Hey there! It has been a couple of months since our last life update, so I wanted to fill you in on what the Rios clan has been up to lately. We shared a bit about the holidays in our last posts, including the fact that we were all quite sick, which was a bummer. I am happy to say that everyone is feeling much better and we are off to a pretty good start this new year.
As for the kids, everyone is back in their activities. One kiddo is doing baseball and working on indoor training until the season starts. The girls are back in dance, and I am teaching at the dance studio again as well. Our other son is patiently waiting for flag football to start this spring and is enjoying extra time playing with his brother in the meantime.
We are also back at Pod School. The older kids go one morning a week, and the younger two go on a different morning. While they are there, I teach a space science class for an hour, and then they stay for two additional classes. They are really loving Pod. It has been such a great fit for our family. It gets the kids out of the house, introduces them to new friends, and still allows us to maintain our homeschooling rhythm and autonomy. It truly feels like the perfect combination for us.
On the work front, I am continuing to grow my podcast, Homeschool With Steph, along with this blog and my jewelry business. January was a slow month for jewelry, which is pretty typical for retail, but I was so blessed when one of my earring designs went a little bit viral within my own customer community. It was such a fun and unexpected surprise, especially during a typically dry month.
Chris is continuing to build his business, Real Deals Depot, where he sells and auctions liquidation items. I will be honest, building a small business is not for the faint of heart. We have done three semi loads so far and have not made our money back on any of them. That has been tough. We have been taking a hard look at what needs to change, and we believe the answer is finding a better supplier. We are hopeful that we have found one that can provide stronger truckloads of inventory. If that works out, I am hoping to have a really positive update to share in the next couple of months.
Right now, he has been operating out of a warehouse in Boise, but we are also exploring the possibility of moving everything to Payette. That would be a game changer. It would give us storage space and a storefront, which would open up so many opportunities. If both the new supplier and the move come together, it would truly feel like answered prayers and could make this business sustainable and a viable long term option for our family.
Over the holidays, Chris and I had an honest moment where we looked at each other and wondered if we were crazy. Should we go get traditional jobs? Should I go back to nursing? Should he pivot to something else? The truth is, we cannot let go of this homeschooling, entrepreneurial dream where we are building something our kids can be part of as they grow older.
I will not pretend it has been easy. Financially, this has been the tightest season we have experienced in our marriage. The economy plays a role, and raising five kids comes with real expenses. We never want them to feel like they are missing out. Still, we are making it work. We are digging our heels in and choosing to keep going. I genuinely feel good about how we have started this year.
At the end of the day, our kids are healthy and happy, and that is what truly matters. Everything else is a bonus. Thank you for continuing to show up here, cheer us on, and support our family. We are so grateful for you.
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