Many of you may already know Vanessa – either as a mommy blogger, a Sassy Scooper, or a Mommy Who Makes Money Blogging. I knew Vanessa before the blogging years and I had always admired her patience and fun-loving personality with children. They just seemed to flock to her. Even now, with an equivalence of a full-time job from home, Vanessa still exhibits that same personality of a fun-loving mom to her 2 sweet little girls. Thanks for sharing some insight of how you make it work, Vanessa!
Your name and hometown:
Vanessa with no hometown (take your pick of TX, AZ, UT, MA, VA, MD, WA…)
Blog(s) / Website (s): Blogger of INeverGrewUp and Co-Owner of SassyScoops I also run A Kick In the Buzz a social media marketing, and the online coaching site MomsMakeMoneyBlogging
How many kids? :
Abby is 4
Cameron is almost 3
both girls, 17 months apart
Besides being a mother, what else consumes your time? :
I help my husband run his companies, local dog training business, branches elsewhere of the business in Utah, his national websites and marketing endeavours. I am the Enrichment leader in my Church which is tons of work. I have been taking photography lessons and next on my list is guitar lessons.
What is the biggest challenge you’re faced with right now?
Working from home, honestly these past couple of months have not been good. I have been getting really frustrated that I have no “work time” where I am alone and don’t have 10 interruptions per 10 minutes while trying to work. My sister is coming off from an LDS mission and is going to help me with this by being my assistant. This will allow me to have a full work day with no interruptions, weekly date nights with my husband, two temple trips per month and helping me keep up on the house and yard. I know even with this I need to learn to be more patient and learn more tricks of the trade of being a work at home mother.
With so much demanded of you, how do you “Make it Work”?
Ok this is was not the right month to ask me this! Well honestly last month I just about lost it so I had to pull the plug for the month on quite a few things. I had to say NO to new clients, endless meetings. I had to say NO to blogging and endless emails and twitter and facebook for the whole month of June. I just find that every few months I need to BE STILL be less busy so I can re focus on what is most important. Being a loving and patient and attentive Mom. When I have weeks where I am not a Mom like that I know its time to pull the plug on things and get back to what is important. SO I guess that is how I make it work…I have to say NO, sometimes I have to take a break. I have to constantly be re accessing and re evaluating myself to make sure I am keeping true to what I and my family want me to be.
If you had a full day to yourself, free of daily responsibilities, what would you spend it doing? Where?
Camille and I went boating a few days ago for 4 hours and it was SO MUCH FUN! I also joke with my husband that for my birthday or mothers day or Christmas all I want is to sleep in or lay in bed watching food network until 11:30am just ONCE to do that would be awesome.
What would be your advice to other mothers trying to “Make It Work”?
HA! Well obviously I do not do it right…yet. Maybe I should ask you all this question? I just know that I am the most happy and at please and calm and feel the most fulfilled when I am being true to what I know is right. I am a Mother, I need to be a Mother that loves, plays, dreams, helps and is kind. When I stop acting like this (not just on a bad day, I mean overall not acting like this) I know something is off. Then I have to re do everything so that main goal is in focus and then things work out.
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for having me Camille!
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She looks like a very busy lady! Sounds like she’s doing great.
Beautiful family.
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Good job, Vanessa!
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How much do I love Vanessa? *THIS* much!
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I love Vanessa’s gutz! She is amazing!!!!
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I. Love. Vanessa. That is all.
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You are definitely a mom that is making it work – even when you have a month that about does you in. It’s good that you can recognize when it is time to take a break.
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Vanessa, you are an AWESOME mom! I look up to you so much! I love how you know your limits and keep your kids as your top priority. Love you, Vanessa! xoxo
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I definitely admire her super bloggy skills!!!
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What a wonderful interview. I think so many mothers struggle with their sincere love of being a mom, along with other passions outside of motherhood. It’s funny that society sometimes doesn’t understand how difficult that balance can be. Thank you for always reminding me that I’m not the only one who struggles with that balance. Vanessa is amazing, so talented, successful and yet so committed to her family. I love what’ you’re doing here Camille. What a wonderful blog you have! Once again I feel uplifted!
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Vanessa rawks!
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I love Vanessa’s focus on playfullness with her girls and enjoying motherhood. She’s an inspiration.
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Uh in that last photo V. looks a bit like LiLo before she was a crack head wino, back in the good old days circa Mean Girls.
I digress.
Vanessa is a beacon of awesomness. I am seriously in awe of her business skills and focus.
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YEP SHE IS pretty cool
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Vanessa is one of the smartest women I know and I feel really lucky to call her my friend.
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