June, 2011

The last day of kindergarten

kindergartenI can’t believe it’s over. Kindergarten that is.


I remember the stress, worry and tears I had when Lauren started Junior Kindergarten. I was worried she’d find the full day so exhausting. I was concerned that she wasn’t writing her whole name on her own yet. She had just turned four and I thought she’d be one of the youngest in the class. I stressed about  her lunch containers and if she could open them. Most of all, I knew I would miss her.


I think back to that first day of school. Megan was just a tiny idea in my belly and Andrew was still a chubby toddler who called “Bye Nana!” at the kindergarten gate. I leaned on the kindergarten wall proudly and sadly waved good-bye at my “big” girl going into that giant school with a door too heavy for her to even open.


Yesterday, she stood proud and happy at her Senior Kindergarten graduation.  That "big" girl of two years ago now seems like a baby compared to the articulate student of today. The child who says hello to children I’ve never met when we see older kids at the park or grocery store.


"How do you know them?" I ask


“Mom, I go to SCHOOL with them”, she shrugs, like I’m just so out of touch.


I guess I am. She has a whole life now at school that I don’t even know about. Friends and experiences that I am not a part of and I’m only on the periphery of.

In the Kindie kingdom my child is a BIG KID. She’s been there a whole 2 years, she’s done that slide in the playground so many times it's old. She’s jumped that hopscotch. She’s yearning to break out of the walls.  To.the.big.playground.


Oh the big playground.


June started out with a bang with the SK’s being let out of the walled kindie playground into the big park behind the school – with the other 600 kids. The point of letting these tiny SKs into that feeding frenzy is to prep them for grade one.   I imagined a scene out of the Lion King with a trampling about to happen. I couldn’t believe my sweet Lauren was heading to that yard with what seems like hardly any supervision to be pushed, teased, pulled and be left alone for her to fall off the monkey bars and break an arm.


Instead of fear, my child has fervour. The big playground reinstalled an excitement for school in her. She wakes up now needing to know if it is a school day. Why? She needs to see her FRIENDS. Her new friends. You know. The grade 3’s who play under the monkey bars.


She needs her SUNGLASSES. Why? Oh the big kids all have them.


I can’t wear THOSE capris to school Mommy. I wore those in JK, I was a baby. The grade 2 girls have legging capris. 


OH.


I don’t need to be worried about the monkey bar spills after all. It’s a whole other worry. Worries that will probably increase as she grows – the peer pressure, the self esteem issues, the independence…. WOW.  I thought opening lunch containers was a worry? Nope, there’s a whole new can of worms to open.

As I watched my darling girl yesterday, in her handmade butterfly hat, sing her heart out in her graduation concert my eyes glistened with proudness. Her class song was about a caterpillar, its chrysalis and it’s journey turning into a beautiful butterfly.


I realised that’s exactly what happened to my child. I dropped off a caterpillar back in September 2009 with angst over her first day at kindergarten. Now she’s developed into a colourful, expressive, creative sweet dancing butterfly.


Fly Butterfly Fly. xo

Posted by momstown mama on 06/30/2011 - 13:41
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Top 5 reasons why you should vote momstown for the Mom Entrepreneur of the Year Award

We might be a WEE bit biased but here are our top 5 for the campaign trail on why you should vote for momstown for the SavvyMom Mom Entrepreneur of the Year Award!

 

1. momstown is the Original Canadian Mom Network 

canada's orginal mom network


momstown opened up four years ago and was the first Canadian organization to feature the combined ‘real life moms group’ with an online component.  There was no guidebook, no mentor. Revolutionary at that time (oh way back 4 years ago).

 

2. Team of mom entrepreneur leaders


The rules of the contest state that a licensee of a company may not enter, only the founder or main mom entrepreneur. I’m the main momtown mama, Ann-Marie Burton, who’s up for the award, however, this is a team run company with  22 mom entrepreneurs who work hard and diligently to bring passion to their businesses every single day. This would be a team award and the prize will be shared with our national team to use to grow their local businesses and impact  and connect more Canadian moms.

 

3. We bleed momstown blue, orange and green.

We are our brand. Inside and out. We believe in community, we believe in early education and literacy. We believe in strong parenting.  Our entire team are transparent, consistent and focused brand ambassadors for momstown.


4. We’re making a difference in people’s lives in a real way.

Our members continually provide us with glowing testimonials about how momstown has impacted and improved their experience as a parent and how we have woven members into their community like they never were before. Members often thank us with tears in their eyes for helping, supporting, giving, creating, teaching and just being there. We can get kinda choked up about it ourselves actually as it's an honour to be able to do what we do.

 

5. We’re awesome. Just Sayin’ .

Ha ha ha ha – well, we are. Oh we're funny too. :)


This will be my only blog about the contest (cuz we have lots of other things to do than campaign!) but we did want to give you a little something to think about and to consider voting for us. Apparently, this year you can vote multiple times (once a day and as many times afterwards as you feel compelled) and there  is a neat comment section when you can leave a thought, a picture or even a video regarding momstown.  We heart comments – warms the heart and encourages us all.

 

BIG thanks in advance for believing in momstown and for taking the time to vote for us and show us that we are worthy of winning the Mom Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

 

VOTE HERE :) savvymom mom entrepreneur award

Posted by momstown mompreneur on 06/29/2011 - 17:13
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What to wear for a night out post-partum???

momstown calgaryHere's a story I think all momstown moms can all relate to. At least, I hope it's not just me who runs into these problems! A while back, I was invited to an evening event celebrating a friend's graduation. I had plenty of time to prepare for it. But, having just had a baby, there is no such thing as time.

 

And so, there I stood, an hour before the event was to start, staring blankly into my closet. I visually eliminated 90% of my wardrobe right then and there.

 

Button down shirts? No good for the new and improved nursing boobs.

 

Tight fitting tops? No good for the "just had a baby" belly.

 

Jeans? Not quite getting up over those hips yet.

 

I went into a state of panic and wondered if it would be bad to show up in my comfy lulus or better yet, to cancel?

 

I decided to take a break from the wardrobe and turn my attention to hair and make up. And again, there I stood, this time in front of the mirror trying to figure out what to do with the hair that had clearly fallen to the bottom of the list of priorities too many times. I did what no one should EVER do; I cut my own hair. 

 

And, I was right. Once the hair and makeup were in place (topped off with a chunky necklace to keep those eyes up and away from the problem areas), the wardrobe followed and I managed to pull it together. Proof that new moms CAN be sweatpant wearing by day and stiletto wearing by night.

 

Thanks for the guest blog by Jen Flemming from Calgary where  momstown Calgary North devotes at least one night a month to Moms Night Out. Not that we're necessarily strapping on our stilettos, but at the very least we get to leave the house with a handbag instead of a diaper bag!

Posted by momstown team on 06/28/2011 - 23:31
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22 Ways to Survive the Summer with Kids!

School's Out

So, in another couple of days, the two words that send shivers down the spines of most parents will be heard…. “School’s out”. That’s right – no more teachers, no more books…. No more kids out of the house and kept busy by someone else for seven hours a day! So, with 44 days of “I’m bored” ahead of me, I’m determined to attack with a plan this year. 44 days? Bring ‘em on…

 

1.    First and foremost, track down every friend with kids who lives within walking, biking, driving… hangliding distance and put them on notice. The more playdates you set up, the better your chances for success. Share the pain.

 

2.    Turn your yard into a makeshift artist’s studio. Line your back deck or patio with rolls of easel paper or construction paper – tape it all down, bring out as many paints, markers, & crayons as you can find (all washable, of course) and let your “mini-Monet” go to town!

 

Little kid car wash

3.    Sunny day? Dirty car? Set up your own car wash and let your little ones run the show. BONUS POINTS: Get them to clean their dinky cars and any other random toys too!

 

4.    Let your little one plan an entire meal, from start to finish and then spend some time in the kitchen helping them prepare their meal for the family. (NOTE: You may want to set some suggestions around “One food per food group” or use the Today I Ate A Rainbow guideline so you don’t end up with chocolate pudding, marshmallows & goldfish crackers for dinner!)

 

5.    Let them plan a meal that includes chocolate pudding, marshmallows & goldfish crackers. Hey, its Summer!

 

6.    Hop on the city bus, GO Train, streetcar, or subway and make an adventure of it. Half the time you don’t actually have to be going anywhere in particular for them to have a good time!

 

Kid sidewalk chalk

7.    Break out the sidewalk chalk and create a masterpiece on your driveway.

 

8.    Create a Scavenger Hunt list and see how many items you can find around your neighbourhood.

 

9.    Grab a camera (or pick up a disposable one) and let your budding photographer take pictures of whatever catches their eye each day. BONUS POINTS: Get them printed and put in a little album for them to remember that they actually had a fun time with you!

 

10.    Check out a local Conservation Area – take a nature hike and see what you can find. (Don’t forget the water & some snacks to help ward off a crabby cohort!)

 

11.    Plan a “What do you want to be when you grow up” day – Veterinarian? Visit a pet store or petting zoo. Chef? Pick out fresh ingredients at the grocery store. Firefighter? See if you can pop by the station for a quick tour or visit. Teacher? Break out the chalkboard or some flashcards and let them teach you a few things!

 

Little kid jumping into pool

12.    Start befriending that neighbour of yours with the pool… Just sayin’….

 

13.    Rainy day? Crank the iPod and dance the day away. BONUS POINTS: set up your video camera and create a fun little music video of you & your backups getting your groove on. They’ll get a kick out of watching themselves and *poof* you’ve created a lasting memory.

 

14.    Whenever you do something or go somewhere fun, have your kids draw a picture or write something about it. Then, at the end of the summer you have a scrapbook of memories for them – and written proof that they actually had fun at some point!

 

15.    Write a story – every day get your child to write one line of a story, then you write one; add another line each everyday, then read it aloud at the end of the Summer. Feel free to draw pictures to illustrate it for bonus points, then laminate & bind it. More memories... more time killed!

 

16.    Can’t sweet talk that friend with the pool? Check out your local rec centre for family swim days and times. Bonus points: some cities even have free sponsored swims (i.e. by Tim Horton’s) – so you can use the money you saved to treat yourself to a well-deserved coffee afterwards!

 

Kids eating ice cream

17.    Declare “Treat Tuesday” (only if it’s Tuesday, of course!) – choose a nearby treat shop (i.e. Starbucks, Tim Hortons, local bakery, ice cream parlour, etc.) and head out for a shared treat. BONUS POINTS: make it somewhere you can walk or bike to, instead of taking the car – good exercise and takes up more time in the day!

 

18.    Find a big hill and walk to the top with your kids. Lie down. Begin rolling. Laugh uncontrollably. Reach bottom. Repeat as necessary. Trust me – sometimes it’s the simple things!

 

19.    Plan a moonlight dessert picnic. Talk it up throughout the day and get your little ones to help with the planning. Roast marshmallows over candles or set up lanterns or tea lights around a blanket in the backyard and dine on donuts “al fresco” while staring up at the stars.

 

20.    Take in a matinee and soak up a little A/C on a hot day. BONUS POINTS: some smaller theatres show older movies at a fraction of the cost – more money for popcorn!

 

21.    Visit a local farmers’ market and check out all of the yummy fruit, veggies and other foods. Make it a game to buy & try one new food each time you go. BONUS POINTS: some of them have amazing homemade fudge or cupcake vendors. Just sayin’…

 

Kids at the beach

22.    Visit a local beach and fill your day with sand, surf (and snacks!). Build sandcastles, play in the water and soak up the sun. BONUS POINTS: keep a few bottles of water in your car to wash off sandy toes before they get into the car!

 

And, of course, if you’re lucky enough to have momstown in your community, you can always rely on their event-filled calendar too – let someone else do the planning! Then, sit back and enjoy the fact that you’ve all made it to the halfway point of the Summer... in one piece... more or less!

 

Only 22 more days to go...!

Posted by Christy mama of... on 06/27/2011 - 17:47
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Survive the Family Road Trip: tips to take away the agony

family car tripsDon't those look like the most thrilled faces ever???

 

Here comes the long weekend! Is your family heading into the car for a long drive? If it's not this weekend, it will be soon as summer usually brings lots of car travel for many families.

Combine the crazy cost of gas along with potentially cranky, contained kids and a roadtrip doesn't sound like much fun. Our family certainly doesn't avoid the pitfalls of family travel (3 kids strapped into a vehicle???) but we've figured out a few tricks to make our journeys a little less cumbersome (without the need for earplugs!).

 

1. Avoid the sugar rush.

It goes without saying but loading up kids on junk and them strapping them into a car is a disaster from the getgo. Pack healthy snacks for the trip and keep everyone hydrated.

2. Bring the portable potty.

This goes with hydration - you're gonna have to stop so make it easy. There just won't be a clean toliet available in time for a newly potty trained kid so bring it along. Another momstown mom gave me the tip to line it with a plastic bag - it helps manage the YUCK factor if someone needs to, well, poop.

3. Embrace the DVD player.

We fought this and said "kids need to learn to enjoy the drive", "they can listen to the radio" and "it's too much screen time". There's a time and place and a long car trip IS the place for a movie - keeps kids quiet, adults can converse, think and drive better with happy kids.

4. Adult in the back.

If you have space in a minivan this is a great tactic if you have small kids. An adult in the back helps with passing snacks, hold a baby's hand and play peekaboo.

5. Plan for diversions

If it's normally a 3 hour drive - plan for 5. This has been an adjustment for us as we used to like to hustle between Point A and Point B - but now we stop in random places for pee breaks, discovered new truck stops and playgrounds and I've nursed in many a parking lot. Plan for the delay and it can be fun - make a day out of traveling.

6. Tote the stuff!

Pack a "car bag" with crayons, new colouring books, favourite toys - anything to keep kids busy. We have a nifty lap table for car trips for the kids which is handy too.

7. Car games & Songs

We play loads of Eye Spy, Alphabet games and sing silly songs. It's kinda retro but I have great memories of these games from my childhood so we keep ourselves busy with these too.

8. Keep patient.

Toughest task when someone asks "are we there yet?" AGAIN. Plan for it to take you 50% longer than you thought (can't plan for all those potty breaks!). Just breathe and think about the destination, the fun you'll have and the glass of wine waiting for you!

Happy travels and happy long weekend!!!

Posted by momstown mama on 06/26/2011 - 13:04
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What are your secrets to a great marriage?

wedding couple

Last week my husband and I celebrated our 10th Wedding Anniversary and many momstown mamas congratulated us and asked for our secret.

 

Our secret??  What is our secret? Is keeping so busy and running around with 3 kids part of that secret? I had no clue what our secret was nor did I really recognize this was such a huge deal.

 

Although on the decline, the divorce rate in Canada is still 38%.  I’m a glass is half full kinda gal so I’d rather say 62% of marriages last more than 30 years.  Apparently, if you can make it through the first 3 years together, the chances of splitting decrease every year. 
How are we different as a couple now  than  when we  lived in a downtown Toronto apartment in 1999 (yes, we lived together first) and bickered over closet space and whether Colgate or Crest would reign in our bathroom?  What have I learned about living with and building a life with my beloved?

Upon reflecttion, here are our top 6 tactics to stay married for 10 years (and hopefully way longer!):


1. Focus on the Foundation, not the cracks.

Not to throw another crazy analogy out like my dad, but marriage is a brick wall that you build onto every year and when you pick at the cracks in the mortar that weakens the wall.  That nagging wife cliché? She’s focused on the cracks. I will admit, it’s taken us/me awhile to be cognisant of this one but it’s my #1 key learning over the last 10 years. Your mutual job is to build a wall together.

 

2. Go to bed angry.

It’s ok to be angry, as long as you eventually talk about it. Time puts things in perspective and resolutions do not need to be done before you go to sleep. A discussion, rather than a heated fight, is a better use of your energy (IMO).
 

 

3. Have an annual meeting.

Seriously. Every January we review our finances, what our personal goals are, what we want to do with the family.  Sounds a little business-like but it keeps us both clear on our family goals. We also have a ‘marriage book’ (like a baby book) we received on our 1st anniversary which lists achievements and a description of that past year. That’s a great chance to fill it in together in an honest way and reflect.
 


4. Go for check-ups.

This is not everyone’s cup of tea but humour me in theory. You go to the doctor (well, you go, maybe he doesn’t) to be told you’re healthy but maybe you should exercise more. A marriage counsellor is a good idea for this same reason – an objective opinion can help you stay healthy as a couple. Not sayin’ we’ve been as apparently there is some silly idea that one shouldn’t talk about this … but I’ve ’heard” it’s a good idea.
 

 

5. Household Task list

This tip is from our marriage prep course we took back in 2001 and it works. Decide early and be deliberate about who is responsible for which roles so jobs are crystal clear thus leaving less room for grudges.  We used to rotate cooking because that was “fair” but one of us is a better cook so instead one regularly cooks and the other cleans up.  Works for us and keeps us from sweating the small stuff.
 

 

6. Date Night

No eye rolling. Everyone knows this but everyone has a zillion excuses why it can’t be done. Your kids need strong, happy parents – reserve time for each other! No excuses, not even  can’t get/afford/find a babysitter. Date night can be done at home, make Friday night drink & chat night!

Those are my best 6 “secrets”. Our relationship is far from perfect, but it’s ours, we work at it and it means enough to us to keep working at it. 

 

What are your top secrets to make your marriage work?

Posted by momstown mama on 06/23/2011 - 14:10
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Following Through

Every so often we bark an order at a kid and moments later, regret it. Why do we regret it? Because it was said with no forethought of what a pain it would be to follow through.  The alternative to following through is unbearable – parents transforming into white noise machines repeatedly saying annoying things like:

 


“I’m giving you ONE more chance”, or:
“OK, now I’ll give you to the count of three”, or even better:
“Well, OK, I’ll let you get away with it this time but this is your last chance”.

 


I’m not the threatening type (or, I try not to be). Rather than saying “You need to come to the table or else…..(insert irrational consequence here)”, I simply say “You need to come to the table” and then respond to child’s action, or lack of action.


Two occasions come to mind where I ended up putting myself in fairly awkward positions because of a demand or request I put on a kiddo. Interestingly, both occasions have been with the same child.

 


1)      I ordered child out of swimming pool. Child responded by swimming to middle of pool, flashing a cheeky smile and explaining how exiting the pool was never going to happen.  I entered pool, fully clothed, and dragged said child out of pool. She remained out of pool – for several days – while all the other children enjoyed their summer swims. A friend was over with her kids on the day of the incident and experienced complete shock that I went in the pool fully clothed to get the kid. We brainstormed alternatives and came up empty. The lesson I learned –  it might be worth having a bathing suit on under my clothes at all times in the summer.


2)      Same delightful child was acting like a brat during a soccer game when she was about 6 years old. I kept waiting for the coach to intervene and tell her to smarten up, share the ball, etc. Watching her act out and get away with it sent me into a near rage. Before long, I got the shakes and couldn’t take it any longer. I got up out of my lawn chair, stormed across the soccer field, causing the game to stop, threw my little delinquent over my shoulder, told the coach to get a sub, and hauled my kid off the field. As I walked back to my lawn chair, I could see parents’ mouths hanging open in shock. My daughter was horrified, and the coach didn’t know what to make of me.  Interestingly, I didn’t feel a bit embarrassed about hauling her off the field. It was far more agitating watching her get away with her behaviour.

 

My experience has been that following through can be extremely painful. The only thing I find more painful, though, is not following through.

Posted by Julie mama of many on 06/22/2011 - 16:37
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Father's Day Lessons

I hugged my Dad recently and realised three things:

  1. He’s not as big as he used to be
  2. He smells good
  3. I’m darn lucky to have him.


My dad was about my age when he lost both his parents to debilitating illnesses. Recently, we’ve had a couple of momstown teammates whose dads have fallen ill. Additionally, Julie shared with us her painful double loss of both father and father-in-law while others, like Christy, deal with the fact their dads are just not part of their lives.


Yet, I have a perfect, present Dad, and I totally take him for granted. 


There’s something wrong with that picture. Maybe it’s because he’s just part of my pattern that it takes work to actually notice what a connecting influence he is in my life.  


I’ve learned the importance of life by watching and listening to my dad retell the little moments, not the big ones. The speech he gave at my wedding 10 years ago was unparalleled. He told a story about a 9 year old me floating buoyant in the sea water snorkelling with him on a family holiday, a moment that I honestly had to struggle to even recall. He described how that moment was his version of heaven on earth and how the beauty of life is in the details. How we need to embrace those teeny moments before they slip through our fingers.


When I steal a glance at Dad watching my three kids, you can tell he is soaking up every detail. He notices the fine minutia within their conversations or actions that I regularly miss in the haze of doing. He’s taken that lesson to heart.


When each of my 3 children arrived by c-section, Dad waited stomach knotted and anxious for news. I never understood why he wasn’t floating around with excitement. It wasn’t until our 3rd child arrived I finally got it. He was distracted from the anticipation of his grandchild because he was scared to death for his own daughter’s safety. My strong, silent Dad wept and shook with gratitude when I rolled out of recovery holding baby Megan.


On the surface I’m closer to my mom but I tell things to Mom, while I ask thoughts of Dad. Sometimes I don’t like what he tells me. Actually, a lot of the time I don’t agree or like his opinion. But I do respect it and include it into the equation, whether I chose that way or not.


When I was a teenager struggling to figure out my path, he once told me I was like a diamond, in the dirt, that had fallen off a rich old lady’s shoe and no one knew I was there. But, when I decided it was my time to sparkle, I would dust off, and I would be noticed. Such a strange, bizarre analogy, however, if you know my dad, you know he’s full of strange (but oddly accurate) analogies.


Recently, I’ve been digging deep to make sure I am following my passion, listening to my gut and making good family focused decisions. I’ve watched Dad watch me.  Instead of mirroring me, he usually does the opposite. If I have doubts about myself, he encourages me, pushes me to see the positive in a situation and reminds me I’m that diamond in the dirt.  When I’m over-optimistic about something, he plays the other side, and reminds me to think things through, be concise and careful. This must be deliberate as part of his strategy as a parent.


Yes, he’s still parenting, even though I am 35 years old. I’m sure as he works away in his wood shop that his brain is not just on the task at hand. It’s on his family and what we’re doing and how can he carve an impact into our lives.


My dad was a great dad for young kids, but he’s found his groove as a father to adults. Probably because I can see him as a person now, instead of just the guy with his watch out on the kitchen table counting how many minutes I was over curfew.  


That person is witty, charming, warm, and he likes to tell 40 year old stories. He’s also stubborn, set in his ways (at 67, he’s allowed) and likes to have a good  cranky rant about “the system”. That person may walk at a slower pace but his mind is anything but.


Few things bring me to tears quickly, but imagining my life without my dad in it takes me just seconds to well up. This year, I made a pact to tell my Dad exactly what he means to me. Right here.


I promise to listen more, love more and just be with you more. Happy Father’s Day, Dad. xo

Posted by momstown mama on 06/14/2011 - 22:03
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Who Wants to Play?

momstown Evan playing

One of the great things about working from home is that I’m able to avoid “Camp Chaos” - the endless juggling & scheduling required to fill up the 44 weekdays (but who’s counting??) between “School’s Out!” to that first glorious September school bell. Between figuring out the logistics of getting them to & from the camp, raiding piggy banks & couch cushions to ensure you can actually pay for these camps, and (hopefully) finding camps that are even remotely of interest to the little day campers (preferable, but not required!), it can seriously be a full-time job!

 

So I should be kicking back with a celebratory drink toasting the fact that I don’t have to deal with all of that, right? Not exactly… What is my little guy most looking forward to this Summer? “Playing.”

 

Here’s where I lose my “Mom of the Year” nomination (Hey, I could have had one…!) – I have to confess something… I don’t like to play. I can read with him, tackle an art project together, brave the baking/cooking process with my sous chef at my side, collect rocks on nature hikes, and plan day trips with the best of them. Heck, I can even endure the occasional board game. But ask me to just generally “play” and the glowing “Super Mommy” halo starts to slip.

 

I’ve watched him do it – he can run around in circles in the backyard making space laser noises and inventing stories and conversations for what seems like hours at a time. He can go forever telling me what to say & what to do in order to be part of the current scenario. And don’t get me wrong – I do it… I just don’t get it! I know that not everything requires a purpose – but admittedly, I just function much more effectively when there is one.

 

I know, I need to just relax and enjoy the fact that he wants to hang out with me at all – and trust me, I love spending time with him – I just need to get better at this “play” thing. I guess I’ve got 44 days to get it down pat (but who’s counting??).

Posted by Christy mama of... on 06/14/2011 - 13:11
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That little voice

So you know that little voice in your head that questions your well thought out (or not so well thought out) plans – well mine is SCEAMING at me .. a ½ Ironman – WHAT WERE YOU THINKING GIRL!?! With just over a month to go to my big race, race is actually July 17th – I am seriously feeling like I am out of my mind and totally out of my comfort zone for signing up for this.

 

Where does this little voice come from, back in January I was over the moon thinking about this challenge for myself.  I still believe I can do this but if I am honest with myself, I am behind on my training. Based on my coach provided training bible, I should have proudly rode my longest bike ride (mere 100km)  the first week of June.  I however was enjoying a little vacation (without my bike) that week, but I don’t really think this is the entire reason. Honestly, I think I am a bit fearful of this new distance in this sport I love – I have absolutely no expectation of time, just to finish the race with a smile, so why is this internal voice making me lose sleep? Mommy's in Motion

 

Sleep is worth more than gold for a mom which reminds me, there was  no greater challenge than becoming a mom for me – and that same little voice was screaming when baby number 2 came just 13 months after baby #1.  So again, motherhood has taught me so much - I have discovered that I don’t always know what I have gotten into, but I do know I will find a way to figure out how to make it work.  And most importantly, I don’t have to figure it out alone -I have a huge support group, my family and my mommy friends always have advice or tips to support me. These same people are cheering me on thru this training, making it possible to fit all this training in and together we are making it work!

 

So little voice, let’s stop worrying so much, stop creating  stress when I should be having fun and remember the plan – all we have to do is finish with a smile … isn’t that what we should do every day!  

Posted by Krista running mama on 06/13/2011 - 23:25
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momstown mom entrepreneurs are Rock Stars!

Being a mom entrepreneur is about being in charge of your own destiny and happiness, right? Then why do so many mom businesses fail and sputter out shortly after they start? Usually no support, no plan and the simple overwhelming reality that running one’s own business is bigger than imagined.

 

working

 

Ever wonder how momstown pulls together the business, blogs and hundreds of events we do? What’s going on behind the scenes? There is A LOT on the go at momstown HQ and in every momstown chapter. To help build and sustain each chapter, momstown delivers support, planning, strategy and has cultivated momstown into a national brand to be proud of.

 

momstown family

 

Each regional licensed momstown owner is a busy mom entrepreneur who balances Community and Event Management with running an Experiential Marketing company with local and national partners.   Usually on a part-time from-home basis with young children in her workspace.


momstown mom entrepreneurs are simply Rock Stars! Full–blown-Oprah-quality-Rock-Stars (IMO). All regular moms who are doing extraordinary things.


I am in awe of every single one, their dedication to their members, their clients and their families. This is not an easy job but the rewards are countless and the team inspirational.


momstown has travelled on mostly unbeaten paths for our nearly 4 years of existence. I might argue, we’ve paved the path actually.  momstown is a unique company with specialised but unlimited offerings.  Each year there are improvements, adjustments, additions, and frustrations and we stick together as a team. With 23 moms on the team  there’s always someone to help pull another up out of a funk or to offer a dose of reality.

 

hamilton KW momstown


New faces join our team every year and this year it surprised me how jam packed our annual conference was. Our HQ is an office in my house, not some ivory tower somewhere.  We’ve totally outgrown HQ. We spilled into the kitchen and hallways with the ‘nosebleed’ seats. Our phone line was jammed with multiple team members on the phone from Western Canada. The crowd was a physical manifestation iof how much we’ve grown both in numbers and influence.

 

group nworking


There was a consistent theme from our 3 guest speakers when they arrived and saw the team en masse.  momstown is a force.  There’s more than meets the eye with our organization and we are a powerful group of professional women with an unparalleled network.


The powerful law of attraction is at work with our team – positive breeds positive. Energy and focus brings more energy and focus. We think Big, we get bigger.  We set plans, others include us their plans.

team winnipeg


Originally I was going to blog about the fun we had this weekend and write a humorous blog. But I have tears in my eyes as I think about this motivated and dedicated team – momstown is truly built out of passion and love for community and I feel utterly blessed to see our cross-country team connected as a supportive community. The world needs to know, I need to yell with a megaphone. about this incredible group of inspired, entrepreneurial, Canadian women.


Exciting does not describe the future of momstown. The path ahead is clear.  As one of our teammates said, she feels like a powerful race horse thrashing and jumping  at the gate ready to go but the doors are not open yet . The power that’s coming later this year, and years to come, is going to be incredible.


momstown is leading the way ahead  - come join us, there’s room for more! :-)

 

BIG Thanks to our wonderful sponsors for our conference this weekend:  Burt’s Bees, Bourjois Canada,  Dove Canada, Kellogg’s, Iron Kids & Adult Essentials Vitamins, Life Choices Foods, Maple Leaf Foods, Multibionta,  President’s Choice, Rocky Mountain Chocolate, Summerfresh Salads, Vitamin Water.

 

Special thanks for joining us for the weekend, Anita Woo Photography, Mom Inc, Findability Solutions, The Marketing Pad, QB Sports Grill.

 

To see more pictures of our awesome weekend together - visit our Facebook Fan page to view the album.

 

Written by our main momstown mama (& Head Cheerleader), Ann-Marie Burton.

Posted by momstown mompreneur on 06/08/2011 - 16:58
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She had your baby, she's always right

You're a new Dad? 10 tips for you to follow to ensure you rock your first Father's Day.dad in shadow

 

On behalf of all mothers, I’m going to publically declare: New moms are right. Always. No matter what.  For new Dads this may come as a shock and adjustment.

Here are some tips for Dads to help navigate the unpredictable early newborn days with Mama Bear.

Just let it go
Dads of newborns should shut up, smile and bear it.  Do not fight back, don't try to defend against her thoughts, just agree with her, apologise (leave out the sarcasm & eye rolling) and just plain help her. If you don’t know how to help – google it. Don’t ask her, she has enough to deal with as her body leaks strange things and she has a vacuum attached to her breast.


Protect her for 3 months
She’s going to be overly sensitive – plan for that. I'm not talking forever, and this is not the time to be principled about bending your sturdy backbone, just cave a little for her. For at least the first 3 months.  Not 3 days. Don’t ask questions, just do it in the name of protecting her.


Relieve her stress
If moms were missing a limb or two, we’d get more help but apparently extracting a person from our bodies and having our lives tipped upside down is no big deal since our superhuman strength has many moms back at the grocery store by Day 4 post-partum.

Take over her usual tasks or arrange for help for cleaning, laundry and meals. For longer than the first week – at least the first 3 months. (Sense a theme?)


It’s not a competition about who sleeps less
New moms are not themselves - we are tired, we are frustrated, we are overwhelmed. For every baby, not just #1. This is not a household competition but moms are MORE tired, frustrated and overwhelmed than you Daddy. Moms need at least 3 months to recover from birth, find a new balance, juggle our new hormone overload and moms require a sturdy partner in that adjustment.

 

You’re a team, but her story is not yours
Dads - don't convince yourself that you are on the same journey as your wife. Until you have the opportunity to be carry a child and either push it out or be sliced & sewn, or until you have the God given chance to breastfeed for hours on end non-stop, or you get to cry at the drop of a hat due to post-partum issues, it's not the same journey. Let her own it.


Pay Attention
You need to be quiet, show utmost respect for your spouse, support her, agree with her and help her make her chaotic new life as simple as possible. Let her cry if she wants to. And if she cries too much, get her help. Most Post Partum Depression gets missed because moms and dads don’t know the warning signs. Read up on it yourself (google!) so you can get her help if needed.

 

Be Involved & Stay Involved
Be involved, keep up the involvement and carve a niche out for you and the baby – even if mama bear tells you you’re doing it wrong. Be persistent. Hard to deal with the “she’s always right” rule here so change the diaper her way, but still do it. You need to bond with that baby (and bite your tongue).


Actions are Impressive
Your action & involvement is the place to impress these days. Do what you say you will, go beyond her request and show her how much you care about her and the new baby. Telling her you will do the laundry or pick up dinner on a regular basis will make her fall in love all over again with you.


Don’t Dismiss.
Don't dismiss her reality by ever telling her it's not that hard or it's easy. If you think it's easy, than thank her, because likely she's making it easy for you. That's the truth.


Keep Loving Her
Most moms I know say that a new baby highlights the cracks in their marriage. Moms are too busy falling in love with a baby to notice Daddy.  When mama does notice Daddy he’s doing something wrong like emptying the dishwasher the wrong way. Just keep loving her and tell her she’s a great mom. 

 

Father’s Day is around the corner and your accolades are coming.

Just remember, she’s always right.

Posted by momstown mama on 06/03/2011 - 13:44
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