• mamahood
    • homeschool
    • Maxwell
    • Natalie
    • Marigold
    • Landon
    • baby things
  • faith
    • 23 identities (PDF)
    • Tanzania + Compassion
  • inspiration
    • our home
    • books
    • lifestyle
    • marriage
    • homeschool
    • simple living
    • we’re debt free!
    • book recommendations
  • homeschool
  • devotionals
    • (in)courage Devotional Bible
    • 31 Days of Prayer for the Dreamer & Doer
  • new? start here

Maggie Whitley

joy in motherhood, homemaking, faith & simple living

You are here: Home / blog & handmade advice / {aww, happy 1 month + a winner}

{aww, happy 1 month + a winner}

June 14, 2010 · 14 Comments
Filed Under: blog & handmade advice

Do you know what today is?

It’s my 1-month anniversary since quitting my day job. And this past month has gone by oh-so fast. Yeow! And yay for Gussy!


Here are some things I’ve found necessary:

Always, always go to bed with your spouse and get up with your spouse
*a sweet business mentor of mine shared this tip with me; she said it was a big part of her routine that she wished she had done. besides, if we weren’t on the same schedule then that just wouldn’t feel right.

Find “me” time every day
*while Gussy is me, it’s also my job… and it’s been too long since I last curled up with a good book. {note to self: finish the few books you’ve started and then read Julie & Julia.}

Make sure your work station is comfortable
*oh, isn’t this funny :] — it only took me all year to move my workstation!

My cup poureth over…
*I’m always adding to my to-do list, which is OK as long as I have time to finish it all. If not, then it’s time to hire more help. **Also**, those little “pesky” tasks don’t take as long as I think they will.

Weekly meetings are super important
*No matter how much they can make my head spin, Zack and I chat about ordering materials, organizing Gussy orders, and new promotional ideas. I actually really look forward to these meetings {tee he he, I’m a nerd}.

Rainy days can be a blessing
*They help me to focus on my work; help me to “get lost” in all these ruffles.

Get out of the apartment!
*About 3-4 times a week I walk with Z to work in the morning. Then I either run errands downtown or walk back home. Some times this means i’m not back home until 10 am, but the late start is out-weighed by the benefit of getting out & about. I’ve also been meeting with friends Allison & Melissa for lunch/coffee dates, which has been super great, too. Good chats are the best :]

And, as a little pat on the back, this weekend Gussy was featured in Pregnancy & Newborn’s Magazine for the second time. So fun! :]

***

The winner of the 2 baby carrot rattles by Bundle is Kari @ The Girl Who Dreams.

She wrote, The best part of my day (and the worst also) was leaving my amazing 1st and 2nd graders on the last day of school and knowing that they have grown so much during our time together and are ready to move on to another teacher.

Kari, please email me!

***

Don’t forget to ask me your questions AND send me a pic of you & your Gussy item. I’ll be doing a post on these two topics soon!

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Email
  • Print
  • LinkedIn


14 Comments
Filed Under: blog & handmade advice

Join over 4,400 women who receive Maggie Whitley Designs inspiration & encouragement:

 

Loading

« {ask Gussy your Qs}
{pretty pictures} »

Comments

  1. Ruthann says

    June 14, 2010 at 12:58 pm

    Guilty. Guilty. Guilty.

    Me.

    I am *so* bad about going to bed super-duper late since I opened my Etsy shop. My hubby’s in bed around 8 PM and I crawl in bed around midnight-ish. Then, he’s up at 4:45 AM and I crawl out of bed around six-ish.

    Thing is ~ I think I would get more done if I went to bed earlier and got up earlier. It’s just making myself do it.

    Reply
    • Gussy says

      June 14, 2010 at 3:50 pm

      I LOVE YOUR SHOP!!! ♥

      Reply
      • Ruthann says

        June 14, 2010 at 4:52 pm

        Awww. xoxoxoxo

        Reply
  2. hiyaluv says

    June 14, 2010 at 3:27 pm

    i love your suggestions. it’s so funny that you say that you should go to bed and wake up with the other half. i notice a big difference when i do it and when i don’t. i think dave likes it a lot when i especially wake up with him because that is when he is chatty the most however that is when i am grumps the most. haha
    smiles,
    gina

    Reply
    • Gussy says

      June 14, 2010 at 4:23 pm

      LOL — i can totally relate. i am not a chatty Gus in the morning… *working on that*

      Reply
      • hiyaluv says

        June 14, 2010 at 4:39 pm

        oh and ps! congrats on 1 month already! time has just flown by!! here’s to many more fun months! ;)

        Reply
      • Hubbs says

        June 14, 2010 at 5:20 pm

        Laugh. Out. Loud. :P

        Reply
        • Gussy says

          June 14, 2010 at 5:29 pm

          Zack, be nice ;]

          Reply
  3. Hannah Braboy says

    June 14, 2010 at 4:13 pm

    I agree with what you said there, Gus. I need to crack down on myself and do it, though. That early to bed, early to rise dealo? Yeah. This 1am bed time gal needs to change a little.

    Reply
  4. Mela Kamin says

    June 14, 2010 at 5:30 pm

    Hubs is consistently up until 1 am and I’m trying to stick it out with him. But, I cannot get up with him at the same time. He’s up at 5 or 6 and out the door. I’m dragging when the kids get up between 7 and 8. I don’t do well on little sleep like he does. Ugh. Hoping his schedule starts to shrink – wish I could do some of the work for him. Congrats on your 1 month!

    Reply
  5. Sandy a la Mode says

    June 14, 2010 at 7:59 pm

    wow! congrats on your 1 month anniversary! gosh, time flies!! i totally know what you mean about rainy days being a blessing… sometimes it’s a good excuse to stay in and work on projects!!

    Reply
  6. Karen Davis says

    June 14, 2010 at 9:09 pm

    I was going to suggest (when you said you were having a blogging block) that you plan yourself an adventure… I’m sure there’s something you HAVEN’T seen where you live… plan to see it, take tons of photos/document it… and then post about it! I LOVE reading about new adventures!!

    Reply
  7. terri says

    June 15, 2010 at 8:29 am

    i just found your blog! so cute! i love all your ideas. i especially like the getting up with the significant other! (we work opposite shifts a lot of the time, so its not always possible, but i feel so much better when we can do this!)
    congrats on quitting your job and opening up ‘gussy’! what a great feeling that must be! xo

    Reply
  8. Quoizel TF1396SVB Tiffany Flush Mount says

    May 8, 2014 at 1:00 am

    Hello, I desire to subscribe for this web site to obtain latest updates, thus where can i do it please
    assist.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

ABOUT MAGGIE WHITLEY DESIGNS:
Maggie Whitley weaves her writings around joy in motherhood, homemaking, faith, and simple living. She homeschools her children, enjoys a quiet room while reading, and roars with laughter over the challenges & delights of motherhood. Maggie and her husband, along with their four young children, live in metro-Detroit. She has been writing online since 2008.
READ MORE >>
  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS

EMAIL NEWSLETTER

Join over 4,400 women who receive Maggie Whitley Designs inspiration & encouragement:

 

Loading

instagram

maggiewhitley

JOY in motherhood & homemaking 🧺🌿💓✨

maggiewhitley
“We are preparing to wind down for the school ye “We are preparing to wind down for the school year with just a few more weeks of intentional table lessons. We will then transition to a lighter learning schedule during the summer months. Today I am grateful for the books and resources I’ve read that have helped keep me in my own lane. (Visit my blog to see a personal favorite.)

Even now, three years in, I appreciate the reminder to stay on the path that was designed with intentional thought just for me.”

✨ see #maggiewhitleydotcom for the full post ✨
I took off my “comparison / contemplation” gla I took off my “comparison / contemplation” glasses last month and it’s been soooooo good. See also: sooooo hard (because life is never and/or). I’ve been writing more, reading more, spending more time outside. Talking to friends faces and smelling their detergent. My heart feels lighter. I’m sharing a few updates on my blog if you’d like to read? 🌾🤓blog reading & writing is a much better pace for me. You too? Link in profile.
Reflecting on this today 💓🕊 When I reflect o Reflecting on this today 💓🕊 When I reflect on the moments I’ve felt my mind spinning, my emotions swirly, it’s almost always when I’m not feasting on the word of God. Not that reading scripture is the cure for anxiety —no! Rather, it’s hard to worry when we’re worshipping.
.
.
.
.
.
#womenintheword #wearethehomemakers #scripture #dailyintheword #titus2woman #healthylifestyle #mentalhealth #anxiety #anxietyawareness
Current backyard status: stunning in wonder ❄️ Current backyard status: stunning in wonder ❄️✨
A quiet night: the furnace is running, the tea is A quiet night: the furnace is running, the tea is hot, and the whisper of a page turning. ♨️☕️📖 // We are breaking from school this week, my plan is to read a lot, walk a lot, and rest a lot. How about you?

#mothersofinstagram #tea #winterreading #hygge
I fought every internal comment I could think of a I fought every internal comment I could think of and took my kiddos for a looooong walk today before dinner. ❄️✨ There’s just so much work required to raise children! I’m feeling like a tired lady. But sunshine & fresh air are good companions to keep around. 

We came home and I made “the best dinner ever”. Max specifically announced, “it’s so great you’re launching new meals to the world”. LOL— kids! 🤣👏🏻💓
How about a little Wednesday night introduction? 😘Social media sure has changed over the years and we don’t always SEE who we’re following or remember WHY we’re following certain accounts. 

So, hello! As you can gather, my name is Maggie ;) 

I started writing online (almost 13 years ago) to share the handmade products I was sewing. My shop was called Gussy Sews. ✂️👛I love the community that has grown from sewing & sharing online.

Let’s FFW to today: Zack and I live in Michigan and have four young children (2 boys & 2 girls). I slowly left the handmade industry and walked right into homemaking, homeschooling, and encouraging women through writing. 💕📝

Motherhood has been very hard on me. (And not just because of how close in age our four children are.) It’s been hard for me because I fought for years to accept that *it’s supposed to be hard*. 

I mean, how do you effectively teach another person to know and love the Lord? Bc that’s how I think of motherhood: a calling to nurture others by studying the One who nurtures me. So I gotta make the first move: study the Bible and seek Him first. As my friend Autumn reminded me, vulnerability births transformation. 

(I’ve had to be really vulnerable!)

So, yes motherhood has fully transformed me. But even more so, Christ has fully transformed me. My list of “all that He’s done for me” is off to a beautifully long start.

Something else I want you to know about me: I stalled for years before acknowledging I have anxiety and depression. It’s hard to talk about this because of course this isn’t forever “my hardship”, but rather because acknowledging this means to heal I have to work through some really difficult things. ✨

But my friend Jesus walks alongside me. He’s already done a mighty work in my heart, including helping me process my anger in healthier ways. I’ve also adopted a heart for sisterhood, mothering, and Titus 2 mentorship.

Sometimes our greatest losses are our greatest gains? That’s what I’m clinging to!

How about you? Tell me something about yourself so I can get to know you on a deeper heart level. 🖤🖤
How do you play in the winter? // We had a really How do you play in the winter? // We had a really great time visiting family in northern Michigan. On my blog I share a few ways we played outside, plus I describe a memorable childhood game ❄️☃️. Did you play it as a kiddo?
We had gotten a bit lazy with our rhythms: screens We had gotten a bit lazy with our rhythms: screens in the morning (HGTV), playtime before lessons, and not enough quiet time after lunch. This made for a really, ummm, unenjoyable learning experience. 

But today! Today we reset the rhythm, and we have had a much happier home & time learning together. 👏🏻
Visit my stories for a quick message from ME — t Visit my stories for a quick message from ME — think outside the box in terms of how you view the definition of “motherhood” 💓😘 (also: look at my little friend, she’s sooooo snuggly)
It’s another cold, winter day. ❄️Today I hop It’s another cold, winter day. ❄️Today I hope to bundle up for another family nature walk, knowing the fresh air sweeps out any & all frustration, inviting inspiration inside. ✨That’s something we all need more of.
seriously LOL: I’ve found the secret to calming seriously LOL: I’ve found the secret to calming the Laundry Beast (as a family of 6). Who wants the inside scoop? ✔️🧺👏🏻
Another batch of “fun mail” is headed out tomo Another batch of “fun mail” is headed out tomorrow :) small celebrations like this are very life giving! PS. thinking of starting a zoom book club — I need more sisterhood in my life. 👏🏻📖
The house is quiet. The heat is on. The pages are The house is quiet. The heat is on. The pages are turning. The tea is calm. 🖤☕️🧺📖
Breakfast with Buzz! If only you could see his ful Breakfast with Buzz! If only you could see his full costume and laser blaster and of course the Buzz action figure he flys around 🌟💚💙💨someone has discovered a superhero crush! #joyinmotherhood #slowmornings #surprisedbymotherhood // Landon @ 2.5yo
Today on my blog I have a list of books I hope to Today on my blog I have a list of books I hope to read this year. Plus my reading goal for the year. And a few practicals ways I fit in reading as a mama of four young children & homeschooling them. Basically, all the good stuff ☺️💓📖 #maggiewhitleydotcom #readersofinstagram #read #readmorebooks
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Categories

Archives

Copyright © 2021 · Divine Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.