Real Estate Mama

It has been a long while since I have written, but it is time I dust off the Blogger cobwebs and get back to it.  I truly enjoy blogging and although my Mom and MIL may be the only ones who read this that is A-OK by me.

In February I became a Real Estate Agent!  Very exciting stuff-so exciting I'm pretty sure most of my friends and family thought I was going through a quarter century crises.  All kidding aside it has been alot of fun and I am learning so much.  Although I am a new agent I am not new to the Real Estate Industry.  Previously I was the Admin.  I am again, but I am also the boss's assistant AND I do my own Real Estate. Busy? Yes.  Loving it? Absolutely.

But as anyone can attest to, learning on the job skills can be tricky.  Here are some things that I have found that have been tricky so far in my Real Estate Career.

1.  State and National Real Estate Licensing can be really frustrating.  Mine went well.  I sat in a super duper long 60 hours of bum numbing class, took a terrifying test and then received my license 2 weeks after.  Sometimes it is not so easy.  Find a Broker that can guide you through it and is in touch with the Board of Realty Regulations.

2.  Real Estate is like one part sales, one part counselor and four parts patience.  Add lots of work, practice dialogue and a good lead generator.  I'm finding the wisdom of our Real Estate Jedi's (those in the office who have been in it awhile) is crucial to my success.

3.  Talking to strangers about a service you provide is TERRIFYING (even if you are an extrovert).  I always try to take my toddler when I must go door to door or social networking if I can help it.  You can't be mean to a cute kid. 

4.  Self Initiative -> Tenacity->Follow Through->Repeat.  I'm finding out I am a great starter but not such a good closer.  Learning the close dialogue on Real Estate situations is tricky for me.

5. Client/time management.  You want to be there  for your clients vs.  you want to be there for your family.  Plus making dinner, cleaning, hobbies (what are those?) and dirty laundry.  Yah, figure that one out.

 It has been a grand adventure so far.  I would have never thought of Real Estate as my career of choice.  I'm so grateful this door has been opened and I have the opportunity to help my husband through school while I become the Real Estate Sugar Mama...

Until next time,

M.

The Office Organizing Ordeal..phew

Well, it is done!  The office corner was mayhem and with DH working and going to school full time and me picking up some more hours nannying I needed a landing place for the important things.  When I thought I lost a check this week I knew something had to be done.

Here is how I got organized on the Office:

Before

1.  Identify what you want to organize, specify exactly what is the major problem.  For this space it was that papers would get everywhere, so every time I had to pay bills I was foraging through stacks of receipts, old mail and junk. That problem became my priority.  I figured out horizontal spaces are the devil.

Before

2.  Create a budget.  I had Christmas money to spend so I figured $50 would be exactly what I needed.  I went over by $10.00.  Not too bad, I knew this space would be the most costly.

Bare bones

3.  Remove EVERYTHING from the space.

4.  Sort through everything.  Does it apply to the space's job?  Have you used it in 6 months-1 Year (get rid of it?  Does it need to be relocated?  I had 3 bins on hand: Relocation bin, Trash Bin and To use bin.  The relocation bin can be for donation or just needs a new place or needs to be put back where it belongs.

5.  Put in the bare bones.

After

After!

6.  Return Items from the top down.

Now ENJOY your organized space!


With the $60 bucks I bought a collapsible storage ottoman from Ross ($20), the wall organizer from Target ($25), the red clock ($7), the black shelf ($10), and the cup ($1).  I also reorganized the drawers and bills.  I tried to be as frugal as possible and use what we had.  The wood 2X4 actually says "give thanks" on the back but it doesn't really match our decor so I flipped it over and put nails in for a coat rack. :)

Stay tuned next week for the Kitchen Makeover!


~ M.

Organizational Revolution Challenge

Well, well, well...It has been a LONG while since I blogged. This year has been NUTS since DH went back to school and J-baby has learned to walk and get into EVERYTHING.  Although it has been a crazy year a lot has been accomplished.  We moved from a large log cabin with a ton of storage to a small 3 bedroom town house.  Our Brother in law moved in, we have a one year old and we have so much stuff.  You would think that after all the yard sales and trips to the consignment store we would have purged enough items...

Sometimes I feel like I'm going to be swallowed alive by this place...As a couple DH and I have been really challenged this year to live contently and simply.  So, why not do it willingly and with STYLE! :)

Please join me as I participate in the Organizational Revolution Challenge!

I'm so super stoked about this.  I will be reorganizing our Office Area for week #1. You can Check out my blog tomorrow and I will have before and during pics. Good Luck and Happy Organizing!

~M

Sharing is Caring

Hi friends and family.  I apologize for the long absence from blogging about my domestic endeavors and mishaps.  I ran into what I like to call a creative blockage of some sort.  It seems every once in a while I have an impossible time writing, sewing, decorating or coming up with anything original or fun.  I think summer must have worn me out BUT now we are back to fall.

Ahhhh, the end of fall.  My very favorite time of year.  Halloween is over and now we have the onslaught of parties, dieting dilemmas, runny noses, chapped lips and then straight on to winter.

As penance for my long absence I would like to provide you with my very favorite links that have seriously helped me become a better housewife.  These websites will help you meal plan, budget, get out of debt, feel better about yourself and challenge you in new ways. 

But first I would like to reassure the Domestic Do It Alls, Stay at Home Super Moms and the Wonderful Working Women in my life.  Remember this my beautiful woman friend: You are a treasure, far above rubies, and are created just as you are.  This season is known for it's depression and discouragement, it's known for its commercialism and comparisons.  So when your stretched for cash and your tired of attending countless parties and you've about had it with your friends and their countless diet restrictions remember this one thing: "your shoe is untied..." Just kidding.  The moral of the story is to laugh it off.  Don't take it all so seriously. Remember that your creator is the same creator who created the platypus....When things get too tough, to serious, to obnoxious, watch your favorite hilarious youtube video and move on.  Yup, that's all I got for you. :)

Now to the goodies:


Learn how to effectively coupon and not end up on TLC:
www.couponmom.com

 My favorite website as of right now, so practical and wonderful:
www.moneysavingmom.com

Get out of debt!
www.daveramsey.com

Lovely Lady with a passion for Christ:
www.pasionatehomemaking.com

Organizing Junkie, Type A personalities beware, your mind will be blown:
www.orgjunkie.com

For those of you with babies, this website gives great advice.  She follows the babywise books but if that doesn't jive with you she still has amazing advice and tips.
www.babywisemom.com


Always,

M. 

Same ol' Same ol'

Sometimes being a Domestic Goddess is seriously boring...at times super lame.  Since I have a tendency for having a not so positive mind I can get pretty bogged down in the day to day stuff.  It is so easy to forget how blessed you are and how much we have when we get into the "same old thing" attitude.

Romans 12:2 says:  Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —his good, pleasing and perfect will. (NIV)

Which reminds us that really our daily life is formed by our thoughts.  Let's read chapter 12 so we can get some context on what this verse challenges us to do.

Romans 12

A Living Sacrifice

12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. ² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Humble Service in the Body of Christ

³ For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. ⁴ For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, ⁵ so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. ⁶ We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your^[a] faith; ⁷ if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; ⁸ if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead,^[b] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

Love in Action

⁹ Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. ¹⁰ Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. ¹¹ Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. ¹² Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ¹³ Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. ¹⁶ Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.^[c] Do not be conceited.
¹⁷ Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. ¹⁸ If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. ¹⁹ Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”^[d] says the Lord. ²⁰ On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
    if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”^[e]

²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

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 When I read this I am convicted, because lately my attitude has been so sour and negative.  I keep thinking of escape routes and easy way outs...but listen to what Christ is telling us.

1. Renew your mind in Christ and you will know his will for you. (Romans 12:2)

2.  Christ has given you a gift-that gift is today and you must used whatever resource or talent God  has given you. (Romans 12:6)

3.   Don't get stuck in the same ol same ol. (Romans 11)

Lastly he gives us instructions on how to live a good Godly life.

You can't live life dependent on our feelings.  Being Joyful, patient, faithful are all choices.  It is a choice to use what God has blessed us with.  If you are a stay at home mom or a working woman or man you have resources that we would never use for God's glory.  

Let me challenge you:

I know how this feels...

Do you use Facebook to share God's love?  Are you kind to your neighbors? Do you volunteer or serve in your church? What are you good at and how can you use it to share the love of Christ?  How can you better your relationships with your spouse and children?  How can you better yourself? 

If your stuck or feeling stagnant, stop it.  Stop feeling and start doing.  When your mind feels negative then fill it with positive things.  Because if your reading this-most likely you have most everything you need and most everything you have ever wanted.  

Always,

M.

P.S. Your feelings called-they are tired of being your excuse

There is no substitute for Ranch Dressing

There are some things in life that just aren't worth it.  One of those things happen to be Fat Free Ranch Dressing.  My brother-in-law and I discovered that last night as we poured ranch dressing on our pizza and salad---it was disgusting.  Never again will I buy fat free ranch dressing, it is simply not worth the it.  My low calorie substitute was not even close to being comparable to the real thing.

Often we make decisions (conscious and subconsciously) to substitute what we know is good for something that is mediocre.

Do you find yourself speeding through things?  Do you find yourself irratated if your phone doesn't load up the Facebook app in 3 seconds?  In our microwave mentality we literally fly through our day. For social interaction we have Facebook, for our family we have 'quality time,' we eat at our desks, we have the 5 minute cookbook for dinners and we have tv on demand...do you get the picture?  We have substituted a full and abundant life for something less than.

Those things that I listed earlier are great and they are supposed to enhance our productivity and time.  But just like the fat free dressing, Facebook doesn't taste as good as having a coffee and conversation with a friend.  Or spending a Sunday with the family with no agenda other than to enjoy eachother's presence.

I'm telling you right now, if you buy into the Quality Time notion-your full of it and your family needs you.  You can't qualify time.  It is simply a measurement.  You can't measure laughter, love and the presence you bring to your family.  Your work isn't that important, there were always be a chores, there will always be ministry needs and there will always be something to distract you (satan will make sure of it).  For those of you who are 'martyrs,' ask someone for help with your work, your house, your ministry and spend some time with your family.  For those of you who are workaholics, your are being disobedient to God by not honoring your spouse and your family with your presence.

There is no substitute for your presence.

You can apply this to every aspect of your life.  Ask yourself this question: What have I been substituting for real wholesome things?  Whether it's social interaction, physical or mental  presence, unhealthy eating habits, vices or  relationships, we all fall to the microwave mentality. But remember shortcuts aren't always satisfying. 

And yet our society praises shortcuts.  Our society praises quality time, whirlwind affairs, quick money, the latest gadgets and the hottest bods.  They praise things that  are quick, easy substitutes promising an amazing end result.  So often their amazing end result is a 72 day marriage, or a stressed out dad or mom trying to give their kids every thing under the sun, or an unethical decision---because the end justifies the means right? 

The best things in life take time and presence.  This is your life, so show up.  Don't fast forward.  Don't substitute anything for what God has given you.  You are responsible for your life and responsibilities.  Oh, you can blame society and others for being less than.  But the truth is: it is a daily decision whether or not substitute things of this world for the things God has given you. What decision are you making today?

Always,

M.

Grocery Store Strategy & Psychology

It was brought to my attention at one of my Weight Watcher meetings that Restaurants and Grocery stores are using in depth psychology reasoning for marketing their products.  Even grocery shopping is rife with conflict:  I want to save money and 'they' want me to spend money.  Off the top of my head I was trying to think about everything I've ever told about the best way to grocery shop.

1) Write a list
2) Eat before you go
3) Stay on the out skirts of the store
4) The lowest priced items are always below eye view

I decided to do more research on the art of grocery shopping and how those grocery store chains are using our impulses and predictability to their advantage.   I learned from Psychology Today that Dole is planting a specific banana whose color is Buttercup Yellow, this color of banana compared to other colors is by far more pleasing to the eye and sells at a higher rate than other color of bananas.  Stores also strategically place necessities such as milk, eggs, meat and cheese at the back of the store so that you must walk through the entire store.  I've even heard of stores using certain fragrances that may trigger your subconscious to spend more and linger longer.

I kind of want to scream after reading all this research...as if we weren't getting bombarded enough with advertising.

Tonight I make my meal plan, my shopping list and I look at the grocery ads. Tomorrow I attempt my shopping (or should I say battle) and I'll be ready. I was reading a blog titled "Frugal For Life," Dawn has some really great tips and tactics for grocery shopping.  The link is provided HERE for you.  Please be sure to comment on her site and to let her know how much you appreciate her tips!

Until next mine,

M.