Oh, hi there… it’s me, Laura. 👋🏻 A nutritionist-slash-stay-at-home mom.

So here’s the thing: Even though I’ve been publishing podcast episodes regularly now for the past couple of years (and posting them here), I haven’t written a blog post in… years. Maybe two? Three? I have posted a few recipes here and there, but I’m talking WRITING A BLOG POST. Which I love to do. But I haven’t. Confusing, no?

Here’s some background.

When I first started writing my blog back in 2011, I was *so excited* (emphasis on the **) to put my work out there. My writing, my advice, my thoughts, all of it.

Fast forward to today, and somewhere along the line I got lost. Well, not lost per se, but I just lost sight of my original focus and direction as I got tempted by shiny objects (oh, so many shiny objects).

The truth is, I’ve been confused about my purpose in life and in my business, and I’ve never quite figured out how to balance out my home life and working life. When I spend the time needed to actually make a difference in my business, I feel like I always have a laptop in front of my face when I “should” be focusing on the kids. And likewise, when I’m present with the kids like I truly want to be, there goes the biz traction I made!

Ugh, how can we win as stay-at-home-slash-work-from-home moms? How can any working moms win?

After an inevitable existential crisis (it had been brewing for a while before finally coming to a head), I realized two things:

1. I want to embrace my life as a SAHM; and
   
   
2. I want to continue to have a business that supports our family financially, so my hubby doesn’t have such a heavy weight on his shoulders. (Plus I legit love what I do in my biz.)

So WTF does a girl do when faced with these two conflicting desires, you ask?

Why, she combines them, of course!

This may look different for every person in this sitch, but for me, it looks like this: I will be leaning more into my life and role as a SAHM, while at the same time leveraging certain aspects so I can continue to run my business and provide value to my people, without having to sacrifice lots of mom-focused time.

For example, I’m already making dinner for the family, so let’s record myself doing it and create an Instagram reel out of it, followed by a recipe blog post, and so on. This is something I already do here and there, but I never had an actual plan since it felt like so much extra above and beyond what I was already doing. So it was really sporadic and TBH, also quite stressful. But now that it’s part of my business model and I’ll be carrying out an actual plan while doing it, it makes so much more sense.

I will continue to sell mini courses and group coaching programs (hint hint: there’s one coming up in January 2025!). 😉

I’m also going to be putting content out there about random things that I do (and that happen) during the day… the real, dirty (figuratively and, often, literally), behind-the-scenes life of a SAHM.

And now, it’s time to get extra real and even more honest. Here goes.

I have felt shame about declaring myself a stay-at-home mom ever since… well, ever since I became one. That was exactly six years ago. I’ve always been quick to mention that I’m a nutritionist and so yeah, other person, I also have a JOB, okay? I’m home with the kids but I also work and am ambitious and a go getter, got it?

But the truth is that stay-at-home moms freaking rock. They deal with tantrums and whining and poop and short naps and messes and spills (OMG the spills), all while attempting to keep the kid(s) entertained and hopefully teaching them something and being present with them. All while cooking the three meals and feeding the snacks (the endless, endless snacks) to the hungry child(ren) in question. While also feeling the need to keep up with the laundry and wanting to keep the house some semblance of tidy (while the toys continue to be thrown across all rooms) for when hubby comes home and wonders WTF happened all day and why it looks messier than it did when he left that morning. (Side note: My hubby is very chill in this respect and always says our house is “lived in” (bless) and is, for the most part, very good at overlooking messes and understanding of the realities of the SAHM life.)

Deep breath. It’s a freaking lot.

But we downplay it. We’re like, well yeah, but we all have the hard parts of our days and our lives, and it’s hard to be at work and then come home and put on the mom hat. It’s hard to be out of the house for hours and then still have to cook dinner and do the laundry and clean in the limited amount of time you’re home… while also being present with the kids.

We see and acknowledge the struggles that other moms have, and yet we don’t acknowledge or validate the same for ourselves. Or at least, that’s what it’s felt like for me.

I don’t know why there’s a stigma around being a stay-at-home mom, but there is… and I’ve fallen victim to it as a stay-at-home mom.

WTF, right? I know… agreed.

So part of my new self is fully embracing my SAHM status (even though I also work, okay?) – haha, yes, I’m a work in progress. 😆 My kids are only young for so long (in fact, all four of them will be in school in five short years), so because I am lucky enough to be able to live out my desire to be at home with them, I am going to. While also working. (Okay, okay! I’m really trying this time.) 😂

You’ll see a new podcast episode every Tuesday, and a blog post every Thursday.

I will continue to write (and talk) about health and nutrition – most specifically, how to be a healthy and vibrant mama – but I also want to share about my life – my adventures as a stay-at-home mom, my every day, my struggles, my wins, my tips and advice, my realness. I also can’t wait to share about my daily life including things like organizing different parts of our house, making bath salts for the kids (and for me), and planning my day intentionally so I can be present with the babes while getting the other stuff done, too.

So that, my friend, is what you’ll be seeing from me from here on in. And I couldn’t be more excited.

If we’re not already connected on socials, let’s! Follow me on Instagram (I post regularly and show a lot of behind-the-scenes in my stories), and follow me on TikTok (I put this one aside for a LONG time but am now going to give her some love).

Until next week, my friend, be unapologetically you, and I will be over here doing the same. Talk soon. 🤗