mom talk

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Mom Talk: Meet Jane Doe - One Small Child

Mom Talk: Meet Jane

Mom Talk: Meet Jane Doe

-Tell us a little about your family and why it is special?

My little family consists of myself, and my super strong, adventurous, smart, loving 7 month old baby girl- Amel. She makes me want to only do things she can be proud of. Amel is so smart. She learns very quickly. She learned her first word at five months old! (it was “Buh-Bye”). The most special thing to me is how happy she is. She’s the smiliest baby I’ve ever known. She melts my heart.

-What do you do for work/volunteer outside of being a wife and mom?

I have a career in music as a singer/songwriter and have been writing music for myself as well as other artists such as Taylor Dayne, Chrisette Michelle, and Kenny Lattimore to name a few. My daughter has loved music since utero. I traveled and worked into my ninth month from studios in Los Angeles, New York, and Miami. She danced a lot in the last 3 months. Now that she’s here, she pretty much dances to anything that she deems musical. She’s my total focus now. She has inspired me to produce a sing-along album for children and take a break from the serious side of music for a while.

-Is there something your family does on a regular basis for quality time?

Amel loves to read or be read to. She also loves bath time. So we take our bath together, relax,  and wind down for the evening. Then she gets her cream massage, into her pajamas and we choose a book to read. Once that’s done-its feeding time. Amel loves her milk! She dream-feeds to this day. I’m going to miss that bond once her teeth come in.

-How do you take time for yourself to recharge?

I either take a bubble bath with a magazine and a mug of milktea, or If we’re in New York, I’ll take a trip to Spa Castle and enjoy a mineral bath.

-What is your go to, never fail and in a pinch recipe?

Either My Shrimp Scampi with mashed potatoes, or my Kielbasa with peppers and onions with pasta. Both recipes are so quick and easy and borderline impressive in a pinch, not to mention delicious.

-What is the one product you can not live without?

I can not live without my Bulgari Au Blanc Fragrance. Its a major part of my daily ‘Armure Feminine’. My mascara, my lip balm, and my fragrance are like the ‘S’ on my chest. They make me feel invincible.

Mom Talk: Meet Ruthy Taylor - One Small Child

Mom Talk: Meet Ruthy Taylor

Mom Talk: Meet Ruthy Taylor

-Tell us a little about your family and why it is special?

I think we’re an ordinary family just like any other.  We have 2 beautiful daughters and we want them to do great things.  We pray that we instill kindness in their character and that they lead a life in pursuit of Jesus.

-What do you do for work/volunteer outside of being a wife and mom?

I left a career in marketing and sales to become a mother…after 2 1/2 years of being a SAHM, I’m in the process of getting my real estate license and plan on joining my husband’s real estate brokerage.  I’m excited to go back to work part-time.

-Is there something your family does on a regular basis for quality time?

We’re still trying to figure out what “regular” looks like.  My husband is self-employed and our days look different daily.  We kind of thrive on spontaneity.  Quick road trips, overnight getaways, and long walks have always been wonderful memories for our family.

-How do you take time for yourself to recharge?

I’m still working on this concept…but if I can get away to a coffee shop by myself I always feel like I’ve been refueled.

-What is your go to, never fail, in a pinch recipe?

Slow cooker carnitas!

-What is the one product you can not live without?

Currently, its my Lily and Mama Ring Sling…I would not be able to accomplish anything without babywearing!

Family at Dunes - One Small Child

Mom Talk: Meet Jamie Findlay

Mom Talk

-Tell us a little about your family and why it is special?

My oldest, Kayden, is 10. He’s amazingly talented at sports and is into wrestling and basketball currently. He’s also my most sensitive, requiring the most attention and consoling. He is an amazing student and recently got nominated for national awards for both his academic leadership and talents in art.

Kyler is 8, was recently baptized and is obsessed with sharing the gospel. He is fearless, quick to forgive and sometimes tactless in his truth telling. He came out the womb singing and hasn’t stopped. He speaks his mind sometimes too often and has us always laughing at the absurdities he thinks of.  He is also a great big brother and a darn good wrestler.

Kashton is 4 and the funniest kid you’ll ever meet. He is so aware of everything around him and comes up with the funniest observations. He once told me that it “smelt dangerous outside”. He’s a busy body, loves to Facetime anyone who answers my phone {I’m sorry to those of you who get these calls all the time} and is super independent. He’s also an electronic genius and can maneuver a phone or iPad faster than anyone I know.

Channing is my baby girl… my sweet sweet, desperately loved little girl. I questioned my sanity in wanting a 4th when she first arrived {3 months of constant crying}. She has turned into such a happy baby, though. She is constantly smiling and goes with the flow of anything we do. She has her mom’s curse though, and never sits still. Even while cuddling her little feet will roll around in circles. She’s almost 8 months and is just learning to crawl, heaven help me.

-What do you do for work/volunteer outside of being a wife and mom?

In addition to being a mom of 4 beautiful humans I have been in the fashion industry for over 5 years, and am currently a professional photographer based out of Eastern Idaho. I thrive on building business. After nearly 15 years of being a business owner it has become an obsession. I hate the phrase “serial entrepreneur” but it really defines who I am. I love combining what I learned from one business into the next idea or passion I find. The list of things I love and want to do is endless.  All of my children have grown up with me working from home and I don’t think any of us would know what to do if I didn’t. Being a working mother makes me a better mom. My me time is work.

That being said, being a working mom can sometimes take a toll. As we all know, being a mom is a 24 hour job all by itself. Trying to work is usually classified by sporadic minutes here or there {all day long}… followed by late nights and early mornings. I have to choose to be diligent in blocking out time that is for work only, and time that is for kids only… but more often than not my work time is taken over by kid time. Who can say no to those faces begging for mom? Priorities, right?

The older my kids get the busier life seems to become. Each kid is so very different, with interests and needs all their own. They each have unique qualities that make them special and OH so loved.

-Is there something your family does on a regular basis for quality time?

I have been very blessed with a family who truly love to be together. We all love doing the same things which makes it so much easier to plan. My entire family is obsessed with traveling.  We all thrive on experiencing new things together and are a bunch of adventure junkies. We plan a few trips a year, and are currently working on seeing all of the LDS temples in the United States. My boys are also big into trapping and hunting, and no I don’t do that with them… GROSS!  No walk is complete without noticing every animal track we pass and that is the extent of my involvement with that. We love the outdoors and spend a lot of time just being together outside. We ride bikes and walk nearly daily. But our go to activity is ice cream and movies. We spend a lot of time cuddled in our {now too small for 6 people} bed watching movies and cuddling.

-How do you take time for yourself to recharge?

Beth asked me to share what I do to take time for myself and I had to really think… what is this “Time for self” thing she’s talking about? I work! Truly though, its something  all us moms need. I enjoy so many things that I just don’t have enough time for, but things that I try to fit in and really help me tune in are: dancing, reading and photography. If I lived closer to the ocean that would have been my answer. Nothing calms me more than spending time near water. My favorite go to pick me up is turning off my computer and making my kids giggle. Baby laughs lift a soul like nothing else can.

-What is your go to, never fail and in a pinch recipe?

I don’t cook! Go to recipe… Go to… Go to… Papa Murphies Pizza? Although I do make a mean Cinnamon Roll like once a year.

-What is the one product you can not live without?

Favorite products totally depend on the context of the product… Clothing? Beauty? Kids? I am a product junkie and have shelves full of things that look cool and don’t get used. A few items that never stay in stock though: Moroccan Oil for my hair, and Mary Kay Oil Free Hydrating Gel for my skin. And if I do happen to cook I actually do use my Stoneware from Pampered Chef for non-meal items like the cookies I eat daily and shouldn’t.

See JamieFindlayPhotography.com to see some of Jamie’s amazing work!

Mom Talk: Katy, Owner of  - One Small Child

Mom Talk: Meet Katy, Owner of One Small Child

We are bursting with excitement today, as we announce that One Small Child is now under new ownership! New owners Kendall and Katy have been with the business for over 30 years combined, and are excited about taking the next step to help it grow and develop. Learn more about them here. Learn more about Katy, this amazing mompreneur, today on Mom Talk.

Mom Talk: Katy, Owner of One Small Child

-Tell us a little bit about your family and why it is special?

Our family is unique and special, as we had the incredible experience, to give birth to a beautiful little girl, who is now 10 years old.   Our oldest is wise beyond her years and brings a quiet strength to our home.  After her birth, we suffered through a miscarriage and many years of infertility.  Infertility as it turns out, is one of my greatest blessings, as it led to the adoption of our oldest son.  His adoption and entrance into our family happened very quickly one afternoon, with a exciting phone call and a beautiful baby boy in our arms that evening.   His incredible birth mother turned to us once again about two years later with another pregnancy.   We excitedly prepared for another baby and welcomed another son to our home, with the same blonde hair as his beautiful birth mother and brother.  We were thrilled and beyond grateful to be blessed with three children.   This last year we also welcomed the baby sister!  All three of our youngest share an incredible biological bond and the same beautiful blonde hair as one incredible woman, their birth mom.  We have nothing but love and respect for a woman that trusted us to raise and call our own not one child, but three.  Kendall and I take that trust seriously and do our best to make sure it is well placed.  We love each one of our children and each day say a prayer of gratitude for our family of six!

 

Mom Talk: Katy, Owner of One Small Child

 

-What do you do for work/volunteer outside of the being a wife and mother?

I love adoption, obviously, and I volunteer with a local adoption group.  I also love helping in my local church.  For work, I have the great opportunity of working with my amazing team at One Small Child.  I love the feeling I get when my team and I accomplish one of our goals or projects.

-Is there something your family does on a regular basis for quality time?

We love pizza/movie night!   This is something I did with my family as a child and we continue the tradition of laying out a blanket on the floor and having a pizza picnic and movie.  There was always something exciting about being allowed in the living room in front of the television, for that one night.

-How do you take time for yourself to recharge?

I love to take hot baths and have the iPad on the counter with a great Netflix movie to watch or who doesn’t love a little Downton Abbey!  I am also a huge advocate of a weekly date night.  I love spending time with Kendall and I feel it is very important to take time to reconnect with him.

-What is your go to, never fail and in a pinch recipe?

Shrimp stir fry, it’s easy and healthy!  Just take a bag of frozen shrimp, a bag of frozen veggies, add 2-3 tablespoons of butter to the pan and the juice of one lemon and cook for 10-15 minutes.  Then I take 1 bunch of cilantro and parsley, 1/2 cup of olive oil or avocado oil, 1 tsp salt, and the juice of one lemon and blend it together to make the sauce.  I pour a little sauce over each serving of shrimp and veggies and it is delicious!  You can use chicken instead of shrimp too!

-What is the one product you cannot live without?

I am going to say my oven.  Because I love to cook and bake and my oven has been used every single day!  I could not live without it!

Murdock1

Vicky - One Small Child

Mom Talk Monday: Meet Vicky

Mom Talk Monday: Meet Single Mom and Career Woman Vicki

 

-Tell us a little bit about your family and why you are special?

Well, I’m a single mom of two teenage girls. That means: meetings, piano lessons, volley-ball practices, and a full-time job. I am busy woman. I have to negotiate and keep up with the new “language” of modern day teenagers. I recently learned of a new dare challenge called “Manchester”, where if you say the word “Manchester” the kid has to do it. Crazy stuff. My family is also special as we balance being a very traditional Mexican family living in the United States. When the kids want to do something and I have to say no I find myself repeating my mother with the reply “because I said so”.

-What do you do for work/volunteer outside of being a mom?

I have a full-time job as the Design assistant at One Small Child. I have been working for the amazing company for almost 15 years and I have learned a lot of amazing things. I love this place and this job. I am also a volunteer teacher at a local Hispanic Community Center 3 days a week, and I have a kid’s class I teach at church every Sunday.

-Is there something your family does on a regular basis for family time?

We love to have lunch at the same little Mexican restaurant every Sunday after church and talk about our week, and the things that are happening around our community. We love road trips and singing to loud music, with three girls in the car, imagine that.

-How do you take time for yourself to recharge?

I take an hour everyday to go to the gym and work my stress out.

-What is your no fail, in a pinch recipe?

My favorite recipe is chicken fajitas, it is very fast and simple to make.

-What is the one product you cannot live without?

My favorite product that I absolutely cannot live without would be my chia seeds. I use that in my water on a daily basis, for better digestion, and my proclaim spray-on glosser for my hair.

Stock Photo Family - One Small Child

Mom Talk Monday: Cherlyn Jenkins

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-Tell us a little about your family and why it is special?

My family is special for many reasons. We are blended and trans-racial family. My husband had 1 daughter and twin boys when we married. One year and 10 months after we married we adopted our our next son and 15 months later were able to add our youngest son through adoption. My husband and his children are African American and our sons and I are Caucasian. Whenever I think of our family, I think of a quote by Martin Luther King Jr. “I have a dream that one day . . . little black boys and little black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.” That is our family.

-What do you do for work/volunteer outside of being a wife and mom?

I was a school teacher for 20 years and quit my job when my boys were 1 and 8 months old to start my own company. I designed a coat that is safe to be worn with a car seat. It is called the Cozywoggle. (They are currently available online here.) I have been in business for almost 3 years now and it has been a wild and amazing ride.

-Is there something your family does on a regular basis for quality time?

We have quite an age spread in our family. Our oldest is 18 and our youngest is 3. Our family’s favorite activity is to spend time at the beach when the weather is good. We also love visiting the monuments and museums at the nations capitol together.

-How do you take time for yourself to recharge?

For me it is very challenging to find time to recharge myself but I am realizing the need for me to do so more every day. I am really drawn to yoga and am finding that practicing is really bringing balance and calm into my life. I also LOVE the occasional night out with girl friends.

-What is your go to, never fail and in a pinch recipe?

Crock pot chicken tacos!

-5 or 6 Chicken breasts

-One jar of salsa

-1 packet of taco seasoning

Put everything in the crock pot on low for 6-8 hours. When it is done cooking, stir and the chicken will shred. Delicious. I freeze the leftovers for enchiladas and taco soup.

-What is the one product you can not live without?

My crock pot and my Deep Dish Covered Baker. They both make for easy dinners which are important for me.

If your interested in being featured on Mom Talk Monday, email us at [email protected]. Subject line “MOM TALK”.

Christi mom talk - One Small Child

Mom Talk Monday: Momtrepreneur Christi Kotter

Mom Talk Monday

We are so happy to introduce you all to Christi Kotter of Lily’s Closet for Mom Talk Monday! She is a friend of ours and we love her darling children’s line. The fun geometrics and feathers are adorable and we love all of it from the scarves, skirts, dresses, headbands, burp cloths and slouchy beanies. Get to know this amazing Momtrepreneur and how she makes time with her family count. When we started Mom Talk Monday we knew she was a woman we wanted to feature!

-Tell us a little about your family and why it is special?

Our family started out with Kevin and I as high school sweethearts which I think is pretty special. We have been blessed with two darling little boys, and then were pleasantly surprised with a little baby girl 2 years ago. They are my whole universe.

-What do you do for work/volunteer outside of being a wife and mom?

I recently chose to be a stay at home mom and at the same time opened my own sewing business so that I could both support my family and be home when my children need me the most. The clothing is modern children’s clothing and we named the shop after my little girl, Lily’s Closet. It has been the greatest blessing to be able to work from home. I am so grateful for the bonding time with my children. Aside from that I constantly devote a lot of my time to my church and I love every minute of it.

-Is there something your family does on a regular basis for quality time?

Yes we are devoted San Francisco 49er fans! We love making great food and watching the games as a family. When it’s not Football season we love the outdoors we love to go hunting and fishing together. Family time is our favorite time.

-How do you take time for yourself to recharge?

This is something I think we all as mothers need to work on. We devote so much of our time and ourselves to our family that it’s hard to take time for yourself. But I suppose if there is anything I do it would just be a simple relaxing bath with lots of bubbles and some warm hot chocolate. 🙂 And the occasional pedicure sure is nice.

-What is your go to, never fail and in a pinch recipe?

Oh my goodness this happens way more often then I would like to admit but my “Oh no what’s for dinner” go to recipe is believe it or not Shepard’s Pie. Good old comfort food. However most recipes call for red sauce when making this, but we do it differently and I think it tastes way better!

Ingredients:

1 lb Hamburger

1 Can Green Beans Drained

1 Can Corn Drained

1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 Cup Milk

1-2 Cups Mashed Potatoes (Instant works just fine!)

1 Cup Shredded Cheese

Brown Hamburger and drain the fat. Put cooked hamburger in a casserole dish, layer on the green beans then the corn. In a separate bowl mix both the soup and the milk, then pour on top the other ingredients. Lastly top with mashed potatoes and then spread the cheese on top. Cook at 350 for 35-40 minutes and enjoy!

-What is the one product you can not live without?

Disposable Diapers! LOL, just kidding, this is going to sound funny but recently I have developed a love for lipstick. Which I never thought I would say however, as a mom of young children you are constantly running errands and half the time you have a questionable mysterious substance on your clothing. You don’t always have time to fix your hair perfectly or put on your makeup so frequently on those occasions I find that if I put on a dab of lipstick it makes me feel a little prettier and like a lady.

Thanks for the opportunity to let me share a little bit about myself. We absolutely LOVE One Small Child, it’s such a wonderful family business. Thanks for all you do. xoxoxoxo

See for yourself some of Christi’s amazing designs!

Arizona Dreamin’ Dress for Baby

Modern Knit Knot Headband (Set of 3)

Lily’s Closet Shop || Facebook || Instagram

If your interested in being featured on Mom Talk Monday, email us at [email protected]. Subject line “MOM TALK”.

Old Alarm Clock Background - One Small Child

Day in the Life of Mom: Bethany

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Highlighting one of our own One Small Child Moms and what a not always normal, but somewhat regular Day in the life of Mom looks like.

5:00am – Accidentally hit “dismiss” instead of “Snooze”. I’ll totally get up….

6:00am – Feed the baby. Finally get up.

6:30am – Bring myself downstairs to eat breakfast and do my daily devotional. Somehow even when I am alone I eat standing up. I stare at the overflowing dishes in the sink from last night. I lay my bowl on top.

7:00am – Exercise to either Jillian Micheals or Richard Simmons. Feeling lazy, Richard it is.

7:30am – “Mommy! Where are you?” I get the kids cereal and turn on a show for them. After a few snuggles I do some laundry, the dishes and feed the dog. Throw away a business card my husband wrote on years ago, no way it’s any good. The garbage man takes it away. Bathe the kids and get them dressed for Preschool. There is at least 1 meltdown and 1 toddler argument. Forget on the way out it’s Show and Tell day. Pick a toy, of course for both it’s the wrong one. Go back in and get new ones.

8:55am – Finally getting in the car, good thing Preschool is only a mile from our house.

9:05am – Get home and feed the baby. Cuddle him tight and really enjoy our alone time together since he is our last. Do a little bit of work and hopefully put on “real” clothes. I don’t…

11:15am – Get home, get lunch ready and do some reading/homework. More laundry.

1:15pm – “Quiet time”. My older two no longer nap. I want to cry uncontrollably over this.

1:30pm – Cleaning and de-cluttering. Doing a “Minimalist Challenge” since all of our junk stuff is starting to drive me crazy. I throw away a few more things I hope my husband doesn’t notice. Husband texts me to ask if I have seen a business card with writing on it, there is a lock combo on it for his work locker. He can’t remember the numbers… “I don’t know where it is.”

2:00pm – Sit down to work. Suddenly hear running water upstairs I don’t recognize… my kids put a whole roll of toilet paper in the toilet and flushed.

4:30pm – Start dinner. Husband calls to say he is on his way home and will promptly be called back to work in about 10 hours. Great. Confess to my card crime.

7:00pm – Get the older two in bed. Praise all that is good and holy.

7:30pm – Dishes/work/attempt to watch a show on Hulu. I get half way through one and promise I’ll finish it tomorrow; probably won’t.

10:30pm – Bed finally. Write my “to do” list on the ceiling like Sarah Jessica Parker did in “I don’t know how She does it”. Maybe I’ll try to watch that tomorrow…

Bethany is our social media consultant and works from home. She has 3 children, ages 4,3 and 4 months. Her husband works on call and is away 2 days at a time, so she has a lot of non-alone time. She dreams of a beach vacation, paying someone to clean her house every week and fall year round. Being with her kids and husband is her favorite way to spend any day.

Happy Loving Family Standing In Christmas Store - One Small Child

Mom Talk Monday: Christmas Traditions

Today we are rounding up some of our featured moms for Mom Talk Monday: Christmas Traditions. Every family has traditions they look forward to for the whole month of December. But sometimes adding something new can be fun and inspiring.

Katie Lindsay, and her husband set up a fort in their living room with cameo coverings and Christmas lights. Her four boys sleep in it on Christmas Eve while the wait for Santa.

Our own Bethany has a tradition that many families do. Her children receive pajamas on Christmas Eve each year, but they come from a few special someones. Santa’s elves leave the pajamas on the front door step and ding dong ditch so they are not seen.

Jen Haderlie, the new mom of twin girls, loves to go to Starbucks for a cocoa and driving to see the Christmas lights where she lives. After they get home they read the story of Christ’s birth before going to bed.

We hope you take time to make new traditions, while still enjoying the old ones, with your family this holiday.

Mom Talk Monday - One Small Child

Mom Talk Monday: Erica Brady

Mom Talk Monday

Tell us a little about your family and why it is special?

Our little family started in 2010 and baby joined us in 2014. We were so excited to expand our family and have the chance to be parents. We love to spend time playing and enjoy being outside.

 

What do you do for work/volunteer outside of being a wife and mom?

Twice a week I go into a Physical Therapy office and do insurance verification and other office duties. Baby gets to come with me to this job! Three days a week I teach gymnastics and cheerleading and love it!

 

Is there something your family does on a regular basis for quality time?

Our family loves to exercise and be outside. In the warm months of the year we go on walks together or we ride bikes and pull baby behind in the bike trailer.

 

How do you take time for yourself to recharge?

Getting out of the house and doing things is how I recharge. Baby and I try to go outside every day even if it means sitting on the front porch for a few minutes. Teaching gymnastics and cheerleading is also a great out for me. Sometimes when baby is napping I try to get tons of things done, but other times I take a few minutes to sit down and enjoy the silence.

 

What is your go to, never fail and in a pinch recipe?

Ravioli with Corn and Cilantro.

Cook a bag of frozen ravioli.

Put about half a bag of frozen corn, a diced bell pepper,  fresh or dried cilantro (to taste) a little garlic salt and pepper in a bowl and microwave for 4 minutes. Stir the cooked ravioli into the vegetable mixture and eat it!

If we don’t have ravioli in the fridge we eat waffles for dinner!

 

What is the one product you can’t live without?

I absolutely love my baby’s walker. He will bebop around in it for quite a while and is very happy to be moving around independently.

 

What is your favorite One Small Child product?

One Small Child’s holiday outfits are absolutely adorable!