Tag Archives: motherhood

A Parent’s Letter To Santa

Last week we took our children and grandchildren to go ride the Polar Express train for Christmas. As I was watching my daughter-in-law getting her two year old son and her four month old daughter ready to go it reminded me of how utterly exhausting it can be to a mother with small children. The […]

To Have Known Then All We Know Now

Tonight I hosted the female students that are in my Amy Rees Anderson Academic Entrepreneurs program at The Center for Growth and Opportunity at Utah State University in my home for a dinner and some girl chat. I also invited two of my female friends from the business community to join me and the students […]

The Greatest Forces In The World Are Babies

“When God wants a great work done in the world or a great wrong righted, he goes about it in a very unusual way.  He doesn’t stir up his earthquakes or send forth his thunderbolts.  Instead, he has a helpless baby born, perhaps in a simple home of some obscure mother.  And then God puts […]

Question Your Way Of Thinking To Broaden Your Perspective

I was reading unopened emails in my inbox when I came across one from my daughter-in-law Alexis where she had written a guest blog post for me to be able to use on a day I was busy and needed help. Given that she’d sent the unopened email to me clear back on June 6th […]

The Day That Changed My Life Forever

I can’t believe that it has already been 26 years…26 years ago I was at work when my water broke. It took me a minute to figure out that’s what was going on because, let’s face it, wetting yourself isn’t that unheard of when you are nine months pregnant with a baby kicking your bladder. […]

In The Blink Of An Eye

As those who follow my blog know, I am deep in the thick of wedding planning for my daughter Ashley’s wedding this week. Today as we were working on getting the song list together for the DJ and listening to different songs when I was suddenly hit with this overwhelming feeling of sadness as I […]

There Is No Such Thing As Just A Mom

Whenever someone asks a woman what she does and she replies, “I’m just a Mom” I want to yell out – “There is no such thing as JUST a Mom!” When I look back at my life there is nothing I have experienced that is more challenging nor rewarding than that of being a Mother. […]

It’s the things that take the most effort in life that end up meaning the very most

22 years ago today, February 5th , my baby girl Ashley was born. Ashley was as beautiful as any baby could be. You see, most babies come out with their heads looking a bit odd shaped and their faces a little swollen, but not Ashley. That’s because while I was in labor giving birth to her, […]

You’ll never get the same moment twice

“Life becomes more meaningful when you realize the simple fact that you’ll never get the same moment twice.” When my daughter-in-law came to drop off my adorable grandbaby this morning so I could babysit him for her while she went to work and I saw her lugging in the car seat and diaper back and […]

Protect that what you value most

When my two children were young they started calling me “Mama Bear” because they knew their Mama would fight fiercely to protect her two little cubs. That’s because we protect what we value most, and my kids have always been what I value most. Becoming a parent is one of the most surreal experiences in […]

If your future self could speak to you…

I have been out in Washington DC for the last few days and I was reminded of how beautiful Virginia is.  I lived in Vienna, Virginia when I was a teenager in High School and during this visit I was able to drive past the house I used to live in while I was there […]

“Life doesn’t come with a manual, it comes with a Mother”

“When the real history of mankind is fully disclosed, will it feature the echoes of gunfire or the shaping sound of lullabies? The great armistices made by military men or the peacemaking of women in homes and in neighborhoods? Will what happened in cradles and kitchens prove to be more controlling than what happened in […]

LIKE A BOSS

“After a while I looked in the mirror and realized…wow after all those hurts, scars, and bruises, after all of those trials, I really made it through. I did it. I survived that which was supposed to kill me. So I straightened my crown…and walked away like a boss.” I don’t even have words that […]

Starve Your Distractions and Feed Your Focus

Starve your distractions and feed your focus. That advice is genuinely golden. Lately I have felt myself being pulled in a million different directions. Whenever that happens in my life I inevitably end up feeling less happy rather than feeling happier. I think the reason for that is that when any of us are distracted […]

The Perfect Way To Spend A Day

Today was AWESOME! First of all it was Mother’s Day! And as the Mother of two of my own and one daughter-in-law, I want to say that I love being a Mom! It’s the most amazing blessing ever, but let’s admit it, sometimes it can feel like all the effort and sacrifice goes unnoticed. So […]

Successful Mothers (and Happy Mother’s Day!)

“Successful Mothers are not the ones that have never struggled, they are the ones that never give up, despite the struggles.” This weekend we will be celebrating Mother’s Day. It’s a time we all take a moment to think about all the things our Mothers do for us in life. It’s also a time when […]

Motherhood Is Not A Liability To A Woman’s Ability In Business, So Don’t Act Apologetic As If It Is (Forbes Article)

When I started my first technology company in my early 20’s it never even crossed my mind that I was a bit of an anomaly being a female CEO in a male dominated tech industry. Frankly, the first time I really even became aware of how few women executives there were in the tech industry […]

A Letter To Santa From Mom

I came across this today (no idea who wrote this but it is genius!) and decided it should be shared in honor of all the parents dealing with little children this holiday season: Dear Santa, I’ve been a good mom all year. I’ve fed, cleaned and cuddled my two children on demand, visited the doctor’s […]

Life is Your Time To Dance. I Hope You Do It!

We all have an unknown amount of time to live our lives, and during that time we will have the opportunity to do many things like take chances, enjoy moments, fall down, get hurt, get back up, learn, and best of all….dance. The first time I heard the lyrics to the song below I fell […]

Our Own Worst Critic

Most all of us are our own worst critic. We pick ourselves apart, we put ourselves down, we stress over every flaw and imperfection. And heaven knows we women are far worse than the men when it comes to vocally putting ourselves down, although I happen to believe that men are just as hard on […]

My Little Epiphany of Genius!

Today during a discussion I had a sudden epiphany of understanding that shed absolute clarity to one of life’s greatest mysteries – understanding the difference between men and women and their insecurities!  I am talking a serious flash of genius that was so obvious I couldn’t believe I hadn’t recognized it a long time ago.  […]

Nursing a Hole in My Heart

Today was brutal. Today I moved my baby girl down to her college dorm and tonight is the first night of her being gone from home.  Even though I will get to go see her tomorrow for the Orientation meetings on campus, it doesn’t change the fact that after today things will never quite be […]

Thanks for Waiting Up

Growing up I wasn’t always the easiest teenager.  I was stubborn, fiercely independent and ridiculously tenacious.  I thought I knew everything. I thought I didn’t need anyone to watch out for me.  And even though my parents were aware I didn’t want anyone watching out for me, every night I went out I would come […]

To All Chief Inspiring Officers

Happy Mother’s Day!  I had to get that out there very first thing because there is nothing more important today than stating appreciation for all the Mother’s and future Mother’s and single Father’s playing the role of Mother.  THANK YOU!  For loving us, inspiring us, putting up with us, taking care of us, fixing our […]

One Person Can Change Your Life Forever

21 years ago today I lay in a hospital room giving birth to a 9 pound 7 ounce beautiful baby boy.  It was my very first child. I was only 21 years myself when I gave birth that day, and now today, 21 years later, it is my son’s 21st birthday.  Crazy. I remember the […]

“Ahhhh, now I get it”

Do you ever have those moments when life’s deepest lessons suddenly click and you say to yourself “Ahhhh, now I get it!”    The older I get the more I seem to have those “Ahhhh…” moments where things I have struggled for years to understand suddenly become completely clear and I think to myself “Dang I […]

A Great Reminder of How Fortunate We Are

I came across this reminder of just how blessed each of us are and I was grateful to have this reminder.  Life is amazing and beautiful and I feel incredibly blessed for all the good in my life.  I have to give a special shout out to my amazing daughter Ashley today as it is […]

“It’s only by saying “no” that you can concentrate on the things that are really important” – Steve Jobs

One of my biggest weaknesses in this life is being able to say “no” when someone needs me.  I struggle when I see any situation where I know I can be of help to not make time to help someone.  And I know the real reason it is hard for me is because I desperately […]