I am a stay at home, work at home Mom. Sounds perfect and glamorous, right? It definitely has its upsides and perks, but it’s not all sunshine and roses every day my friends. I’m pretty certain that no matter what type of “Mom” you are, it’s never perfect all day every day. And that is OK and it is one of the beautiful and wonderful things about being a Mom.

I wear so many hats. We all do! I’m a wife, mom, daughter, sister, friend, small business owner, blogger, interior stylist, furniture painter, diy maker, booth owner and we will just stop there for the sake of time 🙂 My husband took the boys to an afternoon movie, and I decided it was a good time to write. Writing is an escape and an outlet for me.  This post is a little different for me, and  little more personal than I usually get. Even if not one person reads what I write today, that’s ok. Sometimes just getting it all down and off your mind is all you need. So, here we go.

I posted this picture of my youngest son in a Kirklands box on my social media accounts last week. Here is what I said,

“Some days I’m literally killing it at this mom thing. I’m on the floor playing and I watch all of the “watch this” all day long. I am there, and I am totally present. And then other days I hand my kid a big box and tell him to go play. 😉 He made his rocket ship and played alongside me as I worked all day. I got SO much done and he went to space and back a few times! Being a stay at home, work at home mom ain’t always easy folks. When you have littles, they are there, in your work space and they need you. And you want them to need you because they won’t always. This week I have promised this little guy a day with just him and I. No work allowed! This is why I felt totally OK with letting him play in a box today. It’s all about balance, right?! One day I will be writing a blog post on this very subject! Raise your hand if you are a stay at home, work at home mamma and you feel me?!”

Little did I know, that 2 days after posting this on the day that was suppose to be our “special day” for just the 2 of us, that something would happen that most likely will change my life forever. And that blog post that I planned to write about being a stay at home, work at home Mom now has even more meaning than it would have before.

On Thursday, February 23rd I took this picture (posted below) that morning and was going to post on my social media about how I was having a relaxing morning and excited to have a special day with my boy. Unfortunately, before I was able to post it something happened beyond my control to stop me from doing so. Even more importantly, it kept me from getting to have my special day as planned.  It was my wake up call day and my SLOW DOWN moment that I will never forget.

I ended up posting this picture on Saturday once I was back home with my family. I think it will always be a picture near and dear to my heart. It will be a reminder of that day and how quickly things and plans can change.

Here is the thing about being a stay at home, work at home Mom. It’s VERY hard to separate yourself.  You don’t have an office to go away to during the day to leave all of your work there at the end of the day. It’s all right there around you, in your house, home office, garage, craft room, etc. There’s no escaping it, unless you physically leave your home. It’s all there. The unfinished projects, the messages to return, the social media to keep up with. It’s always right there.

It’s also been an incredible blessing to be able to work in this capacity while my kids are young. I’m my own boss and make my own schedule. I get to go to school parties, doctors appointments, sports events, and tuck my kids in bed at night. This is something I will never take for granted and am very blessed by. I have MAD respect for every type of Mom that is doing their best every day. At this point, I’ve been the stay at home Mom. The working Mom. And now the stay at home, work at home mom. They are ALL hard in their own ways, and all rewarding in their own ways. So, you go moms for doing what you do!

I’ve had my at home business for 4 years now. My oldest son is in elementary school, so he is gone every day during the week. My youngest has always been my assistant on the days he is not in his little preschool. But I’ve always tried to set aside special time for him and I without any work. It’s one of the reasons I do what I do, so I can have that time with him while he is still home with me before “big school.”

I have been very busy here the past couple of months to say the least. My business has picked up, which I am again so thankful for. I was trying to do it all and be everything to everyone. I was wearing all the hats, but apparently not wearing them too well. It was getting harder and harder to “squeeze” in that special time, but I was trying the best I knew how. It was kind of starting to look like a juggling act gone wrong.

I truly believe that finding a balance is key. Do I want to keep working? Absolutely! I literally love what I do. I’ve spent the past 4 years growing this business and molding it and shaping it into what it is today. It is my creative outlet and my passion. I like being able to contribute to my family financially. You know, because of my shopping addiction and all 😉 Do I want to keep being there and present for my family? NO DOUBT!! My family is my number one. Always and forever. Jobs will come and go, but these little humans that my husband and I created are ours eternally. And that right there is what it is all about. Is there a secret on how to balance it all? If there is, I sure wish someone would share it with me. But, here is what I know.

I want the balance, I need the balance, and I will make it my priority to find the balance. I will keep my family my number one while I work hard on the sides to grow my business. I will have days where my kid plays in a box, but I will make sure to carve time for the special days and the special moments. I will show my boys that while I am no supermom, I am there for them always and am trying my best. I will let the laundry sit a little longer if it means extra time with my family. I will let the project go a day longer, and take time for myself. I will work on balance and try to crack the secrete code for us all.

This weekend I have done nothing but relax. It has been slow paced and nice. It has been exactly how I know it should be right now. I’ve had time to reflect and rejoice, plan and prioritize. Pin this image below if even one of these things hits home with you! Lets spread the word to all the mamma’s out there that IT IS OK!! We’ve got this!!

It’s just OK y’all. It’s all OK. We are all doing the best we can with what we’ve got. We are all trying and we are all winning in a lot of ways. Take the time to figure out what areas of your life you need to slow down in, and what areas you need to focus more of your energy on. Find the balance you need and deserve. Keep on keeping on and pat yourself on the back for everything you do so well! Let’s face it. Mommin’ ain’t easy, but it sure is the ABSOLUTE BEST!

So, while I may not have been able to have my special day with my boy on Thursday- there are many more Thursdays ahead for us. I still have time and will MAKE the time. What do y’all do to find balance in your Mom life? No matter what kind of Mom you are! If you’ve cracked the code, share it in the comments for all to know! I know I’m not alone in my feelings here.

For now, I’m headed back to the couch to watch more HGTV 🙂 And when my boys get home, I will hear all about their day and enjoy my night just being here with them all. Until next time…

~ Stacey

!!!!!UPDATE!!!!

Today, 2/28/2017 we were able to have our special day. It turned out to be even more special than I could have imagined. I let him pick what we were going to do. Since it was a rainy day, he chose to go to Chuck E Disease…I mean cheese. So, off we went to see the mouse! He had the time of his little life with that mouse. Winning tickets like it was his job. This kid loves life and all the little things. Each ticket was like the first one he had ever gotten. It was a good time for both of us. You know, where a kid can be a kid!

So, after some fun with the big mouse, I asked him what he wanted to do next. He told me he wanted to go to a store to buy something for our house. He said since it was “OUR” special day and we did something that he liked, he wanted to do something I liked next. My mamma heart literally might have melted a little right then. I picked Hobby Lobby and he picked out this sign below because of the 2 hearts. I love it for the saying, the meaning and the fact it came straight from his heart. These are the moments I live for and the reason I will try to crack that secret code for finding a balance with it all! Thankful just about sums up all the feels!

I haven’t cracked the code yet, and I may not ever fully crack it. But, I will work hard every day to make sure I try. These special times and memories are what life is all about! Thanks for allowing me to share this with y’all. Tell me what your favorite things to do with your littles are in the comments!