Attention, please

I'm guest posting over at Single Mom On A Budget today, talking about giving your child some quality *you* time.  So first, click on over HERE to read and leave your comments. Then go play with your kid(s) if they're home.

Single Mom On a Budget is also on TWITTER and FACEBOOK

Reflection

I can't see her anymore.

I stand there, staring. Peering deeply into the mirror.

But I can't find her.

I see the same brown eyes, but my vision drifts to the crinkles around them.

I see the dimples, but only when I force a smile.

I see thick brown hair, but again my vision drifts. It drifts to the crazy gray ones sticking here and there.

I step back. I scan the whole image.

But she's still missing.

I see a mom. Amelia's mom.

I see a provider of snacks and hugs.

I see a person who spends entirely too much time and energy thinking, worrying about toilet habits.

There? Is a woman who can pack a lunch, a suitcase, or a toy bag in 3 minutes flat.

This reflection? Shows an organized, efficient, dependable person.

Someone who will never let you down.

Someone whose heart may break, but only silently. Never burdening the outside world.

I search the image in the bathroom mirror. I gaze into the hallway mirror. And the car mirror.

The person I see is a good one. A good mom, a loyal wife. A hardworking, respectable employee.

But I miss her.

I try, oh how I try... but I can't find her.

I can't find me.

Weekend Recap

Hi friends!

Thanks for coming by 3MomsIn1.com today! Did you miss something this week?

Check these out:

• Potty Training: Part 3 - includes some potty training tips.
• Weekend relaxation in the sunshine. 
• Then came my version of a mid-life crisis.
• Wordless Wednesday: happiness in the small things.
•  For writer's workshop, I shared my top ten must-haves for spring.

Also, if you missed our day at the zoo last month, you can revisit our adventure via today's feature on Toddle Toots! I'm honored to be there. Thanks, Mama Toots!

F2F Friday: Mommy Talk Show

 Welcome to another Friends to Follow Friday!

Today I'm happy to spread the word about Mommy Talk Show. A new and unique blog, created by a former TV news anchor and a fellow Georgia mommy.

Blog name? Mommy Talk Show

When was your blog born - and why? 
I started posting in December 2010. So it's a very new blog. Mommy Talk Show was born out of my need to feel useful professionally. I'm a former TV news anchor so I'm used to going out and meeting new people everyday. Staying at home with my son along with being a newlywed in a new city made me feel very isolated and lonely, so I created something to combine my professional skills (TV news) and my passion (Motherhood).

The show features Atlanta moms who own their own businesses as guests. We tape the show family-friendly locations. Thanks to the video content on my blog if I ever return to my TV career I'll have plenty of material to show a potential employer.


I actually tried to start a very different blog in 2009 and failed miserably. So I had to push a lot of self-doubt out of my mind to start Mommy Talk Show. I believe this is such a better fit for me. When we wrapped up taping the last segment of the premiere webisode of Mommy Talk Show I was in tears. I felt useful again and productive. Plus I'd just spent an hour with a wonderful group of moms talking openly and honestly about our challenges.

My husband, a TV promotions producer, videotaped the show and I could tell the moms were making TV magic because he was behind the camera nodding, smiling and looking very engaged.

If you could interview anyone for your blog, who would it be? 
Hmmmm...someone alive or dead? Just kidding! I'd love to interview Elisabeth Hasselbeck from The View. I actually met her a few years ago when I was in the audience of the show and got to appear on camera and tape a "teaser" of what segment was coming up next. I don't agree with her politically. But I have a ton of respect for her as a mom of three with a TV career. Maybe I can learn some work-life balance tips from her.

The writer behind the words - five adjectives that describe you?
Hungry, Sleepy, Dedicated, Loving, Lonely

Something that recently made you laugh?
My son A.J.'s giggles when I tickle him made me laugh and make my day. I usually hit an brick wall in terms of energy around 7 p.m. after being home with him all day. So if I get in a good ticklefest the sound of his delighted delirium lifts my spirits and gets me through his bath time, then I eat dinner and pass out.

A favorite photo? Tell us about it.

This is a photo of my son, A.J. and my husband, Antoine. It was taken at the first birthday party A.J. attended. It shows my husband's adoration for my son. They have such a loving relationship that's quite different from my relationship with our son. My husband like to play rough with A.J. to toughen him up. I'm always being gentle with him. So I guess we offer him the Yin/Yang of life.


Like Mommy Talk Show on FACEBOOK

Follow Mommy Talk Show on TWITTER

And don't forget to go visit MommyTalkShow.com!

Spring is in the air...

Our forsythia bushes are popping out their yellow buds. The cherry trees are splendidly pink. Even my daffodils are beginning to bloom.

Spring is on its way! I am ready to welcome it with open arms. Spring brings me a new outlook and refreshes my spirit. Colors begin to appear overnight; our browns and grays are transformed into fresh greens, yellows, pinks, and whites. The sun burns the clouds away so we may enjoy the wide bright blue skies.

Our winter was longer, icier, and even more "blah" than usual. So, I am poised to make the best out of this upcoming glorious season:

BalancingMama's Top 10 "Must-Haves" for Spring:
(1) Freshly painted toenails
(2) Flip-flops
(3) Homemade lemonade
(4) Comfy outdoor chairs
(5) A favorite park
(6) A cute and colorful umbrella (to brighten the rainy days)
(7) Neighbors to share a hello and a wave
(8) Open sunroof + a clean car
(9) Fresh in-season fruit
(10) A quaint neighborhood ice cream shop

Enjoy the season!

Happiness is...

... a brand new blue balloon

I am lucky

I am lucky.

I am lucky to have in-laws that I truly love. They accepted me into their family from the very beginning and they are always there for a kind word and lots of laughs.

Today is my mother-in-law's birthday. In addition to wishing her a exceptionally happy day, I want to share with my readers what an amazing person she is.

• My mother-in-law raised three children mostly on her own
• My mother-in-law survived some rocky times in her past
• My mother-in-law is strong in her faith
• My mother-in-law has a generous heart
• My mother-in-law stood by her late husband's side as he suffered and eventually passed away from cancer
• My mother-in-law never left my sister-in-law alone as she navigated through the darkest and most difficult time in her life.
• My mother-in-law stepped up to the plate and became a caregiver for her eldest daughter when others chose to let her down.
• My mother-in-law is an awesome grandma.

Happy birthday to Amelia's "Nina"! We love you so much. We know you are tired, but we also know you are stronger than you think. Not a day goes by where we forget what sacrifices you gave to all of us.

Never forget that we thank you.

Thank you, especially, for raising an incredible, smart, and trustworthy son. He is my life.

I am lucky.