December 13, 2018:  Working while traveling...Ugh.

I’m having some juggling to do while on this trip and it is wearing me out. That’s not to say that I’m not having the time of my life. Just that being on a holiday trip is not all that it is cracked up to be and I wanted to give you a little insight to the whole facebook/social media facade that a lot of people get caught up in. So many times it is fake. Happy pictures are posted and a world is crumbling behind them. I try to be real. Not fake. I don’t take selfies and I don’t put my face all over my personal or fan site. It is just not me. I don’t like to take photos and I don’t like sharing photos unless I think I don’t totally look like a dork or it is necessary for my work. That is just me. Not a huge fan of pics of ME. BUT.....I love posting pics of where I am at when I feel it is work related and is affecting or will affect my next project. Now happens to be my family holiday that is entirely wrapped around Christmas markets across Europe.

Super awesome that this is happening. Completely grateful. Having so much fun. Really, I am, but it is work. I’m not posting pics to brag, but to share. So many people I know will never have the chance to do this and I can help them feel like they were there. This is not the pretend social media facade where I post pictures and my life is such a dramatically wonderful scenario. It is work. Not a boo who case, but I do have two boys and my regular job that I’m juggling while here along with trying to work on my second revenue stream, my sculpting. It is a constant balance. I work when we are not running around getting inspiration from these medieval towns and trying to absorb every second of the amazing sights and sounds of the holiday season in every different culture I can. We travel in the car either daily to different towns or every few days. When I’m in the car, I’m in the backseat between an 8 yr. old and a 10 yr. old managing their homework duties and watching the gps to help navigate my husband, while I’m on my laptop remoting into a computer on the otherside of the world to work from 9,000 miles away.

Yep, I have a mobile hotspot and work on our long drives. I update my kids online Google classroom journals daily, connect with their teachres daily, get them through their lessons daily, teach new lessons daily and then I work on the books for our company. Once all of that is done, then I sculpt. Hahaha!!!! That is the highlight of my trip. When I have a moment to sculpt and can finish the sculpt and cook it before leaving that location and traveling to the next. Sculpting only occurs at night and starts around 8-9 pm and I am lucky if I get in a total of 1.5 hours inbetween kids fighting, teeth brushing and getting the boys calmed down before bed. It is work. BUT, I love sculpting and told myself that I’d have between 10-12 elf heads sculpted before the trip was over. Well, I have two done and about 15 days left to finish the rest and make my goal. That means I need to sculpt one head a day, so that I can have time to get ready and have Christmas!

Oh, yeah, Christmas. That is on the menu too. And paying bills and taking care of the books and making sure the kids get their homework all done. Geez. I WILL DO IT!!!! Christmas will be a bit different this year and luckily my kiddos are game. This will make for a super memorable Christmas. Now to get my work done before then!!!

I felt that I needed to post something. Remember, not everything on social media is as simple or easy as it seams. A lot goes into the pictures that people post and an even bigger story behind most pictures. So many people forget that. I’m in the middle of living that and I am kind of using this post to vent and reasure myself that I will meet my goal along with all of the other goals that are also needing me whilst not forgetting to enjoy the moments and have fun soaking every second in. A balancing act. That is all I keep reminding myself.

I will post pics of my second sculpt tomorrow on the drive out of Germany. He is waiting to be cooked in the morning just before we leave and travel to Prague. Two down, eight to ten to go... two down, eight to ten to go...I shall keep repeating that as I head off this post to email teachers.

Nighty, night.

~ H