Tag Archives: Mom

True love

A bond between sisters…
Today, I cried. Not once, but twice.

2:30pm, my daughter Talia had a doctors appointment. Her first orthopedic inserts were ready and we went to pick them up. The doctor inserted them in her shoes and she walked around the office in her school uniform, school shoes and orthopedic inserts. Doc asked her how they felt. Her response, “they feel good.” My first thought, success! We walked out of the office, down a staircase and into the parking lot. Then, she stopped and looked at me with her big brown eyes filling up with tears and said, “Mom, I can’t walk any more. They hurt so badly!” Wow! Talk about being caught off guard! I asked her why she didn’t say that when we were in the doctors office. Her response, “because I was trying to be brave.”

I did everything to hold back external tears at this point. Then, my little Julia said something profound; “Talia, maybe mommy can bring me to the doctor and I can get the same things as you in my shoes so we can hurt together.” Then, Talia responded; “No Julia, you don’t need them. I don’t want you to have to suffer something you don’t need.” Internally, I was crying already, but after their conversation, my tears came out for the world to see. As I stood in front of my girls, tears streaming down my face, I smiled. It was one of the most beautiful moments I have had with my daughters. I decided we should take a walking break. Really, I just wanted to savor that moment with them. We sat together on the sidewalk and held hands. We talked a bit, they began giggling and both felt better (so did I). The final decision: forget about the shoes for a moment and let’s go get some frozen yogurt.

6:30pm, baths were done, supper eaten, and relaxation time for all of us. Julia, the child who cannot relax, bumped her mouth and was bleeding. While I looked in her mouth to see how bad the damage was, Talia disappeared. She came back a moment later with a cold and wet paper towel in hand, and handed it to Julia. She told Julia to put it against her cut so it would feel better. Knowing the cut was minor, I let Julia do it. Then the singing started. It was Talia. She was singing a song she made up for Julia about how much she loved her and would take care of her. I wish I remembered all the words but I was once again, too busy crying.

If anyone asked me what true love meant to me, I would respond saying, “It’s what my daughters have.”

Posted in Parenting | Tagged Family, Inspirations, love, Mom, Orthopedics, parent, sisters | Leave a comment

Start Your Business – Feel Empowered – Have Fun

A New Year – A New You – Start Your Business Now – Feel Empowered And Have FUN Doing It!

Thinking of starting your own business and working from home? Between the internet, job boards and word of mouth, the options seem endless yet very few are viable. Fortunately, out of the few viable options, some really do work and are actually fun to do. Stella & Dot products are not only stylish and fun, they are affordable.

A new year means a new you! Now is the perfect time to launch your own business and join Stella & Dot’s growing team of Independent Stylists! Stella & Dot creates flexible, work from home business opportunities for entrepreneurial women. Create the success you deserve. And for a limited time, Stylists who sign up between now and January 31st will receive an extra $100 in product credit for a fabulous start to launching their own business! To find out more information visit www.stelladot.com/stylist. Get started today!

For Bloggers and website owners, Stella & Dot even offers an amazing Affiliate Program you can join today!

Posted in Blogology 101, Create, Mom, Shopping, Women | Tagged accessories, accessorize, business, fashion, fun, Mom, work from home | Leave a comment

Best Parenting Books!

Whether you are a new parent, a seasoned parent, a DAD, or simply a baby, these books will give you a good laugh for sure!

Below is my list of the BEST OF THE BEST in parenting books I have found! If only I knew about these books before I had my children… Oh, the stress I may not have had to deal with…

The absolute best of the best parenting books ever… well, that is if you want the reality of parenting… and if you want to not only scare a new parent to be but also make everyone laugh at a baby shower :)

There is NO such thing as “perfect parenting!” There is NO such thing as a “perfect parent.” Rather than dwell on what you are not doing “perfectly,” enjoy what you have in front of you… a beautiful little baby that is ALL YOURS… Oh, and for those of you that think you should voice all your opinions to new parents, (“Mom, this is not directed at you… well, not completely at least”)… I learned something a long time ago that hit home for me when I had my first child… Don’t parent the parent! And then, there is always the ultimate in board books for baby! Seriously now… I have no words…

Posted in Bookworm, Children, Education, Family, Kids, Media, Mom, Motherhood, Uncategorized, Women | Tagged baby, books, dad, digital, html, Mom, mommy, Parenting, parents, pregnancy, read, write | 1 Comment

Every Mother Counts

An astonishing cast of superstars contribute heartfelt recordings to the second edition of a Starbucks-exclusive compilation that supports maternal health care worldwide.

Every Mother Counts 2012

Click Like ↓ If you Liked!

Posted in Children, Education, Family, Humanity, Mom, Motherhood, Music, Parenting, Women | Tagged care, health, love, maternal, Mom, mother, starbucks, starbuckscoffee, superstar, tunes | Leave a comment

Healthy Summer Hair

Summer is here! This summer has been all about having fun in the sun, the pool, and of course, more sun, leading to more pool time… Unfortunately, due to the sun and pool, my hair hasn’t enjoyed the summer quite as much as I have.

For years, I believed my hair was one of my best features… then came this year. I first noticed the disgusting change when I was swimming in the pool with my girls. I noticed a prickly feeling on the nape of my neck. Disturbed, and assuming it was my bathing suit strap, I went to move it away. Much to my dismay, it was not my bathing suit. In fact, it was my hair. Hair is supposed to feel soft when submersed in water. Instead, mine felt like Jute which only meant one thing… split ends! After leaving the pool, I went straight home and jumped in the shower. I conditioned my hair over and over again, hoping to change the feeling. It didn’t help one bit. My hair still felt like crap, in turn, looking even worse.

The diagnosis… Nasty Swimming Pool Hair! (aka The Pool Head)

We all know how women can be… do you really want to hear them whisper “gross, look at that pool head” as you walk by? Never mind how awful rough hair feels… throw some humidity into the mix and well, you get the gist. The next day, I went to the mall in search of something that would help… What I found… My new favorite hair product by Wen… it even smells pretty!

Posted in Children, Family, Girls, Mom, Motherhood, Uncategorized, Women | Tagged beautiful, beauty, fun, hair, Mom, pool, products, summer, sun, swimmer, swimming, women | Leave a comment

Wine – Red Glass At Night = Mommas Delight, Red Glass In The Morning = Mommas Warning

Bottle Of Red… “A Red Glass At Night Is A Momma’s Delight… A Red Glass In The Morning Is A Momma’s Warning”… (yes, I do think I am quite savvy for making that one up… And yes, totally putting it in quotes to give myself props)…

Recently, I saw a new doctor and was grilled, on paper. One of the questions asked on my 4 page questionnaire – Do you drink alcohol? My answer – Yes. The next question… If yes, how much alcohol do you drink… you get the gist.

Obviously, these questions are on the questionnaire because doctors need to know if you have an alcohol problem or not. It could have to do with the type of medication they may have to prescribe for you at some point… or something else… If everyone gets the same questionnaire, and has to answer the same questions, why do I feel so strange having to answer it?

I don’t like the question because many factors go into my response… Are they talking about this week or last week. Do they mean what I drank last night, or what I plan on drinking tonight due to the anxiety and stress the question caused? Is it a way to make me feel guilty about having a cocktail or two? Yikes… I really don’t like that question!

My reality… last week, I may have had one to two glasses of

red wine

3 nights in a row. Since then, I may not have had any red wine. Tonight, I might have a few friends over and drink three to four glasses. Does that mean that I am an alcoholic??? Absolutely NOT! I have gone months without a drink, nor wanting one. Other times, I have taken a sip of red wine and almost hurled because at that very moment, I couldn’t stand the taste. So now, I need to question the question and question my response… Personally, I don’t think it is a fair question… regardless of my answer, I somehow, am forced to feel guilty for something I am not doing wrong… Kind of like in the first grade when I dropped our guinea pig Snowball, because she nipped me and I got yelled at… The little monster drew blood for no reason… again, I did nothing wrong.

Posted in Family, Funnies, Humanity, Parenting, Uncategorized, Women | Tagged alcohol, doctor, medical, medicine, Mom, mommy, muse, musings, Parenting, red, social, socialize, trend, wine, write, writing | Leave a comment

How To – Mobile Photography

Yes folks, as much as I cannot stand admitting this, but… Photography has gone mobile and that is not going to change!

Mobile photography goes against everything I have preached… I love my Canon Rebel! My pictures have never looked so wonderful. Unfortunately, I cannot carry my Canon with me all the time. On most occasions, my iPhone is my primary go to for capturing memorable moments.

This evening, I hit the JACKPOT! I found my next purchase! SnApp Shots, the book, written by Adam Bronkhorst. SnApp Shots is the ultimate guide for creating great photos using your mobile device. Although the emphasis of the book is on how to take great photographs with a mobile phone, it also covers the wonderful world of photography apps, accessories and more. Fortunately, SnApp Shots is such a good-looking book, that once you have mastered the mobile photography world, it can be showcased as the “perfect coffee table book” for your living room! :)

Posted in Apps, Blogology 101, Bookworm, Photography | Tagged app, Apps, book, books, cell, design, i-stuff, iPad, iPhone, iPod, mobile, Mom, photo, photographer, photography, photos, pictures, read, reading, social media, tech, write | Leave a comment

Mom Planners Agendas And Calendars

Between my husband, two children and two dogs, I have a hard time keeping track of each of our schedules. I have toggled between different types of planners/agendas as well as calendar apps on my computer and iPhone. Although I love the digital world we live in, there is still something to be said about writing down appointments, important notes and activities.

Although I like having my digital calendar up to date, I am a visual person. Being able to sift through pages and determine the best options for plans and appointments in a physical calendar seems to work. I love being able to write down daily tasks, to do lists, and daily accomplishments. My planner/agenda is filled with concert tickets, postcards, invitations and other memorable things. I even use it as a diary to jot down the little things my daughters say and do! ♥

With so many family members, and things to keep track of, I love planners that are geared towards moms the most. In my search for the perfect planner, and slight obsession with buying at least a few a year, I finally found one that is suitable for all my needs. Daytimer created a Portable or Desk version of a Mom Planner which is absolutely adorable. It has all the bells and whistles I look for. I prefer the Portable Mom Planner because I can take it with me everywhere. They even havve a Student Planner which can be purchased as a Portable or Desk version as well! Love these! They are truly a “must have” and come in a bunch of great colors! Check them out!

Posted in Apps, Children, Education, Family, Get Organized, Girls, Kids, Mom, Motherhood, Parenting, Shopping, Uncategorized, Women | Tagged agenda, dad, daytimer, doctor, Family, i-stuff, iPad, iPhone, iPod, Mom, organization, organized, planner, schedule, school, student, tech, work | 1 Comment

The Forgotten Anniversary… No Big Deal?

A Forgotten Anniversary… Is it really that big of a deal?

The Scene: 4:40 PM, third floor office – large windows – just yards away from yet another brick building… fortunately, my office windows still allow a bit of light to filter in… And every so often, men working on the roof of the building next to my office can be seen through my computer screen scaring the absolute crap out of me every time.

As I sat on my new ergonomic chair (which I cannot stand), I heard a buzz… my cell phone. It was a text message from my mother-in-law. It read “Happy Anniversary. Hope you have some fun plans!” What? Happy what? Quickly, I glanced at my outlook calendar and right in front of me, highlighted on my computer, was todays date… the 28th. Yup, June 28th, 2012… My 9th anniversary. You know, the one I forgot about that my husband actually reminded me about a few days ago which I forgot about again… CRAP!

The first reaction: CRAP!

The reaction that came right after the first reaction: Crap, and a little chuckle…

The next reaction: Walking out of my office, and laughing as I proceeded to tell my friends how I remembered about my anniversary…

Reaction after that next reaction: I received a text from my husband, who still had not mentioned our anniversary, and responded with a simple, btw… happy anniversary. Oddly enough, he said the same back with no real emotion behind it (then again, we are talking texting here)… Regardless, it seemed like it he didn’t think anything was strange about neither of us wishing one another in the morning when we first woke, or before lunch when we spoke yet again, or later that afternoon when we talked yet again… you get it…

The last reaction occurred this evening… It finally hit me… We forgot our anniversary! Really? Anniversary type occasions mean the world to me! Well, they do when it comes to my husband and I… I had to put in that disclaimer simply because I have forgotten many anniversaries in my lifetime but they did not belong to me. Today was a very special day in our life. We wed, we exchanged rings, we had a piece of paper which proclaimed our love for one another, we partied our little booties off, got really tipsy with friends and family, hugged more people than we could count, felt like we were on top of the world and then passed out cold. Our ANNIVERSARY! This last reaction… tears! How could we forget our anniversary??? Marriage, new beginnings… special moments that are supposed to be remembered forever… Who forgets their own anniversary??? I do… and so does my husband… Fortunately, we will never forget the year we forgot our anniversary…

Posted in Children, Family, Funnies, Kids, Mom, Motherhood, Parenting, Uncategorized, Women | Tagged anniversary, comedy, dad, Family, funny, life, live, living, love, marriage, Media, Mom, presents, wedding | 1 Comment

Mom Blogs – Which Type Do You Fit In?

Mom blogs are the rage these days. Oddly enough, although the name of my blog is Trending Mom, I did not start blogging with the hopes of being type cast as a “Mom Blogger.” When I started blogging, I had no idea about the amount of supposed “Mom Bloggers” in the blogosphere. Trending Mom was simply a name that described what I wanted my blog to be about. I happen to be a mother. I happen to enjoy blogging. I follow my own trends and not societal trends. I want everyone to do the same. Trending Mom is my way of re-entering this world as me… Not what others want me to be.

The name of my blog itself has type cast me as a “Mom Blogger.” Because of this, I get hundreds of emails asking me to review products and apps, do giveaways on my site, hold various contests and more… Unfortunately, I refuse most of these offers. Here is the deal…

Giveaways – I don’t want to do them because in my opinion (and that is my opinion only, and may be absolutely incorrect according to others), I do not want to gain followers because I am giving away free things.

Reviews – I post reviews for products I like. 98% of my reviews are by choice and not because someone asked me to do one for them or offered to pay me. Clearly, I love apps… well, I get requests for 1-2 app reviews a day on average. Some days more, some none. To date, I have only taken on reviewing 4 apps in total that I was actually asked to review… I was not paid for any of those. Only one of the apps actually cost money to download and yes, I did get a code to download it for free (still though… I did not receive money).

Contests – Forget about this one. The only contests I am willing to hold are those that I create on my own. An example would be my Pinterest Scavenger Hunt with a prize for the winner. So you ask, who pays for the prize? Me of course! The goal of my scavenger hunt is to introduce great websites and companies to the masses. It is a matter of helping to promote them. I genuinely enjoy helping others with a will to succeed.

Back to the “Mom Blogging”… The stigma attached with being a Mom Blogger baffles me on a daily basis. The first time I realized that I was being recognized as a “Mom Blogger,” I decided to navigate through some “Mom Blog” websites. Here is the nitty-gritty on what I found…

Tons, and I mean tons of review blogs,
Tons of blogs selling baby products,
Tons of blogs talking about mommy hood,
Tons of blogs with many contests and giveaways…

What else I found…

Talented women,
Creative women,
Great writers,
Beautiful websites,
Interesting viewpoints,
Highly influential women,
Published Authors,
Politicians,
Actresses,
Professionals,
and the list just simply goes on…

So here is the reality. What is a “Mom Blog?” A “Mom Blog” happens to be a website, with a blog roll, created by a mother, who has their own interests. Oddly enough, minus the mothering aspect, a “Mom Blog” is exactly like any other website. The only piece that sets it apart from any other website… the MOM/Individual. It’s time to forget about the typecast and enjoy the content.