Oh, Mom

I saw this picture on Facebook tonight.

Oh so true... For example.

Kid: I'm thirsty.

Mom: Spit in your mouth and swallow it.

Kid: I'm hungry.

Mom: Hi hungry, I'm Mom.

Kid: I don't want to go to bed. I'm not tired.

Mom: I don't care if you go to sleep, just keep your head on your pillow and don't make any noise.

Ah, I learned from the best. Thanks, Mom.

This also reminded me of the recent list of "phone comments" I've made--the interruptions I make in a conversation by talking to my kids. Taken out of context, they're rather amusing. Really, even taken in context, they're rather amusing. For example.

Don't put it in your mouth and her mouth at the same time.

Stop licking the floor.

Do you have any pants on?

Yes, it does hurt when you run into the wall.

The toilet is not a sink. Don't wash your hands there.

Ha.

My New Dream Job

I have long debated how I want to introduce this post, and no perfect opening line has yet presented itself. Therefore, I'll just jump right into the meat:

I am a Life Coach.

I say "I am" because I want to live what I have decided, but it may be a little more accurate to state that I am in the process of creating a life coaching business. While all the pieces are not yet in place, I am prepared to begin life coaching now.

Questions you may have...

What is a life coach?

As a life coach, I will work with women, particularly mothers, who are looking to achieve more in their lives. Through powerful questions, I will help them to access their own knowledge and wisdom to create more results. I am particularly focused on helping mothers to maintain balance between being a mother and being an individual person with hopes and dreams. They are not exclusive!

How am I beginning my business?

I am enrolled in a Coaching Certification Program. My course is online-based with a teleclass over the phone once a week. When the course is finished in the end of July, I will be a certified life coach. The course includes a requirement of offering a minimum amount of sample sessions and enrolling two paying clients in order to certify. Talk about learning by doing.

What is a sample session?

The easiest way to understand the benefits of coaching is to experience coaching for yourself. With that in mind, I am giving free sample sessions to anyone who is interested. (P.S. That includes you!)

What's my point in posting about this today?

1. I am very, very excited about this career I'm embarking on. I can see my life being led in this direction for a long time now, even if I didn't know it, and things are finally happening. Yay! This is my passion and I see myself working as a coach for many, many years. Part time now while my kids a little, full time once they are all in school. It really is my dream job.

2. This is a big step and is quite a big part of our family life right now. I like telling people what we're doing.

3. The sooner I get started, the faster I will improve my skills and build my business. I would love to give as many sample sessions as possible, so I am using my blog to get the word out.

If you would like a sample session, call me!

Send me an email at wampler dot laura at gmail dot com and we will find a time for the sample session, which is done over the phone. One of the best perks of life coaching is that everything is done over the phone, so it doesn't at all matter where you live in relation to me. The sample session will last 45-60 minutes, and by the time we're done, you will have specific action steps to take to overcome an obstacle in your life.

Anything goes! Your sample session can be about anything from parenting to work to relationships to whatever else may be on your mind. It's completely up to you.

I would love the practice, and I would love to help you get unstuck. I say that's a win/win, don't you?

So, that's my story for today. Are there any other questions you'd like me to answer?

Teasers

Ah, the seemingly eternal debate of what to blog about next. Do we write about the kids? or is it time for the next chapter in my trauma saga? or perhaps the announcement of my new career venture? or maybe grad school updates? or nothing whatsoever?

Any preferences?

My camera has been having some mechanical issues lately--the little sliding door that hides the battery and memory card has quit opening nicely. I tried off and on for over an hour the other day and still didn't manage to get it open. Chris came home from work and got it open on his first try. Figures. Today I attempted it myself yet again and success! So, you get the pictures from the camera until y'all tell me what you want me to post about, just to save myself the headache of deciding.

We pulled out the playdoh the other day. That can either be terribly entertaining...

or terribly heartbreaking.

I never was sure what triggered this particular meltdown, but he recovered soon enough.

And I took advantage of the opportunity to get some scripture study in.

Speaking of, I've started reading Preach My Gospel with the focus on parenting. I replace "missionary" with "mother" and "investigators" with "children". It makes for quite enlightening study. Thought I'd share in case the idea sparks anyone else's interest.

After we dropped Jane off at school this morning, we took a detour on the way home and stopped at a newly discovered playground.

It has a toddler-size playset in addition to the big one, which is perfect for my kids. We had all kinds of fun there.

Especially Megan. She spent a long time protecting this "baby plant" from "the bad bad pirates" who were "coming to kill it" but it was safe because "Megan the Great" was there and she was "the good pirate who don't let bad bad pirates kill baby plants." It was epic.

Of course, this all came after the discussion that sticks she picks up off the ground are already dirty so it's ok to put them back on the ground where they might get dirty. Such are the concerns of a three-year-old.

We enjoyed some swing time too. The last few times we've put Ben in a swing he's gotten really mad, so I was glad this time when he decided that swinging was fun.

Megan didn't like the sun in her eyes, so she found another way.

And then I pointed out that she could sit on the swing facing the other direction. She thought that was a brilliant idea. She even used the word "brilliant" while she moved around.

And speaking of words, Ben is learning how to talk. Just all of a sudden. For my own personal record, he can now say hi, bye, mommy, daddy, shirt, pants, socks, shoes, clothes, jacket, hat, hot, sit, pillow, blanket, pajamas, breakfast, lunch, snack, cereal, milk, applesauce, rice, orange, pear, banana (of course), nose, mouth, ears, eyes, tummy, cars, trucks, moon, tree, dog, cat, Caillou, George, TV, couch, floor, ouch, huh, uh-huh, un-uh, yay, prayer, please, thank you, amen, church, book, class... Those are the ones coming to mind right now. I'm sure there's more.

He has also adopted the DUCK LIPS, which apparently Chris was famous for when he was Ben's age.

It's not quite the same, though. Chris's lips have no meat to them, so they really can look like a duck bill. Ben, on the other hand, has inherited the Phillips lips. You know they were serious about it when they even put "lips" in their name.

My kids are experts now at unloading the dishwasher.

They are also experts at using my camera when I'm not looking.

And there you have it...all the randomness that currently is my camera's memory card, once I managed to wrangle it out of the camera. So I leave it to you. What do you want me to blog about next?