A lovely welcome

So I am playing catch up. November and December I didn’t blog, not because I didn’t want to, but because I couldn’t find the energy after working 10 hours a day at my job, doing motherly things with the twins, and then trying to blog about life.

However, I am back, work is still crazy, I’m still doing motherly things, but I learned a few things about putting some things on the back burner and handling some other things first…I think they call that prioritizing.

My business has picked up a bit, I love wedding planning. Went into a partnership with a good friend, we run a DIY wedding workshop company, more than just DIY weddings, but that is the main premise, and we are doing well in that area.

I have been working on (in my mind) writing down some of my goals. Spiritually, personal, and business wise. I think I know where and why I keep messing up in the New Year. I don’t write things out and I love writing things out. I am actually going to be writing out those things tonight and then typing them up, for some reason that works so well for me.

This isn’t a long, well thought out post, just something I wanted to share and say hi to all again! I am going to get to writing about all the wonderful things going on, especially excited about our blogging challenge happening in two weeks.

A Fresh Monday

Welcome back I tell myself as I start blogging for this lovely blog of mine! I can’t figure some of the website out, but still working on it. This week has been amazing, from lots of food (YUM) to family, friends, talking to ones I thought I didn’t like, being able to put some past issues to rest, and really writing out my blogging calendar (still working on that tonight). I am so blessed and glad to be back to writing! I got stuck for a moment, I couldn’t think of what I wanted to say, what I wanted to do, how to get my blog to where I want it to be…shoot to be honest, I also had writers block.

I started looking around blogs that I love to read, blogs that inspire me, blogs that helped me when I was starting out and just blogs I loved when I was at a low point in my life. Business blogs, lifestyle blogs, baby blogs, writing blogs…goodness, all types and I started learning what I wanted to do, blog. To this day, it is still hard to blog about things since I didn’t have a clear view of what I wanted to do. As I took this time off and really sat down, I know I write about a lot of stuff but it is just that “stuff” and I didn’t want my blog to be just stuff; I wanted it to be something different. 

So, I wrote a blog business plan, thanks to the SITS girls, check out their blog post here (http://www.thesitsgirls.com/make-money/create-a-business-plan-for-your-blog/) Thanks ladies!!

Now, I have a clear view of what I want: single mom lifestyle blog and how to go about it: that is my plan, not yours lol and I have a clear view of how to connect with others: start small…not big!

I am creating this blog as a Single mom lifestyle blog, featured and geared towards black single moms with twins…and if you aren’t black or don’t have twins, that is fine too…I love you all! I want to show a way to budget while being a single mom, a way to have a nice lifestyle while on said budget; I want to show a way to create awesomeness in the craziness of being that single mom on a budget. Most of all, I really want women all over to be inspired, to really want to move forward with their singleness, to be a bloggess of mass awesomeness. I want moms and women to feel the empowerment I want to bring, I want to seek out the women who don’t believe in themselves, I want to connect and partner with some amazing women owned businesses and give back to single moms. I want my blog to empower single moms and to really bring forth our ability to be more and go beyond “single moms”. I just want a blog that women (and men, if so) can come to and really connect.

With that being said, I have dedicated some of the next few weeks to work the errors out of each category I have, to really get the site up and running, to finishing connecting with others and really find awesome opportunities for other single moms out there. I have a business plan, a call to action for myself, and to blog like I’ve never blogged before! Super excited!!

Join me on this journey, really connect with me, sing up, join, and stay tuned for some more awesomeness!

Oh Monday...how I adore thee

The best time to do something is (or was) yesterday…since yesterday is gone, today is a great place to start. I was weak on my September blogging challenge, so I want to change that and blog every day in November. I love to blog, its fun, and can be rewarding in the long run, but I want it to be awesome as well, not just a chore for me. The blog is coming along nicely with the new changes for a lifestyle blog, with recipes (which means cooking for me yay!), changes in habits and our life (how can you go wrong, right?), and a new outlook on everything.

This life has been a journey of mine and I wish there were easier times and moments where things could have gone or ran smoother, but I see the accomplishments I have done and I am really happy about those. I notice the lessons I’ve personally learned and the pain that comes with those lessons. Struggle builds character, at least which is what my mom says. I think it builds a certain amount of character, but mainly strength in yourself and what you can do when the chips are down and things aren’t going the right way.

As you know, if you follow or read this (which I hope you all do), Monday’s I usually dedicate to Monday Morning Moments, a piece of time where you can reflect on the weekend, or a lesson learned, a moment that you cherish and want to make sure to share to get your day started right. Today’s Moment is dedicated to my twins, who a lot of things are dedicated to them; however, today I owe them so much more.

As many of you know (or don’t know), I was royally screwed over by a friend and his girlfriend in Denver, Co. I struggled with letting that go, learning to forgive, and really forgiving, and not taking action against them, and not to harp on it. That has been rough. However, knowing I have the twins and their love and their approval has been amazingly wonderful. I’ve come to the conclusion that people will do bad things to others and not lose one night of rest and when they begin to feel guilty; they push it aside and look to their riches and successes. I actually wish the best for the people that hurt me, that screwed me over, that really made things difficult for me. I wish them success because they gave me something else…a determination to keep going forward, to move mountains so I don’t struggle or reach that black put of despair ever again, they gave me my kids who looked up to me and knew it would be handled and things would be ok. They took a lot away from me, lied on and about me, sent me a letter discrediting myself and my kids even, but I smile now because I have forgiven them, I wish them well, and in the end I know god will handle things.

As for right now though, I do know that my twins got me through a period of hate and ugliness, they got me through a few months of tears, doubts in myself, and helped me overcome weaknesses. They were my rock and I love them for that and will always cherish that more than anyone could ever know. I don’t even think of it as being screwed over any more, I think of it as a gift, a blessing in disguise, to really know and love my kids.

I hope everyone has a moment that they can stare at their kids, their loved ones, or a friend and know that through pain and despair that person (or persons) was there for you and made you the people who are today and who you will keep becoming. So today, I started something new…a letter to each kid, telling them that they are loved, my goals and dreams for them, but reminding them that no matter what happens, I love them. So this blog post as been all over the place, but Mondays are usually like that, from starting something new and finishing it, to believing in yourself, to looking past the negative and seeing all the good around you, to being on a journey and letting it happen! Here is to you and your Monday Moment.

Blogtember

I love to blog…I think we all know that, at least the ones that follow and read The Life of Three. I think it helps people with all aspects of their lives and it makes you have insight to other factors of your life, you wouldn't have thought of. Any who, I joined a fantastic September challenge. I follow Phebe with Making MeEvents and I enjoy her pictures and her blog. I was reading a post and it was her September goals and I noticed she was doing a blogging challenge called Blogtember over at Story of My Life. I love this unique perspective and blog, it’s beautifully done. Challenged accepted! I missed Monday because of my miscount of days…hey, no judging I’m a single mom.

Today, I am writing about when my life took turn, a moment I will never forget, but I think there are many of those in life, like when my kids were born, when I started my event planning business, but the best one happened recently. I have always doubted myself, always trying out new things but the moment I hit the wall, I think the world is going to end…yes, I’m a drama queen. My mom was a fighter her whole life and then something happened and then she stopped fighting, just accepting everything. I learned that you needed to continue from her doing that, her giving up always made me doubt myself and my talents, so I never grew in my business. When I got older, I still had doubts but I had a sense of determination to succeed, to make it in this big bad world, to really be able to beat the odds that were set against me. My expectations of myself, my business, my kids are set really high and I needed them to be more realistic, however, I didn’t know how to do that. Recently, I took a lot of lows and never had any high moments, I was struggling with my personal life and professional being. I beat myself up over not being someone, but then I took stock in my life.

I have two healthy, vibrant kids, who made everything in life so bright and amazing, I survived being screwed over by someone I trusted, I was growing my business (slowly but surely), finding renewed strength in myself, becoming powerful in my own mind and rights, I had a business that placed 4^th ~Top 5~ in Denver’s A List Best Wedding Planner, which took me over the moon. I had so much blessings, that I told myself it’s time to work. A few months ago, I believed everything everyone had told me: from being worthless to being stupid in my feelings and thoughts, to growing up in a house where if you failed, it was what it was, to the self-doubts I had even told myself.

A few months ago, I believe all those lies, but then a month later, I took stock of everything I had and even the things I didn’t have, but wanted, not materialistically but just to help me and my kids to live easier. I told myself it was time to stop believing the past, to stop thinking those thoughts, to move forward and upward, to claim a spot in this world, to fight back, to be me and love the “me” I am. I finally put my foot down and it’s helped me have a solid point in my life, a turn that allows me to see where I am going, where I want to be, and how I plan (key word there) on being there. To really push forward, know I am worth everything I am, everything I want to be, and know that being me is simply ok with me. 

Its a beautiful morning!

Hi everyone! I took a little break to pamper and baby my twins…I haven’t done that in a moment and I knew now was a good time to do it. I felt that blogging needed to be done, but my kids needed their mom first. I have learned so much in this week of not blogging, like the fact that I miss it. 

The fact that I really want to make this blog work…more so as a journey and a lifestyle blog, yes, I know…another lifestyle blog. But as I started thinking about this, I knew I couldn’t just be another lifestyle blog, I wanted to be different, targeted toward a single mom with kids, with a budget, not just one of those blogs where all you see are the pretty things and know right away you can’t afford it…but simple lifestyle changes that add more meaning. Thank you Lisa for your advice! It literally was life changing and moving for me. 

As most of my followers or readers know that “My Life of Three” is about me, my twins, and my journey after having kids and just, well our life.  

A big part of my life and not just my kids is my wedding and event planning business, Erika Swift Events. I love weddings mostly but planning anything had long been something I love.  

This year we placed 4th in the Denver’s A List.  I was so excited and so thankful to the ones who voted for me and my business.  Thank you! This marks something so special for me.  To see the hard work pay off and the joy from the feeling alone, it is an amazing feeling. 

No matter what life throws at you, be passionate in doing what makes you happy, then you will always be happy.