Working Hard and then.... working even harder

As some know, but some don't; I left my own career to join my husband and help launch and excel his real estate business. I am a nerd. Not just talking about the "like to read a good book, nerd",  but the nerd that gets giddy about compiling and merging excel spread sheets that help make my life easier with the press of the button. Or writing matlab programs that output trajectories and results for radar signal processes... hardcore nerd. I have my undergraduate degree in Aerospace Engineering and my masters degree in Business Management. So most people ask me WHY? Why did I leave a promising career in the defense industry? Well, it's all pretty simple. I was a young, blonde, female in a old (Sorry... you get the term old if you are old enough to be my dad or grandpa), male dominated field. I LOVED the challenge! I loved the work. There was truly just one problem with the corporate America that I joined. The harder I worked, the same I got paid. I am a millennial so the fact that it even took me 5 years to make this connection still baffles me. I thought if I worked hard, I should get paid more? Right? Who wouldn't think that. Well wrong I was. To add to it, I had my son. Leaving work each day to do go to a job that you are just not completely in love with isn't fun as a new mom.

It made me do some soul searching and I first began by going to manager and letting him know what my career goals were. As a nerdy woman who was fighting every stereotype in the book when it came to engineering I sort of knew what was in store for the conversation. BY THE WAY...I highly recommend every woman doing this whether you plan to leave the company or not. Let your boss know what your goals are...they really aren't goals if you don't take any steps to implement them and vocalizing them is step numero uno, ladies! (I'm all about some girl power; in case you can't tell!)

I then asked him if the job could help me get there. I knew my strengths and I knew that the company could utilize me to fuller potential. He of course could not promise anything because in corporate america it's more about the time you have served than the effort you have put forth. It took Kyle and I a good 2 months of prayer and overcoming fear to simply say "Let's Do This!"

I gave a 2 month notice so that I could train someone to fill my position and move my projects onto another. I held onto that health insurance as long as I could and then bitterly let it go January 1st of 2015. Talk about fear. I feel like for the first time in my life I truly had to light a fire under my booty, get motivated and enter a field I knew NOTHING about. Good lord what was I thinking?! The first 2 months that I was in real estate and starting from scratch Kyle closed 2 homes. TWO!!! I was scared beyond belief. I was regretting my decision and struggling to find my place in the business. I was in way over my head. Well once Kyle started getting some deals and I began handling paperwork; I started to get in a groove. Wasn't a smooth groove but it was a groove nonetheless. Transaction after transaction I learned more and more. Then I really started implementing my FAB excel spread sheets and writing "how to" instructions and compiling email templates. I was making Processes for my husband's business. Hallelujah! I was now useful and doing something. That first year came to a close and our business closed 54 homes.

At the end of 2015, Kyle had become an absolute gem at listing homes. He found his strength. So... we recruited two agents to handle all the buyers that came from the listings. Thus the reason they call them buyers' agents. It really put my processes and paperwork to the test. 2016 was well under way and we were doing ok. I mean we weren't rockstars or anything but we knew big things were on the horizon. Then came April and holy moly. The passion was flowing, our expertise was growing and let me tell you. WE HUSTLED! We were all the first in the office and last to leave. Months felt like days and the year felt like weeks. We closed 119 homes in 2016. And for those who know nothing about real estate or finding an agent, this is HUGE. This is 119 transactions that successfully closed. In this business, there is not one single transaction that is like another. Every seller or buyers' needs are completely different and we truly aimed to please. With our team you truly get experts on the marketing spectrum, legal spectrum and stress free handling of what could be the most stressful time of your life. More importantly they got help from real people, real mothers, real fathers, real wives who have a passion for helping people and do it to feed their family. It led our team to be on Wall Street Journal's best 1,000 agents in the nation for 2016.  *Yes it's a shameless plug just in case you are in the market*

Needless to say...this blew aerospace engineering out of the water! I got to help people, help lead a team to be rockstars and I get to bring my kid to the office whenever I want to.  I never have to worry about the boss getting mad. :-) So that's my story to how I joined my husband's business and how we have worked hard but each week that passes...we seem to work even harder.

Christmas on The Beach

Well Sweet Boy,

You are now 2 and a half and spunkier than ever. I am going to try and catch up this blog because you had quite a year last year. We wrapped up 2016 with meeting your grandma, papa, uncle booger, teetee on the beach of Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. It was the greatest Christmas present that grandma and grandpa could have given us. We spenT 7 nights there and you enjoyed every minute of it! I have a funny story that I'll put here just for a good laugh down the road; I'm sure you will one day read it and think how crazy your parents are. It was our first night in Punta Cana; it was a long day of traveling. That evening we put you in the pack and play for bed and you were having a hard time going to sleep because you could see mom and dad. So we decided to step out onto the patio where you couldn't see us so that you could get a good nights rest. We dead bolted the front door, stepped onto the patio and slid the door shut. The moment we did that you could hear the "click" of the door locking. Turns out that since we were on the ground floor, the patio doors automatically locked when they were shut. We had absolutely no way to get back into the room since we dead bolted the door. After several attempts to jimmy the lock of the door, dad had to go to the front lobby and tell them what happened and to let them know that our child was in the room alone. Turns out that this doesn't happen often because they really didn't know what to do. They ended up having to remove the entire window from our room and crawl in the window to go unlock the door. Goodness it was so stressful. It's hard to find English speaking staff in Punta Cana so it was quite the adventure. Once we got inside the room; you were sound asleep and had no idea what had been going on. The resort that we stayed at had a large water playground that you adored and spent most of your days. It's safe to say that you played hard and you slept hard. It was an incredible vacation and you are an incredible good traveler! My heart explodes just thinking about what 2017 holds for you and our family!

On the Airplane Watching Finding Dory!

The Whole Gang! 

World Traveler

Dear sweet son of mine,

I am writing this from the bed of the Ritz Carlton in St. Thomas with you fast asleep in your bed next to me. Goodness I can't even describe the joy I felt today watching you see and experience things for the first time. You saw ducks and followed them around saying quack quack quack. You played on the beach and in the kiddie pool. You were in heaven and I was also just watching your little world get bigger and bigger as the day went on. I was starting to get anxiety about bringing you when the airplane rides were getting really long and you my little man were just not having it. But we arrived and it's amazing what a little breath of salt water air will do for your mama heart and soul. Your Daddy is here for an event with his Mastermind group. You should be so very proud of him; he is an amazing man. As I type,  he is mingling with multi-millionaires who have secrets to share about growing a real estate business. Daddy is an amazing real estate expert and we can't wait for you to learn all about what mommy and daddy do. He is here for an event but today we all hung out together and you played your little heart out. Mommy and daddy got sunburns and you got wore out. It was a great day. I think you approve of the resort because everyone loves you and you seem to be loving all it has to offer.

Easter 2016

Dear Hudson,

Today I find myself... well pretty exhausted. In-between you learning how to open every door in the house and stomping your food into the floor, I have managed to find a moment of quiet during nap time to reflect on your second Easter. You my sweet little man, are a strong willed little boy and while I am just wanting to take a nap today, I know that in 20 years- you will be an amazing man with a fun loving, persevering personality. Your grandmama and papa hosted your annual Easter Egg Hunt for you and it was lots of fun. You weren't too concerned with finding eggs, but you were enthralled with running around, playing and being all boy. You have also recently development an obsession with this little red character, Elmo. I'm not sure where from but he has over powered our home and papa bought you the sweetest Elmo for you to lug around, throw, eat; whatever your heart desires. Each day I feel as though you learn a new word. My proudest mom moment this week was when grandma gave you a lollypop and you gave her an unprompted "thank you" in the cutest little voice that I am trying to cherish everyone minute of. Papa and grandma also attempted to help you fly a kite while mom and dad went on their very first date since you were born! It was so great to eat dinner with two hands but a small part of me would rather be eating your leftover macaroni and cheese that was saved from being dumped on the floor.

You and Papa 3-26-16

Watching Elmo with Grandmama 3-26-16

Kite Flying 3-25-16

My strong willed little man is nothing short of amazing. I love seeing you grow and experience new things. God is already playing his part in the man you will become and he is constantly working within me to help Him with this plan. Everything I do each day is so much more than wiping your nose, telling you not to eat the dog food, and cleaning up spilled milk. I am so eager to see how this incredible little life of yours pans out.

I love you so much, Hudson!

"No love in mortality comes closer to approximating the pure love of Jesus Christ than the selfless love a devoted mother has for her child." -Jeffrey Holland

Detox Smoothie Recipe

Well, I woke up and smelled the roses this weekend. Actually l finally admitted to how strongly I feel about wanting another baby one day and realized that I need to get my act in gear. Before getting pregnant with Hudson, I focused on my health 100%. I worked out with a trainer for over a year, did tons of cardio and weightlifting throughout my entire pregnancy to be sure I was in optimal health for carrying and laboring my child. However, yoga pants, toddler food and starbucks have become my best friend and I've lost any sort of motivation to put on tennis shoes and a sports bra. I have lost and gained these last 10 pounds of baby weight several times but I think I'm finally ready to take the plunge. The good thing is that I know what I have to do; I've done it before... now I just have to have the discipline to do it. I started my Saturday by grocery shopping and I made tons of smoothie packets. I filled quart size bags with all the yummy ingredients of this detox smoothie and popped them in the freezer so that I can simply pull them out, add green tea, blend and go. Should be easy peasy. I haven't tried it yet but it's prepped and in the freezer prepared to start my week. I'm hoping in a few months that my physical health will catch up to my mental health on the baby fever. :-)

Detox Smoothie Recipe

Lucky Duck

Sweet Hudson,

It's 8:30am and after a breakfast of eggs and a banana, you are playing with a light saber, chasing the dogs around the house. Little do you know how lucky your mama feels on this Monday morning. Yesterday you got a random sinus infection where you had a green goopy eye, massive snotty nose and a brutal diaper rash that you have been suffering from for awhile now. A quick trip to the doctor has left you feeling like your normal self again. However, I'm not excited about sending you to daycare after only being on antibiotics for 24 hours... so here we are; playing with light sabers, chasing the dogs around the house. I feel like the luckiest mom in the world to have the ability to do this. Where I can check my email every few hours and smother you with kisses every chance I get. It's the best Monday I could ever hope for! And you my son... are the best thing I could have ever hoped for. I love you oh so much and I already can't wait to plan our impromptu Monday together.

Love you, sweet boy!

-Your lucky duck mama

Mom Brain: Forgot to post... Months ago!

This post was in my drafts that I never posted: It's clearly from a LONG time ago.... Time is so cruel. Look at that little face!

This past weekend we went down to our cabin in Broken Bow, OK. My normally angel child seemed to have flipped the switch for our relaxing getaway. He cried most of the way down there and then did not sleep through the night a single night we were there. I'm not sure if it was because it was a new environment and he was so interested in what there was to see, but let me tell you.... I am one tired mama and the relaxing weekend was not relaxing at all. Aside from my sleep deprivation, I  managed to snap some pics of the weekend!

PASSED OUT! (Eventually...when it was time to wake up!)



In between crying, He snuggled up to his water bottle