Ok, with today being the first day of the 2008, first I want to wish Aurelia and each and every one of my readers a Happy New Year! May this year bring you peace, prosperity and tons of fun! I have started on my new and improved Arika for 2008 over the last few days and I’ll post more about the things I have in the works in another post, but for now, it’s on to the cross blog conversation with Aurelia.

Last time I asked her how she manages to keep stress at bay during the holidays and you can see her answer to that question here. I tell you there is a reason she is a life coach people and the more you get to know her, you’ll soon agree that she is following her true calling in life just as she wanted to.

Before I get on to answering her question to me for this go-around, I wanted to give Aurelia kudos on her first television debut. She was on featured on her local news channel talking about resolutions and strutting her stuff (in a good way of course). I got so much from watching the interview and I hope you do to. You can check it out by visiting Aurelia’s Real Life Coaching website and clicking on the video on the front page.

Now onto Aurelia’s question:

“I cant help but to notice how awesome your blog is and how you keep posting exciting posts daily. What are your future plans for that awesome blog of yours?”

Now, I can’t give away all my secret plans yet but what I can tell you is that the blog is going to include the following (along with lots more) in the future:

1. It’s own domain name - I think you’ll like it - I know I do.
   
2. A whole new look - goodbye blah and boring! Hello fun and funky!
3. A few other contributors - can’t tell you who or what yet, but I think you’ll enjoy each of them and what they will be bringing to the table as much as I do.

In short, the blog is taking on a whole new look and feel and will be packed with lots more information for moms, wahms and those who want to work from home, but aren’t sure where to start or how to get there. You’ll also get a much more fun and laid back Arika who interacts with you on a regular basis and allows you to peek more into not only her personal life as wife, mom and wahm, but her business life as well.

Now, it’s your turn again Aurelia! Here’s my question for you:

“Recently, you announced that you will be a first time Grandma this Spring. Congratulations, but I must know, was it a hard pill to swallow at first? If so, once the initial shock wore off, how do you feel about it now?”

Notice in this picture how none of the lightbulbs are lit, heck they aren’t even screwed in…that would be my brain folks!

I just realized that in yesterday’s CBC post to Aurelia, I didn’t answer the question she asked me in her last post…DUH! I’m blaming it on pregnancy brain which helps to answer her question:

“How has your pregnancy been so far?”Hmm that’s a loaded question, but here’s the shortened version that basically explains how this pregnancy has been so different from my first two.1. I was showing much, much sooner than the first two. I’m assuming due to the fact that I didn’t wait almost 8 years in between pregnancies this time around AND the fact that I’m getting a bit older and well I just don’t bounce back in certain places like I did after having Zachary.

Well, not to rub it in but I WAS RIGHT!! - Aurelia’s biggest weakness when it comes to food is none other than a McDonald’s ________? Wanna know what McD’s food she just can’t get enough of and makes her giddy like a little kid every time she eats it? You’ll have to head over to her blog and find out!With Christmas fast approaching and business piling up, I’m going to make this post pretty short and sweet, but exciting none the less. This week I want to know a little about Aurelia’s Christmas holiday. I know that her birthday and her son’s birthday are pretty close to Christmas (if I remember right) so I know they have a lot going on in their house this time of year. So, here’s your question lady:

“What are some of the things you do to keep things stress free at Christmas time around your house?”

For me I have to say that my hubby is a lifesaver this time of year. He loves to do the Christmas shopping and wrapping. As a matter of fact he just said to me last night, “Well if anything were to ever happen and you weren’t around for some reason, I know I could make it through Christmas just fine!” and he is SO right!

I think I’ve maybe wrapped a handful of gifts and he’s done the rest. As for the picking out the gifts - he did the majority of that too. And I gladly obliged and let him! I gotta GOOD man!

In case you missed my first question to Aurelia in this Cross Blog Conversation (CBC), I asked Aurelia to tell us a bit about herself and how she became such the cool woman she is now.

Woah Baby! Aurelia, you sure know how to make it difficult on someone to follow suit!

Aurelia posted a tear jerking response, but not a bad one…it’s one of those responses that makes you all warm and fuzzy inside and draws up that inner urge to make the best of everything in your life. If you haven’t had a chance to, I highly suggest you head over and read her whole post by clicking here. Be warned you might cry, you’ll probably smile, and you’ll definitely forget how bad your day has been after reading! One things for sure, you’ll see why I admire Aurelia so much after you do.Aurelia’s first question to me is:

“Arika, Who are you? (meaning tell us about you, your likes, dislikes and family) Then please tell us why you chose to be a WAHM!”

She’s not asking much for a first question now is she? Just kidding, as I told Aurelia, I love it that she never let’s me take the easy way out. I know the questions are only to get harder though so it’s time to suck it up and get on with the show, so here’s just a bit about “Who I Am.”<– See that picture right there? That’s the REAL wahmmy in all her glory. I’m a mom of 2 boys, ages 10 and 2 and expecting a baby girl, Sierra, in April. This picture was taken during the summer (as a matter of fact right around the time Sierra was conceived) on a camping trip to the mountains…the one place I would love to be more than anything most of the time.

Both of the pictures also answer the question of why I wanted to be a WAHM. I want to spend as much time as possible while I’m here on this Earth with those I love most. There are other reasons but no matter what they all come back to those 3 handsome fellas in one way or another and that’s what matters most.

I could expand on the question so much more, but Aurelia this is a conversation not a novel so if you want to know more you’re gonna have to dig a little deeper girl. Now for my next question to you, Aurelia. I’ll make this one real easy on you…since I’m pregnant you can imagine that I’m ALWAYS hungry so I’ve got food on the brain and you can thank that for your easy question.

“What is your one weakness when it comes to food?” I actually think I know the answer, but will be surprised to find out if I’m right!

I’m jumping on the Cross Blog Conversation (CBC) bandwagon finally. It seems like so much fun and I well you know me…can’t miss out on something fun can I?

For those who don’t know what a CBC is, it’s where two or more bloggers ask each other questions to get to know one another better or share their contacts with their blog readers. You can follow the conversation by clicking the links from one blog to the other!

I spent a few weeks trying to decide who I would ask to participate in my first CBC and immediately I had my answer! She’s a fellow WAHM, a client of mine, and more importantly a very good friend. Those are all great reasons to ask her to participate, but I just knew she would be the perfect choice because she will be able to give not only me, but those of you who read my blog some insight on lots of great things.

You see, I chose Aurelia Williams of Real Life Solutions, for this first CBC because she is a life coach and loves to be organized and stress free! What a combination that I can only hope to someday have! I don’t know about you, but it seems the harder I try to get one of those things under control in my life, the harder it is to keep everything else in order.

Now, choosing Aurelia was the easy part. Next I had to come up with a question I wanted to ask her for this first post. You might think that was easy too, but let me tell you I had a hard time trying to decide which of the millions of questions I have for her to ask first. Finally, I decided where better to start than for Aurelia to tell us a little bit about herself.

So, Aurelia my first question for you is this: Tell us a little about yourself and how you came to be the awesome woman you are today?