The Vaccination Debate: What Do You Think?

Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici, www.freedigitalphotos.net

You'd have to be hiding under a rock somewhere to not be aware of all of the controversy that's been going on lately surrounding vaccines. It's been all over the news that there was an insane measles outbreak in California, and it can be traced back to a visit to Disneyland. Now, California is considering legislation that would make vaccinations for school-aged children mandatory, regardless of your spiritual beliefs or personal choices.

It probably won't be long before this happens all across the country.

I'm writing this post not because I want to make sure my voice is heard about my personal beliefs in vaccinations, but because I want to hear your thoughts. Perhaps I should begin by telling you where I stand.

I'm the mom of three children. They're 15, 12 and 5 years old. They make every day better for me, and I'm so blessed to have them. When I started having kids, I never even considered choosing not to vaccinate them. Their pediatrician had a set schedule, and that's what we went by. I never questioned it at all.

That is...until I heard about the Gardasil vaccine.

On the surface, it sounded great. It would protect girls from getting HPV, which is an STI that's contracted during sex. HPV can cause cervical cancer. If you don't protect your daughter from cancer, you're a bad mom, aren't you?

I wasn't so sure. You see, it was my goal to protect my daughter from all of the things that come with having sex before you're married. I wanted to protect her from the broken heart, the shattered soul ties, the possibility of pregnancy, and the STIs. As I said, she's 15 years old now, and she's listened to me so far.

It wasn't long before I started seeing articles like this one. The article says that many girls have had the Gardasil vaccine, and they're just fine. However, in Canada, there is a growing population of girls who are not just fine. Some of them ended up in wheelchairs or needing feeding tubes. Others had different significant problems, and one girl passed away after her second dose (the article says she drowned in her bathtub).

These are some pretty significant risks. And no, my daughter might not ever have any issues with Gardasil, but...what if she did? Could I live with myself? Probably not.

That's why she didn't get that vaccine, and she never will. Period.

The second red flag I had about vaccines happened two years ago when I got the flu. I got vaccinated just like I was supposed to. However, they were all out of the "regular" vaccine that day, so they offered me a different variety that went just under the skin, and it used a live version of the virus. The "regular" vaccine uses a dead version. I figured it must be OK; after all, this was a drug store offering this to me, right? I had my flu shot, and I went home.

Two weeks later, I became ill. I mean, deathly ill. I have never been that sick in my entire life. I thought I was going to die, and it was an illness that just wouldn't let up, no matter what I did. I was stuck on the couch for at least a week, and I was begging and pleading for God to make it go away.

That was the last flu shot I got, and I haven't gotten my children vaccinated for the flu since then, either. I figure one of two things:

1. Either I got sick from the flu shot, or
2. It doesn't really work that well, so why get it?

This year, we're seeing lots of people who are coming down with the flu, and these people were vaccinated. They're getting it anyway! Of course, the powers that be state that the virus mutated this year, and that's why people are getting the flu anyway. I can't help but question how many crazy chemicals those people are putting in their body (all used to create the flu vaccine) all in the name of not getting an illness they're going to get anyway.

These two vaccines, the flu and the Gardasil, started making me think about all of the other vaccines I've had, and that my children have had. There are all kinds of studies out there about how vaccines can be linked to increased instances of SIDS and Autism. Then someone else comes along and debunks those theories, only to have their theories debunked, and...well, it's a vicious cycle.

The way I see it, vaccines and medications are all a great way for pharmacy companies to make money. Most of the drugs and vaccines that are on the market come with a host of side effects that you need additional medication to treat.

When does it end? 

So now...I'm torn. My older two are off the hook for vaccines for a couple of years at least, but my younger one will have some scheduled shots coming up within the next few years. I just don't know what the right answer is for him.

What do you think?

Dinner Calls: Fight or Flight?

Photo courtesy of artemisphoto, www.freedigitalphotos.net

Your day at work ended perfectly. You had very little stress, and you can't wait to run home and cook dinner for your family. When you walk in the door, everyone is smiling, and they welcome you home with open arms.

You laugh as you accept their hugs and kisses, and in one sweeping motion, you grab your apron from the hook, where you hang it each night once you're finished preparing that evening's feast. You tie it on, and begin your dinner preparations, humming a little tune as you work. A mere hour goes by, and dinner is presented on the table in all its splendor. The smells emanating from your kitchen remind everyone of a lovely Italian bistro, and you can't help but be thrilled with your own culinary expertise.

If only that were the way it worked.

In truth, once you finish work, you race home, or you leave your home office, and you can't believe you forget to set something out to thaw that morning. You scour the freezer or the fridge for something that might be considered edible, all the while thinking about how you can convince your husband that pizza would be a better choice for that evening's dinner. Sometimes your meals are great, and other times...well, not so much.

Relax!

There are real answers for your dinner woes! Today we're going to talk about a few things you can do to make dinner preparations and planning a little more enjoyable for you and your family (Yes! It really is possible!).

1. Your crockpot is your friend

One of the greatest tools for any busy mom is the crockpot. There are all different styles available, and you can even find one in some really cool colors. You can find plenty of crockpot recipes online, and there are even some great crockpot cookbooks out there that are filled with great ideas that require little to no preparation time on your part. If you're looking for meals you can just toss in and forget about until you get home, there are lots of them.

2. Make double batches

Sometimes, you just can't escape cooking. However, try to avoid the temptation to make small meals that will only last for one night. If you double your recipes, you'll make a larger amount of food, and you can have the same meal again the next night, or even freeze half of it for use on another night. There are some plastic containers on the market that work really well for this, and it's great to pull a frozen meal out and reheat it. It saves you a lot of time.

3. Have a cooking frenzy on the weekend

Speaking of freezing food, why not have a cooking party during one Saturday afternoon? This is a great project for the entire family, or you can tackle it with your husband. All you need to do is get your ingredients together and prepare big batches of everything your family loves. You'll be amazed at how many things are easier to make in larger batches (spaghetti sauce, mashed potatoes, etc.). Once you're finished, you can freeze your meals and tuck them away for upcoming weeknights.

4. Call it a leftovers night

"How long has this been in here?" "Honey, are these still OK to eat?" If you've heard these phrases often in your house, then  you probably have plenty of leftovers in your fridge. Leftovers nights can be a lot of fun for your family because they get to pick and choose their favorite meals from the past few nights. They'll love the crazy combinations they come up with, and you'll love not having to cook. As a bonus, you'll save a lot of money because you won't be throwing away food.

5. Teach your older kids to cook

If you're like me, you tend to take on most of the cooking responsibilities yourself. On the weekends, my husband cooks (he knows that's the plan), but during the week, I've started instructing my older kids on how to prepare simple meals for the family. There are many of them out there that are easy for them to make. They can cook and mash potatoes, make spaghetti or other types of pasta, make taco salad or do breakfast for dinner. Focus on simplifying the instructions, and only start with one or two things at a time to give them time to get the hang of it. Before long, they'll be excellent cooks, and you'll get a break.

I hope these tips help you breathe a little easier during those weeknights when you can't stand the thought of cooking a full meal after putting in a whole day at work. Whether you work at home or you work outside your home, your family can enjoy healthy, home-cooked meals every day without causing you a lot of stress and anxiety.

A Working Mom's Greatest Challenge: The Snow Day

Without a doubt, one of the hardest parts of winter for any mom is knowing what to do when the local school district declares a day a snow day.

Your children are hooting, hollering, and making plans for snowmen and hot chocolate while you're stuck wondering what you should do...because you still have to go to work!

Never fear; I've come up with some ideas that will help to navigate you through the challenges of the (for much of the country) inevitable snow day.

Tip #1: Have a plan

No matter what problem you're facing, it's much easier if you have a plan. If you work outside the home, you'll have to make a decision on what you're going to do. Do you stay home and call in, or do you contact a sitter for the day? Some employers are very lenient on snow days, and they're happy to allow you to stay home with your kids; especially if it's possible for you to work from home. Others will want you to come in anyway, even if you have to come in late. However, knowing what you'll do, and who you can call can make it easier when you find out your kids will be home for a snow day.

Tip #2: Nix the screen time

If your kids are like mine, they're thrilled to stay home from school because that means they'll get to play video games, watch television or go online. Too much screen time is bad for them (and it's not so great for us, either), so come up with some fun ideas for them to do instead. Board games are always a hit with kids, and there are so many to choose from that will keep them occupied for hours. You can choose from classic board games like Connect Four and Battleship. There are also many other games out there that they're sure to love.

Tip #3: Family Project: Dinner and Dessert

This is a fun idea that will get the entire family excited about dinner. If you have to go off to work, you'll want to prepare this ahead of time, but if you'll be home, you'll enjoy doing this with your kids. You can get out the family cookbook and look for some fun dinner ideas that you can prepare together. While it's great to have some awesome kitchen tools to make dinner prep easier, you can create an awesome meal no matter what you have on hand. The kids will be thrilled to be a part of the dinner plan, and they might even eat their dinner just a little bit better that night; especially if they had a hand in helping to make dessert!

  

With a little help, you really can survive a snow day. You might even find you start looking forward to the next one!

Sometimes Discouragement Hits...And Then I Remember

I can remember when I made the decision to quit my last "real" job.

It was a terrible day for me, and I was shaking and crying, almost uncontrollably. I didn't know what I was going to do, but I knew I couldn't continue to work in that environment. At that time, I had no idea that working from home was even an option for me. Oh, I knew that people worked from home, and some of them were really good at it. However, I didn't know that it would be quite so easy for me to do.

Once I realized that I could write for businesses from the comfort of my own couch, I was excited to start. It wasn't long before I was making an income that was comparable to the amount of money I worked outside the home. Only I was able to stay home with my son and raise him myself instead of paying someone else to do it. It was wonderful.

It's been almost two years since I started working from home, and I'll admit that sometimes I do get a little bit discouraged. I've gone through a few different transitional periods as clients have moved on from getting my services, and as new ones have decided to give SEO a try for their businesses. During the times when all of my clients seem to be happy with their content, and the ones from the websites I work for don't seem to need any more, I frequently find myself thinking, "Maybe I should just go out and look for another 'real' job." I would have to say that this happens to me about once a month or so. I reason with myself by saying that my kids are all in school now, and when they're off from school, I have a daughter who's old enough to babysit the younger ones. Aside from having to make some transportation arrangements for them, I think to myself, "I really could get a job outside the home now, and we would all just adjust accordingly."

And then...moments like this morning happened.

We woke up my sons for school at 6:30. This was their first day back to school after the winter break, and to be honest, I was looking forward to having the house back for a day. My oldest son came out of his bedroom, and he could hardly breathe. He was wheezing terribly, and coughing unlike anything I had heard before. It did cross my mind that maybe he was pretending just a little bit to avoid going to school, but it soon became apparent that he wasn't.

I had to take him to the doctor this morning, while the other two went off to school. I found out that he has strep throat and an upper respiratory infection. We were given a prescription for an antibiotic, and the doctor told me to give him some cough medicine. He spent the day on the couch under his blanket watching his television shows. I sat here, working while he recuperated.

It occurred to me how flexible I can be in my job. I have truly been blessed with being able to work from home. I can come and go as I please, as long as I'm up to date on all of my deadlines. When my kids need me, I'm available to them. When there's an emergency, I don't have to call in to anyone, and risk my boss getting upset because I'm not at work. After all, like I said in my last blog post, my kids really are my number one job.

Do you work from home? Have you ever considered quitting your work from home job to take a job outside the home?

My Most Important Job

This morning my kids had a two-hour delay from school, so I got to spend a little bit more time with them before their ride picked them up. My youngest son, Caleb, has this little jingle bracelet that I think he made in church. He's been wearing it all the time, even to sleep in. This morning he came to me in tears because one of his little bells fell off. He was holding the little bell in his hand. The bell is no bigger than a pencil eraser, so it's amazing that he didn't lose it. He said, "Mommy, can you fix it?"

My heart went out to him, and I saw that the hole where the little bell had been attached was torn. I knew I'd have to make another hole, but when I tried to do it, it wasn't working. This was going to be an extensive fix. I gave him a kiss and a hug, and I told him that I would work on it today while he was at school. Then, it would be all ready for him when he got home. He thanked me, and went on his merry way. 

I picked up the bracelet right around lunch time. I knew I had to find something to make a new hole. I found one rusty safety pin in our bathroom (which is now going in the garbage, after it served its final purpose), and I made a new hole in the bracelet. My fingers were shaking the whole time because this was such an intricate procedure. However, I managed to fix that little bracelet with a little time and with some help from some needlenose pliers. You can see the finished product above.

Do I think this bracelet is going to last forever? No, of course not. Especially not if he keeps on sleeping with it on. For now, it's almost as good as new, and I know when he gets home from school, he's going to be one very happy little boy. 

My job keeps me very busy. I'm constantly in contact with my clients, talking to them about what their needs are, and how I can help them increase the amount of customers or clients they see. Every other month I'm almost swamped because of one project in particular, which is editing a newsletter (which is more like a magazine) for the International Thunderbird Club. That takes up the better part of two weeks every other month. However, I must never lose sight of what my most important job is.

Mom.

There are three little people living in this house who depend on me for practically everything. They depend on me to be sure their clothes are washed (even though the older two do their own laundry, they still need reminders from time to time), they depend on me for their meals, and for the little things they need for school or just for their pleasure. 

Yes, my clients are important. They're the reason my business has grown so much in such a short period of time. They're also the reason it's going to keep on growing in the coming months. However, if I lose sight of what my most important job is, I'm not really going to be successful at all. 

I needed that reminder today. 

 

Changing My Plans

I published a post on my personal blog this morning regarding the big news that's taken almost a week to sink into my brain. You can read about me finding out I'm pregnant by clicking here. I don't want to rehash all of that information, but I did want to take a few minutes and blog about what I believe this means for my business. This is as much for other work from home moms as it is for me.

To say this news came as a surprise would be an understatement. This news came as a major shock. Quite honestly, I wasn't expecting to have any more children. I was expecting to bring up the three children I already have, while building my business. My youngest started preschool this year, and having those hours at home during the day to work has been wonderful. It's so quiet here while the kids are in school, and I've been able to increase my income quite a bit.

When I went to my appointment last week, I was expecting to discuss sterilization with my nurse practitioner. However, that conversation had to be put on hold for a little while after I found out I was pregnant that morning. When I got home, of course I couldn't really talk about it with anyone, because I hadn't told my husband yet. I spent the day thinking about how life would be once the baby was born. When Caleb was a toddler, I was able to get some work done during the day, but, especially during the beginning I only really worked while he was napping. As he got older and was able to entertain himself a little more, I did a little bit of work while he was awake.

The idea of changing my plans wasn't appealing to me at first. However, I was reminded by God that my first job is to be a Mom. He commissioned me to do that work above any other work. My writing skills are still going to be there once this child starts preschool. Until that time, I will follow God's plan for my life. Right now, that plan involves me having one more baby to raise. I must be kind of good at it if God keeps entrusting all of these children to my care.

We are truly blessed, and this will be a wonderful experience. I'm looking forward to welcoming a new Colwell into our family.

Have you ever been in a similar situation with a surprise pregnancy?

Establishing A Routine

I'm finding that one of the most difficult things has been establishing a new routine. I'm not sure why that is. I've had to do it many times over the past year and a half. Even before that, when I worked outside the home, I had to constantly put new routines in place when my kids had a milestone, or when I started a new job.

It's been almost a month since the kids started going back to school. I will admit that the first day of school was a little bit crazy. It didn't help that I made a major boo-boo and didn't realize that my three-year-old was supposed to start school on the same day as his brother and sister. In my defense, the school calendar never got changed, and pre-school was supposed to begin on the following Monday. I couldn't help but wonder why no one stopped me when I dropped the other two kids off at school, visited for a few minutes with Caleb, and then left to drive back home from Horseheads. Imagine my surprise when I was sitting here, working, about an hour later, only to get this phone call from Caleb's teacher:

Miss Emma: Nicole?

Nicole: Yes?

Miss Emma: Ummm...we were just wondering if Caleb was coming to school today? 

Nicole: Uhh...Caleb doesn't start school today. I thought preschool started on Monday. 

Miss Emma: No...I'm...pretty sure it starts today. 

Oh. My. Gosh.

I quickly made his lunch, and put some decent clothes on him before dragging him out the door for yet, another trip to the school.

It's been an interesting time.

Since that day, I've enjoyed weekdays filled with silence in my home. It's wonderful to just sit here with nothing but the clickety-clack of my keyboard to fill the air. I love it. It's amazing how much work you can get done when you're not running around after a toddler, or when you don't constantly have to change dirty diapers.

I'm really loving my job these days, I just really need to work on getting that routine down. Getting up earlier seems to be the key to success, but it's not always easy to get up at 5 am. I'm going to try to do it again tomorrow though.

I think where I run into difficulty is when I think of how I used to work before. When you have kids at home, and you work from home, you basically try to fit work in whenever you can. When it was just me and my three-year-old at home all day, I would play with him and write a post, then play with him a little more, then write a post. Now, I feel a little bit lost. Even though today was a really good, productive day.

I'm going to keep working on my work schedule. I know I'll eventually find a way that works for me.

If you work at home, what are some things you do to keep yourself on task? Do you have a regular schedule that you follow?