The Cutest Striped Tote for Summer

May 10, 2018Handbags, Gift IdeasAnneke McConnell

A big thanks to all of you who jumped on board with this next month's Mom Boss Book Club book! It's a good one!!

As for today's topic, anything with navy stripes and I'm 100% there, especially when it comes to cute coastal totes! This canvas striped handbag from Kate Spade is perfect for Summer! It's called the Washington Square Mega Sam in a rich navy stripe, and comes in other patterns, as well as a smaller version.

The material is so nice! Let me give you a quick "tour" of this cute and functional handbag. :-)

It is pretty spacious on the inside and also has plenty of pocket space with the two outside pockets on the front, interior pocket with a zipper and interior side pocket.

What I love about this tote is that it has a casual vibe to it, but it can truly be dressed up or down depending on the occasion. It would also make a great mother's day gift, graduation gift, baby shower gift (as a cute back up baby bag), etc.

The sides close together on top with simple tie strings.

CURRENT KATE SPADE FAVES

From the Beach,

Anneke

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**A big thank you to Kate Spade for providing this handbag for review!

PLACES I SHOP AND RECOMMEND:

......just to name a few!

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Mom Boss Book Club: Essentialism

May 7, 2018Mom Boss Book ClubAnneke McConnell

Hello there Mom Bosses! It's Book Review time for our latest read and this past month's book is one of my all time FAVORITES that I first picked up a few years ago. It's not too often that I keep a book in the front of my bookshelf to read over and over again, but this one is a MUST for reading repeatedly.

If you're new here, WELCOME! Once a month for the Mom Boss Book Club, we go through a book together based on Personal or Business Development. If you haven't joined yet (it's FREE), I'd love to invite you to join us! One book per month - that's it!

I understand how life can get crazy, and busy, and tiring, but if there's anything I wish I would have prioritized more when our kiddos were younger, it would be reading for my own continued education, and not just Red Fish, Blue Fish or The Berenstain Bears for storytime. ;-) Just 10-15 minutes per day is all you need. Join us below and give it a try for a month!

Mom Boss Book Club

Now if there's anything a Mom Boss knows, it's that discipline is crucial to success. In Greg McKeown's book Essentialism, he tackles The Discipline Pursuit of LESS.

Discipline.

It's not most people's favorite word. It's difficult to follow through consistently. But oh so rewarding.

You see this quote from the book here below?? ........it's the truth. (And YES. I write in ALL my books!)

If You Don't Prioritize Your Life, Someone Else Will.

If you don't prioritize your life and/or business, someone else will.....your boss, your spouse, partner, co-workers, kids, heck....even strangers.

Your life will be played out somehow or another.

I remember the very first time I read through Essentialism a few years ago, saw this illustration below and regretably thought, "That's EXACTLY how I feel." The photo of "energy" represented on the left. My energy being "wasted" in a sense. There was so much I need to learn.

Essentialism Book Review for Mom Boss Book Club

I felt....

Scattered.

Pulled in a million directions.

Burnt out.

Tired, but unable to Relax.

Overcommitted.

Experiencing decision fatigue.

Feeling unaccomplished.

....and more.

I wanted to move more to that vision of energy and movement on the right, and go from feeling those things listed above to:

Energetic.

Clear Minded.

Accomplished.

Balanced.

Focused.

Purposeful.

Calm and Joyful.

Spontaneous.

More Engaged as a Listener.

....and more.

This is all very possible.

It has taken me a lot of time and patience (years to be honest), but I absolutely believe in a balanced "essentialist" lifestyle, and I think the BELIEF of it is the first step.

At some point I realized I couldn't keep letting life "happen to me" and live reactively, but had to rise up and take responsibility for living a more proactive life....one choice and one step at a time.

These habits, skills, and decisions are most definitely NOT a one time thing. We learn, implement, slip up, slide, and rededicate. It's a PROCESS, so be gracious with yourself and others!

Here is the Essentialist Model in a nutshell:

>>>>What side do you relate to more right now?

Honestly, if I could take a photo of every tidbit of advice, relatable stories, and more from this book, it would quite literally be almost the entire book.

I highly recommend it, and if you implement even a quarter of what is shared in Essentialism, I believe your life will be better for it!

NEXT UP......

The next book for our Mom Boss Book Club is going to be The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey To Self-Discovery.

"Ignorance is bliss - except in self-awareness. What you don't know about yourself can hurt you - and your relationships, and how you make your way in the world" (from the back cover of the book)

Life and business is all about relationships, so it only makes sense to tackle the understanding of personalities! I've found the Enneagram to be one of the few personality type systems to help me better understand myself, my spouse, and others.

I hope you'll join us!

Mom Boss Book Club

From the Beach,

Anneke

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PLACES I SHOP AND RECOMMEND:

......just to name a few!

5 Mother's Day Gift Ideas

May 2, 2018Gift IdeasAnneke McConnell

The older my three kiddos get, the meaning of Mother's Day tends to change year by year. Of course the gifts and pampering are all nice, but you truly start to cherish the fleeting TIME you have with your kids while they are growing up and still home with you. Granted our kids are just 8, 10, and 12, but its going by TOO fast. Any moms or dads relate to this?!

With that said, here are some ideas to make your mom (or mama friends) feel extra special and loved this Mother's Day. Remember, all moms are unique in their interests, and YOU know her best! Trust your gut instincts!

Flowers are wonderful (always!), but maybe she really would like that compound miter saw (my DIY friends) or a boat tour or a mother-daughter (or son) date with you. If you've never read The 5 Love Languages I HIGHLY recommend it for a better understanding of what makes a person feel loved.

Here are some Mother's Day gifts to consider!

1. Photo Books.

One of my FAVORITE gifts we gave our moms, grandmas, and great-grandmas when the kids were younger were photo books. I was a very tired mom of 3 little kids and getting photos printed and handed out often ended up last on the to-do list.

Instead of flowers for all the moms, we spent about $25 each for photo books with nice linen covers and the reaction from each of them was priceless. Finally photos of their grand babies! Haha!

One place to create photo books is Shutterfly and there's still a little time left to get 50% off hardcover photo books!

2. Perfume

If you know her favorite, go with that! A few of my favorites and recommendations are Chanel Chance, Dolce & Gabanna Light Blue, and Victoria Secret's Heavenly.

3. Jewelry.

I mean really.......unless you KNOW your mom doesn't like jewelry this is a no brainer. Whether it's classic diamonds and fine jewelry or fun pieces for Summer, there's a plethora of options.

If you're looking for some finer options, I'd recommend looking at jewelry by David Yurman and Julie Vos - this link bracelet is so gorgeous! For lower priced jewelry high on the pretty scale, my go-tos are BaubleBar and Panacea Jewelry.

4. House Cleaning.

I don't know too many moms who wouldn't like a little (or A LOT) of help with the cleaning around the home, so if they don't have house cleaning services already, just trust me on this one........gift them House Cleaning Services. They will love you FOREVER - and literally every time they get that bit of help, they'll remember you and your thoughtfulness. Better yet, plan one-on-one dates with your mom on the days her home is being cleaned. I'd say that's a win-win!

5. Handbags, Shoes, or Accessories.

Again, you know your mom best! What can you splurge on for her that she wouldn't for herself? A new pair of sunglasses? A summer handbag? Some fun new sandals and a day to getaway together? Here are some ideas to get your started!

I hope this helps you find the perfect gift for your mom, sister or sister-in-law who is a mom, mom friends, etc.!

HOVER AND CLICK ANY ITEM BELOW FOR DETAILS

From the Beach,

Anneke

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PLACES I SHOP AND RECOMMEND:

Amazon (my go-to for books and kitchen/home essentials. One of my fave books is Essentialism!)

......just to name a few!

7 Business Podcasts I Listen To

April 30, 2018Business DevelopmentAnneke McConnell

As a blogger and online content creator, it's important to stay up-to-date with the latest for online marketing best practices, BUT also being a busy firefighter wife and mom of 3, there's only so much time in the day. My typical work hours are when my kids are in school, as is the case with many other work-from-home moms I connect with.

No matter what your schedule is like, adding some business podcasts to your day will prove invaluable. Here are 7 that I love, recommend, and listen to daily!

Smart Passive Income (SPI) Podcast with Pat Flynn

I was first introduced to Pat Flynn during a LIVE event and was immediately drawn to his authenticity and down-to-earth vibe. I have major respect for him as a leader in podcasting, online business best practices, and more. With hundreds of episodes under his belt, you're likely to go on a binge-listening spree because the content is just that good.

The Mind Your Business Podcast with James Wedmore

James Wedmore is also a pretty down to earth guy with practical business tips, but more importantly, helps you tackle the mindset struggles that EVERY business owner experiences. Yes....some of his interviews are a little "woo-woo", as he likes to say, but they are undoubtedly key to helping you understand and overcome roadblocks to your definition of success.

Online Marketing Made Easy with Amy Porterfield

Amy and I are fellow firefighter wives and I love the perspective she brings to the online marketing world. She's open and honest about what she is working on, and shares with heart to help others in their businesses. If you're looking for help with webinars, list building, etc., she's your gal!

Build Your Tribe with Chalene Johnson

Chalene was one of the first people I began learning about online marketing from and boy did she open my eyes! I was so focused on all my fun and creativity that I literally knew nothing about running a business. Lol It took awhile for my head to stop hurting from all of the knowledge bombs I learned from her, and love listening to her Build Your Tribe podcast to this day! Again....she is down to earth (sensing a theme here?) and cracks some pretty funny jokes along the way. ;-)

The Art of Paid Traffic with Rick Mulready

As a business owner, all this "free traffic" from social media, quality SEO, etc. is really nice, but what do you do when you're ready to pay (because you have people you want to serve with your services, products, content, etc.)? Rick's content is centered on the ins and outs of paid traffic without it sounding all super complicated and scary. Talk about a win-win!

The Influencer Podcast with Julie Solomon

For years, I have honestly avoided working with other brands as an influencer up until this year. It was really a heart-to-heart I had that if the fit was right, why wouldn't I want to partner with great brands and share with my lovely readers here?! I'm super picky about this (to be honest) and Julie Soloman is the go-to gal for navigating the unseen (and often unknown aspects) of Influencer Marketing. If you're looking for brand and marketing strategies as an influencer, her podcast if full of insights to get you off on the right foot.

KWIK Brain with Jim Kwik

Fun fact: When contemplating my degree for college, neurology was on the list of options (alongside accounting and architecture!). Jim Kwik dives into all things "brain" and how to boost your brain power in practical ways to be more effective and happy in your life and business. I highly recommend this most recent episode where he discusses moving from Burnout to Balance.