The only thing is the closer I got to launching said dream, the more it began to scare me. What if it’s a flop? Or, what if it’s not and they do come? Will I be able to fulfill the expectations of people visiting the site? 

Then, there’s the fact that I’d be writing more about motherhood. What if someone sees my kids (or me, for that matter) out in public having a meltdown, will they think everything I’ve written is a fraud? Will I alienate those loyal readers who aren’t moms?

And when those thoughts weren’t hanging around, the perfectionism thing made its way in. The font color is all wrong. Maybe the site need more tweaking. I should start with more content…or less. Or maybe this is all just a bad idea. Who do you think you are, after all?

Fortunately for me, that line I picked up from Jon Acuff at the recent Blissdom Conference is also running around my head–Punch Fear in the Face.

As I dragged myself out of the house yesterday for a 30-minute run (which, that in and of itself is an accomplishment considering I was supposed to start training for a marathon two months ago), I decided no more. I was going to hit publish even realizing the site isn’t perfect. The design isn’t just how I want it to be. I could’ve added more.

I’m launching anyway because in the end, I may be the only one who cares about these things. My dream for the new site is to help raise up an army of moms who are so intentional and purposeful in their role as mamas that serious change will start to happen in their lives and their family’s lives. That’s what really matters, and the sooner I can get going on that, the better.

So, here’s to punching fear in the face, pursuing God-sized dreams and just doing it. You can click the image below to check out my new digs.

Starting next week, Well-Rounded Home won’t be updated anymore, so make sure you
sign up for the new mailing list!

By the way, I’ve so enjoyed spending my first year and a half of blogging with you all! I can’t tell you how much your comments, visits and emails have meant to me. Y’all are the best! Hope to keep seeing you around.

But, who says you have to do all the work alone? At Life Your Way today, I’m sharing how to get the entire family to actually enjoy helping you with cleaning. Can you imagine that–enthusiastic cleaning help? Check out the link below to get the secret.

By the way, if you need help on figuring out where to start with Spring Cleaning, you definitely want to follow Mandi’s Spring Cleaning Made Easy series. I’ll also be jumping on the Spring Cleaning bandwagon soon (gotta get my mind right), so look for more details.

This song is like Lay’s potato chips. You can’t listen just once. I’m not exaggerating when I say I it on repeat three or four times in a row when I need to get pumped up about something–whether it’s getting ready to walk into a networking event full of strangers, mustering up the courage to pursue a dream or just preparing for the start of the week.

This is our moment.
This is our time.
And we ain’t holding back,
We’re laying it on the line.
This is our destiny.
It’s our night to shine.
This is our moment.
This is our time.

Aside from the very inspiring lyrics, I absolutely love Kenny Chesney’s voice. It’s so deep and rich. Oh, and the drum beat definitely quenches my appetite for bass. Whoever the drummer is, he or she starts killing it around 2:09.

Your turn…What’s your “get hype” song? What do you listen to when you need a boost of encouragement?

The speakers…awesome!

The tips and ideas I picked up about marketing, blogging, balancing blog/family, etc. were well worth the price of the ticket. But, don’t just take my word for it…

• If you have to market anything–either personally or for business–I highly recommend you check out Scott Stratten and John Michael Morgan.
• Need a general pick-me-up or encouragement as you follow your dreams? Read Jon Acuff.
• Want first class writing advice? Jeff Goins is your man.
• If you want to feel good about being an introvert. Watch Susan Cain.

The people…super friendly!

I’m an introvert and kinda shy. I hate networking-type events or going places where I don’t know a soul. I’m also not a fan of idle chatter. So, you can imagine me feelings about walking into a huge conference room filled with hundreds of people I don’t know, including numerous big-time bloggers and authors. Fortunately, my fears were baseless because I met some of the coolest ladies at Blissdom–people I genuinely want to keep up with.

The swag…fabulous!

Our conference bag was filled to the brim with goodies. Throughout the weekend we scored books written by a couple of the speakers, blinged out drinking cups, jewelry, snacks, candy, beach towels, children’s medicine, sleep masks, and so much more. Here’s me tossing pizza crust at the Sbarro booth.

The life lessons…brilliant.

I have to tell y’all. Don’t sleep on blogging and social media. There are people out there effecting incredible change through the online word. It’s mind boggling. That’s not to say in real life relationships are irrelevant–far from it. But bloggers are certainly a force to be reckoned with.

Since I know not everyone is into blogging, I thought I’d share some of the killer life advice I picked up from some of the speakers. some of the brilliant speakers at Blissodm that apply to anyone else who wants to do something brialliant.

You want to be successful? Work hard. Stop looking for shortcuts. -Scott Stratten

Your visibility gets you in the door. Your ability keeps you there. -John Michael Morgan

You want to be seen not as being better than your competition, but as being the only option. -John Michael Morgan

We need time alone to think and generate ideas. – Susan Cain

In order to do important work, you have to do irrelevant work first. – Jeff Goins

Do you want to chase your passions or a paycheck? – Jeff Goins

Being ready is a myth. You’ll never be enough of anything. You just have to start. – Jon Acuff

Punch fear in the face. – Jon Acuff

I really want to live by these mantras, so my goal is to turn a few of these into some cool printables. If you’re interested, I’ll be posting them to my Words to Live Pinterest board and sharing them with our newsletter subscribers.

In the past couple of years, I’ve known women (and men) who’ve stayed with their spouses through infidelity and those who’ve walked away from their forever. What I’ve learned from watching these situations play out is unless it’s you in the middle, you don’t really know what you’d do in the case of infidelity or any other problem that could rear its head in your marriage.

The reality is marriage is hard. This I know for sure.

There have been a few times where emotionally,  my heart was out of the game. I didn’t feel in like or in love with my husband, and wanted nothing but to get out. The only thing is that spiritually, I kept being reminded of the covenant vow I’d made before God. Ten years later, the hubbie and I are still in this deal together. However, truth be told, my decision to weather the storms may or may not be right for you or someone else. While I certainly can’t decide the fate of anyone’s marriage, I can offer up some advice.

1. Don’t judge others.

When you see someone else going through rough patches in their marriage–be it infidelity, disagreements, addiction, abuse, or whatever–don’t make it about you. Don’t talk about what you would do in that situation or what you think they should have done. For one, as an outsider looking in, we can never really know the complete truth about one’s personal life. Two, you never know what difficulties your own marriage will face one day.

2. Know your why.

All bloggers, whether they have 5 readers or 5 million, reach a point where they consider giving up blogging. Like me, they may question whether it’s worth it. If what they’re doing matters. Those who manage to keep at it, do so because they finally remember their why. They realize it isn’t the numbers or the accolades that drive them, but rather a deeper purpose and meaning  that compels them to write. Marriage is the same. Unless you know why you want your marriage to work, when questions about whether all the work and effort is worth it begin to arise, you may be very well tempted to walk.

3. Talk to someone.

In looking at some Google search stats, I found that there are nearly 7.5 million searches a month asking the question, how do I divorce? And yet, the biggest trick the devil uses when we’re going through problems is isolation. We often feel like we’re in it all alone or that we’re the only marriage having difficulties. Don’t believe the lie. You’re not alone. If you’re like me, trying to maintain a facade of happiness and perfection when trouble is bubbling all around will weigh you down. Talk things over with a wise, older person who can be trusted to maintain your confidence and provide objective advice.

4. Get counseling.

When conversations with your spouse cease from being constructive and you all can’t see past all the offenses, misdeeds or biases, bringing in an objective third-party–preferably a couple or older person of faith trained in marital counseling can do some good. I even think counseling or marriage training on an ongoing basis even when there’s nothing wrong with your marriage can help ensure it stays that way.

5. Pray.

At some point, you have to turn over the issues that are troubling your marriage to God and earnestly seek his direction, wisdom and guidance. Be open to what He may direct you to do as you could find He wants to do some work in and through you first.

6. Pray with your spouse.

There’s something about praying together as a couple that dissolves tension and strife in a marriage. Instead of arguing about something, pray about it together and try to make daily prayer with your spouse a routine.

So, will you walk or stay when your marriage gets rough? Even if you think you know the answer, only God knows for sure. I do know that when guarded, protected and nurtured, marriage is a beautiful thing. A united couple in love is a force to be reckoned with, so my prayer is that my marriage and yours will be examples of healthy marriage that our society so desperately needs to see.

Jesus at the center of it all
From beginning to the end
It will always be, it’s always been You, Jesus

Nothing else matters, nothing in this world will do
Jesus You’re the center, and everything revolves around You

Let’s be real. When you have kids, a job, side hobbies, a husband, workout commitments, sports games and practices, play dates, friends, church, and everything else that competes for your time, it’s easy to lose sight of what’s really important. I know it was for me. That’s why I fell hard for this CD because it redirected my focus and reminded me that without Jesus at the center of it all, everything else is meaningless.

If you listen to this CD, you will no doubt be blessed; but let me challenge you to take it a step further by watching the worship DVD. It’s a-ma-zing. If you want to see what “radical worship” looks and feels like, watch this. If lifeless, stale worship is more your style, do NOT watch this DVD and certainly do not search YouTube for clips like this.

It’s likely this DVD will be like nothing you’ve ever seen in a church setting–flashing lights, a huge band, people dancing and raising their hands in the air, etc.–but when you see the passion and excitement in the singers and really take in the lyrics, you can’t help but understand the pure abandonment to worship.

Seriously, after watching this DVD, the way I worship has changed. It’s a little less refined and restrictive. More heartfelt and reflective on what it means to be a child of God. Jesus at the Center has become my mantra for the year, and I imagine it will for you.

In short, BlissDom is…

• 1,000+ females hyped up about online
• Fantastic speakers such as Wall Street Journal  best-selling author Jon Acuff
• Dozens of in-depth breakout sessions covering photography, writing, the business of blogging and life development
• Late night dance parties
• Karaoke
• Countless freebies
• Tons of networking opportunities with fellow bloggers and brands/companies
• Star-studded entertainment including Amber Riley from the hit t.v. show Glee
• And much more

As if attending the conference itself isn’t fabulous enough, I was also selected to be one of the conference’s Community Leaders. Talk about a savvy group of women. No slackers in this group. We’ll be leading the breakout session discussions and also helping everyone get the most out of the conference. (Oh, and did I mention we also get to attend the conference for free and receive a little extra something-something in our swag bag. Yeah, baby!

The really fun part will be making use of all the new connections and everything I learn to ramp my blog up a few notches.

So, now you know where I’ll be for the next few days. If you snagged one of my business cards at BlissDom and decided to check out my site, hey there!! How excited are you?

Kid Week

You know how big office buildings will have a bright red box with glass on the front and lettering that says “break in case of emergency.” Kid Week is a parent’s bright red box. Right before your kids get on your last nerve, take a really deep breath. Think happy thoughts, then try something new…like Kid Week. Jump over to the Mob Society to get the details.

Kid Treats

I want to be that mom that makes her kids a fancy, colorful Easter basket filled with all kinds of kid-approved goodies. I really do. In my head, I can even imagine what those beautiful, big baskets would look like. But, let’s keep it real. “Ain’t nobody got time for that.” Ha-ha! Maybe one day. For right now, these Easter treat bags I talk about over at Life Your Way will do the trick.

By the way, speaking of kids…

I don’t think I’ve shared any pics of my kiddos lately. Here  they are hanging out at the Fort Worth Zoo–our home away from home when the weather warms up. I’m not quite sure how I managed to get a pic with not at least one of them cheesing.

I may be a little biased, but I think this new blog has the makings to spark a revolution. What kind of revolution, you ask?

What’s up with the new name and what does it all mean?

Who are the amazing mamas that’ll be joining me on the writing team?

You don’t want to miss out on the answers to these questions and more. Be sure to sign up for the new mailing list to get blog updates, newsletters and freebies.

Also, look for the new name to start popping up on our Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest accounts. So, don’t go unfollowing them just because the name doesn’t ring a bell. It’s still good ol’ me.

p.s. You said you did sign up to get on the Team Next Level Mama mailing list, right?

“If I could change my world
Things would be the same
There would still be love and pain
‘Cause without it I would never change

If I took back all the loving that made me cry
Would I ever realize
That I’m growing from mistakes that I made
To make me change?”
–Love Never Changes, Ledisi

Throughout my life, I’ve often spent way too much time focusing on regrets. The college classes I should’ve taken more seriously. How I carelessly managed my money throughout my 20′s. The funny jokes or snappy comebacks I wish I would’ve thought of earlier. And especially my share of unhealthy, not-going-anywhere relationships with guys.

When I heard the words of the song, Love Never Changes, by R&B artist, Ledisi, I was incredulous. Who in their right mind would choose to keep the good and the bad they’ve experienced if they could change everything?

But as I thought about it, the song made me realize that living with regrets and steadily tormenting nyself with thoughts of “if only…” or “what ifs…” hinders me from fully appreciating where I am today or life’s potential for tomorrow. Instead, I should be appreciating how those moments have helped to refine and shape me into a better person.

“Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.” Phil. 4:8 NASB

I can’t say the song resulted in radical changes in my thought process. I could still fill up pages of things in my past I’d like to change. However, I can say that every time I listen to it, I feel myself checking my level of contentment with life.

Sidenote: The current FLOTUS actually turned me on to Ledisi. Back before President Obama received his nomination, I knew very little about the First Lady and happened to come across a magazine article about her. When asked what was on her iPod, she responded with Ledisi. So, of course, I found some Ledisi music to see what kind of taste Mrs. Obama was working with and was pleasantly surprised by what I heard. 

Your turn…Have you ever had an “a-ha moment” while listening to a song? Tell us about it.