To all the amazing people I’ve met in 2008, the friends I’ve re-connected with through Facebook and to all my dear friends and family who mean so much to me…
Hope that 2009 brings all of you happiness, health, financial stability and maybe the chance to re-invent yourself and do whatever it is you love.
A few years ago, I made a personal list to recapture the things I love – most notably writing and singing and I’m happy to admit, I’m doing both. Of course, when it comes to the singing, my kids usually tell me to keep it down or cut it out, but nevertheless, I still belt out a show tune or two before they pull the plug on the karaoke machine.
As for my writing, I’ve already got one book under my belt and this year, I’m going to tackle the world of children’s books – I’ve written a few stories for kids that I’d love to bring to life and with the help of a fabulous illustrator and my brand spankin’ new Rolemommy publishing imprint, I’ll be on my way.
For my kids, I hope to continue to watch them become incredible little human beings as they discover the sports, musical instruments and school subjects that interest them the most. So far, it looks like my son is going to be a guitar playing mathematician and my daughter went from being a figure skater to a basketball star. That’s the great thing about being 9 and 6 – the sky is the limit and absolutely anything is possible as long as you try!
For myself and my DH, I plan to hire the parental babysitters so we can plan a few weekend getaways. Plus, we are definitely doing some serious family vacationing in 2009 and as soon as I renew our kids’ passports, we are hitting the air or the sea!
For my parents, I hope for continued health, peace of mind and no stress. And for my friends, I wish them only wonderful things. May my single girlfriends find love in 2009 and may my married girlfriends find happiness at home. And for all my career driven friends, I hope that 2009 opens the doors to all the opportunities you’ve been wishing for. Don’t give up if you get rejected one too many times. It’s the determined souls who stick it out longer than the rest, who not only survive, but succeed beyond their wildest dreams.
So enough of my sappy wishes. Hope all you Role Mommies out there have a safe, healthy and happy New Year!
Time Warner Cable Canceling Sponge Bob!
Just got a disturbing email from Viacom tonight letting me know that on January 1, some of my kids’ favorite networks will be dropped from Time Warner Cable. That means no more Sponge Bob, Dora the Explorer, Zoey 101, Drake and Josh, iCarly…holy cow – that means nearly all our (I mean my kids) favorite shows! If you don’t believe me, see this video and if you subscribe to Time Warner Cable, they have a phone number you can call to complain. Hurry up…time is a-wasting!
Another Year, A Few More Lbs.
Well, it’s almost 2009 and I’m facing the same issues I’ve confronted since I was 12 years old. Weight loss. As fate would have it, I’ve yo-yo’d again and am nose to nose with my all time least favorite New Year’s Resolution of the year…take off 10-15 pounds. Why this resolution is on my list every single year is beyond me, but I guess it must have something to do with the pizza, fried dough and glasses of wine I’ve been enjoying this holiday season.
And so, here I am back at square one. Thankfully, I just received a package of goodies from Weight Watchers – they must have been reading my mind – or maybe they saw a recent picture or video of me on the web. Plus, they just launched a new program called Momentum and anything with the word “Mom” in it is right up my alley. Either way, I’ve got my pantry stuffed with diet cookies, cakes, sponge cake and more and I even have my Wii Fit socks on this morning because I’m planning on hopping on my Wii Fit balance board so I can start shedding some lbs.
Recently, I met an amazing mom – Julie over at Cool Mom Guide who managed to take off over 70 pounds thanks to the Wii Fit so this year, I am truly going to make a commitment and hop aboard. Sure, the thing is going to tell me that I gained weight since the last time I stopped on by (it’s been 300 days since my last workout), but better late than never. Julie even started her own fitness group called Wii Fit Mommies that I plan to sign up for too. Maybe I can connect with other chubby Miis (like me) online!
So you heard it here first – I’m going to get back on the Weight Watchers wagon while working out on my Wii Fit. Check back with my on January 30 and I’ll let you know how I’m doing – hey – you never know – maybe I’ll reach my goal by then – or at least my Mii might be a little smaller.
Role Mommy Fave Five Sites for Single Moms
Lately, I’ve been hearing about a lot of moms who are reinventing their lives on their own. After rocky marriages, they are now single and free to figure out what they wanted to do with their lives before they were sidelined by a toxic relationship. So for those of you who are single, or newly single or in the process of becoming single, here are a few of our fave five sites covering all stages of divorce plus a site for those of you ready to re-enter the dating scene.
Single Minded Women – a site for the single mom with tips on managing your life, relationships and more. The site also contains blogs from real moms who have been through divorce or are going through it.
Discover the D-Spot – Divorce counselor and single mom Laura Campbell offers incredible support and advice plus, she features a weekly newsletter which covers the important issues you’ll face while confronting a divorce or separation.
Most Compelling Divorce Blog – our good friend Monica at Rantings of a Creole Princess just brought this incredible site to our attention. Monica writes, “her story is just so compelling right now in that she’s in over her head in her dream home that she thought she and her husband would raise their children in together and that she’s trying to keep.
Why Hasn’t He? – This is a new site from relationship experts Matt Titus and Tamsen Fadal, authors of the book Why Hasn’t He Called? and the soon to be released, Why Hasn’t He Proposed? If you’re finally ready to date again, this is the ideal site for you – you can even submit questions to Matt and Tamsen and they’ll answer them 24/7 on video! Or, if you’re truly serious about starting over, you can sign up for Dating Boot Camp and Matt and Tamsen will give you a relationship makeover so you can find love the second time around.
About.com List of Best Divorce Blogs – For those of you who want all your questions answered on the subject of divorce, from news to blogs, to issues, then click here and get a treasure trove of links to some of About.com’s picks for best divorce blogs on the Internet. Plus, you can also sign up for their divorce support group newsletter as well.
Meet Mom of Reinvention, Carmen Colon
This week, Rolemommy features Carmen M. Colon, cyber publicist, mom advocate and single mother of three. Get ready to be inspired!
Role Mommy: What did you do before you became a mom?
Carmen: I worked while my husband of 13 years was a stay at home dad. He cooked, cleaned and went on trips. I worked two jobs because I was good at making money and I only went to PTA Board meetings.
Role Mommy: When did you decide to reinvent your life?
Carmen: Life decided for me. After my divorce I realized that I didn’t know my sons and they didn’t know me. They were 1, 4 and 7. I was a 31 year old woman, newly divorced, not sure what to do with these boys and with myself. I knew I had to change for their sake.
Role Mommy: How have your children influenced your career path? How many do you have?
Carmen: My children were my saviors. The depression of being a divorced mother of three boys, without prospects of a home, a better job, a possible new relationship or even a better future was too much to bear many times. Their unconditional love made me realize that if I could not live for me, that I MUST live for them.
Today my sons are 20, 15 and 12. My 20 year old is a gay youth activist, a fashion designer student at FIT in NYC, a member of the NYC Gay Youth Chorus and I am so proud of him! My 15 year old has been chosen to go to Washington DC as the Youth Leadership Representative for NYS and he is to be a member of Junior Statesmen of America. My 12 year old is my baby bear and he loves melodrama! I wonder where he gets it from? So I suspect he will be the performer/entertainer of the family.
Needless to say, it has been eleven years and while I still have a lot to deal with I know that I would NOT have survived it, I would not have lived to see this day, had it not been for my children.
Role Mommy: What’s your favorite “Time Out” tip for moms (taking time for yourself)
Carmen: I am literally having a time out today! I gave the boys $50 for movie tickets, lunch and video games! I am going to work on my blog and other online endeavors for a couple of hours and then I’m going to sit on the couch, watch an old move while I enjoy a glass of wine. If I still have time after that I am going to read another chapter in a book I started early in the month but have had to put down! I am in Nirvana!
Role Mommy: What does your website offer moms or kids?
Carmen: I am a Cyber Publicist, and my commercial website http://carmenmcolon.net offers moms, dads and everyone tips and tricks of the online trade, in helping them get their message out there and more engaged and real sales traffic TO their site.
My blog, http://weblog.xanga.com/Bklynmom3, is just a way of me making sure I’m sane when things out of the ordinary feel totally bizarre. Friends, colleagues and my twitter followers keep me grounded by giving me their thoughts and reminding me that I’m NOT the only one that goes through stuff.
My non-profit website, Universal SISTAS is a place where I can network and barter products, services and advice with other struggling moms. It’s not about money at the website, it’s about being each others’ tower of strength. I find that many of us mommy bloggers are the towers of strength in their families and communities and it’s very hard for us to ask for help. Here, we offer those we can help with what we are good at and receive in kind. We pull each other up by all our bootstraps! One SISTA wins and we all win!
Note: I’m updating it for the New Year because I have some new Universal SISTAS from Australia and London that want to join in, so please stay tuned.
Role Mommy: What do you hope for your own kids?
Carmen: My definition of success in parenting is when the chidren can be self-sufficient so that after high school so that whatever THEY want to do or wherever THEY want to go, they can. My personal definition of success is having them leave home, on their way to their futures, with confidence that no one will be showing up with laundry or in need of the basement as their apartment! LOL
Role Mommy: Who is your Role Mommy?
Carmen: My grandmother hands down. She raised me until her death, I was 19. She was the glue to her 7 siblings and my 67 relatives. Holidays were never the same. She inspires me to be the same now as I get older. I hope to be able to have holidays one day with those relatives who I have lost touch with as well as the kids we all had these past 25 years.
Adorable Video Alert…Arianna vs. Beyonce!
Check this video out of a little girl named Arianna who takes on Beyonce! Looks like she can give Beyonce and Justin Timberlake a run for their money!
Arianna vs. Beyonce
Justin Timberlake vs. Beyonce
Who wins the dance-off – Arianna or Justin? Comment now!
The Role Mommy Fave Five
Just in time for the new year, we’re launching a new weekly offering on our site…the Role Mommy Fave Five. This post will include shout outs and link backs to some of our favorite sites on the web that offer everything from steals and deals, product reviews, recommendations and much more. So without further ado…here’s our first selection of Fave Five winners!
Traveling Mom – Check out this link to find out about incredibly B&B’s that share one thing in common…the White House. While you may not be able to rent a room at the real White House, this post offers some fabulous sites where you can!
Skimbaco Lifestyle – this insightful blog by PR and marketing guru Katja Presnal offers a treasure trove of resourceful information for busy moms. Today’s link has their favorite popcorn picks – and considering we just posted the calorie count in movie popcorn, I’d love to give their version a whirl!
Classy Mommy – Colleen over at Classy Mommy always has the best product reviews and recommendations for families and today she’s even got some great deals for her readers, so stop on by and start saving!
Princess Loves Pink – If your daughter is a princess fanatic, then this is the ultimate site for you to check out. From costumes to jewelry, clothes, furniture and more – consider this site your one-stop shop for all things princess!
Baby Name Wizard – For expectant moms, this is the ultimate destination. Check out the most popular baby names of 2008 or search for unique names that might make it to the top of your own list. Either way, if you’re struggling to find the perfect baby name, this should make things a little bit easier!
If you’d like to be considered for our Fave Five, then email us at beth@rolemommy.com
The Movie Popcorn Blues
It’s the day after Xmas and we’re taking the kids to the movies. And while I’ve officially re-started my diet, I was planning on ordering a tub of popcorn for all of us to share. That is, until I saw this ! If you’ve ever wondered how many calories all those overpriced foods contain, now’s your chance. Hate to break the news but a large popcorn has over 1500 calories and a package of twizzlers…600!
Insane, but a hot dog in a bun has the least amount of calories along with a box of gummi bears. So proceed with caution when you head out this weekend to see Marley and Me or Bedtime Stories – your ever expanding hips will thank you for it.
Stores Open on Xmas Day!
In case you’re like us and still don’t have all the gifts you need for the holidays, have no fear, there are still a few more stores open today for all the procrastinators out there! Click here to find out what stores are open and you never know, it might actually be empty since everyone else is busy celebrating with family and friends!
Behind the Music…The Family Von Trapp
I have a confession to make. The Sound of Music is one of my all time favorite musicals. In fact, when it came time to select the perfect location for my wedding, I chose a synagogue that looked like the church from the film because I told everyone I wanted to feel like Maria from “The Sound of Music.”
So imagine my disappointment, when just this morning, while perusing the online version of New York TImes, I discovered that the real Von Trapp family never really profited from the film (Maria sold their rights to a German filmmaker for $9,000), plus she wasn’t as sweet as she appeared and actually ruled the roost with an iron fist.
Maria, say it isn’t so!
While I’m still going to be front and center in our living room getting my Julie Andrews fix this weekend, I think I may look into a visit to the Von Trapp lodge so I can find out for myself about the real family behind this classic musical. But I guess when I arrive, I won’t break out into my own version of “My Favorite Things” – you never know – we could get bounced out of the lodge for that offense.