Interview with a winner

Have you seen any of the wonderful Generation Huggies videos yet?

Amanda L, one of the winners from Florida, offers this piece of advice for new moms: “When you are a first time mom bringing home a newborn there will be good days/nights and bad. Just know that you are not alone! Everyone goes through hard times when you think you just can't do it, but you can and you will!”

Amanda is “a former teacher turned stay-at-home mom. I have a very active 2 year old little girl and I am currently 5 months pregnant with a boy!” She, along with 29 other moms from around the country will be featured in an upcoming national ad campaign for Huggies talking about their experiences as mothers.

So take a minute to watch, and think about your answer to that timeless question, What does motherhood mean to you?

Florida Winners in Generation Huggies

The Generation Huggies project that rolled into town a few months back has made its selections for the national ad campaign featuring real moms from across the country sharing their perspectives on motherhood.



Of the 30 winners, seven are from the Sunshine state! All of the winning entries can be seen on GenerationHuggies.com, but take special note of these Floridians:

~Amanda L.
~Carrie M.
~Jennifer E.
~LaTriece L.
~LeQuyen M.
~Maite C.
~Patricia G.

Among other candid perspective you’ll see real moms talk about what the definition of "me time" has become, what issues are forefront of our minds, and just what it is being a mom today.

I loved watching the videos individually, but I have to say that it was quite powerful to watch the entire mosaic of motherhood.

So check out all of the winners on GenerationHuggies.com, and thank you to all of the mothers who took part in this wonderful project.

Counting my blessings, 2008

I enjoy Thanksgiving much more than most holidays—a day that revolves around food and football, what’s not to love? But perhaps more than culinary appreciation, Thanksgiving by its very definition is a cynic’s day off. And frankly, full-time cynicism is an exhausting profession.

Last year I compiled my 2007 List of Things that I am Thankful For, and as I reviewed it this year, I realize very little has changed with the two exceptions that I would have made it longer and I would include the premature gratitude for winning that $30k from Huggies...

So I humbly present my list to you, and ask, what's on your list? Post here and we'll count our blessings together.

This year I’ve stopped at 101 for the sake of time. So in no particular order with the exception of number one...


1. My family
2. Presidential term limits
3. Amy’s doctors
4. The First Amendment
5. Faith
6. Windows
7. The unexplained
8. Old friends
9. New friends
10. Future friends
11. October 30, 1990
12. Kathy Butler
13. Saturdays
14. Hope
15. A big boy that stills thinks he’s smaller
16. A little boy who thinks he’s a whole lot bigger
17. Paris Hilton’s dimming spotlight
18. A tall eggnog latte
19. Home
20. Sunsets on the Gulf
21. Baby perfume
22. Buying only one size diaper at the store
23. For what I already have
24. A good book
25. Opportunity
26. My iPhone
27. Tasha
28. Spontaneity
29. Sangria
30. Truffle oil
31. Satellite radio
32. Surprises
33. Sacraments
34. A good pair of jeans
35. Fresh flowers
36. Having my hands full
37. Real butter and whole milk
38. Sand between my toes
39. Spring
40. Mascara
41. Fresh herbs in place of dried
42. That I didn’t get that tattoo
43. Christmas
44. Beating the spread
45. A sense of humor
46. A sense of perspective
47. Belly laughs
48. Liking the same music as my kids
49. A full tank of gas (but not the price tag)
50. Vacuum marks in the carpet
51. Lingering meals
52. With delicious conversation
53. The first day of the season you get to wear a sweater
54. Down comforters
55. Homemade anything
56. Hockey
57. My jobs
58. Road trips
59. Wifedom
60. Good health
61. Family traditions
62. Karma
63. Date night
64. A messy desk
65. Followed by a clean one
66. Lindsay Lohan off of the roadways
67. Footy pajamas
68. Online shopping
69. Sunshine sneezes
70. Did I mention the eggnog lattes?
71. The Sunday paper
72. When spammers and telemarketers get prosecuted
73. Dreary Russian novels
74. Proper grammar
75. TiVo
76. Grandparents
77. Birthday candle wishes
78. Christmas cards
79. Close parking spotsValet parking
80. Something simmering on the stove
81. Motherhood
82. Doing my best
83. New car smell
84. Thoughts.
85. Jokes
86. Everyone reading this
87. Parties for no reason
88. Dressing up
89. Bedtime stories
90. Being in love…still
91. Generosity
92. Thanksgiving
93. Lumps in my throat
94. Sleeping through the night
95. Recycling
96. Digging in
97. Not having to translate Amyspeak because it is obvious!
98. Birthday lunches with the girls
99. Baby slobber
100. Puppy slobber
101. That this list is so easy


Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

(This post is on the front page over on TheMotherhood.com!)

Shopping for days at the 1 Day Sale

For the last two days, I have made several stops at Macy's 1 Day sale. (I know, I did the math too, but fashion need not make sense, people.) I have returned for the final time this afternoon with a good chunk of a first effort at the Christmas shopping. Early and on sale with coupons. Coupons which always seem to shock and awe the salespeople who have worked at the store that issued said coupon for 80 years.

I also had to stock up on long pants. Temperatures dropped below 70 this week which caused a wave of sweater-wearing Floridians to run for the stores for the once a year we wear such longish, woolish clothing. Hate it. But I suppose it is necessary since the kids and I will be traveling to that great northern city of Atlanta this weekend, and if my Grandma sees them without socks she'll disown me and then I'll never hear any good cat stories again.

Hence, Macy's.

But this is more shopping than I've done in years, so I'm worn out and must tend to other non-retail things this afternoon. I'm off to GenerationHuggies.com for the last 2 days of voting for the national ad campaign of Mom videos. Please vote for your favorites.

And you don't even need a coupon...

Huggies Weekend Wrap-Up

I am now back behind the computer in a dark room with “Yo Gabba Gabba” serenading me in the background rather than the exotic locations of the last 3 days. Bummer, ‘cause I was kind of getting used to being the “celebrity blogger.”

And now I will attempt to blog about blogging, which hurts my head a little, but I will blog on.

Basically, I was a part of this Generation Huggies promotion honoring Huggies 30th Anniversary. This mobile Huggies unit is going around the country registering Moms to win $30,000 (that’s dollars, not diapers) and film these 60 second interviews with real Moms about Mom stuff. I was able to talk to these amazing women and blog, text, video, and email photos to this really cool site TheMotherhood.com. It was so unique. (And as an aside, you can still do all of this online at GenerationHuggies.com)



The first night was in Celebration at an Oktoberfest. The girls and some brave friends accompanied me there. It was really fun night.



On Saturday, the crowd was smaller because we were in a different location, but we still got some good stuff. I got to talk with the crew that was traveling from city to city, and they were amazed at the diverse responses from all of the Moms (and some Dads!) they had interviewed so far.


Sunday we spent at the Winter Park Art Festival, which was bustling with thousands of families! We had no trouble finding lots of Moms who wanted to share their stories and answer my questions and pose for photos.


On the long ride home (which may be the most collective hours I’ve spent alone in 4 years) I listened to a lot of eighties music and thought about what this whirlwind weekend was all about.

*corny maternal reflection alert*

Watching the creation of this mosaic of motherhood was pretty fabulous, and while it is amazing how different motherhood looks on different people, it is more amazing still how universal it is.

And, just so you don’t think I’ve totally become a Hallmark card:


From the Generation Huggies Event in Orlando--The End.

Day 3!

The final day of Generation Huggies Diva Edition will wrap up today at the Winter Park Art Festival just Northeast of Orlando. I'm putting on my lipstick and swallowing gallons of coffee now.

We stayed out late watching the Lightning home opener and I'm crazy tired, but excited for the event today. It'll be pretty nice to spend a day at an art festival blogging away...

Day 2 in Orlando

We had a blast in Celebration last night with Generation Huggies. Please go to TheMotherhood.com and watch the videos, listen to the phone interviews, see the pictures and read the posts--there is so much there, it will feel like you were catching leaves and dancing in the rain with us.

We are now heading over to Pointe Orlando for another round of Diva talks Diapers. You know you want to see this....

Win 30k for doing what you already do everyday

It’s a question that doesn’t have one simple answer. A riddle that will produce as many different responses as there are…well, riddles. And although there isn’t only one right answer, everyone wins when we Moms think about the question…

What does motherhood mean to you?

In celebration of their 30th Anniversary, Huggies is offering a forum for Moms to answer that very question in 60 second video clips that may be featured in an upcoming online ad campaign.

Go to GenerationHuggies.com to get the information, as well as to enter their sweepstakes for a chance to win $30,000 and tell the world about your journey through this beautiful mess we call motherhood.

I’m going to be helping spread--and gather--those powerful words from Moms next weekend here in Florida, (more on that exciting event later) but until then, check out the motherhood.com-- a truly remarkable site that is absolutely going to change the way Moms use the Internet. You really don’t want to miss this…