PAY DAY THURSDAY COLLABORATION with Jessica from The Carpenter’s Quill

May 23, 2013

Welcome back for another installment of Pay Day Thursday.

Today I would like to introduce you to Jessica.  She approached me with a desire to collaborate and to have a letter exchange type dialogue.

Jessica’s Blog is The Carpenter’s Quill

So what is your name, age and where are you from?
My name is Jessica Carpenter, and I will be turning the big 3-0 next month. We currently live in Las Vegas, Nevada. Originally from Victorville CA!

What is your blog primarily focused on?

I primarily focus on poetry, descriptive stories, humorous takes on topics, and will eventually share snippets from my children’s book! The blog started out as a tool to extend my life’s story to family and friends. I had a lot happen personally that needed some clarification.

What do you do for a living?

I am a stay at home mama, and military wife. I’ve been all around the corporate world in my past (managing dance studios, teaching preschool, marketing specialist, school secretary, and taught dance and gymnastics to kiddos). This job here at home is by far the most exhausting….and I love it.

*I know right?*

 

Who is your role model, and why?

My dad is my role model. He has been through a lot, and taught me to always persevere.  He supports his family, and has given me my love of sports! Tina Fey is another person I admire. That’s one successfully genius gal.

What is the hardest thing you’ve ever had to do?

Throw away chocolate.

*YOU WHAT??!! HOW COULD YOU!!??*

What’s wrong with the world?

 The Kardashians.  Matisyahu says it best in his song “One Day”.  I truly believe that people have forgotten how to be compassionate.  Society is teaching us how to be acceptable to everyone else, while we slowly lose who we ought to be as individuals.

Where do you find serenity?

Dancing is my serenity. I love getting lost in music.

*Me too! Did you read my blog post and poem Sublime Retreat?*

What is the secret to a happy life?

I live in the truth of my beliefs, I love my family the best I can, and I sing in the shower.  Play, kiss, dance, and get outside!

*Those are some of my favorite things to do as well*

What is it that you absolutely couldn’t live without?

My family, music, and imagination. Lakers basketball, S’mores, and late night laughs with my hubs.

*Well said Jessica*

As I mentioned earlier Jessica and I decided to have a letter type exchange back and forth to get to know each of us a little bit better.

Here is our Collaboration:

Dear writingsofamrs,

I’d like to thank you for Pay It Forward Thursdays on your blog, writingsofamrs.wordpress.com! (throw in a little marketing for your lovely collaboration idea!) I absolutely love the talent you share with us in your writings. There is always something new, and each piece is very unique in it’s own way. I especially enjoy reading the stories about your always adventurous family! I’m a mother of a 3 year old daughter, and I believe you also have a little one, or two? Actually, now that I think about it, I don’t remember reading anywhere in your posts about how many “writingsofalittles” you have?

Your fellow blogger,

Carpenter’s Quill

Dear Carpenter’s Quill,

Thank you for your kind words and support as always, I am very thankful. Ah the three year old, such a fun age. I always found my children to be the busiest at three! I’m sure you have your hands full, full of loveliness that is! Are you planning to add to your Quill clan? The Mr. and I have 8 “writingsofakids”. 5 “writingsofateenagers” and 3 “writingsofalittles”.

Until next time,

Writings of a Mrs

Dear Writings of a Mrs,

Hope you are well, and I apologize for my late response! Our hands have been full that is for sure. I’m still adjusting to my daughter being back home from her four month visit to Florida! Finding time to write (alone), eat (alone), and take a shower (alone) in the same day has its challenges. We’ve been getting back into the swing of things though. I have already thrown away my ‘pride’ and attempted to fit on the teeter totter at the park. I have sung at the top of my lungs in a public restroom, twice now with an audience. I have watched Tangled so many times that I am, once again, a walking soundtrack. Oh, and to answer your question, bow-chick-wow-wow YES! Mr. Carpenter and I have been trying to make a clone of our amazing genetics. A couple months ago we had conceived, but it didn’t take. So, on we go to round 20!

This moment is brought to you by Naptime, my friend. Without it, writing probably wouldn’t happen as often. How on earth, as a mother of eight, do you find the time to write so many pieces Writingsofamrs???

Yours Truly,

Carpenter’s Quill

Dearest Carpenter’s Quill,

Alone time? I almost forgot what that was until my littlest little started going to school. For my daughters 5th birthday party we brought all of her friends to see Tangled in the theater. Toddlers sure do like to repeat everything don’t they? Movies, words, actions etc…I’m glad that you have naptime to write to me. I wish I could have a naptime! 20 rounds! Oh my. That is dedication. We had the opposite issue the Mr. Just looks at me and I get pregnant! That must cause pressure and stress on your relationship. How do you two work through it? As for time, it’s all relative. I am used to being exhausted, it’s my normal state of being and I embrace it. I write while the kids are at school, the housework gets left undone but thankfully Mr. Is really supportive and helps out. I’m often having conversations with the kids, walking around with the laptop (thankfully I have a MacBook Air so it’s light), eating ice cream or kissing (bow-chicka-wow-wow) etc. while responding to comments on my Blog.

Sincerely,

Writings of a Mrs

Dear, Writings of a Mrs,

You are a master multitasker! Kudos-props-high fives to you for taking that many girls to see Tangled! One diva is quite enough for my eardrums to take. I too, walk around with my Iphone, or laptop, while playing legos, cooking, or when I escape to the bathroom for some alone time (just to sit and think, really). My poor Dell has been dropped, kicked, slammed, and bent in the wrong direction. I have worked this thing like Richard Simmons, and it keeps on ticking. I have certain keys missing though thanks to our dog Kona, who decided to make a snack of my ‘W’, ‘Q’, and ‘Play’ buttons. Also, I just upgraded from my tiny button Blackberry to my very first touch screen! I have found that I need more practice with it though. When reading my responses to some inquiries on the blog, I sound like a cave woman with very large thumbs. “Thank you for question, so good! apricot …appendage …appreciate comment.”

So, to answer your question about how we work through the stress on our marriage with the whole baby thing, it’s surprisingly not stressful at all. I’m just impatient, and feel like because I’m turning 30 next month I must get pregnant ASAP. I think it’s true that a “watched pot never boils”. It’ll happen when I’m not obsessing about it. It’s been about 10 months now. My husband is in the military, and lately his shift has him coming home after midnight which makes ‘us’ time a little scarce. It seems strange to eat dinner without him, put our daughter to bed, and watch my shows alone. However, I do help him make his lunches and get ready for the day. In your home do you all sit down and eat dinner as a family? How many peanut butter and jelly sandwiches do you have to make a week in lunches? I look forward to hearing about this one!

Your Truly,
Carpenter’s Quill

*because of course all of us stay at home Mommies run around after the children in our pink panties and heels, uh duh!*

Dear Carpenter’s Quill,

At least you have a reason for your cave womanish sounding comments, mine are also riddled with typos and spelling mistakes only because I’m too lazy to take the time or far too busy to even notice!

We always sit down together for dinner, sometimes people are missing because of sports or school projects or socializing but most of us are present for dinner. The amount of conversations going at once and the noise level is well, shocking for others who visit. I am a pro at holding multiple conversations at once!

As for lunches, my teenagers are far too ‘cool’ now to bring a lunch to school but of course they bring the juice boxes, cookies and yummy things… We can’t make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, peanut butter and peanut products are banned from our schools. I’d like to say I’m so organized that it all gets done by the end of the evening but the majority of the time I’m rushing to make the kids lunches in the morning while organizing breakfast, tying shoes, signing homework books, feeding the dog, tripping over the cat, accounting for teeth brushing, applying sunscreen….

Thankfully the 4 older teens are pretty good at tending to their own teeth and shoe laces but somedays they still need a hand 😉

Do you have a regular date night? The Mr. and I got out once weekly.  Do you take time to get away as a couple?  The Mr. and I go away alone 4 times a year even if it’s just for a weekend, speaking of which we are this weekend! *woot, woot* What’s it like being a military wife?

Inquiring minds want to know,

Writings of a Mrs

Dear Writings of a Mrs,

Date nights for us include mixing up some drinks, sitting on the couch, and watching Hawaii 5-0 after our daughter goes to sleep. We don’t get out much unless it’s to a friend’s BBQ (in which case the kiddo comes along and has a blast). Both of us are homebodies at heart. When family comes to visit we try to go see a Cirque show, a movie, or maybe have a nice dinner together. Living in Las Vegas has made my flaw of indecisiveness worse, being that there is so much to do here! When we get chance to get away together, our conversations go something like this, “What do you wanna do?” “I don’t care, what do you feel like doing?” “I gave you options so now you pick one!” “I don’t want to pick one. Let’s just stay at home and watch a movie or something.” “Ok I was gonna say that anyways”. I enjoy every second with my husband, and honestly we could be basket weaving or clipping each other’s toenails, and I’d still have a great time (not that we have done either of those things mentioned). It’s been a journey to finally become Mrs. Carpenter (the mushy love story is on the blog).

We’ve been married almost a year, and being a military wife hasn’t been hard for me YET. I haven’t had to experience a deployment or TDY since we’ve been together. His orders to Korea were cancelled, which was a huge blessing because it was the same time Chloe was gone for 4 months. Of course we found out he wasn’t going AFTER we sold our car, and I was preparing to move back home! The unknown is frustrating, and nerve-racking, but it is worth it. I admire the men and women around me that hardly ever see their spouse because of deployments. It takes trust, communication, a strong bond, and a lot of support surrounding the family. I am very proud of my Staff Sergeant. Every day he puts on his uniform to serve our family, and our country. He has been through a lot personally, and is my hero. This Memorial Day we remember his father, my grandfathers, and all those who have served.

I have enjoyed our correspondences in last couple weeks writingsofamrs! You are an inspiration to me as a mother, and a writer. Thank you for seeing potential in my writings, and for stopping by Carpenter’s Quill! I cannot wait to read your new mommy blog! http://writingsofamrsmommy.wordpress.com

Yours Truly,

Carpenter’s Quill

Thank you so much Jessica for letting us get to know you a little better!  I really had a fun time getting to know you and your family better.  I wish you continued success in all that you do!  I hope that you all enjoyed the read and that you will show Jessica some love and go and check out her great blog at Carpenter’s Quill

Next week I will be featuring a beautiful artist with ton’s of oil paintings, sketches and the like.  I have chosen one of her oil paintings to write a poem to.  I hope to see you all back then.  I am booked up until Oct. for collaborations but if you are interested in collaborating please take a look at the original post Pay Day Thursdays  and here is a little video explaining a bit more about the collaboration idea Pay Day Thursdays.

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Written by Jennifer Writings of a (n Ex) Mrs Posted in Blogging, Musings, PAY DAY, Poem, Poetry, Traffic, writing Tagged with Blogging, Collaboration, interview, Musing, Pay Day, payday, photography, poem, poetry, Writing