From Mama To Marketing: 7 Steps To Balancing Family and Business

Some days I feel like superwoman. Meetings with clients, CHECK. Kids are fed, happy and laundry is in the dryer, CHECK. Project finished ahead of deadline DOUBLE CHECK!

Then there are days like today. Days when, no matter what you do, your sweet mama voice is just not getting through to those two little devils  sweet peas. While I don't always bring along my 3 & 5 year old to business functions, occasionally it's unavoidable.

These are the days where that little bug of self doubt creeps up inside me. Did I do the right thing by my kiddos today, my clients, my husband? If every obligation gets only 10% focus, are you really getting things done?

Yes, probably. Efficiently, probably not. Does efficiency always mean success, and furthermore does inefficiency always mean failure. Working parents struggle with this dilemma on a daily basis and for our family, day care just wasn't a fit. So how do you juggle making sure you are raising two grounded, patient (sometimes) and happy children while growing your brand as effectively as possible.

1. Build Relationships

During consultations I often talk a little about my background, my qualifications and how I ended up working for myself. This very summarized version of my life story also eludes to the present reality that A. I have my hands in many projects B. My children are young, and C. My husband and I balance our family and our businesses simultaneously. This builds trust between myself and my client as well as gives enough background that makes the rare reschedule or child-assistant-in-tow a little less unexpected.

2. Be Honest

Life happens. This is when you let your client/boss/collaborator/fill-in-the-blank be the decision maker. Try something similar to this:
YOU: " A small hiccup appeared in my schedule for our meeting, I'd love to give you undivided attention so if there is another time in the next few days you are available I'd love to reschedule. If this is the only time that works for you though, would you be comfortable if my daughter/son/etc accompanied us during our appointment?

3. You Aren't Above Bribery
Good old fashioned bribery is highly debated topic in today's crunchy parenting universe. But a momma (or daddy) occasionally has to use the tools that are available to them. Always have a small stash of Target clearance bin finds ready to rock and roll. Coloring books, activity sheets, small puzzles, whatever works. Just make sure it's something interesting that they usually don't get to play with at home.

4. Say NO
You don't have to take on every client and every project that comes your way. Saying no is a skill that some of the most successful people have nailed down. Try this: " While I love your business model, and feel like working with you would be beneficial for us both, I don't think this is the right fit for me at this time. I'd love to keep in contact and check in with one another in the next few weeks/month/quarter and see if there is something we could work out/collaborate on". This emphasizes that you value their time and their project enough to understand it may not be in THEIR best interest to sandwich in-between your other obligations, without eliminating the possibility of a future opportunity.

5. TIME OUT
Often times those working hours away feel like a break, but they aren't. Your mind and your body are working and the pressure is still there, only in place of motherhood (or fatherhood) responsibilities, its work related tasks at hand. Find time to do NOTHING or something that you find enjoyable OUTSIDE of family and career.

6. Communicate
Without my husband and business partner's support, the balancing act would be much more difficult. We share all the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, parenthood, life, oh and google calendars. Our schedules are mapped out and color coded. And when that pressure is looming, I let him know exactly whats going on and how he can help. If you don't ask, you definitely won't receive.

7. Your Kids Love You
They are watching you kick ass right now. You're taking names during the day(and night) and cooking organic veggies for dinner. Remember that, children work best around a routine, and being a business owner can be random. Use that randomness in your favor by making it normal. Give lots of hugs, kisses and reassurance. Treasure the time you can devote to only them, and maybe, just maybe, they'll thank you in speech one day for inspiring them to start that multimillion dollar start up ;)

6 Steps to becoming an IMPACTFUL brand.

The modern consumer demands more from brands than ever before. The days of captive media audiences are over. Social media has become the premiere method of information exchange and with that, the buying behaviors have changed. Success is based on developing strategies that address the modern consumer's expanding expectations. The Modern buyer appreciates the history and significance of what they are buying.

1. Create an experience that exceeds brand standards and expectations:
Try adopting a social media persona that relinquishes control to the consumer by providing them a sense of brand ownership. This could be as simple as offering a controlled contest in which popular vote chooses the next color of your new design. Or the ever popular "name our new flavor" campaign.

2.Devote resources to expand social media marketing:
Modern consumers appreciate two-way conversations, with platforms such as Facebook & Twitter. Consumers can feel closer and more involved with the brands they purchase from.

3. Engage and influence the conversation:
Brands must deliver an experience to their audience by proving equity, quality and functionality by identifying the qualities that define your brand and showcasing why the consumer may be "missing out".

4. Stand behind your ideals:
Every brand should have a mission statement that becomes the cornerstone of the customer experience. Ranging anywhere from out of this world customer service, or a commitment to sustainability- show your customer you live by this method and why they should to.

5. Offer exclusivity:
Creating marketing opportunities to small groups of a target audience can be much more beneficial over spreading a thin campaign to a large number of unmotivated consumers. Identifying small groups with large buying power interested in your brand will be a better, more targeted use of efforts.

6. Empower Consumers:
Deepen your relationship with consumers by allowing them to become a part of brand identity. Encourage consumers to upload content, images and comments about your brand. Humanize the goods or services provided by replying to individual consumers by name.

---BONUS-----
This graph represents consumer purchases based on necessities, basic needs, wants and luxury items. Categorizing where your product or service falls within this graph will help you in targeting your niche. <3 Power on entrepreneurs <3 Power ON!

Accountability Checklist

Accountability has to be one of the hardest parts of being an entrepreneur. Especially when life is happening all around you, children, husbands, friends, keeping yourself healthy.

You've so much on your plate! Which is why I've created a fun little accountability sheet so that you can enjoy keeping *tabs* on yourself :)

Who is this for?
Anyone who needs help remembering their purpose. Business owners, stay at home moms and everyone in between.

Find the 8.5 x 11 print here

Why PURPOSE & SUCCESS go hand in hand

pur·pose

ˈpərpəs/

noun

1. 1.

   the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists.

   
   

When my fledgling organic foods company House Of J got it's start, my priorities were 100% focused on my family and my "brand"  was fun, incredibly easy and an inexpensive side "business". By business I mean, I gave lactation cookies to my mom friends. 

I soon realized I had a product that did not belong to a saturated market, and started to take things a little more seriously. At the time the only options nursing mom's had were lactation cookies made using basic, low quality ingredients & gmo sugars.

Nursing mommy's needed more choices and I wanted to give it to them.

My focus was on quality, health and taste. I wanted these cookies to be all inclusive. Organic, non-gmo, grain free, packed with nutrition for both mama & baby. That message must have resonated with nursing mothers because House of J grew into a budding local foods company almost over night. I had orders going from NY to Australia, and it was awesome. 

I hit the ground running and started mailing free cookies to bloggers to get the word out and worked hard to give plenty of samples to new mothers with the age old, bait and hook method of local marketing.

While rebuilding a local presence through events and farmers markets after moving to a new city, I had decided that I wanted to expand. Along came granola bars, granola, brownies and other confections all with the same goal, proving that organic and healthy can also mean delicious. 

I went wholesale and started dealing in invoicing and all the ups and downs of pitching to retail. On came new, more professional packaging design and intricate details that were both exciting and extremely consuming of time and money.

The costs associated with bringing a small, niche foods business to market is almost unconscionable. You've got:

#1. Licensing
#2. Commercial Kitchen Rental Fees
#3. Ingredients ( and ORGANIC!)
#4. Packaging & Labels
#5. Display boxes
#6. Credit Card processing
#7. Shipping and/or self delivery
#8. No-sell buyback 
This list is the cost just for doing it all on your own, and NOT including the options of hiring employees or paying a distributor to package for you. This of course is also before you factor in cost of business like office supplies, advertising, PR, and everything else that goes into any small business.

Before I knew it, I was burnt out. I had too many product variations for any one single person to handle, retail stores with long overdue invoices and minimal working capital to keep investing. I knew a change had to be made, I put House of J's wholesale accounts on hiatus and took a few months to reconsider my passions. I was not a professionally trained chef by any means, my background is in marketing & sales (which was my favorite part of the business). The baking was and is my least favorite part. 

When I asked myself the purpose of my business, my short answer was all marketing and sales related and not about the baking. It became obvious that I was forcing a business model that I wasn't passionate about on every level. While I will always  LOVE the breastfeeding community, and care deeply about maintaining a healthy, nutritious and gmo- free lifestyle, I do not need to be the one providing this on a bulk distribution level. For me, the baking allowed me to market and sell my brand, which was why I kept it going at such an intense level.

 Maintaining passion for your business is incredibly hard work. When you realize what your passions and purpose are, your business has a better chance of long term survival. 

The lesson learned? 
Just because you do something great doesn't mean you'll be happy doing it as a business. 

By finding your business' purpose, you will be able to create a clear and concise plan of action to take your business to its growing potential.

Here's a great article from Forbes, explaining why success and finding your purpose go hand in hand. http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertamatuson/2013/11/12/purpose-the-secret-ingredient-that-drives-business-success/

Work-Life Balance Does Not Exist

At least not for the entrepreneur.

This mysterious concept is posted everywhere and I'm guilty of using the term often. But I'm calling an end to the fascination with "work-life balance" for 2015. Who's ready to join me?

What is work-life balance exactly? It's the concept that with proper prioritizing between your "work" and your "lifestyle" (health, pleasure, leisure, family and spiritual development). That one can maintain the zen harmony of fulfilling both of these "cups" equally.

I call bullshit.

Am I allowed to say that on a "mommy-blog"? I just did. Many parenting columns believe that by focusing solely on one or the other at a time is one way of achieving this. This may work for some, but not for me, and probably not for you. 

I've 2 small children, one who is still nursing (albeit infrequently) and one who is incredibly inquisitive, often times whiney and needs attention almost constantly. If I had to carve out time to focus on work alone, I'd have two very unhappy kids and a very guilty conscience waiting for me. 

Sometimes work is your lifestyle, and sometimes your lifestyle is only as satisfying as your business is successful. 2015's new concept: your work and your life are one in the same. An internal collaboration of vision, love, drive, success, encouragement, networking and support for all of the above.  

No more do we struggle to find time to work, or find time to snuggle. Women, especially mothers are categorized as being frazzled and easily overwhelmed "Oh My, you MUST be exhausted" or my favorite "How do you do it all?" My best work is when my kiddos are laying beside me while I finish up that financial summary, or as I plan my next ten social media marketing tactics. While on a conference call, I sometimes change a diaper! What??! I have meetings at coffee shops I know are kid friendly and during some of these meetings, the IPAD is my saving grace. 

My social circle consists of very understanding friends who love me even though I may be noncommittal and other entrepreneurs who understand the plight. This has happened organically, and through honesty I can still remain a friend, a mother and a multi-business owner.

I essentially hit the lottery when I met my husband, who also happens to be a serial entrepreneur. This comes in handy when the laundry piles up and when we need to we roll up those sleeve, unplug and focus. We focus on our business, raising two kind and well adjusted children to the best of our abilities and yes, focus on that damn laundry together. 

I've stopped during the writing of this blog post to fix my daughter two separate post lunch pre dinner snacks, kiss a booboo, talk to my husband about a prospective client and to take a vitamin, and that's ok. That is what it means to WORK and to LIVE, in harmony. 

Take a look at the synonyms for the word "WORK". Every one of them with a negative connotation. And then take a gander at the word "LIFE". ALL positive. This is the reason why the work-life balance concept was created, to deal with the "drudgery" of one, and the "zest" of another. They can both be zesty, you know.

The movement:   

1. Forget the guilt
You are a great person and your intentions are to be the best *fill in the blank* wife, mother, friend, brother, sister, father, business owner, marketing exec, corporate fat cat, whatever.

2. Write it down
All of it. Business goals, family goals, timelines, cleaning schedules, if you do it, write it.

3. Skip Around
You are writing a book and your editor needs a draft by Tuesday and you're only half way through. But Monday is your cleaning day and today is Sunday, and the kids have soccer practice.
BREATHE. Sorry laundry, dishes, vacuuming, you've been pushed to Tuesday, I've got business to do.

4. Be Honest
Being a business owner means getting down to business. Sometimes this means missing that girls night out or skipping the kiddie parade for St Patty's Day. Explain why you can't commit, be transparent in your aspirations and ask for understanding.

5. Give Love
Wether you're a mother, a wife, a brother, or a friend. Small acts of compassion go a long way. you'll always be "busy"with something. Take a second to renew your energy and your focus. Send a text to a sick friend, give your munchkin a big unexpected hug while they're playing patiently. Tell your husband how much you appreciate him.

It's a hard task to keep yourself accountable for follow-through. So many times we see our child as an excuse to postpone our business goals when they should be the driving force behind your ambition.

Join the PROJECT ZEST community on Facebook for support, advice and support in keeping ZEST in all you do. https://www.facebook.com/groups/PROJECTZEST/

Saturday Night *Take In* - "Half Homemade" Spanakopita

Lately, going out to eat is a rare occurrence.We're a family of 4 naturally but have 2 additional house guests.  With one of them being another child, it's better to be home for meals.

While we love going out for some delicious BBQ or a burger, we often choose more ethnic cuisine when dining out. Tapas, Italian and of course Greek. 

My favorite of all is the "Spanakopita" or spinach pie. Spinach, Feta, Pastry, what more could you ask for!

With a tighter than usual grocery budget, I planned my Spanakopita to comfortably feed 6 as a side dish during dinner and also be easy lunches for the munchkins and I during the week.

Not only was it delicious, but it was organic and GMO free unlike the average Greek restaurant.

Price Comparison & Breakdown:

Organic Pre-made Fillo - $5.99 (their website has it cheaper if you're not in a rush here

1lb Organic Spinach- $3.99

10 ounces Feta (Used 3/4 container) $5.64

Organic cream cheese $.99

Organic onion $.79

Grass Fed Butter $1.40 worth ( 2 pack @ costco for $6.60)

Total Tray $18.80

 

16 squares = $1.18 Per Person!

Compared to $6 per appetizer portion at our local eatery.

Without further adieu- Half Homemade Spanakopita

You Need:

1lb organic spinach

1 package organic fillo dough- 16 sheets (you'll have left overs)

2 cups feta cheese

1 cup cream cheese (room temp)

half of 1 medium onion, minced

1 clove fresh garlic, minced

about 6 tablespoons of butter, preferably grass fed pasture butter.

Salt & Pepper to taste.

*important step* 

your fillo will be frozen if purchased at the grocery store, allow to thaw on the counter for 1-2 hours.

1.  Sautee onion on medium heat in 1 TBL spoon butter until translucent

2. Add your spinach and cook until wilted

3. Add garlic, cooking 1 minute additional and turn off heat. Salt and Pepper to taste

5. Melt 5 tablespoons butter in a microwave safe bowl for 30 seconds

6. Brush a small coat of butter on the bottom of your baking dish

7.When fillo is thawed, Carefully separate one sheet and lay in an oven safe baking dish. 

(Fillo is 14x8, - I used a 12x12 dish and overlapped) brush top of fillo with melted butter

8. Repeat step 7 until 8 layers of fillo are buttered and ready.

9. Add Feta and cream cheese to spinach mixture and mix well until fully combined

10. Spread spinach mixture on a layer about your fillo

11. Add 8 more fillo sheets, buttering each one separately, same as before.

12. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 20 minutes, preheat your oven to 350*

13. Once out of the freezer, precut your pieces and bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown.

For Freezing-

Wrap each piece individually with plastic wrap and freeze immediately- ENJOY!

Celebrating the little things and an easy recipe for roasting pumpkins!

My favorite season, Fall. Leaves of gold, red and brown adorn our yard and tree lined streets of our town. Our house cozy with the fire place glowing and lots of under the blanket snuggles with my family.

But alas, Fall is also the time of year when stores showcase their home decor for the holidays, their new products and the material goods that they swear you cannot live without. I'd like to live without it, and be happy doing so. The second part is the hardest.

My husband and I have always been moderately minimalists in general but being aware of the constant demand of BUY BUY BUY has got me in a bit of a funk lately.

 I love shopping just as much as the next mama but the internal need to do so more ethically and consciously is stronger than ever. In my last post I mentioned buying local clothing from local makers and the importance of keeping your dollars in your community.

While this will always be my intention, doing so within our budget can some times raise a challenge. While my husband and I build up our 4th and (hopefully) final business venture, my goals will be the following:

 1. Try to make it first. While I am nowhere near a world class crafter, the internet is full of tutorials and giving us the ability to learn. I will be trying to use this resource to our advantage.

 2. Use Cash. The best money management books and articles say that our society is so quick to get their credit cards that we forget the value of actual paper money.

 

I've recently attempted this with my children with much success. Both my 2 year old and my 4 year old earned $1 for various chores and exceptional behavior. We then went to our local dollar tree and each child was allowed to pick 1 item of their choice. My 4 yr old of course asked for a candy as well, it was the perfect opportunity to explain that all things cost money and not always can we purchase every item we would like. Not only did they leave the store feeling proud and grateful, They had a better understanding that the little square piece of plastic is actually MONEY and not mommy and daddy's magic toy/candy buying wand. So many of our children see excess on a daily basis. Bringing them back to reality may be difficult but incredibly worth it long term.

3.Work for it  I'll be honest. Before moving to Colorado, the term *Barter* was never in my vocabulary. I never considered earning a need or want without paying for it monetarily. After doing local vendor fairs and farmers market I learned the beauty of trade. I'll never forget the day a cherry juice maker asked me if I'd like some delicious cherry cider in exchange for my granola bar. What a brilliant encounter, 2 makers with different products coming together to enjoy one another's offerings without making a purchase.

 4. When in doubt- Buy Local Harvest season is perfect for stocking up at local farmers markets and artisan fairs. Combine this with #1 and make yourself a winter supply of Apple butter or tomato sauce by learning to can. Ask for a deal if you're buying multiple goods and always leave feedback to promote a local business you love.

 5. Give yourself a break. We cannot always afford a hand painted masterpiece or a winter coat made by hand from an alpaca farm and that's ok. This is where our corporate frenemies come in handy. Cut yourself some slack and understand that you are always doing your best and your best is most often enough if not more than worthy of praise. Keep on keepin' on mama ;)


And Finally...

6. Use the internet. Google FREE and low cost EXPERIENCES for your children and your family. I'll take a new adventure over a new "thing" any day of the week and so will our children. Paint a pumpkin, collect some acorns and build a nature scene. Spending time is much more valuable than spending money.

 I'll be setting up our House Of J goodies tent at a few upcoming events this season, while our new studio sets up. My favorite of all of course my daughters farm school fair. If you are a Colorado local, come and support our amazing community of Artisans, makers and community leaders.

Last Fall a good friend had asked me to create a recipe for her motherhood community magazine Birth.Play.Love

Here it is :)- Enjoy!

Roasting your fresh pumpkin
into puree

1. Cut the top stem portion of your pumpkin and then cut in half length wise.
   
2. Scrape all of the seeds and stringy parts out with a spoon.
   
3. Lay your pumpkin half on a tin foil lined baking sheet and bake for 1
   hour at 350 degrees.
   
4. Once slightly cooled enough to handle, scrap the pumpkin fruit away
   from the shell..
   
5. Using a food processor or emersion blender pulse your pumpkin along
   with 1 table spoon of organic cane sugar until smooth and creamy.
   
6. For this recipe you only need 3⁄4 cup pumpkin but a medium pumpkin
   will yield roughly 2.5 cups.
   
7. Freeze your left over puree in a mason jar or air tight plastic bag and
   

enjoy long after pumpkin season is over! 

Why I buy handmade...A review

With our hands in 100543234234 things this summer and the attention of mom and dad split a few more ways than usual, it is SO important to us to set time aside for fun.

We play with friends, we go to the splash pad and we most definitely have our afternoons of wild and crazy play time.

Balancing family, entrepreneurship and community outreach has been one of the biggest challenges I've ever faced. It helps so greatly that I am a part of an amazing community of mom-owned businesses who also walk the tightrope of business-owner and mama. As a multi-business owning mama I can truly vouch for those little memes that say things like "buying local means paying for a little girls ballet classes" Every dollar earned from House of J goes towards our children and back into our community- supporting local as much as we possibly can.

With new articles out there everyday on corruption from big name stores, child labor and unfair wages for workers, it seems like the only safe bet is to purchase clothing from small batch, local artisans who produce their clothing by hand or in US garment facilities only. While this can sometimes be pricier, the reward is so much greater.

Sweetpea Mcgee is a brand-new Facebook based children's clothing boutique that offers beautiful hand made pieces in very limited quantities. The quality and durability is immaculate and my 4 year old is just the preschooler to test it out! J is tough on her clothes and when she falls in love with a new dress, that's the dress she wears...and wears...and wears...and WEARS!

Photo Courtesy CarolynSprangerPhotography.com

Because buying local and preferably MOM made, is so important to me (and YOU!) I asked Kashara, owner of Sweetpea McGee a few questions about WHY she chooses to balance work and being a full time mama

House Of J:  I've seen you make your daughter beautiful dresses forever, what made you decide to start selling your creations?

Sweetpea McGee: I decided to start selling on facebook because my children are young and this way I can share my creative passion and creations with others while still enjoying their fast childhood years. I can control the flow of how many items I create per month and how many items I put up for sale. That way I can still do school volunteering, field trips, tiny tots classes and household necessities with a good balance for everything.

House Of J: why do you choose the fabric you choose

Sweetpea McGee: Why do I choose the fabric I do is such a tough question. I am drawn to so many fabrics because of their beautiful colors and composition. I see fabrics that I love and I try bring out their beauty as best as possible by pairing it with the best pattern to make it all shine. I have multiple nieces and a daughter and I truly try to put myself in their shoes. It really takes me into such a fun and creative mind frame..oh to be a child again.

House Of J: What is your design inspiration?

Sweetpea McGee: My inspiration or my driving force to continue doing what I love is basically the smiles and happy faces I see every time I receive a photo from a customer saying "Thank you!" I really have more creations in my head than I can ever create with my time but I truly am passionate about delivering a product that will send a little one over the moon with happiness.

-----

And She's done just that! Sent my little one- Over the moon in twirling-whirling dress happiness!

Photo Courtesy CarolynSprangerPhotography.com

Sprouted Fried Rice and Asian Chicken Skewers

We use the grill A LOT. So coming up with fun and interesting marinades and side dishes can sometimes be daunting.

We LOVE Asian inspired cuisine and while nothing will be as delicious as that greasy, New York City style Chinese food, this came pretty close to perfect. Oh, and actually healthy!

I grew up eating the packet seasonings, want Chinese food, no problem here is a packet! Mexican food? packet. Steak marinade? packet. When you eliminate processed foods, chemicals and additives form your families diet, those packets turn into poison. You don't need them, I promise!

I advocate using organic meat, produce and groceries as much as your families budget can allow, a great rule of thumb is the EWG's clean 15 if you have to pick and choose what to buy organic versus conventional. Also, the NON-GMO project verification seal is just as good if not better than a USDA organic seal.

Chicken Breast Skewers: (feeds 2 adults &2 very hungry kiddos)

2 organic chicken breasts, cut into cubes
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4cup organic rice vinegar
1/8 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon saigon cracked black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon minced organic garlic
4-5 drops hot chili oil (or more if you love spicy!)

Assemble skewers and mix all ingredients together. Marinade can be mixed and stored overnight in a bag with your skewers, we marinated for 1.5 hours and it was tender, moist and delicious!

Grill for 10-15 minutes at medium heat (outside is nice and charred while inside remains juicy)

Sprouted Brown Rice:
Step 1
1/2 cup organic sprouted brown rice (rinsed and drained)
1 cup organic chicken broth
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
----
Directions: Cook rice according to package or Lundberg's family fool proof recipe of 45 minutes on low and 10 minutes with heat off "steaming".

Step 2
1/2 cup soy sauce
5 organic baby carrots
1 cup cooked organic green beans
1/4 organic white onion
1 organic egg
4 tablespoons Ghee
-----
Directions:
chop green beans, carrots and onions into tiny bite size pieces (roughly double the size of the grain of rice) and saute in your melted ghee using a heavy bottom or cast iron pan.

once your veggies are tender add in cooked rice and soy sauce and simmer for 6-8 minutes on medium heat until your rice has absorbed the excess moisture. Add in your egg and saute until egg is cooked through and rice is fluffy.

ENJOY!

What's your favorite take out to make at home?  I'd love to hear about it!

xo-J

Running like a .....snail? turtle?

Have you heard the term- "Run Like a Mother?" For me, this term is not only adorable, but its inspiring, motivating and up-lifting. Yes, I'm a mom, I don't sleep much, I take care of my self last and I can RUN!

Well... For me, I cannot run. But I am going to try. For now I'll go by the phrase WALK like a Mother. And that is OK. For now.

Exercise has always been a really important part of my life, even through injuries, very uncomfortable pregnancies and mommy-hood I've always placed a high importance on getting those exercise endorphins pumping.

But I've always been tied to the 4 walls of a gym. It's time for a change. I live in beautiful Colorado and I should be seeing the world around me. So I'm pausing my cozy corner of yoga and pilates and expanding to outdoor walk/running. With the help of my friend and fitness guru through Fit4Mom FrontRange.

Was I the slowest mama? YEP. Did I feel like I was dying? YEP. Was I embarrassed? A little.  But totally worth it.

Eating organic, healthy and real foods is only 1 part of the equation. Being OUTDOORS is so important to overall health and well-being. Waking to sunlight proves to aid in weight loss and folks who spend time outdoors are better sleepers, less depressed and the list goes on.

So along with my goals for the summer, exercising OUTDOORS is one of my biggest priorities. Then I can come home and reward myself with one of these delicious smoothies.

Summer Snack Picks & House Of J Updates.

While I sometimes wish I lived a completely Zen life style, "Busy" seems to be our middle name lately. It's been insanely quiet on the House Of J blog lately. With family, our businesses, community outreach and of course my little darlings, I just haven't had a chance to "blog". But I miss it, and will try to make updating a higher priority.

If you're interested in guest blogging for House Of J with healthy family recipes shoot me an email :)

In the mean time- check out a few of my blogger "it" lists.

www.whimsicallydetailed.com- One of my faves- party posts, gorgeous kids clothes and much much more.

www.danisuedreams.com- Local Fort Collins mama who is passionate about community outreach, custom jewelry and so much more.

http://fitfoodiemom.com- A lady after my own heart, healthy living, great recipes, and lots more! She even featured a House Of J favorite here- http://fitfoodiemom.com/2014/02/25/cauliflower-pizza-crust-house-of-j-recipe/

Summer time is here and that means picnics, fun in the sun and being on the run. Activities can keep us moms so busy that we end up at the drive thru for coffee and if you are anything like me, give in to an almond milk chocolate milk for the kiddos every once in a while. But chocolate milk (even with almonds) is not very nutritious, so what is a busy mama with a car full of snacking littles supposed to do?

I find that sticking to organic and non-gmo goodies on the go is the hardest.
#1 they are SO expensive, especially feeding a very hungry 2 year old and a growing 4.
#2 you have to watch out or there is as much processed junk in there as non-organic snack foods

I was recently sent a DELICIOUS pack of Ladera granola- It was delicious, with really great ingredients and my kiddos ate it up, I think the entire bag lasted us about 3 days.

My kids love yogurt but with the greek yogurt controversies  and the sky rocketing prices of dairy, I can honestly say that the yogurt is optional.

Their ingredients are California grown and they are a small business company that prides themselves on wholesome ingredients.

Check out their website and order a bag or two, or three :)

Another snack of choice is my supreme go-to because guess what-- the HUBBY loves them! YEP! Total family score, The vanilla-raspberry is AHHH-mazing and so are all the other flavors. I even made a CAKE out of my Natures Bakery Fig Bars. And my local Costco has them, which is a huge savings.

This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. I take pride in giving my honest opinion and assessment of all the products that are submitted to me and experiences I may be given. I reserve the right to opt out of publishing a review if I do not feel that I can be fair about my opinion.As the owner of this blog, I may accept forms of cash advertising, or sponsorship. There might also be paid topic insertions. I will and do accept and keep free products, services, travel, event tickets, and other forms of compensation from companies and organizations. The compensation received will never influence the content, topics or posts made in this blog..I believe in honesty and integrity therefore I will always give my personal opinion-whether or not it shows a product or company in a favorable light.  Compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or posts made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post will be clearly identified as paid or sponsored content.The views and opinions expressed in this blog are purely and entirely my own. I do not claim to be nor make an effort to be an expert on a certain topic, product or service.  I will only endorse companies, products and services that I believe, based on my own experiences, are worthy of endorsement.  All product or service claims should be verified with the manufacturer or provider.

A little Sunshine, House Of J nomination for a Sunshine Award.

What an AMAZING thing to read in your inbox " your blog brightens my day and I've nominated you for a Sunshine award"

After being a bit overwhelmed with kids, life and my business goals, blogging has come last in the equation and I couldn't be more touched. And with this, my blogging motivation has returned. So thank you so much PinkHeartString for the glowing feeling.

What is the Sunshine Award: 
A blogger to blogger award that is given when your blog inspires others or brings ‘sunshine’ by inspiring them creatively.
Rules of the award: 
Answer 11 questions with random facts about yourself asked by your nominee. Then forward the recognition by choosing 11 other blogs and ask the bloggers 11 questions about themselves.

Kareen with PinkHeartString passed on these questions to me for the nomination- Here are my answers.

1. As a mother, how do you consider blogging? Is it a job, a hobby or a past time?
For me blogging is a hobby that encourages me to create new wholesome recipes and to try new things. House Of J started as a blog and has developed into an actual money making food industry business. I am so grateful.

2. One challenging part of being a parent is to discipline the kids. How do you discipline your kids? Can you cite one example of a situation where you tried to teach them something?
Disiplining is the hardest part of being a mother to me, and I try to use methods that encourage children to grow from within' and follow an "attachment parenting" model.

3. Since you are occupied with so many Super Mom stuffs, what do you enjoy doing when your child is not around?
Quiet nights with my husband doing nothing. You forget how soothing quiet can be when you become a mother.

4. When you had kid/s, how did it affect your relationship with your husband, family and friends?
Becoming a mama has done nothing but grow more and more love in every aspect of my life. My husband and I make an incredible parenting duo.

5. All of us have dreams and aspirations in life. Did you achieve yours? Or was it detoured when you had a child?
I feel like we are in just the beginning stages of achievement and through love, teamwork and a strong family bond all of our dreams can be facilitated together.

6. Are you a shoppaholic? What certain stuffs do you always get and can't resist to buy? Did that change when you had a children?
I have a deep appreciation for "finer" things, but materialism and "stuff" means very little to me, and even more so now that we have children.

7.  Did you look into maintaining a good figure, wearing makeup and fashionable clothes after giving birth?
I will admit that my fashion sense and desire to be on trend with the best designers or newest looks have pretty much disintegrated after becoming a mother but I know when to dress up when its needed :)

8. What do you usually do when your child(ren) get tantrums? Do you yield to their demands or you impose discpline?
I do give in occasionally, but tantrums are mostly met with love and redirection.

9. My daughter loves Lalaloopsy and we are supportive of that. But we don't buy her every doll she wants. How do you spoil your kids while making sure that they will not get "totally spoiled"?
We are incredibly selective with tv shows and "sweets" so when the occasion is special and calls for goodies, they are usually very enthusiastic. We try hard to say "no" and "yes" when the situation calls for it but the old term "spoil" is not something that I think much about. 

10. My daughter and I loves to eat ice cream a lot like everyday! What is one foodie that you and your kids love to eat together?
Yogurt and granola!

11. What are the crazy things you usually did when you were a teenager which you do not want your kids to do?
Getting a tattoo. Very hypocritical of me, but I wish they would make the decision to NOT get any body art.

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This was so fun- I enjoyed the questions and am excited to think up my own set!

I've been inspired by so many blogs but these particular blogs really stand out.

1  Food Babe
2. Whimsically Detailed
3. The Crafted Sparrow
4. Intoxicated on Life
5. Piggybank Parties
6. Not Just A Housewife
7.100 Days of Real Food

These ladies have inspired me beyond words. And although this is the equivalent of a blogger chain letter- I do appreciate all the work that these bloggers put into their blogs and their creative inspirations.

Cheers!
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Call me a rule breaker but because I've passed this on to my 7 most admired blogs, I've created a list of just 7 questions...

1. What inspired you to begin writing for the world to see?


2. Creating new content can be challenging, How do you get over writing blocks or blogger hurdles?


3. Where do you envision your blog going to in the future?


4. How do you find a happy balance between blogging for the love of what you do and blogging for monetary value?

5. If there was one thing you could change about the future of our world, what would it be?

6. What would you say to women, especially mothers, who have so much to contribute but just don't know where to begin

7. What is the most touching message you've received from a fan of your blog?