Category Archives: My Mama Friends

Episode: Where are they Now?

Posted in Book Club, Fun times, My Mama Friends, Time Management, Work Mom Balance by

I love HGTV.  House Hunters International, Property Brothers, Love it or List……regardless of which show, it is my favorite station.  So imagine my utter shock and delight when HGTV surprised me in my very own living room one year ago this week.

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My Happy Place :-)

Mom Caves, where Beth Stern and Jared Walker Dostie give a very deserving mom a room makeover, had picked me through a combination of chance and connection.  Let’s just say I may not have been the most deserving, but I have the very best husband.   For one season, 13 mothers were given new living spaces that were nothing short of spectacular.  In my completely biased opinion, it was HGTV’s best show on the air.  However, the show was never renewed and very short-lived.

Book Club

Book Club

And as was intended when the room was created, I have hosted many events in the space.  Family parties, late night drinks by the fire with the Hubby, Book Club, Girl Scout meetings, PTO planning sessions and of course Ladies Night.  Needless to say, the room has embodied the very spirit it was created for.

These days, I often am asked if I still like the room.  And I have to say – I still hate wallpaper, but not my wallpaper.    In fact, aside from adding more family photos and moving a chair to the other side of the space, the room has relatively stayed exactly the same.  It has become my room and is affectionately called the “mom cave” by the kids,  my hubby and everyone who visits.  So one year later, my room remains the same and quite honestly, I believe it will remain this way for some years to come.  I look back fondly on that week and despite suffering a wicked tax slap this past tax season, it was worth every minute.

Holiday Parties

Holiday Parties

This Mother’s Day, I believe there will be breakfast in bed, a convertible ride down to my beloved Jersey Shore for lunch, planting in the garden and a relaxing evening nestled on my couch with a good book and a fine glass of wine in my Mom Cave exactly one year since it’s completion – and I can’t think of a better way to spend the day.

Special Side Note:  During the filming of Mom Caves, my very best friend who was part of the “cast” had literally found out she was pregnant with her first child during filming. I am happy to share that today, for her very first Mother’s Day, she will be celebrating with her very handsome little man and hubby. 

A Very Dark Coat Room in 1980

Posted in A Work in Progress, I am Thankful Today For, My Mama Friends, Work Mom Balance by

mp900427595.jpgIn a dark basement “coat room” I made friends with two fellow classmates ……….

We were four and five years old and closely hanging to our mothers’ coats.

Tears filled our eyes unaware of what this new, strange world would bring – but our mothers pushed us along.

 

Nine years later, we clung to each other not ready to take the next step.

We are were 13 and 14-years-old and about to embark on something very new.

Tears filled our eyes unaware of what this new, strange world would bring – but our mothers pushed us along.

 

Four years later, we were sassy and thought we knew everything there was to know.

We were 17 and 18-years-old and couldn’t wait to be on our own.

Tears filled our eyes unaware of what this new, strange world would bring – as our mothers reluctantly pushed us along.

 

Four years later, we were ready for the big, great new world.

We were 21 and 22-years-old and unstoppable.

Tears filled our eyes unaware of what this new, strange world would bring – as our mothers proudly looked on.

 

Thirty-three years later, we are mothers and our mothers are grandmothers.

Through all this time, we remained friends.  We shared successes and life’s greatest moments and we shared tears and sadness.  We may not have spoken every day – in fact, years separated some conversations!  But in the end, we always made time for each other.

We sat together this past weekend – with babies and toddlers among us.  Some much had changed and yet so little seemed different.  Our friendship endured from those simple moments in 1980 and molded who we are today.

The story is just beginning and I thankful every day – for that one day -  in the very dark coat room in 1980.

 

dedicated to my mother, AGB, KG, KVC & EV and Sister Magdeline up in heaven.

 

A Mother’s Worst Enemy is Another Mother?

Posted in My Mama Friends, Time Management, Work Mom Balance by

“I hate these full-time working moms”

One sentence.  One thought – made by one mother about another mother.

Last I checked, we are living in the year 2013.  We live in a country were we value freedom of speech and as tragic as it is to admit, this sentence – which appeared as a Facebook status – is the opinion of a mother who has the right to express this opinion.

However, this one simple ignorant sentence is explosive and hurtful to working mothers, stay-at-home mothers, part-time working mothers, small mothers, tall mothers, white mothers, black mothers, any and every mother. Why?

Because that one sentence pits us against each other.

I am not friends with the mother who posted this comment.  I only know that her statement bothered a friend of mine.  I am taking the time to write about this today because I want to implore to you (not just mothers, everyone) to do the following:

MH910216391Support each other and the choices we make. Set aside your jealousy of what you can and can’t accomplish and learn from each other.  You are the people who are guiding and teaching our future leaders.  Your actions mold these little people who become the big people who will lead our country.

I’ve written this post a number of times since beginning this blog.  I have learned that sometimes the most arrogant people are the loudest and most uniformed.  I feel sorry for the person who wrote that post on Facebook and I do hope that she – whatever  her situation may be – is content with her life.

To all the other mothers that are reading this post, I commend you for being fair and honest and human with each other. Share this with post with those you know and love and respect and show your support of each other’s choices.

You Made Me Smile

Posted in My Mama Friends, Time Management, Work Mom Balance by

photo(30)Mornings, as many of you can relate, are crazy and hectic.  Who wants what for lunch – Who can’t find their shoes – Who is supposed to be where, when.  AND my personal favorite – “please sign these forms” – as they walk out the door.  But the minute the cherubs are on the bus, there is a sense of calm and peace.  Most mornings, as the children set foot on the bus, I am peeling away from the bus stop en route to work in hopes I am only a “little” late (please note, I park safely ahead of the stop so as not to violate any laws).

One recent morning, as my oldest was about to climb aboard the bus, she froze.   “It’s gym and I am wearing boots.  Mommy Help!”

Instantly, I was in crisis mode. I sprang towards home on foot in very high heel boots and ran.  My neighbor and fellow parent seeing my ridiculous shoes, immediately followed me.  In record time, I ran inside, grabbed the sneakers.  Between my home and the corner where the bus waited, my friend relayed the sneakers to the stop just in time.  Problem was averted and I was delighted.

So on this particular morning, I followed the bus to the light instead of being way ahead of the big yellow bus.   As I pulled up to the light along side of the bus, I could see my cherubs wildly waving and blowing kisses at me.  Without much thought,  I waved and blew kisses back with as much enthusiasm as I was receiving.  The light turned greened and I sent my last kiss and pulled away.   I drove to work that morning, sipping my coffee and listening to my radio and was content.

When I arrived at work – I found this message waiting for me:

“You made me smile the entire drive to work this morning. I was behind you when your Mommy love was showing with the waves and blown kisses. You and I played cat and mouse the way until you broke free and I had to turn. I kept waving at you each time we passed but you were in your mental zone. Mommy hat off, driver and marketer hat coming on. Have a great day my friend. You are an awesome Mom.”

A friend and fellow mom was stopped at that light behind me and had sent the email when she arrived to her office.   I was absolutely touched.  When we met, her youngest and my oldest were in Kindergarten together.  She must have seen that deer-in-the-headlight look on my face that day and took me under wing explaining half-day schedules, bus procedures and everything since.  I always looked up to her as that mom who always knew the perfect thing to say and could juggle even the toughest of schedules.

And with a simple quick email, she made ME smile.   I am very fortunate to have such caring and wonderful women to call friends – Women who don’t judge and don’t gripe; Always supportive and always there.

Sometimes

Posted in I am Thankful Today For, My Mama Friends, Time Management, Work Mom Balance by

Sometimes, all it takes to lift out of a funk is a smile, a cup of tea or a piece of good news. 

Sometimes, all it takes is a phone call from your very oldest, very dearest, very best friend.

We don’t talk every day.  In fact, months sometimes pass between our conversations. Yet the minute the phone lines connect, that gap of time from our last conversation disappears and regardless of where the call is made, the sounds and movements around me simply fade away.  Instantly we are those two giddy, oddly matched little girls.

Soon, we will both be mothers (she is expecting her first before the end of this year) and I am sure in the phone calls to come, our conversations will be of newborn tricks and tactics, breast pumps, sleepless night and which butt cream works best.  I by no means would like to have a third child, but I must admit I am excited about the birth of her child as if it were my very own.

This very gloomy autumn day began very hectic and very harried.  And although the day is still very unrelentingly hectic and harried, a smile has found a pair of lips to call home today.

Sometimes, all it takes is a moment to chat with a best friend.

Go on.  Pick up your phone and call your best friend.