This last weekend, my husband Dave decided he wanted to start a blog. He’s been watching what I’ve been doing with Sparkplugging, and has been talking about doing it for over a year. This meant that I, of course, was doomed to a weekend of WordPress tinkering. *sigh*
I think he was jealous of my daughter. She’s actually been blogging for a couple of years, but because I get all freaked out about internet creepies, I wasn’t comfortable shouting out about it until she got older. Her passion is animals (especially ocean animals) and her blog is at AnimalCrazed.com. But two weeks ago, she was hired through IZEA to write on SeaWorld’s new Dolphin Bubbles blog – and I really don’t think my hubs could stand the thought of two women in his house earning a living through blogging without getting in on the action.
Here’s me breaking the news to her that after two years she’s now officially a professional blogger:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cCj69AL6aU[/youtube]
OMG could I be more proud???
Anyway, Dave is following his own passion – music. He’s a seriously talented singer-songwriter and has 30 years of excuses as to why he never did anything with his talent. So I have to say that even though I spent all weekend working on his stuff, I’m uber:proud of him, too for finally getting up off his butt and doing something with his songs. And he’s even got some friends who are writing on it with him.
I’ve spent many, many years teaching people to follow their dreams. Even before I started this blog, I was coaching both friends and colleagues to do what they were put on this earth to do. And I think I’ve done a pretty good job of leading by example on that one…
But to see both my daughter and my husband pursuing their own dreams – and it’s because I’ve pursued mine that I can help them pursue theirs… holy cow, it’s almost too much to put into words. It all started with this little hobby blog that I never thought would go anywhere – and today the power of blogging and social media is touching every thread of my life in such a powerful way.
Wow. Just wow.
Never in a million years would I have guessed that some software on a web server and a few words on a blog could have so much power to do good.
I’d love to hear your stories of how blogging and social networks are changing your lives for the better, too – please share them in the comments! I’ll highlight the best stories in a future post.
Get Your FREE 21-Page Internet Business Idea Guide
Enter your name and email below and we’ll send you our unique 21-page guide chock full of Internet business ideas – for free! Your information will be kept private, of course.
Sparkplugging Founder Wendy Piersall is dang passionate about helping people start & grow a business while maintaining life balance (somehow). 
Easton Ellsworth is owner of 
This is a great way to start my day, so inspiring!
Amandas last blog post..Look at you!
This is so awesome to read about, W! I’d love to get my hubby online with a watch blog. I’ve already got his remodeling site online, though, it is one of my ‘back burner’ projects.
And all three of my kids have expressed interest in getting online, too – I only hope we can follow in ya’ll’s footsteps as well!
OMG,that is SO great!
Manic Mommys last blog post..THe DoNoRS, THe PRiZeS
Haha, that is too awesome. It’s a family business of seperate businesses.
Kelvin Kaos last blog post..LCC Presents… The Great Pretenders
What awesome news!
For me, now my whole family is blogging. Even my mom! (who knew she was so smart?)
And recently I was able to go to Chicago to speak at a home educator’s conference and show them how to start a blog and use it within their homeschool.
I can’t even begin to articulate how cool that was.
Andrea_Rs last blog post..Anatomy of a home page: WordPress.com
Inspirational post Wendy.
I’ve been trying to get my wife to start a hyperlocal blog for the past couple of months but she’s a bit techno-phobic.
We agreed that she’d start blogging if I installed WordPress (which I do for a living so it didn’t bother me in the slightest), and I gave her a set of instructions.
This gave me a great excuse to start a series of ‘WordPress User Guide’ posts on my own blog, and she’s actually using them.
My wife is a really creative woman and I can’t wait to see where she takes her blog in the next few months.
Daves last blog post..How to protect WordPress from comment spam
Okay, you made me cry. For real when your daughter started jumping up and down like that and cried. How cool! Wendy, it is so great that you are helping her do what she likes and that she is blogging for Sea World. Good for her.
Sommer @greenmoms last blog post..Talk Therapy for Kids, Prescription Drugs and Mental Illness
That’s so cool! And what a great video. I love how she gets all excited and is dancing inside. Man, does she look like you.
Susan Payton, The Marketing Eggsperts last blog post..Consistency in Your Marketing Message
My son, a radio production major at columbia thought my blogging was really “stupid mom” UNTIL he had something to say. My son, who is rather mr anti-social person to person, is a rock star on the interweb! Recently, he took a road trip to interview a band. He said MOM, I’m on twitter, will you follow me? Following his tweets was as endearing as his first steps. I kid you not. Adorable as perhaps only a mom can experience their kid…yet none the less very endearing.
Twitter is the the last place I expected to connect with him.
I still can’t get over the fact that he asked me to follow him!
This video of your daughter is positively priceless. It doesn’t surprise me that your family wants to chime in on the blogosphere. Why wouldn’t they with the example you’ve set!
mother earth aka karen hanrahans last blog post..Echinacea For Spring Allergies
Hey Wendy, I’ve been trying to get my hubby to do the same thing — he has this notion that it’s a lot of work and hard to do. Trying to change his mind on that
Great post!
Ms. Lizs last blog post..Why I Love Affiliate Marketing – Part 2
1st of all thanks for the motivational real life story. 1 of my cousin had some financial problem at home. He was into web designing, he used to design sites just for fun, but 1day he showed his design to a national company, it was accepted, as it was awesome. And from that day, he is into blogging and webdesigning as a professional and is earning good income. Its good to be in the world of blogging.
Great post Wendy. Many congratulations to your daughter on her new gig! It’s also nice to hear your husband finally got himself in to the Web 2.0 world, I am sure it will open up all kinds of new opportunities for him.
You know what they say? The Family that Blogs together, stays together!
Good luck to you all.
Jason Coles
3 Dogs Marketing
This is very inspiring. If there is any time in history to strike out on your own, this is it!
bps last blog post..Secrets To Success Part 1
Making a living on blogs is a dream come true. I wish your husband will be successful in his blog career. As long as he learns and put the time into it, he will go far.
Kai Los last blog post..4 Reasons You Should Write Guest Posts
I think that is awesome. It brought tears to my eyes. I spent a few years making excuses about why I can’t start blogging. I have finally decided to do it. I am the sole provider for my family and just recently got laid off. My husband broke his back about 12 years ago and has had numerous back and spinal fusion surgeries so he stays at home and takes care of our now 20 month old daughter. Now he is having his third surgery in a year and half. I can’t start looking for a job until he recovers and then who knows how long it will take to find something. I decided to take my online ventures more seriously as it would be nice to have an additional income source to help support our family. It would be nice to have some financial stability.
Very cool that your family is following their passions like this and using these great tools. I’m a new blogger and started my blog as an outlet for me since I am a stay at home dad to our 11 month old son. By following you and a bunch of other social media people on Twitter and the like I’m hoping to take what I’m learning to re-engineer my career for when it is time for me to re-enter the workforce.
PJ Mullens last blog post..The Emperor’s first shoes
Dear Wendy,
Though this is my first time to your blog I do remember that we’re following each other on twitter.com. And going back through my DM’s I came across your website URL and thought I would take a peek.
What a blessing is to find an Amazing Mom who can teach and inspire her own family.
Everyone should be inspired to reach there own passions and dreams, it’s what we were meant to do.
May the Lord richly Bless All of you
Timothy
Timothy Carons last blog post..Social Media Update
As a mom of two I understand how proud you must be of your daughter. My son is 17 and learning the fine points of SEO
I know how proud it makes me to sites do well as a result of his work; i can only imagine how proud you must be.
Melissa- SEO Awares last blog post..Some Great Articles – Social Media, the DiggBar, Google Rankings, Twitter and SEO