But first check out my answer's to Beth's questions and then go see how she answered mine.
1. Your kids are 10, 6, and 3. What are your favorite and least favorite things about these ages? Frances is really coming in to her sense of humor. She is witty and sarcastic in a way that fits in very well with our family. She can also be moody at times and rolls her eyes at me like any good tween should. Henry is becoming so much more independent and really taking off with his reading which is such a joy to see. He is also learning and exploring the limits of his body. By that I mean, he is determined to discover the highest height from which he can jump without injuring himself (bunkbeds, counters, trees, etc.) Benjamin is still my snuggly little guy and he loves being picked up and giving kisses. He likes to be a big boy, until you ask him to do something like put away his toys or get dressed or undressed.
2. Your about page mentions you started your blog as an easy way to share pictures and happenings with family. As you have expanded your blog beyond that, what has been the biggest challenge?
My biggest challenge with the blog is keeping everything going. I like to get comments, but that means I should respond to them and pay people return visits. I've said before it's like plate spinning, so I've finally found the video I'm talking about. You've got to keep your eyes on everything to make sure all the pieces are working together as they should be.
3. AND, what has been the biggest surprise?
I'm not sure it's exactly a surprise, but I really love all the friends I have made online. I feel like I've got this great network of people that I get to interact with on a daily basis.
4. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram - rank them!
I'd rank them just the way to wrote them: Facebook, Twitter and then Instagram. Twitter is so much text, and Instagram is almost all pictures, but Facebook has a good combination of both.
5. What book are you reading right now? If you're not reading one right now, what's one you want to read?
I just finished a book about lost civilizations that was really good. I have a few others next to the couch that I've been meaning to pick up, but I just haven't started them. My problem with books is that once I start one, I have a hard time putting it down; even if that means going to bed at 3 am.
6. Do you prefer reality shows, dramas, or comedies?
I mostly watch dramas (Castle and Bones), but with Ken I watch comedies like Modern Family and The Big Bang Theory. I don't watch a lot of reality TV, especially because it drives Ken crazy, but I do like cooking competitions when nothing else is on.
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| Frances made this for me, and I think it pretty well sums up my TV viewing! |
7. What's your best tip for balancing family, work, and blogging?
Please see plate spinning reference above! I don't know if I have a good tip. One thing I really like about my job now is that when I leave in the evening, I am done. I don't bring work home with me and I don't have things weighing on my mind over the weekend. One of the things I am attempting with Blogging right now is to work smarter, not harder. That means keeping a calendar of ideas, scheduling posts a few days ahead of time, and setting limits for when I can do blogging related things versus times when I need to be doing other things.
8. If you had to choose one cause you are most passionate about, what would it be?
I am really passionate about the after-school program my kids go to. It is called Second Home. It was started because a lot of the kids at our school were going home to empty houses in the evenings because their parents were working and there was no where else to go. Our school is around 90% free and reduced lunch and a literal United Nations of cultures. Many kids were not meeting benchmarks because they had no one to help them do homework. Second Home provides a place for kids to be safe, get a nourishing after-school snack, and receive tons of academic support. All for $10 a week per kid! I am proud to be on the board there and to promote their mission.
9. You recently wrote about passing the tradition of being an altar server on to your daughter. What other traditions are you excited to pass on to your children?
I hope that my kids will love reading and learning. I hope that my kids will be generous with their time and talents. I hope that they will be strong in their faith. I'm not sure those are traditions, per se. But those are qualities and values I hope my children see in me and emulate.
10. I loved your post about learning from mistakes and failures. What are some ways you teach your kids this?
As I mentioned earlier, Henry likes testing his boundaries. I don't necessarily like him jumping off the counter, and I certainly don't want him to get hurt, but sometimes experience is the best teacher. I can tell him that he might get hurt climbing and jumping, or I can allow him to find that out for himself. Frances has some forgetfulness issues that she struggles with. Last week she was very late for her ballet class because she had forgotten a notebook at school, so she had been unable to finish a homework assignment. She was all dressed and on her way to ballet, when I stopped the car and turned around. I had really wanted her to be able to go, but I also knew that her homework was more important. I took her home and made her finish the assignment before I let her go to class. I was actually quite surprised that she took that consequence without complaint. I think she knew that it was the right thing to do.
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