I Don't Want To Miss A Thing

I often struggle with the fact that I am a working Mom. Does that make sense? Don't get me wrong for a second, I LOVE what I do at work. I also LOVE spending every second with my kids because there will be a time when they don't think I'm cool enough to hang out with. (Ashton is already there.)  I want my cake and I want to eat it, too. I love being with my kids so much that it makes it hard to leave for work when I am supposed to. I have a great schedule: Wednesday (10a-8p), Thursday (10a-8p), Friday (9a-5:30p) & Saturday (7a-1p). I even have one Saturday off each month. The problem is that most of my kids' activities are on Saturdays. For example, last Saturday I missed Ariah's very first swim meet. That broke my heart and hers. She cried the night before for so long that I felt like the worst Mom on the face of this planet. It's also hard to not be able to tuck my kids in on Wednesday & Thursday nights or to say good morning to them on Saturday mornings. I thought that we would all get used to it but that doesn't seem to be happening. :( Keegan cries every day when I drop him off at daycare. I know he's in a great place, but I know no one is better than Mommy so I feel guilty. Every day. I am sure that I am teaching them something very important, which is work ethic but I just don't want to miss too much...or anything at all. I have a great book called 1001 Things It Means To Be A Mom and it has a special section for working Moms. Number 765 says "Being a mom means deciding between career and family. And forever wondering if you chose right." I also love the very last one in the section number 821 "Being a mom means understanding you can have it all....just not all at once." Amen.

Be a Good Client

I feel like I am a pretty laid back hairstylist, however, there are still some unspoken (now spoken) rules that I have. Doesn't everyone?

1. Be timely. I have 30 minutes for a cut and style and if I lose my 30 minutes of lunch/only down time out of a 12 hour day because you were getting your latte, I will probably not be very happy.

2. Do not consistently "forget" your appointments. I am paid on a commission only pay rate. If you take a spot that someone else could have had and not show up, you just took a chunk out of my paycheck. We make courtesy reminder calls to remind you of your appointments. Please have the courtesy back to cancel if you know you can't make it.

3. PLEASE stay off of your cell phone. There is nothing more annoying than trying to foil around a client with her cell phone up to her ear. I don't care if you are playing a game or looking up photos of hair, but if you are yapping the whole, entire time it's rude to your stylist and everyone else trying to relax and rejuvenate. 

4. Let me know if something isn't right with your cut/color, instead of someone else. I LOVE it when my clients feel comfortable enough to tell me when they need something adjusted between appointments. It really doesn't hurt my feelings to use my lunch break for these sorts of things. Communication is key in any successful relationship!

5. I have many pictures of cuts and styles, but I love it when you bring your own ideas, too. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words!

6. My schedule is generally very busy, so please re-book ahead of time. I might not be able to just squeeze you in, so please don't expect me to if you don't want to schedule ahead of time.

7. Do not gossip to me about anyone else in town. I'm okay with venting about daily life because I love being that "go to" person, but I will not gossip so don't try it. You are with me to relax and get spoiled! :)

8. Understand that if I am running behind at all, it is probably because someone(s) else did not follow #1. I am sorry, but I still provide the service that you pay for even if you are late. Be patient with me on days that I am not right on time.

9. When I ask you to re-schedule, someone is deathly ill, I have a funeral to attend or it is something close in seriousness. Please understand. It doesn't happen often.

10. You probably have no idea how thankful I am for you and how much I love seeing your beautiful faces everyday. This is my job, but it is also my passion and I couldn't be where I am without YOU....my awesome guests!

Technology Has Taken Over My Life

A few weeks ago, a friend posted a blog that said that our children feel less important because we are constantly ignoring them for our cell phones, the computer or another piece of technology. This hit home for me because my iPhone is generally glued to my hand. I immediately felt guilty and promised myself that I would "do better". Have I? Absolutely not.

Just last night, as I was tucking my 7 year old daughter in I heard my phone ding from my hoodie pocket letting me know that I had a new Facebook message. I don't know what was so important that I needed to check it, but I could tell right away that I hurt her feelings by staring at my phone instead of spending those moments with just her. She said "Mom, we talked about this......." I said "I know..I'm putting it away and I am going to do better. I am really sorry." What a LOSER.

Today, as I was browsing eBooks from our public library, I came across this book:

Description

Have you ever stopped to think, Maybe the Amish are on to something? Look around. We tweet while we drive, we talk while we text, and we surf the Internet until we fall asleep. We are essentially plugged in and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Rather than mastering technology, we have allowed technology to master us. We are an exhausted nation. No one has enough time, everyone feels stressed out, and our kids spend more hours staring at a screen each week than they do playing outside.

It's time to simplify our lives, make faith and family the focal point, and recapture the lost art of simple living. Building on the basic principles of Amish life, Nancy Sleeth shows readers how making conscious choices to limit (and in some cases eliminate) technology's hold on our lives and getting back to basics can help us lead calmer, more focused, less harried lives that result in stronger, deeper relationships with our families, friends, and God.

I will let you know what I think after I get done reading it. There are 15 people on the wait list ahead of me. Until then, I AM GOING TO DO BETTER.

Blogging IS Theraputic

I thought about therapy or medicine or something for anxiety because sometimes life is really too much to handle. (I can't believe I am typing this.) Then, I remembered that for years and years I wrote in my online journal about whatever it was that was awesome or awful and it helped. I also remembered my friend and client, Nancy, saying that her blog was her cheaper/free form of therapy! What a beautiful idea! You will probably see me blogging more and more.

As I sit facing what seems like a mountain of junk mail, bills, adorable artwork from my children's school year and a plethora of summer camp opportunities I can't help but wonder if I am the only mom in the world that is this disorganized?!! Deep down I know that I am not, but why can't I just stay focused on one thing instead of my head going like this: "Okay, let's tackle this pile...oh, I wonder what's on Facebook, Twitter, oh...that blog of mine needs a new background, oh...it's time to get Ariah from swim team soon...Oh, I am just so sad for that family that lost their child and for the owners of that restaurant that burned down, oh dear....I hope my Aunt is doing okay in the hospital." That is my head in a really nutty nut shell. I found this link today: http://zenhabits.net/27-great-tips-to-keep-your-life-organized/ Great tips...I am going to try a few!

What do you guys do to stay organized each week and month?!