Lensography from a BusyMOM
Ranked #5,247 in Squidoo Community, #355,183 overall | Donates to Squidoo Charity Fund
My life as a BusyMOM
So, this lens is half all about me, Sara, (aka BusyMOM) and what I do in my life and half a lensogrpaphy. You may or may not find it interesting. That's okay, but if you need a little break from whatever you are doing, then dive in and read up. Maybe it'll spark something for you to think about, or get your creative juices flowing. Use this lens however you'd like! Enjoy and know that I am so grateful to you for hanging out for a bit with me!
In the photo above is me and my fantastic 13-year old son. We took a day to go to the boardwalk in Santa Cruz, CA right before the school year started this last fall. LOADS of fun!
Why I Joined Squidoo
It's fun!
I initially joined Squidoo in 2007 as a way to help promote some of my other online work. Well, life got busier and I got some jobs that took me away from Squidooing for quite a while.
Lo and behold, I got that squid itch and came back this last December and started making some new lenses. Not only did I find it rewarding, but Squidoo has added some fun and cool changes since 2007! I love completing quests and racking up the points. And this has helped me get on the top 40 list a few times. It's really not that hard to do. Awesome! And then there's the trophies! Who doesn't love getting a trophy?
Okay, so racking up points and adding trophies is not what my life is all about, but I embrace it as part of my goal to pat myself on the back once in a while and acknowledge that I deserve it! I deserve to feel good about what I do! And if getting a trophy from Squidoo helps with that, I ask you: WHY NOT????
The Squidoo Meisters are smart. All of these fun things have helped motivate me to keep going with lens building. I've taken it on as a personal challenge and the reward is two-fold: 1) I get personal satisfaction out of contributing to the Squidoo community and 2) Some lenses that I create are part of my internet marketing strategy to promote my work online. Suddenly, work has become fun again.
Squidoo is a wonderful platform to give and receive. I love it. Check out PotPieGirl's What is Squidoo. I found it really helpful.
Squidoo - Easy and Fun!
How To Use Squidoo: The Power of Recommendation
Amazon Price: (as of 06/02/2012)
Golden information in this one. If you don't have a kindle - you're missing out!
5 Things I'm Grateful For
Life is full and I'm embracing it.
I'm beginning to see the importance and the necessity to STOP. Take a look at my life. Enjoy the small victories. Be grateful for what I have. And most of all, be kind to myself. It's doable. I try to consciously do the "stopping" for 5-10 minutes a day and take a deep breath or brew a cup of tea, and relax my brain.
I have lots to be grateful for and I want to write them down to remind me that no matter what's going on in life, there is ALWAYS something in which I can feel much gratitude. And this list is only a chip on the tip of the iceberg!
- 1My son, Taylor. Being his Mom is the best job I could ever dream of having.
- 2My wonderful community, San Carlos. There's no better place to live.
- 3Being able to work at home. I love it.
- 4Partially cloudy days. I love the sun, but clouds make me feel cozy.
- 5Being in good health. Something I don't ever want to take for granted.
A few good books on Gratitude...
And then there's one of my favorite things to chew on... FOOD!
I love appetizers!
who doesn't?
But what I mean is... I REALLY LOVE appetizers. If I could, all my meals would be made up of appetizers. But, that's not really practical, so to satisfy that craving, I made a whole Website called ... you guessed it ... Easy Appetizer Recipes. And I built some lenses about the cute little packages of food. Enjoy!
Sesame Cream Cheese Dip
Super simple easy appetizer!
- Serves: 6-8
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes (no really!)
Here's a really easy appetizer recipe that I've made many times when time was of the essence. (Meaning, I didn't have ANY time to come up with anything else!)
I have this recipe Sesame Cream Cheese Dip on my Easy Appetizer Recipes Web site. But I wanted to find a better photo than the one I have, so in searching I came across this blog, The Sisters' Palette, and liked their version even better than mine. So, please visit their blog - YUMMY recipes! Thanks, Sisters, for the photo and the recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 8oz pkg of Cream Cheese
- 1/2 c. Soy Sauce (maybe more depending on your bowl size)
- 1 pkg of Rice Crackers (not rice cakes!)
- prepared Wasabi (this comes in a tube or maybe you have some packets in the fridge from your last sushi take-out)
- 2 tsp Sesame Seeds
Instructions
1. Toast the sesame seeds in a frying pan on medium heat for about 2-3 minutes until they are slightly browned and toasty looking. Set aside to cool.
2. Unwrap cream cheese and set the block of cream cheese on a decorative plate (NOT a flat plate, because you are going to "float" the cream cheese in a pool of soy sauce).
3. Arrange the wasabi on top of the cream cheese, and use a desired amount. I used about 2 tsp worth. You can get creative with your design!
4. Pour soy sauce over the cream cheese until about 1/2 way up the sides of your cream cheese block. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over block of cream cheese.
5. Cover and fridge until ready to use. Serve with rice crackers.
YUM!
Some Yummy Ideas ...
... for making cute little packages of delicious food: aka Appetizers!
More about Food!
Who doesn't like to eat???
A Mom's job is never done!
~Mildred B. Vermont
I Love My Job(s)!
Busy Moms never have just one job!
Taylor (second from left) and some pals goofing around.
Finding this kind of contentment in my work life didn't happen overnight. I used to have 6 employees and an office outside of my home. That was a fantastic experience and I created a nice little niche for myself and my company in the Bay Area. But, it became more important for me to be home with my son, so I brought the business home and have never looked back. It was a huge adjustment in my life, but it has been supremely rewarding to carve out my own schedule, pick and choose the kind of work I want to do and most importantly, be there for the Wild Boy.
As I mentioned before, the best job I've ever had... EVER... is being Taylor's Mom. It's not all work, its a joy.
“When your work speaks for itself, don't interrupt.
~Henry J. Kaiser”
Just a little reminder...
...to the peeps in your life!
I like to know who's visiting...
News about Busy Moms Everywhere
Just so you don't think you are alone...
- Star moms cool with their curves
- Kajol prefers being a "hands-on mom" to signing every film offered to her, she keeps herself busy with endorsements or attending public events. Sharmila Tagore and Hema Malini continued to be leading heroines even after motherhood.
- It's Been a Busy Year for Pennsylvania's Dairy Princess
- ?But my mom always wanted a farm, ? Gabby said of her mother, Donna Kennard, who grew up on the Bickel family's Chester County dairy farm when the area was more rural. Eight years ago, when Gabby was a sixth-grader, her grandmother developed serious ...
- Standard-Examiner correspondent Rachel Trotter is one busy lady
- She's also the mother of six kids, ages 1 to 17. It's not unusual for editors to open their email in the morning and find stories that Rachel filed well after midnight. "I have to wait (to write) until I can clear my head and the house is quiet," ...
- South Surrey moms offer up a 'spice rack of yoga' online
- By Carolyn Cooke, Now staff June 1, 2012 Carli-Jean Lopston, left, and Lauren Roegele are South Surrey yoga instructors - and busy moms - who have started an online yoga service. Two South Surrey moms are thinking big in their effort to make yoga easy, ...
Then, there's this other job I do that I really love. It's all about SOCCER!
I'm a Soccer Mom...
plus more!
Taylor and his soccer buddies before an Earthquakes game at Stanford Stadium.
Taylor has been playing since he was 5. He's moved up the ranks and is now playing for our competitive league: CYSA. Over the years I've been the Team Mom, team manager, Club registrar and last year moved into a paid position of League Registrar which means I am responsible for the registration process for 350+ teams. I actually share this position with another registrar and between the two of us, our league has about 700 teams in the Bay Area.
It's a lot of work, but hugely satisfying. I love working with the Club registrars, coaches and team managers. And to see these kids play is truly amazing. I love the game of soccer and so happy to be contributing to our organization. It's such a great experience for the kids.
Hmmm. Maybe I need to write a lens about being a Soccer Mom!
Give a little something ...
... to the Soccer Mom in your life!
BusyMOM says...
Have some laughs on me!
Soccer Mom
Amazon Price: $2.44 (as of 06/02/2012)
A review By S. Levy "Movie Lover" (New York, NY) on Amazon says it all...
"What a special movie, for the entire family. Soccer Mom has it all: strong family values, humor and suspense, and general warmth that touches the entire family. Not just girl power, but family power too. And some great acting. We can't stop talking about it!"
But what do you do for fun, you ask?
My 5 Top Things to Do for Fun
- 1I love Boot Camp! No, really! It's a fantastic way to keep in shape and start your day out right.
- 2I love to cozy up with my Kindle Fire! What was life like before the Kindle?
- 3I love to take photos with my iPhone. Who knew you could do so much with that little talking box?
- 4I love to hang out with my best Gal Pals. I have nothing but testosterone in my household - time with the girls is necessary!
- 5I love to hike. We have a million beautiful trails around here.
Do you Boot Camp?
Get up!
The day goes by so fast!
That's me (the VERY determined one with the hat) crossing the finish line last year, in the Emerald Across the Bay 10K run. It was a little rainy but who cared? Not me.
It was a blast to run across the Golden Gate Bridge!
More importantly, I'm in great shape now, I get my workout done and over with before I even start the rest of my day and those lovely endorphins kick in... a truly natural high.
Most communities offer a boot camp. It sounds intimidating, but really, you can go at your own speed and work your way up. Plus, it's fun. I've made new friends and believe it or not, there's rarely a day that I say, "ugggg... can't go today...."
When it's really dark outside...
... and you need a little light on the subject.
Panther Vision 5 LED Blaze Orange Hunting Hat
Amazon Price: $9.95 (as of 06/02/2012)
Perfect for Boot Camp! I wear mine all the time when it's dark in the morning. Plus, they look great on!
Reading is one of life's
greatest pleasures.
For the Bookish...
A couple of lenses I made for book lovers.
I love to read. Just wish I had more time to do it. I find myself crawling into bed at the end of the day, looking forward to sinking my teeth into the book I started. Usually, my husband ends up turning off the light and picking up the book off my face. I probably read 2 paragraphs before crashing!
But what really makes me happy is how much Taylor loves to read. He's gone through every series in the library and now he's moving on to a variety of subjects that are NOT about dragons.
Ahhhh...
A little time to myself
What could be better than a Kindle and a kitty?
Catch up on your reading...
anywhere, anytime...
Kindle Fire, Full Color 7" Multi-touch Display, Wi-Fi
Amazon Price: $199.00 (as of 06/02/2012)
Eloquently said by reviewer, Seeking Alpha: "There's a new mayor in Droidville. But this guy didn't roll into town with pomp and circumstance.
He strolled down Main Street and simply offered more than any other candidate, extolling a plan based on down-to-earth sensibility and affordability. Meet the Kindle Fire."
iPhone Apps!
The 8th Wonder of the World
BusyMOM's iPhone Art
Just a little hobby I'm hooked on...
I've been having a blast taking photos and doing some really cool things with them with some special iPhone apps. They are not masterpieces, nor am I a great photographer, however, for me, this is a fun and creative outlet that when I have the time, I squeeze off a photo and then go back to it later and dink around with the apps to appease that creative itch. It's fun to see how they turn out. You can do it too!
Hmmm... I feel another lens idea coming on...
My good friend, Janet. This was taken with the app, HIpstamatic.
Girls' Night Out!
Sometimes a BusyMOM just needs...
... a girls' night out!
Taylor and my hubby, Chris - doing the usual - goofing around.
I'm outnumbered in my family. One girl, two guys. I wouldn't have it any other way. I love my guys. But... I still need to get out of testosterone-ville once in awhile and go hang out with my favorite pack of biddies (and not "old biddies") I am blessed with a great network of gal pals that I share much love and affection for, not to mention the many, many laughs!
We've done a number of fun things together. My core group gets together religiously, once a month for dinner, a birthday celebration, a weekend girls' getaway, hiking, and going to the beach. We've been doing this for 15 years!
The Joy of Six bunch - wine tasting in Carmel Valley, CA.
There are 6 of us and we named ourselves "The Joy of Six". Corny sounding, maybe, but we find it to be a hilarious title and revel in how easily amused we all are. They are another family to me. Forging these kind of friendships over the years has and continues to be beneficial to my health, heart, and happiness. I love my friends.
Be the Ringleader!
Great tips for planning the perfect getaway weekend with the girls.
Girlfriends’ Getaway: A Complete Guide to the Weekend Adventure That Turns Friends into Sisters and Si
Amazon Price: $0.01 (as of 06/02/2012)
It's time for a weekend with the girls. If we are to live full, healthy, and balanced lives, we need to spend significant time with other women who understand, support, and encourage us. No one does this better than our girlfriends.
Here is your complete guide to putting together a low-demand, high-reward time of refreshment, encouragement, and fun with the women you are closest to. It's all here, from selecting your getaway girlfriends to planning your activities.
And last, but not least ...
... a few more lenses from BusyMOM
BusyMOM's Lensography
... and what I learned making it.
I also love the fact that as I put modules together in some kind of readable story, I'm inspired to write new lenses. New ideas are constantly popping up in my head now. So, I'm starting to write them all down for adding to my growing list of lenses.
I also learned that as I made this lens, it never has to be completely finished. I can come back to it and add or delete modules and keep it as a fresh reminder that like lenses, our lives are always evolving and changing. This has truly been a wonderful experience.Thank you, Seth Godin, for coming up with such a great idea!
Like this lens?
All it takes is a little click of like!
This module only appears with actual data when viewed on a live lens. The favorite and lensroll options will appear on a live lens if the viewer is a member of Squidoo and logged in.
Hey, all you Busy Moms (and Dads!)
Enough about me! What about YOU?
What do you like to do for fun?
Nothing like warm sand to dig your toes into!
-
-
artbyrodriguez
Feb 14, 2012 @ 3:40 pm | delete
- Very nice to meet you through this well-done lens!
-
-
-
mbgphoto Feb 14, 2012 @ 10:49 am | delete
- Great lens...so good to meet you!
-
-
-
WindyWinters
Feb 12, 2012 @ 6:32 pm | delete
- Welcome to RS and Best Wishes on Squidoo! Hubby and I are empty-nesters now. We are grateful that we can still do fun things with family and friends (even though everyone lives far away).
-
-
-
LittleTwoTwo
Feb 8, 2012 @ 1:53 pm | delete
- fabulous lens! Busy is an understatement I would say.
-
-
-
Squidoo_Chick
Feb 8, 2012 @ 12:17 am | delete
- Nice to meet you of the RocketSquid quest
-
- Load More
Photo Credits
All photos were either taken by me, BusyMOM, bought on iStockphoto, used with permission, or used from Creative Commons.
by BusyMOM
Besides being a Busy MOM, I have a myriad of interests. Fortunately, being a squid gives me the perfect opportunity to "spill" with pen and paper, or in... more »
- 18 featured lenses
- Winner of 14 trophies!
- Top lens » Easy Appetizers
Explore related pages
- Squidoo Lensmaster Tipi is Susie Lehto Squidoo Lensmaster Tipi is Susie Lehto
- Mother and Son Songs Mother and Son Songs
- My Fan Club of Cool People on Squidoo My Fan Club of Cool People on Squidoo
- Search Engine Tricks and Tips Search Engine Tricks and Tips
- Squidoo Lists Resources and Tools Squidoo Lists Resources and Tools
- Squidoo Lenses I Wish I Had Written Squidoo Lenses I Wish I Had Written
Easy Appetizers
Tips for Busy Moms and Dads
Parenting With Love And Logic (Updated and Expanded Edition)
Amazon Price: $13.60 (as of 06/02/2012)
This parenting book shows you how to raise self-confident, motivated children who are ready for the real world. Learn how to parent effectively while teaching your children responsibility and growing their character.
