Soldier's Wife, Crazy Life

Julie

5 Great Work at Home Job Ideas

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Work At Home job Ideas

Working from home is ideal for a lot of people.  There are different ways to do it but you have to find the job that is going to work for you and your situation. Someone who has three kids four and under at home will have to find something different than a mom of all school-aged kids or a woman without any children. If you are wanting a work from home job, ask yourself when you would work, how much you could work and what type of jobs sound good to you.

There are jobs that require that you be on the phone and there are jobs that require you to work at specific hours. Others can be done over the internet and can be done during any hour that works for you.

Here is a list of work at home jobs that you might want to consider if you are trying to find a way to make money from home:

  • Freelancing- this can be writing, graphic design, social media or any type of service you can provide for someone else that you do as an independent contractor. You would not be working for any company, you would probably get a 1099 at the end of the year for taxes. This will allow you to work on different projects and for different businesses. You can be as busy as you would like or just take a couple of jobs a month.
  • Blogging- There are a lot of bloggers out there making a full-time income, others are making a part-time income. It can be done and it is a good goal to work towards. You need an idea for your blog and to be able to put the time into it. The money won’t happen overnight but it is possible to work from home as a blogger.
  • Working for a company who hires at home workers- Some companies hire people from home to work for their companies. You would apply and then have a few weeks of training all from home. They might require you to work certain hours or schedule you based on each week. This type of job would be best for people who do not have little kids at home every day, all day long. It requires a lot of your attention as you might be answering customer service phone calls and would need a quiet house. One example of this is working for Apple. This article explains more.
  • Direct Sales- You have all heard of direct sales. Scentsy, Jamberry, 31 Bags, Young Living Essential Oils, Tastefully Simple, etc. With direct sales, you will be signing up with a company and selling the items. You would not be an employee but you would be considered an independent consultant. People could sign up under you and you would make part of your income based on their sales.
  • Selling Handmade Goods- If you are creative and can make something worth selling, this might be an option for you. It can be done on a part-time basis or you can step it up and make it a full-time job. You can sell online, at vendor fairs or even put your products in a local shop. The key is being able to make something that is worth buying and to know how to sell it. Having a business mindset will go a long way in this type of job.

What would you add to this list? What have you done to make money from home?

 

Why You Should Use A DSLR If You Love Taking Pictures

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Why You Should Use A DSLR If You Love Taking Pictures

 

Cameras. I have had many cameras over the years. I remember when I got my first digital one. It was a point and shoot, 2 megapixels. Yay! It was exciting at the time. After having to always take my film into the local drug store, waiting a week and then getting it back, I could see my photos instantly! It changed everything!

In 2008 I was able to get my first DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) after months of trying to play around with my point and shoot to get it to do what I wanted it to do. I wanted more control and I got that with the DSLR. I upgraded to a Canon 50D in 2009 and that is what I still use today.

Point and shoot cameras are great. They are lightweight, fit in your pocket, are not as expensive and are just easier to carry around. I think you can still get amazing pictures with a p&s but upgrading can make things easier.

If you are debating your first DSLR purchase, I am going to tell you to go for it. It will be a good thing and this is why:

canon 50d

  • DSLRs with kids make taking their photo much easier. They are faster cameras. You can catch things you can’t catch on a slower camera. With little kids you might only have a few seconds to capture the moment that you want.
  • DSLRs give you control. I would suggest that if you do invest in a DSLR that you also plan to take it off auto and use it manually. It is so nice to be able to use your camera in this way. Auto can be good for certain situations if you are just starting out but learning about f-stops, shutter speeds and what ISO means will really improve the way you look at photography.
  • DSLRS let you use different lenses. If you are ready to buy I suggest that you just buy the body you want and a 50mm 1.8 which you can get for under $100. You can then add to your collection based on your needs. Some lenses are good for close spaces and others are better if you want a bigger range of distance. If you get more into photography you might need different lenses for the pictures you are taking.
  • DSLRs will give you better photos overall. This doesn’t mean you can’t get fantastic photos with your point and shoot, you can, but it is easier to do so with a DSLR. This is nice for when you travel and want your pictures to come out looking nicer than they have in the past.
  • DSLRs are good for bloggers. Everyone knows that blogs have photos. Therefore, if you are a blogger it is nice to be able to take nice pictures to go along with your posts. A DSLR can help you get better photos and help your blogging as a result.

canon photography

Photography is an art that many people can take part in. You don’t have to be a professional. You don’t have to have a business. You just have to decide you want to take that next step and buy a better tool to take those photos with.

As far as what type of camera you should get? I have always loved Canons, others love Nikons. I don’t know that there is that much of a real difference between the two other than brand loyalty. Sony and Olympus also have some great cameras to choose from. I would take some time at a physical store trying out the cameras in your hands to see what is a good fit.

If you are looking for more information on how to take photos or how to make them better you can check out the Clickin Mom forum as it has been really helpful to me over the years. You can read others posts about photography, ask specific questions and get to know other photographers. They also have a lot of workshops and even a magazine. It’s great!

Do you have your eye on an DSLR? What kind?

 

* This post contains affiliate links!

Podcasts You Should Listen To

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Podcasts you should listen to

 

 

Podcasts! I love them. I found them back in 2009 when I was spending the summer with my parents. At the time I had to download them to my ipod and listen that way. I only really listened to one that was on photography. In 2012 I discovered a few more but my phone did not have very much space. I upgraded last fall and was able to add more. Then Serial came out and I really started getting into them.

The nice thing about podcasts is that I can listen to them while I am cleaning, working, walking or even in the car. I can listen before bed or even in the shower in the morning. I don’t have to be staring at a screen when I have them on. I have it set that they only download when I am on WiFi so the podcasts I am subscribed to will download new episodes only when I am at home but I can listen to them anytime as long as they did in fact download.

I don’t listen to every single episode of every single podcast I am subscribed to. Some episodes just don’t catch my interest. I also might subscribe and then realize I just don’t like the podcast enough to stick with it. Not that it is bad but that there are other podcasts I would rather listen to.

I figured out that there are podcasts on pretty much any topic you could think of. Since I use the Podcast app on my iphone, I can go into search, type in a topic and it will give me a list of podcasts that have a show about that topic. I then go in and see if anything is what I am looking for and try a few of them out.

At the moment I am subscribed to 40 podcasts which I know seems like a lot. Some only update once or twice a month. Others are random or update once a week. There are a few that put out a new episode more than once a week. Again, I look at the topic and then decide if I want to listen to it. So if the podcast just says, “Episode one” with nothing else, I probably won’t subscribe to it because I want to know what the episode is going to be about.

I am going to highlight a few of my favorite podcasts that I think you might like too:

Movies & Tv

  • The Popcast– Hosted by Knox McCoy and Jamie Golden. If you love tv/movies/popculture, you need to listen to this one. They talk about the latest craze, celebrities, binge watching tv shows, etc and they always make me laugh. I might not always agree with them but they crack me up regardless of what it is they are talking about. They seem to come out with a new podcast once a week.
  • Afterbuzz– They have podcasts for about 300 shows. If you are watching a show and want a podcast for it, check them out first. I currently am subscribed to Grey’s Anatomy, Mad Men, American Crime and Secrets and Lies. I love to hear people talk about the episode I just watched. They usually come out with a new show the day after the episode airs.
  • Wingin It– I knew I had to find a West Wing podcast and since this one started rather recently, in March and they still seem to be putting new episodes out, I subscribed. I really like how they look the at the episodes and bring up the topics the show is about.
  • Slate’s Spoiler Specials– Love movies? This is a great one to hear about movies. They don’t have a show on every movie that comes out but they have a lot of episodes to choose from.

Social Media/Blogging

  • Smart Passive Income– This was one of the podcasts I started listening to in 2012. If you want to make money online, you need to be listening to this one. Pat Flynn is an online entrepreneur and blogger who is very successful. He loves to share what he has learned and figured out about this business. He has such great advice and interviews a lot of people. He usually has a new episode once a week.
  • AskPat.com– If you don’t have much time, subscribe to this one. It is quick tips that are answers to questions fans of Pat Flynn sent in. I usually wait until I have 3-4 episodes there and then listen to them all at once. He usually comes out with one a day.

Random Goodness

  • EarzUp– Love Disneyland? You have to listen to this one. It is my favorite of the Disneyland podcasts out there. There are three hosts that go to Disneyland often and have some great information and fun talk about the place. They release about two episodes a month.
  • Sorta Awesome– This one was started by an online friend of mine, Megan Tietz. She has three co-hosts, Kelly, Rebekah and Laura. They talk about life with kids, blogging, tv shows, what they are reading, daily life, etc. It’s fun and I love it.
  • Slate’s Audio Book Club– This one is about books. They haven’t released many episodes lately but you can go back and listen to the books you have already read.

Do you listen to podcasts? Which ones are your favorite???

 

What You Can Do When You Are Overwhelmed With Your Child’s Special Needs

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What You Can Do When You Are Overwhelmed With Your Child's Special Needs

 

As a special needs mom, I get stressed quite a bit. If I am not worrying about my child, I am just tired from the day-to-day of making sure he is getting what he needs and that I am able to do what is best for him. Somedays I just get overwhelmed by it all.

Do you ever feel this way? That it is just too much and you are not sure what the next step is? Or that you just don’t think you are capable of helping your child in the way they need it?

I think we all feel this way from time to time. What can we do about it? Crawling into bed and sleeping for 12 hours isn’t really an option. Here is what you can do when you are feeling overwhelmed with your child’s special needs-

  • Remember how far you guys have come. Think back to when you first got the diagnosis. Think about the positives. For us it is very much a two steps forward, 1.5 steps back type of thing. If I look back at where he was a year ago or two years ago, I can see we are making progress and remembering that can go a long way in helping me work through any frustrations.
  • Find your people. They don’t even have to be people who have special needs kids too. They just need to be people who can understand and be supportive. That you can lean on, discuss things with and trust with your children.
  • Do more research. Sometimes it is helpful to look more into your current struggle. Or, to find a different way to approach something. The more information you have about it, the better you might be able to figure out a better way to handle it. Find good resources and don’t be afraid to ask questions to people who are in the know.
  • Plan a break. It might be hard to find some time to yourself, so you will have to plan it. I remember when my son was first being diagnosed another special needs mom told me that she goes out and spends some time with friends or by herself every Saturday. By doing this, she is giving herself the break that she needed. If she skipped a Saturday, she could feel it. Going out alone every Saturday might not be an option for you but something is. Take a look at your schedule and figure out when you can schedule some me time for yourself where your children are being taken care of by someone you trust. Even if you just go out and walk around the mall for 30 minutes.
  • Journal. Whenever I have any type of issue in my life, I journal it. It helps to get it out, to really think about what is going on and to get some clarity. Pick out a nice new journal, keep it by your bed or on your desk and try to write a little each day. It can also be a great resource to go through in the future when you are trying to remember what happened when.

Remember that feeling overwhelmed about special needs is normal. Figuring out a good way to handle it and work through your struggles is a good thing.

What do you do when you are feeling too overwhelmed?

On Having a Natural Birth

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On having a natural birth

I know talking about birth methods can be complicated. There is a lot of passion on both sides on which way is the correct way to give birth to a little human.  A lot of people assume that in today’s world the only way to do it is to have a medicated birth. That there is no reason why anyone would want to go natural when you don’t have to. I feel like birth is very personal and that each mom should do what they feel would be best whether this is natural or medicated. However, I still think that going natural can be a really great experience.

I started looking into birth very early on. Part of that was because I had a sister-in-law who was a Doula and the other part was that I had a boring job where I could read a lot while I waited to answer the phones. I started with Baby Catcher which is filled with stories told by a midwife. I then moved on to books by Dr. Sears and Ina May Gaskin. Around this time I decided to go to a Doula training and my sister-in-law got pregnant with her third baby which was going to be a VBAC.

I knew I always wanted to have kids but we agreed to wait until my 25th birthday. We would have been married about 18 months then and figured having a baby after the two-year mark would be a good idea. However, birth was really interesting to me and I wanted to find out as much as I could before I even got pregnant.

I went to about 6-7 births as a Doula and they were all so amazing in their own ways. Most of the births were natural. Most of them were at the local birth center where I would eventually have our oldest son. I realized that I wanted the types of birth that those who had gone naturally had. They just drew me in and I wanted the same type of experience. I was the 2nd Doula for my sister-in-law and got to see how hard it was for her to get the birth she wanted at the hospital.

A few months later, I turned 25 and found out I was pregnant. I knew I wanted to go to the birth center. We even switched our insurance around ahead of time so we could do so when I became pregnant. It was such an amazing experience. The center had three midwives and one of them happened to be a family friend of my husband. I took turns seeing each of them at my appointments so that I would be used to the one that was on call when I went into labor.

While I was pregnant we signed up to take Bradley classes and learn the Bradley method of natural childbirth. It is a simple method all about working with your partner and your body to give birth naturally. This class combined with my research and time as a Doula really prepared me for going through birth.

My labor lasted from about midnight to 7:30 in the morning when I had my son. It was hard. A lot harder than I thought it would be but I had a great support system that got me through it. We walked around the parking lot stopping to lean on my husband during every contraction. I got in the tub for a while and was planning a waterbirth but ended up getting out at the last-minute.

After I had him I had a smallish tear and that was it. We waited at the birth center and got to go home later that day. A nurse would come the next three days to check on us.

ha

When it came time for baby #2 I was in a totally different place. We were in Germany and I would have to give birth in a German hospital. The good part about this was that in Germany they are a lot more into Natural birth. You can still get an epidural there and they were not like the birth center but they did not push me to have a medicated birth. My mom was with me as my husband missed the birth because he was deployed. I told her ahead of time that I might say I don’t want to have a natural birth anymore but she would have to remind me that it was what I wanted. Unlike with my oldest, I knew there were epidural in the building and all I had to do was ask for one.

I didn’t and gave birth to my 2nd little boy naturally. I had such a good recovery after that. I didn’t tear and I felt pretty good other than being frustrated by the language barrier at the German hospital.

I am really happy I went natural with my first two babies. Their births were great and the way I wanted them to be. I went in to the births prepared and I think that paid off. I wanted a natural birth because I knew I could do it and I felt it would be best to not have any drugs during labor. I also liked the recovery.

However, by the time baby #3 came along I did it a little differently. That will have to be in another post 🙂

How did you decide how to give birth?

 

 

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Taste Guru Monthly Box Review

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taste guru monthly box

 

Monthly boxes! I love them! You can get them for a variety of products. As a Taste Guru Ambassador, I was able to review the most recent Taste Guru box full of yummy foods.

The theme of Taste Guru is the best and most interesting gluten free products. Whether you need to eat Gluten free or just choose to have some of those items on hand, this box is for you. As you can see from the photo above, I got a great variety of items. It’s a wonderful way to try a new product before you buy.

In my box I received:

Better Batter Fudge Brownie Mix

Tea’s Tea Green tea

Level Life Protein Snack Bar

Dang Coconut Chips

Mamma Chia Squeeze

Yum Earth Naturals Sour Beans

IPS Egg White Chips

Ass Kickin Honey Roasted Peanut

Nocciolata Organic Hazelnut Spread

Swoffle Traditional Dutch Treat

I made the brownies last weekend not knowing what to expect. I have never made Gluten free brownies before. They were so good. My boys loved them too. I would buy that mix again to make for a dessert.

The coconut chips were different but I liked the taste. I also loved the protein bar and my son loved the sour beans.

We are still working on the other items in the box but they all look pretty good.

I like how each box comes with a decription of every product so you know what you are eating. On the back you also get a receipe. Mine was for Fudge Brownies using Gluten Free flour.

As someone who doesn’t eat Gluten free that often, I was really impressed with the box and would look forward to getting another one so that I can try some yummy and healthy foods.

taste guru monthly box

Taste Guru offers several different subscription plans including 1-month, 3-month, 6-month, and annual subscription options. Monthly box prices start at $17.90 (+ $5 S/H) and provide double that value within each box.

Click here to sign up or find more information on the box.

* I received a free box for review! 

Does Everything Really Happen For A Reason?

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Does Everything Really Happen For A Reason?

I am not sure that everything happens for a reason. I used to think that. That every little thing had a purpose. I don’t anymore.

I think some things can happen for a reason or that we can make good out of bad. I think it is lovely when people can do this from some pretty difficult situations.

When someone is going through a death, job loss, heartache or other type of bad situation, people do like to tell them, “It happened for a reason.” In some ways it is comforting to know that you are not going through a hard time just because and that there is a purpose.

I know for myself that when I try to make sense out of every little thing, I just get more frustrated and it becomes exhausting. If I ever went through a horrible loss, I wouldn’t want to hear, “It happened for a reason.” I am not sure what would comfort me, if anything, but I wouldn’t want to hear that.

I will be honest and say I don’t know how God works with us humans. I see evidence that he is behind some of the little things and I see evidence that he is not. It is hard to know which is correct and I am tired of trying to figure it out.

I want to live my life knowing that I do have someone to pray to, that I have family and friends to lean on and that I can make lemonade out of any lemons that come my way. I also don’t want to spend any more time trying to figure it all out. Trying to understand why a friend lost her husband at 42, why another friend could lose her baby and why a young family died because they drove under a bridge at the exact same time a concreate slap fell down crushing their car.

Sometimes life is random. Sometimes things suck just because. Sometime they do because someone messed up or did something they shouldn’t have. Sometimes we can find a different way to do things because of our mistakes.

I remember when we were looking for a house. I didn’t want to get too stressed over it. You do have to usually wait a month after you get an accepted offer. Anything can happen and you could lose the house. So when we were looking, I told myself that if one house didn’t work out, there was a better one out there.

We ended up putting an offer on a very pretty three bedroom home. It was in a nice neighborhood with a park and my kids could have walked to school. It didn’t work out. We had to start looking again. In the end we found another great house where my kids take the bus and we have to drive to the park. But I like this house a little more than I did the first one.

Is this a better house because the first one didn’t work out? I don’t know. I am not sure what life would have been like if we had gotten the other one. I would have different neighbors and we would have had different experiences with that school.

When the ABA therapists told me that my son probably went to the best public school for special needs in the city, I felt like we were in the right house. Could it be that God lead us to that house for that school? It is possible. Then again, I think about the people who prayed for the right home and didn’t end up with one. I am not sure how I feel about all that.

I wish I understood how it all worked. Why certain prayers get answered and why others don’t. Why two different people can pray for the exact same thing and have a different outcome. Somedays I yearn for answers, others I don’t think about it as much.

What do you think? Do you think everything has a purpose even if we can’t see it at the time or do you think life is more random than we think it is?