Mommies Behind the Blog: Courtney of A Thoughtful Place

 Today we have the lovely Courtney from A Thoughtful Place. She is a very successful interior decorator and blogger. And I'm so happy to have her here sharing just how she does it all.NAME, OCCUPATION, HOW MANY KIDS?Courtney, Blogger and Interior Decorator, 2 Kids Riley age 8 and Grady age 6YOUR FAVORITE THING TO DO WHEN YOU HAVE TIME ALONE?I wish it were something like taking walks down at the beach with a cup of coffee or finding a great lunch spot with a good book. But sadly, my quiet time is normally spent racing around shopping for a client or creating content for my blog posts. Don't get me wrong. I adore both and feel so blessed to be doing what I do, but I am failing in the take time for me department.THREE THINGS YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT?date nights, lip gloss, avocadosMOMMY UNIFORM?Either ripped jeans and a feminine, usually white, blouse. Or shorts, a top and a fun colorful scarf. I have never been one to stay in my work out clothes. I think I just feel better about my day and myself if I shower and change.FAVORITE GO-TO STORES FOR TOYS/KIDS CLOTHES?Nothing fancy these days. We stick to Target and The Gap. Especially now that both children are in school and tend to be so rough on their clothes. Gone are the days of the cute boutiques and clothes that mommy got to pick out without any other opinions entering into the mix!WHAT'S YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE WITH BLOGGING FULL-TIME, INTERIOR DECORATOR AND BEING A MOMMY? HAVE YOU HIRED HELP?Where do I begin?! I think the biggest challenge is how fluid it all seems and how it is constantly evolving. Every time I think I have a handle on things, I take on too much or a client ends up taking longer than I thought. As soon as I start thinking I have it all together, it pretty much unravels. I am unusually efficient and have been since I was little. I think that helps a great deal. I get a crazy amount done in short time. The issue I have is taming my stress level and keeping it all in perspective. We have not hired anyone and I am not sure I will. I adore that my first job is a stay at home mom and that is what I always try to keep at the top of the list. I am constantly trying to remind myself that the blog and all that has followed stemmed from a hobby and a much needed outlet.WHERE DO YOU AND YOUR KIDS GO TO FOR FUN?We live in a pretty remarkable neighborhood which is packed with trails, parks, and pools. We love a great long bike ride and my daughter always insists we just let the adventure take us wherever it leads. To be young and that free spirited. I am pretty sure I had a bike trail all mapped out even at her age. We love swimming and the beach. Both of those are our go to during the summer.We love to lay in the grass and point out pictures in the clouds. And the best part is how if we lay there long enough a dog cloud can become a rocket ship cloud. I seriously treasure moments like this with my children. It forces me to slow down and just be in the moment.WHAT WORDS DO YOU LIVE BY?Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined. - Henry David Thoreau. I am a huge believer in the fact that whatever you envision for yourself can be reality with enough hard work and heart.WHEN DO YOU FIND THE TIME TO BLOG AND TAKE CARE OF YOUR KIDS?There are certainly times when my kiddos see my on my laptop and not playing with them. That is the hardest part of being a blogger. It really does take hours and it's hard to fit it all in. While they were young I used nap time. Now that they are both in school, I drop them off and then get right to work. I can work out at home and then start blogging or working on a blog project. I really do try to get most of the photos taken and edited when they are in school. We also have a nightly routine where after I cook dinner, my hubby cleans up and gets the kids ready for bed. So during that 30-45 minutes I write my post for the next day. The photos and work have been done, but I can actually draft the post. Then we all snuggle and read books and they go to bed. I really do try to turn the computer off after they go down so I can enjoy time with my husband. We are really big on putting our relationship first and most often you can find us on our front porch with a glass of wine chatting about our day and life. It's our way of reconnecting after a long day. We also do date night once a week which we wouldn't give up for anything.WHAT'S A CURRENT GOAL YOU ARE WORKING ON?Saying no! Ha. I have decided not to take on any more design clients and just focus on the blog. I can't do it all and still feel like my family is getting my best .Most importantly, my husband always reminds me that I started all of this . . . so I should steer it where I want it to go. Ultimately, I am a worker bee by nature and I love to feel challenged and productive. I love blogging and the outlet it provides. As for what's next? Who knows. But I plan to do it with 100% passion.HOW DOES A TYPICAL DAY LOOK FOR YOU?6:30 - 7:00 - Kids and husband wake up. He makes them breakfast and brings me coffee in bed. It's a nice perk to being married to a morning person.7:00 - I get up and join the morning routine. My husband takes our daughter to school at 7:45 and I hang with our little man until I take him at 9:159:30- 1:00 On a good I fit in a kickboxing workout and then start blogging or working on a house project. I will return emails, handle the business side of the blog and then run errands. This is also when I will fit in the laundry. The busier I am with the blog or clients, the messier the house is. It's just the way it is. I am learning to accept that.1:00 Pick up my son and give him lunch1:45 - Go to the park and play and wait for my daughter.3:30 - Homework time with the kids, TaeKwanDo and Dance most days5:30 - Start cooking . . . .trying not to get cranky as I am already tired!6:00 - Eat dinner as a family6:30 - 7:30 Blog for the next day. Snuggle with the kids and read books.7:30 - 10:30 - Hang with the hubby.Thank you Courtney for being here today. You can keep up with the latest from Courtney via her blog, Facebook, instagram, twitter, and Pinterest.