Greetings!! Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to check out Mom on the go in Holy Toledo! You rock!! I wish we could meet up for coffee sometime and chat but I suppose virtual coffee talk will have to do. So grab a cup of Joe (or beverage of choice) and let’s get to know one another.
I am a 40 (something 😉 ) years old, Christian, Catholic, wife, mother to 3 amazing kiddos, sister, daughter, friend, neighbor, lover of all things kind, positive, coffee, dark chocolate, Toledo, Ohio, travel, & FUN!!
My story is kind of a classic one….UPDATE: life is super busy now with me working full-time and being one parent doing the job of two parents with three kids, but I will eventually find the time to update this page, in the meantime CLICK HERE
First came love….second, marriage….at Rosary Cathedral (definitely a must-see, take a virtual tour now, it is absolutely breathtaking!)
Then came the babies… in the hospital, but, I totally wish I could have done a home birth, those just seem so amazing!! Props to all you home birthing mommas!!
My hubby and I have been married for 18 years and what I have learned in those 18 years is that Marriage is Hard. But it is also one of the most magnificent things life has to offer. No one is easy to live with, I know I am not, and God bless my amazing husband who has been dealing with my shenanigans for all these years.
See, I am a little like an I Love Lucy episode, you just never know what each day will hold, but one thing is for sure, it is always an adventure! One morning my hubby left for work and our bedroom was in one piece. When he arrived home I had pulled up the carpeting in our bedroom and removed all plastic from our house thanks to a then-recent study I read about Bisphenol A (BPA). See, an adventure!! Haha! (Like the pic below…that is us taking 1 of 3 breaks from the harsh weather to warm up during, get this, Trick-or-Treating….it was FREEZING & raining that Halloween but together we made certain each child got their treats! True sacrifice. lol!)
My hubby and I firmly believe that we each need breathing time, away from the family, in order for us to maintain our sanity and be the best spouse and parents that we can be. So he enjoys poker night, volleyball, and/or golf depending on the season and I enjoy a Moms Night Out with my girls!!
So, I deliberately left this part of my story out of who I am because it isn’t who I am but rather what I do. And I believe that it is important that we differentiate between the two. I personally have more of an interest in who you are, not what you do, though, I do realize it might have a significant impact on your life, but it shouldn’t be your main purpose. You are not valued any more or any less based upon your profession, I believe everyone, whether you are a cashier at a local grocery or a surgeon has an important role to play on this planet and how they make their money may only be a small significance of that role. Or perhaps it is their profession that allots them the opportunities to make such a huge impact on this planet & others? Did I mention I like to get a bit philosophical at time? But I digress.
Eons ago I earned my bachelors and masters degrees in Environmental Interior Design. I was a stay-at-home working mother for 5 years then, like many, my life altered. I instructed courses online part-time and enrollment went down so I have become a full-time stay-at-home mom ever since and can I tell you a secret? I love it!! Eee!! But being a single income household means we budget our outings accordingly. This is why I am always on the lookout for fun FREE little hidden treasures to visit in Toledo and surrounding communities. We so enjoy everything our community has to offer and we know it is also important to teach our children to give back, to serve the community, and volunteer. Here is another favorite pic of mine, the entire fam volunteering at a local family shelter, The Beach House. We can really rock a mean hairnet! lol! (And yes, I did tuck in my hair before serving food)
So join us along our adventures in Toledo & surrounding area. I also enjoy sharing the occasional recipe, philosophical thoughts, and random ramblings of motherhood. Because LIFE is an ADVENTURE and one to be TREASURED & LIVED everyday!!
I would love to get to know a little bit about you, please feel free to comment below, do you have a blog, business, or cool spot we NEED to visit? Please share!! And thank you for being your magnificent self! Make it a great one! Live it to the FULLEST! CHEERS!!
Mom on the go in Holy Toledo 
You rule, says me. Because of this, I bestow upon you the Versatile Blogger Award. For more information, visit my blog: http://thegoodthebadandthesaggy.wordpress.com/2012/03/27/the-versatile-blogger-award-yay/
I hope you will accept this award and spread the buttery blogging love. Congratulations!
Thank you so much, what an honor, I graciously accept.
Well deserved! Your blog is absolutely versatile and that’s what makes it so great!
You are too kind, thank you.
You definitely have your Mama Heart!!! It’s huge and beautiful…. 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping by and subscribing to LadylikeIdeas. Hope you enjoy it!
Hi There Kat !! I wanted to make sure you saw the breakfast bar recipe! the chocolate made it look a bit unhealthy, but I promise you it is not! Have a look! ♥http://prytulka.wordpress.com/2012/10/04/morning-glory-breakfast-bars/
Mary
The chocolate makes it look amazing…let’s be honest, a couple of chips help the fiber go down, lol! I am making them this weekend. Thank you for sharing!
You sound like me! 3 kids, lots of fun, a little stress & a great hubby that rolls with it!
Thanks for following our journey & adventures in Hong Kong! We hope you’ll join in the conversation on your next visit to the site… Blessings to you today!
Thanks for finding my blog! I’m now a follower of yours! I too have advanced degrees but agree – being a mom is the hardest yet most rewarding one I have ever had 🙂
Hi, Thanks for visiting my blog and the like. This year is my 10th wedding anniversary also. I enjoyed reading your posts. You have a good sense of humor! So I am following you now! Cheers, Mom of Dragon Boy
Thank you Mom of Dragon Boy 🙂
Thanks so much for popping by and for the follow! 🙂 Many blessings on your journey!
Thank you for following my blog!
Thank you for following my blog. I look forward to reading yours.
Jovina
Hi there, I have nominated you for an award of recognition! Please come over to my blog and check it out! 🙂
Aww…thank you so much!!
Hi, I’ve always admired you for being a SAHM (like me) and wonder what kind of advice you could give me to encourage my DIL to not let strangers raise her baby. She and my son are 8 weeks pregnant and she is planning to go back to work at SIX WEEKS! Plus my son lives in Wash. teaching, and she lives in SF. They don’t even live together! Course I’m upset and they know how I feel about it- any words of wisdom?
First let me say congratulations!! What exciting news!!! Second, I have to be honest; there was a brief moment when I thought I would go back to work after I had our first baby. I figured it wouldn’t be that big of a deal. Then my mom explained that it is important to sequence your life, you can have it all, just not all at one time. When a client needs an Interior designer (which is what I was practicing at the time) hundreds could come to the rescue but when my child yelled for mom only I could come to their rescue, there are tons of designers but only one mom for my child. I know I didn’t do that explanation justice; my mother spoke so eloquently, with much emotion and passion behind her words.
I have also noticed that those woman who stayed home with their children, like my own mother did, seemed to have greater relationships with their adult children. And perhaps it was just coincidental, because I do realize some moms have to go back to work, but from my experience, of those moms that I know from when I was a child who went back to work don’t seem to have the closest relationship with their adult children…in fact many retired much earlier than my mom (because she didn’t go back to work right away) and sadly those woman who did go back to work after having their babies and who have since retired seem kinda lonely….it is almost like since they weren’t there when their children were babies their grown children aren’t really there for them…it kind of establishes the priorities early on. And lastly, what really solidified my decision was when I held my baby girl in my arms, there was no way I was going back to work. Mind you, our lifestyle did have to change, we didn’t have the disposable income, but it was worth it! I will keep you, your son, DIL, and precious grandbaby in my prayers. I have faith that it will all work out in the end. I wish your time could be spent on more enjoyable things like deciding how that precious baby will address you, nana, ne-ma, grandma, etc.?
You ARE eloquent and expressed yourself beautifully and thank you so much. I feel that I might now have a clearer picture of what I’ll say to both of them when I see them this weekend. For me, every day was a precious gift and I always will know that I didn’t miss any of his big or little milestones or just the smiles that we shared. I’ve often said that love doesn’t cost any $ and it’s also priceless. And that’s what babies need: time and love. I’m hoping when she holds her baby, all that love will kick in. And they don’t have to worry about money cos we’d be more than happy to help. I’m going to reread your comment a dozen times for guidance. I had no idea my son could marry someone who had such different values. It’s very sad. Thank you again, and thank your mom, and my mom too, who stayed home and showed me how to BE a mom.
I wish I could write about this stuff! I was at the grocery store this morning and saw a mom with a beautiful little boy about 5 months old. I asked her if she was a SAHM and she was, this was her second child, and she wouldn’t trade this experience for any amount of money. Her baby was so HAPPY and I’ve noticed there’s a certain self awareness and confidence with children of SAHMs. When my son grew up and was in college, I went back to teaching and I could always pick out the kids who had SAHMs, they weren’t clingy or nervous (for the most part), better fed for sure, and were able to learn. THis is when I really wish my mom was still alive, cos she would have the right things to say.
Hi your enthusiasm is contagious! We, Classical Conversations, would love to invite you to come visit us for a day. We are having an open house on Monday October 19, 2015 from 9:00am-3:00pm at Westgate Chapel Church. This program is a homeschool program which strives to know God and make him known through their academics which are geared for 4-17 year old children. Even if you do not homeschool you should check this program out. It is the best homeschool Christian program Toledo has to offer and you could tell others about it! Contact me (Ana Meyers)
at dpmeyers@bex.net.
Thank you so much for the invitation Ana! 😉
I’m so impressed! You’ve been blogging for a Very Long Time! Is it your sanity outlet? Your sense of humor and ability to go with the flow is admirable. I also loved seeing and hearing about your family. Is everyone extroverted? Thanks the follow, and feel free to drop by anytime.
Cheers!
Elouise
Awww…thanks Elouise for the kind words. Yes, blogging is definitely my sanity outlet. We all love to live life to the fullest in this house that is for sure…most of the time we are extroverts but on rare occasions we have been known to let our introvert show. You better believe I will be dropping by! Cheers! 😉
Hello Mom on the Go! I was wondering if you have an email address to pose a question?
Thanks! Kelly
You bet! mommyblissmarks@gmail.com 😉
Hi, I was wondering if you’d be interested in guest blogging for a client of mine? Email me for details or find me on twitter @krbaumert
Email sent 🙂
Can you replace your photos for the University of Michigan Museum of Natural History with images of the new museum? Send an email to ummnh.comm@umich.edu and I can send you some or you can pull them from our website.
Thanks!
We are so excited to tour the new museum next week on our Spring Break!! We plan on updating the image & also doing a full post on the new museum when we visit! If that’s not soon enough we’d be happy to update it…email is, momonthegoinholytoledo@gmail.com
Eeek! I am so excited to find you, because this blog is EXACTLY what I’m looking for! We just found out that we’ll be moving to Toledo this summer. I’m from Ft. Wayne, IN, so I’ve got a decent idea what to expect, but I’ve lived in Mexico for most of my adult life, so I’m still a little freaked out, as this is a BIG, FAT change! Thank you for blogging so much about Toledo, so I can have a better idea what Toledo has to offer (at least, until we get there in less than 2 months–ack!). What did people do before the internet? Thanks for writing about Toledo, because I haven’t found the information I’m looking for anywhere else!
Hi Jill!! Toledo is lucky to have you! Thank you so much for your kind words. There is a lot to do here….our Museum of Art, Zoo, Libraries, & Metroparks are amazing!! And summer time in Toledo is the best with Pizzapalooza, Mud Hens Games, Block Party at TMA, and so much more! I’m so excited for you & wishing you safe travels and a smooth move, Love! 🙂
I am so glad I found you on Facebook and on your blog here! I’m a mom in Toledo too and your page is one of my favorites to follow. You always make time for engagement on your page and posts!
Hi Stephanie! Thank you so much for the kind words & positive feedback, I’m so happy you found the page/blog too! And a huge shout out & thank you goes out to you, if it wasn’t for your interest, sharing, and contributing to comments this page wouldn’t exist. You’re time is valuable, it means a lot knowing that you choose to spend a bit of it here, you totally rock, hun!
Hi Kat,
I am not from Toledo and have never been there either. I came across your blog while doing an online search about kielbasa loaf of all things. After reading about Stanley’s market I looked around your blog and realized I could have been reading my own words. I was a stay at home mom too, I have 2 wonderful children (who incidentally are around your age now) and a wonderful, supportive, loving husband. All of that sacrifice when we lived on one income was so worth it and made us close and my children resourceful. My own daughter has embarked on married life and laments that it would be so hard for her to stay home when she has children, how can they afford it? I say, how can you afford not to! Looks like I may be the baby sitter when the time comes (oh poor pitiful me…). I try to convince her that it will be worth it and I am sure she, like myself will change her mind once that precious baby is placed in her arms.
Kuddos to you for making the (sometimes unpopular) decision to be a SAHM, may you and your beautiful family enjoy the wonderful life you all have created!
THank you for all the likes on my blog, so happy to see how your site has grown over the years!!
My pleasure…and thank you!
As you didn’t okay my last comment I figure I could sulk or try again.
So I’m back again to say thanks for visiting Sound Bite Fiction.
Always a pleasure to see you there.
I’m sorry I missed your last comment, I don’t know why it didn’t popup…it is very kind of you to stop by and thank me for visiting Sound Bite. Likewise, than you so much for visiting Mom on the go in Holy Toledo 😉