Guest Post: Little Bits of Joy

January 10, 2016

I've told you once and I've told you twice. My favorite part about blogging is the community I'm growing. There are so many incredible woman (& men!) I'm meeting and getting to know through this space of mine.

The other part I love about blogging is helping and encouraging other bloggers. Blogging can be tough. It's hard work, requires a lot of dedication and a lot of attention. If you haven't read yet, I shared my Day in the Life of a Blogger - it's no joke! And I don't even have kids.

Hey moms out there, you women are champs! That brings me to my amazing, superhero of a guest today!

Jessica is a full-time mom, wife and blogger. She manages a full time job, two adorable boys, a husband, a household and an adorable blog. If that doesn't make her a superhero, I'm not sure what would. Oh, and the bonus? She blogs about the Bachelor just like I do - just another reason I like her so much.

I'm super excited for all of you to get to know her today! Without further ado - Jessica!

Why did you start your blog? 
I actually started blogging in 2010 right after I got married. I needed something to channel my energy into once I was done wedding planning! That blog was semi-private, only a handful of family and friends read it. Then one day in November 2015, it hit me… I want to REALLY blow, get out there and meet other incredible bloggers & make a space that I can share. I was finally out of the baby phase of raising my two boys and was starting to feel like myself again (sleepless zombies days mostly in my past…) and I wanted something for me, something I was passionate about.  So I started Little Bits of Joy!

Tell us about you, the girl behind the blog.
I was born in a small town in Oregon and moved to the Portland area in my mid-20’s, met my husband (after kissing A LOT of frogs!), got married in September 2010 and had two crazy little boys. I’m a total introvert - I need quiet time to recharge, which has made the journey into motherhood really hard for me, someone always needs me and my house is always loud and chaotic!! I struggle to find balance in my life since I work full-time, and want to be the best Mom and wife I can be as well. I’m always looking to improve myself and I’m FAR from perfect.  I’m obsessed with pop culture (I do a Bachelor recap every week!), love to read, color, dance, get outdoors, drink wine, Mike-n-Ikes are my love language, I hate being tall (heels make me look like an NBA player!), I wish I could save all the whales at Sea World and I love history and historical things (I live at the literal end of the Oregon Trail!).

How did you pick your blog name?
It came to me as I was driving home one night. I was thinking about starting a new blog, and wanted to talk about all the little happy things that happen in life, or the little things that bring me joy, even if that is something silly or funny or being able to share a struggle (misery loves company, right?). There is joy in connecting to other women and finding friendship and encouragement, and I wanted that to be my space. Like I said, motherhood has been a struggle for me in a lot of ways, and I needed to focus on the little joys of everyday.

What is your favorite and least favorite part about blogging?
Favorite- Having people tell me “oh my gosh I love reading your blog!” or being told that I’m funny… I think I’m funny, but it’s nice to have others think that too. Or have someone thank me for sharing a struggle because they are experiencing it too and don’t feel as alone anymore.

Least Favorite- Getting my blog looking nice; HTML code, and widgets and all that jazz - UGH.

How do you balance a full time job, blogging, two kids and a husband! What are your tips? You’re a superhero!
You are so sweet! If only I really was!!! My 3-year-old is a superhero, did you know? His magical hooded bath towel transforms him! Really, well - It's hard. I’m the first to admit that balancing everything is tough and sometimes I just break down and cry. I have to stay really organized- that is the key!!! I have a sure-fire routine in the mornings to get us out the door quickly, I rely on my crockpot a lot for dinners, and I let my husband take over in the evenings so I get some downtime (reading, coloring, or watching The Bachelor!) and really long hot relaxing showers. As a mom you have to make sure you get some self-care in your day… it’s important to take care of yourself too!


Favorite posts?
-The Best Gift I’ve Ever Received. It was a little soul-bearing and I was scared to write it, but looking at my life and realizing everything happens for a reason is a wonderful thing to reflect on.

-The Time I Was So Over 2015. I’m like everyone else… I get caught up in how pretty social media paints everyone’s lives to be and I forget that we all struggle, we all feel unattractive sometimes, and we all are just OVER it sometimes. I love sharing those moments and knowing I’m not alone!

-I’m all things Bachelor right now since the new season started! It was really fun writing The 10 Reasons We All Love The Bachelor because, well...it’s true!

Where do you find your blogging inspiration?
I try and look for inspiration just in my day to day life, hoping there is something interesting happening! Some days it’s just work, making dinner and playing Ninja Turtles with my oldest son. I am inspired by those bloggers that are witty, brutally honest yet endearing. That’s how I feel like I am to my friends and those who know me, so I want that to be conveyed in my blogging too. There are SO many amazing bloggers out there. I read about 50 blogs a day and am always in awe over their skills! #goals

I’m obsessed with the bachelor too. Thoughts for this season?
Oh man, we are in for a ride, girl! Ben is super tall, dark, and handsome and… a bit dull in TV terms, which means the girls they cast will be extra crazy to make the show entertaining! So for it’s off to a good start - I mean the unicorn head limo entrance? I think we are in for a season of major tears and cat-fighting over the hunky prize! I’m team Lauren B right now! Not to mention her dress on night one was gorgeous.


What is one thing you want my readers to know about you?
Probably that I try to always be real and honest. I suffer from post-partum anxiety and it’s nothing to be ashamed about! I’ve blogged a bit already about my struggles with it and the insomnia it’s caused. We women try and do it all and be everything to everyone and we get embarrassed to share and talk about the hard stuff, even though we all have hard stuff in our lives. If we lift the veil of “perfection” then I think we can all learn to support each other and encourage each other… I will always be the first one to laugh at myself, admit I’m having a hard time, etc.. so your readers I hope will connect with my honesty and know that I’ll always just tell it like it is.

Did I tell you or did I tell you. It is so refreshing to hear from a blogger who loves what she does, loves her family and tells it like it is. I hope you spend some time visiting Jessica's social media (or stalking her as I put it) and give her some love and encouragement. That, after all, is what this blogging community is all about.

Find Jessica here: Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and her blog!

Happy Sunday everyone, let's make it great.

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7 comments

  1. It was surreal to see this! Thank you so much for featuring me, and encouraging other women and bloggers!! Seriously... women need to rule the world.. it would turn into a place of gorgeous photos, fun blogs and community. :-) Much love girly!!! xoxo

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  2. I can't wait to check out her blog. My pick for Ben right now is Caila, but it's still early.

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  3. IT's great! What a beautiful family

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  4. What awesome questions! I'm a blogger myself so I found myself answering these questions in my head a long with her answers! Great idea.

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  5. Awesome, Hi Jessica! I'll be sure to come check you out now! I definitely agree with you on the introvert thing, I need my recharging time. Looking forward to reading! :)

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  6. I totally agree, meeting new friends is one of my favorite things about blogging! Happy to get to know more about Jessica and her blog! :)

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  7. LOVED THIS! I love getting to know other bloggers :D

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I love hearing from all of you and greatly appreciate all your feedback and comments! xx Kristen