The above is what I’ve been wanting to attack since around 9:30am. Good thing I’m sticking to my strict diet right now or I’d probably be typing this drunk. I don’t have to drive anymore so why not? NO ONE NEEDS ME ANYMORE

There it is. If I just get it out it will pass quicker. Each time a big event in the house goes down it brings back that feeling of how I’m needed less and less. It’s absolutely a good thing…once I get used to it. The problem is as soon as I get used it (which really doesn’t take long) they’ll hit me with another.

Today my oldest got her license.

Do I need to say anything else? This post took me over 24 hours to write because I love to live in denial. That and of course I had a HUGE proposal to write up. Needless to say, my house is clean. Clean for me atleast. You? Maybe not so much. When I’m hiding from things I clean.

Holy hell, on track, get a straight line written.

She turned 16 last July. It’s a really long story as to why she didn’t have her license yet. But honestly, if we’d wanted it to be a priority it would have been done a couple of months ago. It obviously wasn’t a priority for her or she’d have gotten it when she turned 16. lol

It did hit me hard yesterday. But I’m really good at denial so I kind of ignored it. Today it was easy to ignore also. I just haven’t gone outside when she’s leaving so it’s not happening.  Today has been much better anyway. It’s nice to send her off to get her brother from practice and then call her brother to tell them to pick something up from the grocery store.

I know we got to put it off much longer than most people do. But we’re now getting even closer to her senior year. I know things like this are going to just keep hitting me. Maybe that will be helpful. I won’t have time to deal with anything before the next thing hits. It will just all blend into a year of denial. I’ll be sure to keep you posted

Hubby and I are preparing to be empty nesters. As much as you can prepare I guess. They get busier and we make sure we have more dates. We’ve decided we’re going to like being empty nesters which of course means that one or both of these kids will never move out!

We’re remodeling and it’s my fault. I take full responsibility for the disaster my house is right now after 5 days. UGHHHH. This started because we had a leaky skylight two years ago. Hubby fixed the skylight but the ceiling damage was too much and it was only getting worse by the month. I have a lot of allergies and mold is at the top. So instead of going on vacation with JUST MY HUBBY…I said, let’s do a staycation and fix it. Both our kids were out of town for spring break for the same 4 days. It was fate right?

Now I grew up in a house that is now over 130 years old. I know, or should know, well that a house project is never what it seems and will never be as easy as you imagine. Beside the fact I watch HGTV all day long so I know it’s not just a few houses here and there that have a can of worms open.

My first can of worms was going into a full blown asthma attach just a few hours after he demo’d the ceiling. I haven’t had a bad attack in years. I’d actually talked myself into thinking that I’d outgrown my asthma. Literally, I’d thought that to myself just 3 days before. Needless to say I should have gotten a mask & I probably should have left the house while he was doing the demo and asked a friend to help him. But, I haven’t had an attack, let alone a serious one in ages. Now I get to post about my fun times.

So of course it’s taking much longer than planned. It’s going to look amazing when it’s done. My hubby is truly amazing and has done so much of the work. Now my kids are home and my son is helping him a lot. It’s cool and takes the guilt off of me because I honestly just want to lay in bed all day/night and stare at the ceiling. That’s how allergy hell works. Too miserable to sleep but too worn out to be productive.

I have been productive though. I’m excited to post some finished pics of my son’s room. I have hand drawn the Monster logo on his wall and painted two of his walls a gloriously obnoxious green. It’s Sounders green around these parts. But the Seahawks also wear it lol The pic’s are going to look cool.

Since project’s lead into another, here’s the list of what is going on during day 5.

• Full remodel of main(kids) bath.
• Full remodel of laundry room since they are attached by a door
• Full remodel of master bath just because we have the tiles for floor and can’t stand it
• Extra bedroom work as hubby had to fix some things in the wall connecting it to the main bathroom.
• Painting youngest’s room.

These are just the projects going on right now. Oh man, I hope they are finished by the end of the weekend. We still have some other projects to finish so we can list the house. Yes, that is the point of all this. We’re putting it up on the market OR we’ll be much happier staying here lol

I’ll post more because I’m on a total rampage about my doc visit. You’ll either want to hear it or ignore it for the amount of swearing that will go on with my next post about my asthma attack.

If you remember, last October I did a wine review and went with full disclosure that I am not a wine expert and I have no idea how to critique wine. But I’m still going to, because I want to. Because I really like wine and because the more I talk about it the more I will learn.

I do have a plan to help you be able to better be able to read my wine posts. I’m going to attend the Wine Bloggers Conference and there will be some great seminars there. My goal is to come out of the conference a certified wine snob. You can thank me now for getting the knowledge for you.

Hey, back on track, what’s the verdict of this wine?

Swirl test - It’s a brighter yellow than I’m use to. Very thin and light in texture.  Barely sticks to the glass as you swirl.

Smell - There is a definite alcohol smell to it. Quite an overpowering scent. I can also smell the citrus.

Taste - With how strong the alcohol smell was I had my nose already crinkled when I took the first sip. NO NEED, there was absolutely no strong alcohol taste.  I can definitely taste the citrus, I think it’s a lemony taste. I swear every time I drink a white wine I taste green apple. It’s the power of suggestion I’m sure.  It’s very light in flavor.

So here’s the description from the bottle, “Our off-dry Riesling offers enticing aromas and flavors of nectarines and peaches with a crips, clean finish.”

Of course when I buy the bottle I have read the back. Which I try to forget when I’m doing the tasting so I don’t have the flavors already stuck in my head. The good thing is that I generally have looked at quite a few descriptions so the descriptive flavors have run together. Definitely the case for this one. I had forgotten the description and mine didn’t have a lot to do with what the company said.

Here’s the true verdict of this wine. March is Washington Wine Month and I live for this month! It means big discounts on stuff I already buy. We have so many incredible Washington wines that this is what I strive to always buy. But in March almost every grocery store offers our local wines at 30% off!

This wine surprised me. I was expecting a cheap wine. Even though I’ve had other wines by Covey Run so I should know well that their price doesn’t reflect their high quality. I guess once in a while you need that smack in the face. Here it is, I’m listening to it!

I picked up this bottle of wine for only $4.98! Are you kidding me?!!! Sure that was 30% off, but even at “full” price of 7something it’s very affordable. This Riesling was the perfect combination of sweet and dry for me. Then add in the low price and you have a loyal follower. They already make my Mom’s favorite Gewurztraminer.

I’ve been doing great proofreading and tweaking as things go. It’s awesome to have some initial testers that will give me honest feedback.  It’s made it much easier to come up with workpages and lists for the clients to return to me.

However, my personal blogs haven’t seen the love.  The blogs that should be the easiest right? I mean this blog here has no structure at all. So why is it the 12th and I’m only getting my 3rd post up?

Over thinking!  That’s the only link that makes since. I do so much better when I just get on here and throw up.  Just puke up my thoughts randomly.  Great visual huh?

I’ve been fighting starting a new site even with my Selby Media finally getting a real launch and my coaching program launching at Internet Marketing Cleanup. Battling ideas is a constant thing. When I started online it went pretty quickly into the niche marketing craze. So I battle tossing up niche sites for a new idea when they could actually fit into and build up a current site. I mean, it’s all about SEO and I can write the posts for that.  Many times they fit in here quite well. But that’s just not how I was trained to do it, so I have to think hard and put blocks in place to make me not start new stuff like I used to.

But, that also means it keeps me away from here which isn’t helpful either. So I need to figure out the balance. I need to write up my ideas for that new site and then transfer how that will work to bring it here.  It will work easily.

Hoping to see much more of you in the next week.

One project that is a larger project is my master bath. It had/has carpet. We put a new toilet in and still haven’t finished the floor. It’s time to rip out the carpet and put tile in. Something I have no idea how to do, but honestly, I have the internet so I can learn anything right? I’m not starting with this project though cause that’s just jumping in over my head. I think I’ll start with our little laundry room that just needs paint, reorganizing and some shelving.

We’ve lived here for 13 years now which means quite a few things are in need of upgrading. We were never supposed to live here this long so there are quite a few things that were never personalized. It’s definitely time to look like we live here. We got new furniture a little over a year ago and I painted the main living area. However, I still haven’t gotten things put back on the walls and I’ve had some decor items to put up for years but I was always waiting to paint. Now I can get these things up on the wall.

When I go to the gym the show House Hunters always seems to be on. Either the US one or the International. lol  Kind of odd, but it definitely hasn’t started my little addiction. I got to the point I wasn’t listening to music anymore but had my headphones plugged into the elliptical so I could listen to the show. Hmm, so not very like me. I like my tunes when working out.

Now I know quite a few of the shows I’m watching are just crazy, but you never know where you’ll get ideas from. There are a lot of things you can pull from million dollar homes and put in your little kitchen. Then there are quite a few things I look at and think “what a waste”! Heated drawers for plates and coffee cups? Really? OIY, the thought of that electrical bill hurts my head.

My family is used to my shows taking up the entire DVR but now I have new shows in it.  Here are some of the one’s I’ve recently started recording.

House Hunters
Selling LA – I haven’t watched it yet, the commercials just looked good so we’ll see if this keeps getting recorded.
Selling Spelling Manor – Really enjoying this one. What an emotional roller coaster for Candy Spelling.
Love It or List It – This show is pretty brutal. I like watching it, but no one is very nice to each other and the husband and wife sure seem to end up fighting a lot.

So those are just some new one’s I’m recording. I know there are some others as hubby was laughing at me for going through pretty much all of Monday on the guide and hitting record.

I’m hoping that watching these shows is going to get me motivated to work on my project list.

Yeah, day late, dollar short, whutevah. I’m happy to be able to report that for the most part I actually took time off. Yes, it was only for the most part.  I just couldn’t help myself and set up a new coaching program that went live today for one of my testers and will go out in beta on January 16. If you want to be notified when the sign up starts you can check out Internet Marketing Cleanup.

So today is Monday and it’s time to start getting into the grind a little. Not fully, but I really have to ease myself back into a routine. Putting Christmas away will be high on the to do list for the day even though I really don’t like doing it. It seems like I just put everything out.

Now for resolutions. Do you make them?

I can’t remember the last time I did. Probably over 10 years ago because I always set biz goals instead of personal resolutions. However, this year I’m going to set one. I resolve to take better care of myself. No other stipulations, just to take better care of me and to put myself first. Sounds selfish doesn’t it? Believe me, it’s just the opposite.

Putting myself first will mean a lot of things. Eating a little better, working out a little bit more, drinking a little bit less, getting more massages and definitely getting together with girlfriends more.  Yep, even typing those things out it still looks selfish to many Moms I’m sure. But, a happy Mom is a happy family and I know this for fact. I’ve put myself first before and the house was all the better for it.  I was taking trips with my girlfriends and enjoying more hobbies. It’s time to get back to that.

I’m not putting any stipulations on how I have to take better care of myself. I’m just going to resolve to do something daily that’s better for me. I do think that it’s time for me to schedule one weekend away with the girls so I’ll set that as a goal.  I’m sure I can get some girls to do that. lol

This year are you setting any resolutions or goals for yourself?

Photo credit: buzzybee

It’s amazing to think that busymomma.com started in 2004 on a silly little blogger blog. I needed a place to vent and everyone was using blogger so I figured why not. A monster was born there but not perfected.

See around the net since 1999 I’ve always been busymomma. It was easy to come up with my personal blog domain name because that was always what I was signing as. lol It was and may be more my signature still, rather than my actual name. I think facebook has changed that some but my twitter account is still much larger and I’m Busy Momma Val there.

Whatever the case, Busy Momma is who I am more now than ever. I can look back and say that in 2004 I only thought I was busy. However, I was crazy busy and not enjoying it then. Now I am happily, crazy busy and loving it.

7 years? Seriously, 7 years? While I know I haven’t been fully active here in that time, it’s still 7 years. I only wish I could get the posts back that were lost in a technical issue that came up. But I’m thankful it was only a few months posts in my lesson learned about backing up.

What will the next year bring? Well truly I can’t pinpoint that. It’s the blessing and curse of this being my personal blog. I’m not working on SEO here and it’s definitely not focused. But then again, is that a focus? Possibly my unfocus is a focused effort to be something? Oh shit, someone stop my thinking.

Here’s how I wish I’d spent my blogiversary:

Sadly those jammies are buried in the wash (they are fleecy wonderfulness to this aging woman. The oldest had a wrestling tournament (she took 3rd). Hubby had to work and then son wanted to spend time with his good friend that is in town for a few days. Long story, but ugly divorce. My kids are lifelong friends with two kids and their mom was a nasty, cheating bitch. Sadly she took the kids with her to Minnesota to live with her and the now, new hubby. So much more to this story but thanks to social media my kids are still lifelong friends with them. We know immediately when they are back in town to visit & I don’t see my kids much over Christmas break because they want to be over there. It’s pretty heartwarming and we love their Dad.

Wow, that got off topic. I spent tonight watching a great chick flick because I just needed a good cry. Tis the season I guess.

Happy 7 year blogiversary to me. 2012 is going to be quite huge for Busy Momma so come along for the ride!

Halloween is quiet at my house. I’ve had two trick-or-treaters and it’s 8:40pm. I don’t think the hordes are going to arrive any time soon. I’m glad we didn’t buy too much candy and really not any of my favorites. I snagged a bag of tootsie roll pops but those things can be stored for years as long as it’s a dry environment. Yes, I know this for fact

Kids are at parties/trick-or-treating with friends younger siblings. Hubby is at work and I’m hoping he has a really quiet night. No one likes going on kid calls and of course this is a big night for those. I hope everyone is being extra careful while driving and looking out for the goofball kids.

Every year I say we’re going to have a party but I won’t say that this year. lol I’m growing accustom to my quiet Halloween night and I kind of like it. Next year hubby isn’t scheduled to work so he’ll be stuck watching horror movies with me. He doesn’t have a choice, it’s a tradition now that won’t be denied. Sadly the tradition is to watch cheesy, dumb scary movies tonight. UGH.  I’ll put a classic in after I go pick up the youngest from his party. But I wanted to get this post out first.

Hope you had a wonderful Halloween. Did anyone go to a fun party tonight or over the weekend?

I’ll be going through posts and setting some of the really personal posts to private. Not something most of you will notice I’m sure.

The biggest thing that will change is it’s use. It will be used again. I’ve sold off or deleted many sites and blogs in the last few months. I’ve been focusing more and it’s been so productive. I’ve learned a lot over the years. The last 4 years have been a constant roller coaster as family dynamics and jobs changed our lives immensely. But I’ve had tremendous clarity in the last 6 months and it shows in the growth of my businesses.

Busy Momma is who I am known to many online and off. It’s my username for every social media outlet and that’s been well before FB and twitter. It seems appropriate to repurpose how this site gets used.

Work in progress for sure. I’m not looking to change the whole feel of this site in a few weeks. It’ll definitely take the summer to get more organized. I’ll try to use some asterisks when I swear, and we’ll see if I can break out of it like I did when the kids were little. But honestly if you and I were sitting on my couch having a discussion as friends swear words would flow so why should I treat you any different here?

I get a lot of interaction on my main twitter account @busymommaval. I’m looking to make this an extension of that. Incorporating business with the personal. Is that a tight niche and focused enough? Nope, probably not and not the best idea for any of you starting out. But, I have those niche sites already so I don’t have to stick to any rules with this site.

Rules? Hmm online rules of how to work online only matter if they are working for you. So if it’s working for me I’ll just keep following my own rules.

The one thing that won’t change here is IT’S ME. I may offend but I’m not looking to be mean. But if you are asking for an opinion then you need to be able to take some constructive criticism without taking it personally. That was one of the biggest lessons I learned ages ago from some incredible women making big bucks online now. You can’t grow if you’re going to take it personal.

But it’s spring and all that will be changing. Daughters in track and football starts in a couple weeks for the boy. I’m blogging from the car line waiting to pick him up for appt. The busier the family gets, the more I get discouraged about time wasted waiting.

This app is going to be awesome for camping where there is no wi-fi. (The nerve). You know, like all the forests we could be enjoying here in Washington lol. Or camping at the dunes instead of paying to hook up to all the ammenities.  I’m a poor camper aren’t i?