September 2006
ALISON SINGER, AUTISM SPEAKS
SUCCESSFUL TELEVISION PRODUCER REINVENTS CAREER TO TACKLE AUTISM
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Before she became a mother, Alison Singer was quickly racing up the corporate ladder. After carving a successful path in the television industry, Alison was at the top of her game as a vice president of business news programming in NBC's cable and business development division. But when her daughter Jodie was born, her life took a dramatic turn.
After giving birth to what seemed like a healthy baby, Alison soon learned that Jodie suffered from autism, a disorder that impairs a person's ability to communicate and relate to others.
Without any instructions on how she and her family would be able to combat or cure this disorder, Alison and her husband were sent home to care for their daughter without knowing where to turn or what to do. "You don't know fear until they tell you your child is autistic and then they say goodbye and good luck," Alison recalls.
After investigating their options, Alison discovered that Jodie's treatment would take at least 40 hours a week and so she decided to ask her employer if there were any way for her to take on a reduced work schedule. Unfortunately, at the time, she was told that the job of a vice president is not a part time position. And so, she had to quit.
Alison took some time off to care for Jodie and also gave birth to her second child, Lauren, a healthy baby girl. When Lauren was four, Alison began freelancing as a producer for CNBC. As she continued to hone her knowledge and expertise with issues relating to autism, Alison produced a series on the disorder which opened the door to a new opportunity.
Following the CNBC broadcast of the award-winning series, "Autism: Paying the Price", Bob Wright, chairman and CEO of NBC Universal, tapped Alison to become Acting CEO of Autism Speaks, a foundation that he was creating along with his wife Suzanne, after being touched by the disorder on a personal level. The Wright's grandson was diagnosed with autism at an early age and as a result, he and his family have become determined to raise awareness, funds and find a cure for this disorder that affects nearly 1 in 166 individuals, making autism more common than pediatric cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined.
Autism Speaks opened its doors in February 2005 and in less than two years, has made unbelievable strides in the fight to raise awareness while helping families battling the disorder. Alison says one of the biggest awareness breakthroughs for their organization took place when NBC's "The Apprentice" selected Autism Speaks to be part of Season Four's final episode where Alison made her primetime television debut on "The Apprentice" on behalf of Autism Speaks.
Since its founding, the foundation has raised more than 50 million dollars in support of the cause. These donations, Alison says, have even come in as quarters and dollar bills - from individuals across the country who are committed to finding a cure for autism. Autism Speaks now spearheads over 50 walks nationwide, including a walk in Westchester that Alison was proud to be chair for the last two years. "I felt so strengthened to be in a crowd of 7500 people whose lives have been touched by autism and who were there to stand up and make a difference," she says. The Westchester Fairfield Walk for Autism Research was also attended by Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, who addressed the crowd and promised to do all she could to support families struggling with autism.
Autism Speaks is also poised to receive major exposure after being selected this year by the Ad Council for a three year multi-million dollar ad campaign designed to build awareness of the fact that autism is more common than most people think. In the coming months, Autism Speaks will also be hosting several fundraisers including a star-studded event in Las Vegas on October 20, with performances by Jay Leno and Natalie Cole.
While Alison was initially brought on board temporarily to launch Autism Speaks, she decided to remain at the foundation after a full-time CEO was hired. She continues to be a driving force at the foundation as Senior Vice President, where she oversees communication strategy and legislative initiatives. On the homefront, daughter Jodie is a 9-year-old fourth grader who continues to make tremendous strides in her battle against autism. Alison's younger daughter Lauren, is a bright seven-year-old who is an energetic second grader and an avid dancer and gymnast. Alison continues to work a flexible schedule in order to accommodate the needs of both of her children and when asked if she'd ever consider eventually moving back into the corporate world, she says her answer is simple. "I am planning to stay at Autism Speaks until the day we find a cure."
For more information about Autism Speaks, Click Here.
After giving birth to what seemed like a healthy baby, Alison soon learned that Jodie suffered from autism, a disorder that impairs a person's ability to communicate and relate to others.
Without any instructions on how she and her family would be able to combat or cure this disorder, Alison and her husband were sent home to care for their daughter without knowing where to turn or what to do. "You don't know fear until they tell you your child is autistic and then they say goodbye and good luck," Alison recalls.
After investigating their options, Alison discovered that Jodie's treatment would take at least 40 hours a week and so she decided to ask her employer if there were any way for her to take on a reduced work schedule. Unfortunately, at the time, she was told that the job of a vice president is not a part time position. And so, she had to quit.
Alison took some time off to care for Jodie and also gave birth to her second child, Lauren, a healthy baby girl. When Lauren was four, Alison began freelancing as a producer for CNBC. As she continued to hone her knowledge and expertise with issues relating to autism, Alison produced a series on the disorder which opened the door to a new opportunity.
Following the CNBC broadcast of the award-winning series, "Autism: Paying the Price", Bob Wright, chairman and CEO of NBC Universal, tapped Alison to become Acting CEO of Autism Speaks, a foundation that he was creating along with his wife Suzanne, after being touched by the disorder on a personal level. The Wright's grandson was diagnosed with autism at an early age and as a result, he and his family have become determined to raise awareness, funds and find a cure for this disorder that affects nearly 1 in 166 individuals, making autism more common than pediatric cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined.
Autism Speaks opened its doors in February 2005 and in less than two years, has made unbelievable strides in the fight to raise awareness while helping families battling the disorder. Alison says one of the biggest awareness breakthroughs for their organization took place when NBC's "The Apprentice" selected Autism Speaks to be part of Season Four's final episode where Alison made her primetime television debut on "The Apprentice" on behalf of Autism Speaks.
Since its founding, the foundation has raised more than 50 million dollars in support of the cause. These donations, Alison says, have even come in as quarters and dollar bills - from individuals across the country who are committed to finding a cure for autism. Autism Speaks now spearheads over 50 walks nationwide, including a walk in Westchester that Alison was proud to be chair for the last two years. "I felt so strengthened to be in a crowd of 7500 people whose lives have been touched by autism and who were there to stand up and make a difference," she says. The Westchester Fairfield Walk for Autism Research was also attended by Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, who addressed the crowd and promised to do all she could to support families struggling with autism.
Autism Speaks is also poised to receive major exposure after being selected this year by the Ad Council for a three year multi-million dollar ad campaign designed to build awareness of the fact that autism is more common than most people think. In the coming months, Autism Speaks will also be hosting several fundraisers including a star-studded event in Las Vegas on October 20, with performances by Jay Leno and Natalie Cole.
While Alison was initially brought on board temporarily to launch Autism Speaks, she decided to remain at the foundation after a full-time CEO was hired. She continues to be a driving force at the foundation as Senior Vice President, where she oversees communication strategy and legislative initiatives. On the homefront, daughter Jodie is a 9-year-old fourth grader who continues to make tremendous strides in her battle against autism. Alison's younger daughter Lauren, is a bright seven-year-old who is an energetic second grader and an avid dancer and gymnast. Alison continues to work a flexible schedule in order to accommodate the needs of both of her children and when asked if she'd ever consider eventually moving back into the corporate world, she says her answer is simple. "I am planning to stay at Autism Speaks until the day we find a cure."
For more information about Autism Speaks, Click Here.
Posted in: Blog, Moms of Reinvention on 09/29/2006
MELANIE LYNNE HAUSER
MOM NOVELIST HITS SUPER STARDOM!Meet Melanie Lynne Hauser, a Chicago mom of two teenage boys who has transformed her stay at home life into the stuff that fairy tales are made of. Melanie never expected that she'd become a writer by trade since she spent most of her days shuttling her boys two and from soccer practice, school, playdates and appointments with the family orthodontist. Melanie dutifully played the part of doting mom, volunteering for dozens of committees and even had a stint as PTA President until the stress of the job landed her in a hospital emergency room.
While the PTA fiasco may have been Melanie's first sign that she may want to devote her time to something less taxing, the true writing on the wall came straight out of the mouth of her young son. When asked what his mommy did for a living, Melanie's wise cracking little boy replied, "My mom cleans houses." Melanie says, that with that fateful comment, "Perhaps it was time to look around for something else to do." And so, with her family as her comedic inspiration, Melanie embarked on a career as an author.
But the road to stardom is definitely not paved with gold nuggets or dollar bills for that matter. Melanie took a stab at writing her first novel and says it "stunk so bad that no agent wanted to represent me." So, she says, she buried it in the backyard and worked on her next book. That novel, actually got some interest from agents and she even secured one who attempted to sell it. While the book almost made it past the discerning noses of the marketing executives at a few publishing houses, it unfortunately never made it into print.
At this point in time, while she was no longer considered the family's "cleaning lady," Melanie says her son decided to wax poetic about her current career trajectory:
My mom's name is Melanie,
She writes lots of books
But can't sell any!
She writes lots of books
But can't sell any!
Humiliated and devastated, Melanie realized that her son's latest commentary was a step up from her previous line of work. Determined to finally break into the world of publishing, Melanie perservered and realized that maybe she needed to shake things up a bit. While writing her third novel about the life of a stay at home mom, Melanie devised an interesting plot twist. When the mom gets engrossed in trying to solve a major stain problem in the house, she inhales some noxious fumes that wind up giving her miraculous super powers! Bingo! A book that would set her apart from the rest and give hope to those moms toiling away with Swiffers and Magic Erasers!
With the help of her two sons, who are both superhero and comic book afficionados, Melanie got to work and hit a home run. After switching agents a few more times, Melanie pitched her book to Laura Langlie, an ambitious, determined and supportive agent who not only took her on as a client but became one of her biggest cheerleaders. Melanie's third novel, CONFESSIONS OF SUPER MOM and a sequel, SUPER MOM SAVES THE WORLD were bought by Penguin books. CONFESSIONS OF SUPER MOM, has just become available in soft cover and SUPER MOM SAVES THE WORLD will be released in hard cover in March 2007.
In the meantime, Melanie has also become a popular force on the worldwide web. Her blog, The Refrigerator Door, shares her musings on life as a mom and author and has enabled her to reach out to many women across the country who can relate and laugh out loud from her daily postings. Melanie has also begun contributing to Role Mommy with a brand new column called Confessions of (a not so) Supermom. To take a peek at her first essay, Click Here.
Even if you have to bury a few bad books in the backyard until you get it right, Melanie says the key to reinvention is to never give up. As she gets ready to embark on her latest book tour, this inspiring author and writer concludes, "The happiest moms I know are the ones who are doing what they love."
With the help of her two sons, who are both superhero and comic book afficionados, Melanie got to work and hit a home run. After switching agents a few more times, Melanie pitched her book to Laura Langlie, an ambitious, determined and supportive agent who not only took her on as a client but became one of her biggest cheerleaders. Melanie's third novel, CONFESSIONS OF SUPER MOM and a sequel, SUPER MOM SAVES THE WORLD were bought by Penguin books. CONFESSIONS OF SUPER MOM, has just become available in soft cover and SUPER MOM SAVES THE WORLD will be released in hard cover in March 2007.
In the meantime, Melanie has also become a popular force on the worldwide web. Her blog, The Refrigerator Door, shares her musings on life as a mom and author and has enabled her to reach out to many women across the country who can relate and laugh out loud from her daily postings. Melanie has also begun contributing to Role Mommy with a brand new column called Confessions of (a not so) Supermom. To take a peek at her first essay, Click Here.
Even if you have to bury a few bad books in the backyard until you get it right, Melanie says the key to reinvention is to never give up. As she gets ready to embark on her latest book tour, this inspiring author and writer concludes, "The happiest moms I know are the ones who are doing what they love."
To watch Melanie in action, reading an excerpt from Confessions of Supermom, CLICK HERE
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Posted in: Blog, Moms of Reinvention on 09/29/2006
PICKING A WINNER
My son is hosting a four-year-old playmate at our house and I'm about to hand him a snack when I notice that his index finger is lodged way up his nostril. "Find anything good up there?" I ask, thinking he'll decide it's time to find a tissue. "Not yet," he answers. "I'm digging for my brain."
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Posted in: Blog, Kiddy Commentary on 09/29/2006
LOST IN SUBURBIA? by Tracy Beckerman
The Handy Husband
Now here?s something I don?t understand. There are some guys who seem to have a natural ability for fixing things, and then there are some who don?t. Yet, you take a guy who has absolutely no aptitude for home improvement, stick him in Home Depot, and he becomes convinced that all he needs is a wrench and some lug nuts and he can repair just about anything in the house. I don?t get this. I certainly have no misconceptions that dressing me in designer clothing will make me a model, watching HGTV will make me an interior designer, or singing in the shower will qualify me to be on American Idol.
Well, O.K., that last one might be true. But take my husband, for example. Now to be fair, he is not without some sense of how to make minor repairs. Yet, he would rather try to fix something that he can?t, get frustrated and then give up after there?s a hole in the wall the size of North Dakota, and then call in a handyman, rather than just bite the bullet and call the guy before doing the damage, which almost always far exceeds the original problem. And if this is just about saving money, usually the hardware store bill far exceeds the bill from the handyman anyway. The funny thing is, when he can?t accomplish what he set out to do, he always blames it on the tools.
?I can?t do this,? he says. ?I don?t have the right molly.? Well, I don?t know who Molly is, but if he knew what he was doing, then why didn?t he get the right molly when he bought the another fifty dollars worth of tools he needed for this job? I mean, the handyman never has the wrong molly, right? Then there?s the always popular, ?This is a much bigger job than I thought it was.?
Something tells me, the handyman might have known that there was a beam behind the wall before he started drilling, as well. Of course, now we not only have a hole in the wall that we didn?t have before, in addition to the original problem, but we have to live with it for another month because the guy we could have called in to fix it right away is now on another job and won?t be available for several weeks. But honestly, I don?t blame my husband. He means well.
I blame the hardware store. There?s something about a hardware store, especially a really big one, that makes a guy a bit delusional with imagined\nhome repair super powers. He walks in and right away he sees all these big shiny tools and some smiling guy in a nice red apron approaches and offers help. No matter what the job, they say, ?Oh sure, all you need is this, this and that. No problem.? Of course, they say that. They want to sell stuff. I mean, this never happens when I go\nshopping in the department store, say, for make-up. And I almost never walk out with foundation, mascara, eye shadow and an entire facial cleansing system that I don?t need because the cheap stuff I bought at the drug\nstore works just fine."
And I certainly never undertake a home improvement project myself that I\ncan?t complete just to save money. Not like the time that I decided to lay down a new kitchen floor while my husband was out of town. Who knew that you?re NEVER supposed to clean out the bucket of subfloor solution in the kitchen sink because it will harden in your garbage disposal? Or that you shouldn?t spray paint a kitchen table in the garage below 72° farhenheit because the paint will bubble and set that way? Or that Liquid Plumber should never be used in a dishwasher? OK, so maybe I?m guilty of doing the same thing. But where do you think I got the idea that I could do-it myself? Actually, the idea that I got was that I could do it better. So now we have two holes in the wall. Anyone know a good handyman?
©2006, Beckerman. All rights reserved. For more LOST IN SUBURBIA? columns, go to www.lostinsuburbia.net
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Posted in: Blog, Role Mommy Confessions on 09/29/2006
Great Skin Care Line for Moms & Children!
ROLE MOMMY RECOMMENDS....
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We've just discovered a teriffic new skin care line for women and children and we're here to give you the inside scoop along with a special discount! Arbonne International, a leading skin care company based in Switzerland, has been available in the U.S. for over 20 years through Independent Consultants who sell these products to women and families nationwide.
Samantha Facchi, is a member of the Arbonne team - sharing the benefits of the skin care line with women in the tri-state area and nationally via her personalized Arbonne website at www.SamanthaFacchi.MyArbonne.com. Samantha, who is also an aspiring actress, was first introduced to the products after her friend Rachel, who is also an independent consultant, asked her to sample the skin care line and she says, she's been hooked ever since - so much so that Rachel became her sponsor so she could join the company too! Samantha says Arbonne's products, which are based on natural botanical principles, make a terrific gift for moms and babies and are a big hit at home parties. Forget the Tupperware ladies, it's about time you pampered yourself and your friends with a skin care party!
Arbonne's skin products use soothing ingredients, such as avocado oils, chamomile and rosemary extracts that synergize together to leave skin feeling soft and moisturized. Arbonne Baby Care uses ingredients like avocado, aloe, oat and chamomile that soothe nourish and protect delicate babies skin. Hair and Body wash are tear free so your little one loves to take a bath. Another must-have item for little ones is Arbonne's Baby Care Sunscreen, SPF 30 - ultra gentle for your baby's skin and a perfect way to protect them when you take them out for that midday stroll.
For those of us trying to fight off the effects of wrinkles due to lack of sleep or birthdays that won't allow us turn back the clock, Arbonne offers their revolutionary NutriMinC Re9 anti-aging line made with beneficial ingredients that offer amazing results that are pure and safe for any skin tone.
To purchase products from the Arbonne skin care line and receive 35% off your first order, contact Samantha Facchi at SAMANTHAFACCHI.MYARBONNE.COM or by phone at 347-573-5770. It's time to pick-up all your must have skin care items this season and get a great discount while you're at it!
Posted in: Blog, Role Mommy Recommends on 09/26/2006
RICKI BOOKERHollywood Film Producer Gives Up the Fast Track and Embraces Change
Ricki Booker was living the dream life - or so it seemed. A successful film producer who worked for powerhouse studios like MGM and United Artists, Ricki was involved in a host of blockbuster films and yet, somthing was missing. When she joined Nickelodeon as an executive in charge of film development, Ricki thought she was on the right path. She'd dive in and start developing projects that she believed in, and the rest would be history. But that's not the way things work in Hollywood. "Sometimes the best scripts don't even make it because the writer is unknown and people aren't willing to take a chance," she says. And so, Ricki decided it was time to take a chance of her own.
Following the birth of her daughter, Ricki was still at Nickelodeon and found herself travelling all the time, which unfortunately for her, upset her child a great deal. "Everytime I went away on a business trip, she was sad and then when I came back she really gave me a hard time," she says. After a friend suggested she buy her child a book about what happens when a parent goes away on a business trip, Ricki visited the book store, but says she didn't see anything she liked. "All the moms were frumpy. Why can't a mom look attractive when you're trying to teach your kid a life lesson?" Ricki asked. As a result, she took matters into her own hands and created a colorfully illustrated book that told the stories the way she thought her daughter would want to hear them. From there, the Change is Strange book series was born.
Ricki wrote a book called Mommy and Daddy Are Going on a Trip, but then realized there were endless books to be written. From welcoming a new sibling into your life to the first day of school to moving away with your family, Ricki decided to build on her concept and create a personalized series of books that could include the names of the child facing a particular tough moment in their life. After releasing her books, their popularity spread like wildfire with customers ordering them online, contacting Ricki through word of mouth and retailers even had her produce special books without the personalizing option so they could offer the Change is Strange book series at their stores too.
When Ricki was pregnant with her second daughter, she decided it was time to take another chance. After she gave birth, she gave up that corner office and said goodbye to Hollywood so she could build the Change is Strange brand. Since that time, Ricki has secured a book distributor, has a sales representative on her team and will be working with a publisher in France who plans to distribute the book series as well. Each book also offers advice from an accredited child psychologist who gives tips on what you can do with your child to help them deal with change in their young lives.
With Ricki's amazing connections in the film world, Change is Strange has found it's way into the hands of celebrity and Hollywood heavyweights. Courtney Cox Arquette and David Arquette have the Change is Strange book series and baby Coco just loves them. Plus, Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor received them as gifts from MTV. And, actresses Brooke Shields and Gwyneth Paltrow received "We're Having a Baby" as part of their gift baskets from Nickelodeon.
Following the birth of her daughter, Ricki was still at Nickelodeon and found herself travelling all the time, which unfortunately for her, upset her child a great deal. "Everytime I went away on a business trip, she was sad and then when I came back she really gave me a hard time," she says. After a friend suggested she buy her child a book about what happens when a parent goes away on a business trip, Ricki visited the book store, but says she didn't see anything she liked. "All the moms were frumpy. Why can't a mom look attractive when you're trying to teach your kid a life lesson?" Ricki asked. As a result, she took matters into her own hands and created a colorfully illustrated book that told the stories the way she thought her daughter would want to hear them. From there, the Change is Strange book series was born.
Ricki wrote a book called Mommy and Daddy Are Going on a Trip, but then realized there were endless books to be written. From welcoming a new sibling into your life to the first day of school to moving away with your family, Ricki decided to build on her concept and create a personalized series of books that could include the names of the child facing a particular tough moment in their life. After releasing her books, their popularity spread like wildfire with customers ordering them online, contacting Ricki through word of mouth and retailers even had her produce special books without the personalizing option so they could offer the Change is Strange book series at their stores too.
When Ricki was pregnant with her second daughter, she decided it was time to take another chance. After she gave birth, she gave up that corner office and said goodbye to Hollywood so she could build the Change is Strange brand. Since that time, Ricki has secured a book distributor, has a sales representative on her team and will be working with a publisher in France who plans to distribute the book series as well. Each book also offers advice from an accredited child psychologist who gives tips on what you can do with your child to help them deal with change in their young lives.
With Ricki's amazing connections in the film world, Change is Strange has found it's way into the hands of celebrity and Hollywood heavyweights. Courtney Cox Arquette and David Arquette have the Change is Strange book series and baby Coco just loves them. Plus, Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor received them as gifts from MTV. And, actresses Brooke Shields and Gwyneth Paltrow received "We're Having a Baby" as part of their gift baskets from Nickelodeon.
At the suggestion of her incredibly supportive husband, Ricki decided to finally leave Hollywood behind and move with her family to a place that would truly enhance their quality of life. Colorado was the destination - partly because that's where Ricki and her husband first met and secondly, because they both love the outdoors and wanted their kids to experience living in one of the most beautiful states in the country.
Ricki and her family moved to Colorado two weeks ago and as I caught up with her while she was picking crab apples with her daughter, it's clear that she definitely made the right choice. Change is Strange - even for an adult, but sometimes in the end, change can be really good for the soul.
To order the Change is Strange book series click here.
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Posted in: Blog, Moms of Reinvention on 09/23/2006
TEE PEE for ME
Inspiring Stay at Home Moms Turn Playtime into Profit
Meet Leslie Head and Lori Brumbach, founders of Tee Pee for Me - an enterprising Georgia based company that offers high quality tee pees for little tykes. These two moms, who met at a neighborhood cookie party and decided they were the only normal ones there, became fast friends - sharing playdates and pow wows with their kids on a regular basis.
While constantly envisioning ways they could venture into business together, the duo began taking photography classes until the instructor at the school told them to find their niche and they'd be successful. And that's exactly what they did.
While they're kids loved to camp out in their respective living rooms, Leslie says she was tired of having to fold up blankets and put away pillows when tee pee time was over. And so, she says, she and Lori began thinking of ways they could design a great looking and durable tee pee for their tots.
From there, the floodgates opened. Leslie and Lori visited the Waverly/Schumacher showroom in Atlanta and were directed to Joseph Plata, a high end clothing designer and manufacturer who, along with his team, created an amazing array of fabrics for the tee pees.
The next step was to incorporate, which Leslie and Lori accomplished by packing all the kids into their minivan and taking turns at the county clerks'office to provide their signatures - one mom stayed with the kids while the other went inside to take care of business and then vice versa. These ambitious moms did the same routine with their trademark and logo and in a matter of months, managed to launch their own brand.
Next stop for Leslie and Lori...retailers. At the suggestion of the amazing contact they made at the Waverly showroom, the pair purchased a booth at the America's Mart in Atlanta and while they knew nothing about sales, orders or the intricacies of retail, they took their chances and came out on top, with several buyers instantly attracted to their tee pees.
As with any new business, there were many learning curves along the way. They vividly recall the time they bought a booth at the 1st Annual Braselton Christmas Fair and wound up somewhere near the popcorn and cotton candy machines. While their booth was adorned with gorgeous tee pees and festive decorations, patrons kept stopping by and asking for directions. "They thought we were the information booth," laughs Lori. While the sales that day were a bit slow, they learned that they had to target the outlets where they believed their product would take off.
Their perserverance, ambition and creativity has enabled them to sell their product to approximately 500 retailers nationwide. While they made a number of sales at trade shows, they say they've even cold called certain stores where they believe the tee pees could find the perfect home. Leslie says she was on a mission to get the tee pees into Saks Fifth Avenue before Lori's father retired since he worked as an engineer at New York's Grand Central Station. With determination and moxie, she called the children's buyer at Saks, overnighted a tee pee and received a call the very next day from the enthusiastic buyer who was eager to place a major order.
While they are thrilled that the tee pees have become a hit with retailers, Leslie and Lori say they are even more ecstatic that they're product has really hit a home run with buyers. What they truly treasure is the reaction they get from customers who order their tee pees online and then are completely bowled over when they arrive. "I still get goose bumps when I hear someone has received our tee pees and they absolutely love them," says Leslie.
In fact, Tee Pee for Me has even become a hit with celebrity moms and dads. From Gwenyth Paltrow, to Dylan McDermott to Angelina Jolie to Britney Spears to Jennifer Garner, there have been tons of tee pee deliveries in Hollywood and the orders keep coming in! In addition, the company is actively involved in numerous charities for children and has donated their products and services to several fundraisers across the country. They currently offer 12 tee pee designs and change many of them each year to keep their brand fresh, new and enticing to the little Indians who will camping out in them the moment they arrive on their doorstep.
Leslie and Lori no longer live in the same cul de sac but no matter the distance, they still make a dynamic duo. After having three children, Lori moved to St. Simons Island, GA along with her husband who is a builder and Leslie still lives in Dacula, GA with her two kids and husband who is a military officer. While they can't meet at midnight in their driveways to brainstorm, they're still on the phone constantly - mapping out their next move and laughing about their lives every step of the way.
For more information about Tee Pee for Me, click here to visit their website.
Posted in: Blog, Moms of Reinvention on 09/22/2006
The Mix Tape
Remember back in the 80's when your high school boyfriend put together a mix tape to profess his love for you and you thought you were the luckiest girl on the planet? Mine was called "Music for Koukla" (doll) and it was filled with classic tunes by Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Elton John and Supertramp. Fast forward 20 years, and I've still got that tape, but that old boyfriend who I thought was the coolest guy in the world, was just labeled a major dork by my husband who saw my Sweet 16 video along with my kids and watched as my ex-boyfriend pretended to play air guitar while singing along to a Bruce Springsteen song...don't ask. Anyway, that leads me to my latest encounter with a mix tape. This time it was a CD made by my daughter's 7-year-old friend as part of her birthday goody bag. When we first put the CD on in the car, the kids were thrilled. Everything from High School Musical to Abba, to Kelly Clarkson. We were all bopping around to the tunes and had a great time listening along. After the kids left the car, the CD remained in my car which meant that every time I hopped in, my kids' CD started playing. I soon began humming along, then started belting out Broadway tunes like "Suddenly Seymour" and "Mamma Mia." I then moved on to "We're all in This Together" and felt like I was back in high school singing along to my favorite mix tape. Only difference - it wasn't my mix tape, it was my kids'. Not too embarrassing...at least my car windows were closed so nobody could actually hear me!
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Posted in: Blog, Role Mommy Confessions on 09/21/2006
Kiddy Brawl at Kid Friendly Bistro
Took our kids out to their favorite restaurant - an Italian joint that offers a supervised play area complete with four Sony playstations, movies, a climbing loft, video games and fooz ball. Complete heaven for children and nirvana for parents who get to have a conversation over a glass of wine without a four-year-old spilling chocolate milk all over the table. But then, it happened. As my husband and I were engaged in some much needed adult conversation and our kids were off watching "Shrek 2," three kids who were not our own mosey-ed over to our table and decided to have a wrestling match. As the plastic balls they had just won from the game room went flying all around us, we looked all over the place and couldn't see a parent in sight to reign them in. And so, we gave them our best "evil eye" impression and they took their brawl to another table of unsuspecting diners. I know that we go to this restaurant specifically to keep our kids entertained while we enjoy ourselves too, but parents - please pay attention if your child has meandered out of the playroom and has decided to extend their playtime into the dining area. It's not fun for anyone when someone else's kids pitches a fit right in front of you just as you're trying to savor your linguini with clam sauce.Posted in: Blog, Undercover Mom on 09/21/2006
BAD KIDDY JOKES!
My kids thought they were on the comedy circuit tonight and kept trying to impress me with their latest jokes. Here's a sample...
Mommy...Why did the chicken cross the road?
Why?
I'm not telling you.
Mommy...Why did the cow order popcorn?
Why?
Because he was at the Moo-vies.
Mommy...Why did the chicken poop on the sidewalk?
Why?
I'm not telling you.
Mommy...What happened when the two bunnies got married?
What?
They went on a bunnymoon.
Mommy...Why did the chicken marry the cow?
Why?
I'm not telling you.
From here on out, joke time is officially on hiatus...until somebody comes up with something funny!
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Posted in: Blog, Kiddy Commentary on 09/20/2006
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