Category Archives: American Mothers

Utah

I am just back from a little stint in Salt Lake City. Actually, I went out there for an American Mothers convention and I have done this ever since I was named the National Young Mother of the Year in 2006. These conventions have been in different locations, from Bismarck, North Dakota and Lincoln, Nebraska to New York City and Las Vegas…and I have enjoyed seeing each new place and meeting all of the wonderful moms who are in attendance or being honored.

This was taken right after the new National Young Mother was named. Such a neat lady, pictured in between me and the immediate past Young Mother of the Year. Truly remarkable women.

This was our annual past National Young Mother of the Year photo! And, just so you know, we all agreed to hold onto the “young” in that title as long as possible. Who wouldn’t, right?

Meanwhile, my Senator managed to hang with the Governor of Utah. I think politicians naturally gravitate to one another…

I’m thinking they kind of look alike too………

Those were some of the highlights. There were more but I am still processing them…which is what happens when you surround yourself with amazing women for a long weekend!

A Good Thing

I spent some time in San Antonio last week for a board meeting. Let’s just say that the Alamo…. is not as big as you think it should be.

It was also cold. However, that did not stop us moms from enjoying the river walk or our time in between meetings.

My eyes are closed in that picture due to some serious sleep deprivation. Not much sleep to be had at these meetings. Nope, we use our free time wisely and that would be staying up late to catch up and laugh with one another. Lots of laughter. This is a good friend of mine from Las Vegas. She has two daughters, a family business and is a brilliant, out of the box thinker.

Don’t get me started on these two past National Young Mothers of the Year from Georgia and New Hampshire pictured below…..my sides still hurt from laughing so hard. Simply amazing women.

The women on this national board come from all across the country. A multi-generational, inter-faith, non-political, non-profit organization comprised of women who are interested in supporting and honoring moms. Really doesn’t get much better than that. They are also responsible for naming the National Mother of the Year ®. I kid you not. And, they’ve been doing that since 1935.

In this picture are moms from Oklahoma, Texas, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Indiana, Nevada, Washington, Pennsylvania, Washington D.C., West Virginia, Georgia, California, Utah, North Dakota and Puerto Rico. AND, there are moms on the board who were not pictured from Vermont, Oregon and Kentucky.

Here’s the link….you should check it out because they do good things. And we could all use a little more of that.

Kid in a Candy Store

So, this past week I spent a few days roaming around my old stomping grounds and feeling a little nostalgic. Weepy. Patriotic. And, tired. So, very tired! I never sleep well in that town because I feel like I will be missing something. I know, call me crazy. But, I love, love love our nation’s Capitol city.

I went out there for a finance meeting for a national board that I sit on, a wonderful organization, really. However, it coincided with the swearing-in of Oklahoma’s newest Congressman so I was able to hit the Hill running.

It has been a long time since I walked around Capitol Hill, most notably the House side. Like a few years ago when the Senator and I had the children there and toured them around the National Mall. I forced them to walk from the WWII Memorial up the Hill to the House side and then across the Capitol over to the Senate side. They refer to this trek as their own personal Bataan Death March and I still don’t get that. I suppose I got all caught up in the magnificent surroundings packed chalk full of history and lost myself. They didn’t think it was funny. Especially in the heat of the summer. My first clue should have been when they asked to stop and play in the sprinkler system in front of the Library of Congress. Nice, huh!

Anyway, I pulled the same stunt Tuesday afternoon. After the ceremonial swearing-in of my Congressman (and a photo-op in front of the Speaker’s Office) I thought it would be fun to hop over to the Senate side to reminisce for a moment. And, it was, albeit the new blisters on the back of my heels but that didn’t’ keep me from enjoying every moment of my walk. I waved to the Capitol Hill Police on every corner and smiled like a happy tourist after each photo I took. I love this country and its rich history. I love this town. I felt like a kid in a candy store, at home and completely satisfied.