other’s universe, which involved growing together and forming a strong bond that has proven to be very beneficial in the next season of our lives – the family life!

-what season(s) might your future hold? Although my goal is to live for right now as much as I possibly can, I am very open to the future and look forward to creating a beautiful one! Maybe the next season will involve creating a job I love that gives me freedom to follow my heart and be creative. I truly feel that being determined and believing in yourself are large components in creating the future of your dreams, and that it is okay for those dreams to change along the way.

favorite family activity/activities: We love swimming at the pool together, going for walks in the evening, dancing to our favorite songs, and having movie nights.

favorite solo activity: Most recently I like to get out of the house and attend fitness classes. I leave needing a break and come home feeling better, stronger, and with more to give. I enjoy writing; reading magazines, online articles, and recipes; and photography. I love baking and having moments of quiet reflection (the shower is great for that!). Crafting, creating art, and making seasonal changes to my home are things I also enjoy but are not at the top of my priority list at this time.

source(s) of inspiration: I am constantly inspired by people: their actions, their words, and their creativity! My children inspire me to be the best person I can be, because what I want most for them is to be happy and loving individuals. My husband inspires me with his inner strength and boundless amounts of love. My family and friends, including people I know and people I know only through their work, all inspire me in so many unique and individual ways that I could never sum it up in a few words. I can say that whenever I need inspiration in different areas of my life, it is always there waiting for me to open my eyes to it and let it in.

best MakeShift moment: The most frequent (weekly) MakeShift moments that happen in our house are meals. The beauty in this is that sometimes those meals are the best ones or they are the healthiest, because they involve a lot of fruits and vegetables that don’t require much prep.

Another MakeShift moment that comes to mind is creating baby gates using dining room chairs (carefully placed on their sides) to make  baby gates when we’re traveling and staying in loved ones’ homes. It is part to protect my baby, part to make my life easier in a different environment, and part to protect someone else’s home (I am sure you know what I mean with young kids!).

Happy Living!

Wendy

find wendy on the web at http://www.givelovecreatehappiness.com

[if you or someone you know would make a good “mother of invention,” please check out the nomination process and questionnaire located on the sidebar to your right.]

[while megan is my latest “mother of invention,” i am the subject of her weekly blogger interview. we’re a mutual adoration society. check us out!] 

first name: Megan

age: 32 (ugg…)

current city: Montclair, VA

living situation: I’m married with two young children. My daughter Sage, is almost four. My son Phoenix, is 14 months.

occupation: Stay-At-Home Mom (SAHM) and Managing Director of Modern Bird Studios (http://www.modernbirdstudios.com).

how do you structure your time and space? Wow. I was hoping you could help me structure my time and space. I barely structure it all! I dabble in some mommy-ing, and then I dabble in the Modern Bird stuff, and I switch back and forth throughout the day. I work from home along with my husband, so my office consists of a couch and a laptop. There are toys strewn about, an overly emotional three-year-old at one ear, and a teething14-month-old tugging on my leg. Peace comes at nap time and bedtime, which is when I get most of my marketing duties done. 

We have a pretty set schedule with the kids. I get ‘em up at 8:00 a.m., feed them breakfast, play, put the baby down for a morning nap, hang with Sage, get the baby up, feed the kids lunch, play, put everyone down for the afternoon nap/quiet time, and do dinner, bath, and finally bed (for the kids) by 7:30 p.m. 

I don’t have much personal time now. The hub would prefer me to take more time for me, but I simply don’t. I probably should. I get up at 5:30 a.m. (did I mention that I abhor waking up early?) three times a week for my workouts so that I can still fit into my clothes while I neglect every other need that I have. That, and I shower everyday. And do my hair and makeup. I can’t stomach not being put together. I just don’t do much else.  If I’m feeling overwhelmed with the Modern Bird stuff, I step away and get outside. Home making?  I used to be so much more on top of it, but the house is still in good order. I clean it once a week, and I force my children to clean up their toys everyday so they don’t choke the rest of the house. Anyway, to answer your question, I’m basically a disaster.

using the metaphor of seasons to describe the phases of women’s lives, 

-what are the particular challenges and highlights of your current season? This season brings with it financial challenges and the task of balancing the business with the kiddos. Modern Bird Studios was launched almost four months ago after my husband and I got tired of his sending resumes to every stinking company out there. He was laid off from his job in September of 2009, and I have been a SAHM since June of 2006, when our daughter was born. We’ve been scraping by on his freelance gigs. The guy has mad skills! Have you seen a Modern Bird Studios piece?  We decided to take control in our fate instead of waiting on the job market to improve — something that we couldn’t do anything about.  Luckily, I had a career in business development for seven years before baby number one came along, so I have experience in doing things similar to what I do now. 

The highlights of our current situation are many. We get to work together, and we work well together. Our kids get to see my husband throughout the day when I let him out of his studio to take breaks from creating the pieces to have a few sips of water here and there. Neither one of us has to commute in that crap DC metro traffic. We love what we are doing. It is crazysauce fun! We’ve met so many amazing and generous people, and we have had some great success in both exposure and sales in such a short amount of time. We’ve built lasting relationships, and we’ve even had the opportunity to pay it forward. We feel so blessed about our little company, and we can’t wait to see where it takes us. Plus, our kids are with us as we build it; they will be the heirs of the Modern Bird fortune.  

-What season(s) preceded this one? I would characterize the previous season as one where I played the traditional role of SAHM to two kids and ran around to play dates here and there. I still do that, but I organize a whole lot less of them nowadays. I did have some of those moments where I wondered if I wasted all that time in college since I wasn’t using my education/career experience in my real day-to-day life. This has been one of those internal struggles I’ve been trying to wrap my head around. I am not tempted to re-enter the work force and stop being a SAHM though because for me, being a SAHM is something I highly value. Still, I find myself trying to justify the point of my higher education and former career experience and how these things relate to my current situation.  

-What season(s) might your future hold? My guess is that my future will be highly successful and full of fun, laughter, and joy. I have about five friends who are pregnant right now, and every time I think about it, my womb aches a little, so I’m quite certain we will be adding on one or two more to the Modern Bird under-aged work force. Other than that, I try not to speculate too much. My life has been full of curve balls, so I don’t put too many concrete expectations out there because so much of my life is beyond my control.

Favorite family activity/activities: I think anything that includes sugar is up there on my list of favorite things to do with the family, specifically going for ice cream! I also love the seasonal things we do—pumpkin patch in the fall, hot cocoa in the winter, looking at flowers and playing outside in the spring, and going to the beach in the summer. Oh, and the big family wrestling and tickle fights bring out the big, belly giggles, which I adore.

favorite solo activities: Is this a trick question? I have so little time to myself! I do love to scrapbook. I was so anti-scrapbooking, and then I had kids, and all of sudden, I wanted to do scrapbooking! It’s my own fault for having such cute kids that I love taking pictures of.

sources of inspiration: the beautiful things around me, including my husband and my kids; the beautiful creations of this world; my faith.

best MakeShift moment: Day to-day life with young children is full of makeshift moments, or what I like to refer to as hardcore boardroom negotiations. My MakeShift moments include giving my 14-month-old a toy to get the TV remote from him, and letting my three-year-old rearrange her stuffed animal “friends” for the millionth time if it means she will settle down and take her nap.

find megan on the web:

• modern bird studios: http://www.modernbirdstudios.com/
• blog: http://www.modernbirdstudios.com/blog
• twitter: modern_bird

first name: Jackie

age: 32

occupation: stay at home mom

how do you structure your time and space? I have fallen into a schedule over the past six months that balances the daily chores of life and home with raising a toddler. I am lucky to have my in-laws nearby. They watch my daughter one day a week; my next door neighbor has watched my daughter (for free!) on Friday afternoons since she was three months old. On my “days off,” I try and do things for myself such as swimming, shopping, or larger errands that a 20-month-old wouldn’t enjoy.

When my daughter was about six months old, my husband started a “Meetup” playgroup for me. This group has become a weekly activity that I really cherish. The women are amazing and diverse, and meeting once a week helps us stay in touch with one another and vent our personal and kid issues, all while our kids are interacting. We rotate between each others’ houses and a park, museum, et cetera.

My husband and I have found that my staying at home significantly counterbalances the demands and stress of his work life. We are free to have fun on the weekends and focus on each other, which works wonderfully for our family.

using the metaphor of seasons to describe the phases of women’s lives,

-what are the particular challenges and highlights of your current season? Being at home allows me to focus fully and completely on my daughter and her growth and development. It also gives me the freedom to travel and see my parents a couple of states away without worrying about vacation time. Given the stressful and unpredictable environment of my former job, I know that I could not have been a success managing work demands while being a mom. In making this choice, I said goodbye to ten years of hard work and the satisfaction of being a recognized expert at a large company.

-What season(s) preceded this one? My husband and I had begun to travel extensively overseas, something I enjoyed immensely. The excitement of discovering new places and cultures was like nothing I had experienced before.

-What season(s) might your future hold? In the next year or so, we will most likely expand our family, so I am looking forward to welcoming a new life into the world. I look forward to taking time to read, exercise and get involved in community activities in the future. I am looking forward to what’s coming – there are so few surprises and true eye-opening moments once we are adults!!

favorite family activity/activities: We love heading to Clemyjontri Park  early on a weekend day. The park is amazing. Rubberized matting allows for padded falls, and the equipment allows anyone to play. My daughter is enamored with horses at the moment, so HER favorite adventure is riding the carousel, or as she would say, the “neighs.”

favorite solo activities: swimming, walking, yoga, reading, crossword puzzles

sources of inspiration: “real” people, my 90 and 96 year old grandmothers, and other moms – this is the toughest yet most rewarding job in the world.

best MakeShift moment: It is a sad one, but one that stands out. We recently said goodbye to our cat, Alexander. In one short hour, we went from having him here at home with us, to giving him our last rubs. It was sudden and unexpected, but I managed to make that terrible decision over the phone with my husband, cry, chase a 15-month-old around PetSmart, maneuver snack time, and say goodbye. In my mind, it was a “life keeps moving forward” moment at its best.

[if you know someone who would make a good “mothers of invention” feature, check out the questionnaire and nomination process located on the sidebar to your right.]