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The SITS Girls

The Secret to Success is Support

Completely Eclipsed

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Please welcome Melissa, ” a 20 something year old wife, teacher, and brand new mom” to SITS today.  She writes at Completely Eclipsed and has some of the best shopping advice I’ve heard!  Melissa takes a realistic view on life while balancing family life, friendships, and work. She’s completely adorable.

Tell us about your blog.
My blog is my place.  It’s a space that belongs only to me and I don’t have to share it with a hungry husband or a demanding toddler. It’s a place where I can vent, where I can be ridiculous, where I can share moments both profound and ordinary.  It’s a place where I can openly admit when I’m floundering and can receive advice and sometimes a little tough love to get myself back to reality.  It’s reflective of who I am in the moment when I’m writing.  Sometimes it’s a sad sac and sometimes it’s silly.  It’s adaptable and it changes as I change.

When did you start blogging?
I started blogging sometime in 2009 when I was pregnant with my daughter Isabella, but it wasn’t my first attempt at blogging.  When I was in college, none-of-your-business years ago I took a creative writing class and as an exercise in character development we were supposed to write a blog from our character’s point of view.  It was a great idea, but it didn’t last long as I much prefer writing about myself, not that that’s too narcissistic.

Has your blog changed over time?
When I first started blogging it was a way to chronicle my pregnancy.  It was all puppies and rainbows.  It’s like I pooped glitter all over it.  But if there’s one thing motherhood gives you it’s a healthy dose of reality and things got ugly real quick.  Instead of my blog being an avenue for me to show how together I have it, now it’s a place where I can get into the nitty gritty details of what being a working mother trying to balance it all entails.  I know that I prefer to read blog posts that show someone’s humanity, so I try to show mine.  It’s evolved into a place where I can work through my struggles and say out loud things that I might be to embarrassed or prideful to admit in person.

What piece of advice would you give other 20-something, working moms?
Get organized.  Set up everything you can the night before, even if you’re tired and all you want to do is crash in front of the television with a glass of wine.  Set up your coffee pot, make your lunch, pick out your outfit, and whatever other loose ends you need to deal with.  It makes a huge difference.  Also, get yourself into a routine that works and stick with it.  If that means brewing your coffee in the bathroom so be it, when you’re pressed for time function always beats out form.  Set aside time for yourself to decompress, it can be as elaborate as a girl’s only weekend or as simple as a hot bath.  It will give you time to get yourself together and face another week.  I try and do one nice thing for myself each week.  Plan your meals for the week and do whatever prep work you can on Sunday night.  This way you know what you’re making, will avoid last minute runs to the store, and you’ll save time on chopping.

If you could have a day all to yourself, what would you do?
I’d start it off right by sleeping in.  Then I’d eat a really big, unhealthy breakfast, maybe a bacon, egg, and cheese empanada.  I’d follow that up with a reality TV marathon and maybe a little shopping followed by an afternoon nap and then lay out by the pool all by myself. Maybe meet some girlfriends up for dinner and drinks and then an early bedtime.  It sounds heavenly.  Now which one of you SITStahs want to come and take my husband and daughter for a day so I can live it out?

Favorite Posts:
Time Slips Away: Melissa realizes that time just seems to slip away!
Tales From the Fitting Room: This To do list before going shopping knocked my socks off.  It’s excellent.
No Jury Would Convict Me: Or would they?


About Tracie Nall

Tracie lives in Arizona with her husband, teen daughter, and more books than her shelves will hold. She spends her days writing and editing. Many of her words end up on her blog, From Tracie. Find Tracie on Twitter @FromTracie and on Instagram where she takes pictures of things that are yellow.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Hannah says

    What a darling daughter you have. Hope you’ll consider sending some photos to my website for cute or funny photos, No entry fee.

  3. My Traveling Troop says

    Being a working mom is tough, and I think your recommendations on how to make each day a bit easier are right on! The other thing you got right: the empanada you would eat if you could get a day to yourself. If such an empanada exists, I want one too! Sounds delicious! 🙂 Happy SITS day!

  4. Mommy Crib Notes says

    Being a working mom can be tough and she offers some good suggestions for making each day easier. It’s also great if you can get up at least 30 minutes before your little one to have alone time that will really jump start the getting ready process. Or, even on the weekends it’s nice to have that time to have a cup of tea and flip through a magazine.

  5. Michelle says

    I love it! Oh, how funny 🙂 I really liked the ‘no jury would convict me’ post. And it’s too true that time flies…how is it already almost xmas again?!

  8. Charlotte says

    Oh, I just love her. Off to her place to find out a bit more. What a great feature! Hope you’re all enjoying your weekend–and your summer!

  11. ceejay says

    Great interview! I never would have imagined her to have started blogging only a couple of years ago. What she learned from her creative writing class way back really shows. She writes wonderfully and it’s easy to relate with her responses. I’m sure there is way more to her than just shopping advice and eating bacon. What’s best about Melissa is, like most of us, she sees blogging as her multi-purpose space.

  16. Jamie G says

    Your blog is so much fun!

    I think your advice for setting everything up the night before is brilliant! With that being said, I never do it! lol…

    and I’m right there with you loving reality TV…don’t tell anyone 😉

  18. Alison says

    I love to curl up during afternoon nap and watch some good reality trash I have waiting for me on my DVR 🙂

  20. Laura Beynon says

    Love reading your blog! Raising little ones isn’t always fun and sometimes just down right hard. But I think writing and being able to connect with other moms makes those long days go by faster and easier! Can’t wait to read more!

  24. Beth says

    Now that my daughter is starting Kindergarten next week I really am going to have to get more organized! Packing lunch the night before — starting her bath time early so she can get to bed early. Waaaaaaaa. I’m just not ready!

    I would love one day where I’m not responsible for anyone too.

  25. Jamie says

    “It’s a place where I can vent, where I can be ridiculous, where I can share moments both profound and ordinary.” <~~~~ this is EXACTLY why I started blogging!

  29. Jen-MamaZen says

    You and I are probably about the same age(though we don’t neet to talk about it), going through some similar things. I totally agree with your night-before routine! A little planning goes a long way.

  39. Leah Rubin says

    So cool! The baby is a little doll– of course you’re in love! As for the hubster’s snoring– get him a sleep study. If he has apnea, it’s important to treat it! Mine has it, and the machine makes all the difference in the world!

    Great blog!

  47. Michelle says

    I really love this statement: “It’s a space that belongs only to me and I don’t have to share it with a hungry husband or a demanding toddler. ” While I don’t have a demanding toddler, the sentiment isn’t lost on me and I wholeheartedly agree. Oh, and I love your perfect day scenario. Sounds divine to me! ♥

  49. Queen Mum says

    You have no idea how fast time slips away. Your first pregnancy seems like the 9 months takes forever…and then before you know it…the baby is in kindergarten….then in high school….then out in the world…Enjoy your time with your Brat!

    Now the husband snoring problem…been there…had to put up with that too…
    I remember growing up as a child and seeing my grand parents sleeping in different bedrooms, I didn’t understand at the time why…but after being married for a few years, I understood!

    I divorced the snoring husband, not because of his snoring, but because of his drinking…I now sleep alone, except when I’m with the boyfriend…and he hardly ever snores…Yay….life is good!