Happy Mother's Day!!

I was so fortunate to have been raised by the best mama ever in allllll the land. She taught us the beauty of being ourselves, always working towards our dreams and goals, forgiveness, loyalty, and strength.

She taught us at an early age that when the rug gets pulled from underneath your feet [that you thought were firmly planted on the ground], that you must first get up, dust yourself off, and get back to living life. We saw her rise from the ashes of a divorce, and make sure while working two jobs to support and raise us, that we excelled in public schools, had a thriving imagination, and learned about forgiveness through her example. She never spoke a negative word about our dad, and she later actually became best friends with him (again) - she and my step-dad, Shane, even took in dad's cat when he passed away last year. Speaking of my dad's passing, I could have never come through last year so well, without the ingenuity my mom pounded in my head in working through obstacles growing up.

I am the woman she raised me to be. I am the kind of friend she was to me. I am forever grateful to have had the freedom to become who I am. She believed in me, whatever it was - whether I was a pink haired punk rocker getting tattoos, a platform-wearing goth-girl, a 70s vintage thrifting queen, and even now, a frugal fashionable farmer  ;)

I wish all kids could be so lucky as to have had a mama like I had.....

Happy Mother's Day to the woman that lives life to the fullest, gave me everything I needed to make it in the real world, and is still and always will be my best friend. I love you so much !!!!

This year I also want to spotlight a few mama friends that are creative forces in the art world. They just happen to be two of my best friends as well. I have known them both 15+ years. Both I met while I was working downtown Athens at an old pharmacy back in 2000. Jen was a close friend to a gal I worked with there, and Amanda worked for the local chocolatier down the block (I have always been a chocoholic).

They both have children now, and have managed to raise families while also continuing to pursue their own goals and dreams as artists.

Jen is an amazing writer and she also works at the area's first STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, & Math) school. She is a busy gal, but makes time for her creative outlet which is creative writing. I stumbled across some of her work several years ago and had to ask for more material to read. I had no idea all these years she was a writer!! She is pretty modest about it, but if I am lucky, every once in a blue moon, I get to have a peek at something from her vault of reading bliss. For the most part, she keeps her projects under wraps and sitting on 'go' for the perfect opportunity to unveil them!

Amanda is a sculptor and has her own business now as a chocolatier. She decided back in 2006 that she wanted to get back into the chocolate business (as it was a family tradition), and her daughter was born the following year. She has since continued to have a thriving business in the area supplying chocolates to several shops. When she isn't making chocolates, she is sculpting and creating magnificent pieces of art. Most recently she was commissioned by the producers of a Sundance original series to have some of her work featured in the series. How exciting!!

I had planned to have a few more mamas involved in this segment as well as have some answers to some fun questions about motherhood, but as the times seems to slip up on me with planned segments, I lost track and did not get around to getting the answers to my questions.

For all the mothers out there reading this,  just for the fun of it,  if you care to answer any of these questions, and would like to share, please do so either in the comments section below, or by emailing me at sandice@frugalfashionablefarmer.com

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Do you think it is easier or harder to be a mama now as opposed to when you were the same age as your child and being raised by your mama?

What is your biggest obstacle when juggling a career or a creative outlet, and being a mother?

How do you find time for yourself? Do you schedule it in or have an arrangement with your partner?

Do you have any advice for soon-to-be mamas on how to juggle it all?

Is there something you cannot wait to share with your child(ren), but think that it is too early for them to understand?

Are there any questions that you are anxious about being asked by your kids? Maybe something that you are struggling on how to answer IF it ever comes up?

Do you have any regrets about not asking your mom something when you were growing up?

At what age did you realize you were no longer a child?

How do you celebrate Mother's Day with your kids?

Do you have any Mother's Day traditions?

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Well, happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there! I am going to be spending some time with my own mom today in a little bit! 

xoxo

-s