We're Back!

Exciting news, we are back on the blog! We apologize, it has been over a year since our last post, but wow, what a year it has been. We have been through a lot, learned a lot, and have so much to tell.

It all started 2 years ago when Katy and I had a dream, actually anyone who knows us will correct that statement. We actually have several dreams, some come true and some don't, but this dream did come true. After almost a year in the works of business preparations and searching for a space to lease, we opened an art studio! This concept came after much deliberation, as we both have a love for the arts. Throughout this process, we have learned so much. We have transformed the studio into a creative space which offers a variety of class options for adults and children. Our love for children (yes, we have 7 children between the two of us) had us focus our attention on furthering the arts to young minds. The studio offers a variety of art classes, dance classes, tea parties, summer camps, floral design classes, creative writing courses, photography, and of course, an option for private parties. What was once a dream has now become a reality!

That's not all the news. Can you believe there's more? Well, the day after the lease was signed for the studio, I found out I was expecting baby #4, surprise! Best surprise ever! The little one just turned four months and he is most definitely giving me a run for my money. Life is good.

With that being said, we wanted to pick up where we left off on this blog. Yes, we will continue to bring you fun and sarcastic write-ups about common sense and manners, but we look forward to sharing our experiences as mothers and business owners with you. Believe me, we have wonderful stories to tell.

Please, Moms! It's Not A Competition - It's Life.

This past Monday, I was on The Morning Blend with another blogger, Amber from Milwaukee by Storm, and we were discussing the choices women make being stay-at-home moms vs. working moms with Molly Fay and Tiffany Ogle. This conversation stemmed from an article written by a mom who had chosen to stay home with her children and later regretted that decision because of her loss of time, income, and advancement in her field. It was a little difficult to relate to this woman in the sense that she felt her decision, made so many decades prior when her children were young, was the wrong decision. First of all, I have never been a person who dwells on regrets or past decisions, whether they were good or bad, because honestly, I cannot go back and change those choices. Second of all, I don’t view my job as a mom as a “hobby” (or something I just “wanted” to do, quoted by Lisa Endlich Heffernan), but as a vocation that I have chosen to accept and love through all the ups and downs. It’s through those ups and downs that I learn many lessons and in the end my goal by staying home is to raise morally good, honest, and up-standing citizens. This is why I view motherhood as a vocation, no matter whether you stay home or work, because it is our duty to raise not only our children, but to teach them how to eventually function in this world as adults when we are no longer here. For me, I believe it is in my best interest and the best interest of my family to stay home when the children are young and most needy, but this doesn’t work for everyone.

Now I am not saying that all women are meant to stay home with their children, but as moms (and as society in general) we need to learn that there shouldn’t be a competition with stones cast towards working moms vs. moms who stay home. The author of the article stated that she felt her decision to stay home with her children for so many years had “let down” countless women who had fostered the feminist movement in those generations prior towards breaking that glass ceiling. I don’t feel like I have “let down” any women from previous generations by choosing to stay home. I am appreciative for their fight to bring women into the workplace, but I also don’t think they would be happy knowing that we (as women) have pushed ourselves into a corner that no longer gives us the opportunity or dignity to stay home without feeling like a failure and having regrets. We have turned their social battle into a battle between mothers, mothers who work vs. mothers who stay home, and this is quite sad. The worst part is that us, as women, have created this battle amongst ourselves. It isn’t the men to blame, it is the women. Yes, those are strong words, but it is the truth. We, as women, have guilted ourselves about everything instead of making a choice, living with that choice, and learning to love our vocation no matter what it is, whether single, married, staying home, or being a working mom. 

There shouldn’t be categories or labels amongst us, we are all women, trying to do our best in this crazy world to succeed. The beauty of it all, is that we all have different definitions of success and we need to accept this philosophy. Some people view success in the terms of materialism, monetary gain, or personal achievement. While others view success upon family life, community involvement, and an interior personal growth without pomp and circumstance. Or you might view all of these as successful goals. Whatever your definition of success may be, it shouldn’t be questioned by others, especially if they don’t understand it. A woman may feel successful as she advances in her career and thereby receives a better pay check, but another woman may view her success based on her child's school play or having a home-cooked meal every night for a month, but none of these circumstances should be down-played, because they are crucial goals towards the development and harmony of society. We cannot all be successful in exactly the same way, just like we don’t all have the same God-given talents, which is the beauty and dignity of the human race.

I apologize for this ramble, but I do feel passionately about this topic, especially since I have seen women on both sides struggle with feelings of guilt, failure, lack of self-worth, and being overwhelmed in keeping up with societal expectations. It's time that we as women, especially moms, learn to appreciate each other through our faults and through our talents. We are all in this together, working tirelessly for our families, while trying to keep afloat. Instead of making this a competition between moms who work and moms who stay home, let's support each other through thick and thin, because we all are working to raise the next generation!

The amazing Amber from milwaukeebystorm.com. 

One of the guest bloggers hosting the Milwaukee Mommas' Night Out with Elm Grove Art!

Join us for a Milwaukee Mommas' Night Out at Elm Grove Art!

Register now to reserve your spot for this fun event on November 21st!

...and it begins

.....My whole lIfe I have wanted to be a mom…seriously my whole life! From the age of four I was mothering (well maybe bossing) all my friends and planning how many kids I was going to have. At the age of seven I decided that ten was the number. I was going to have ten children. I did not care how many boys or girls, I just wanted a love filled crazy big family. Then by the age of eighteen I decided I want ten and then I would adopt at least five more….. but wait why stop there? By the age of twenty I knew I wanted to start an orphanage. Then I could love a ton of kids. During this whole time I was praying like crazy for many children….never once did I think or pray for a husband. I just thought I would get married and my husband would want as many kids as me and we would live happily ever after. Blahahahaha!!!!! and a few more hahas!

 Well thanks Disney for making me believe all my dreams can come true…. My Prince Charming/husband came along when I was twenty-one and guess what? He DID want a load of children, he was loving, caring and masculine, (because I can not stand wimpy men) but he had a big secret…..no he was not a woman…..no he did not cheat one me……the big secret was he had a drug addiction. Yep, call me dumb, stupid or whatever, but I married a full blown drug addict. Did I know he was when a drug addict when we got married?….nope.. I had some red flags when dating but nothing huge.

Sooooo to make a super extreme sad story short….I divorced him. Mainly to keep our three beautiful children safe. By no means is this a post to bash drug addicts…it is a horrible sickness that consumes the person and everyone around that person.

Rosie, Ava and Cliff

Well now what… I am a single mom….this was not the plan.

So after a pity feast, a few screaming in pillow moments and an intense pep talk in the mirror, I decided...I got this. I am a single mom and I am going to be proud of it. I will be both mom and dad to my awesome kids and you know what.. we are all doing great!

My kids are my everything, I am a mom first but I am an entrepreneur too. I love business, starting them, selling them, watching them grow. I have been a professional event planner, author of Provocative Manners, owner of the Aircut and now a co-owner to Elm Grove Art. My children are my purpose in life, business is my escape, and people are my hobby. Life is to short not to have fun! So we live it up each day!

Rosie singing, Cliff reading out loud and Ava tapping dancing!

I was brought up with the mentality, God first, family second, and friends third… and that is how I live happily.

On a final note, I am writing this blog with my best friend…yes I am 31 years old and I sound like a 5 yr old…”best friend." But that is what she is… Danielle and I have know each other for over ten years but she became my best friend through my divorce…she kept me sane, no actually she slapped me out of my pity feast. Someone once said, “hard times reveal true friends.” Well she is the truest friend I have ever had. 

Selfie time...notice I do not know were to look, blahaha!

I am writing this blog in hopes that other single moms can realize…we can do it all! We can raise our children wonderfully, have happy homes and have careers that we love too. It is a challenge but I am all in!!!

Have the loveliest of days.

Kate

Today is the Day!

Everyday is a day for new beginnings. A day to start a new adventure. Well, today is the day that Katy and I are beginning another new adventure, and that new wild ride is the start of our blog, Kate and Danielle! This year has definitely been a year for new beginnings, the start of phases in life for both of us together as friends, business partners, and on our own personal levels. This mix of ups and downs, sideways hurdles, and top over bottom turn-overs has warranted the start of this blog. A place where we can write not only as business owners and partners, but a place where we can come mostly as friends, mothers and women to express our concerns, our love for life, our passion for business, and our children!

@MeganRammingerPhotography

@MichelleCascioPhotography

For those of you who don't know me, my sweet husband and I are expecting baby #4 in the next couple weeks. Yes, our lives are a bit crazy right now, but in the best way possible. I have been extremely blessed with a man who is manly in every sense of the word, knows how to care for our family, patiently loves our children, and adores me though all my faults (and yes, I have a lot of them). Our dear daughter, the oldest, is such a huge help and loves to be right in the middle of planning, organizing, and sometimes bossing the other boys around. The boys, well they are boys. They are full of life, energy, with the desire to explore, climb, play in the dirt, and just be boys, which is such a joy to watch them approach life much differently than their sister. 

#1 and #3

After working a full-time legal job, my husband and I decided it was best for our family that I stay home after the birth of our first child. This was one of the best decisions I have ever made, after marrying dear hubby, of course! :) Being a stay-at-home mom isn't an easy job, nor is it the toughest one either, just like many others, it has challenges, but I have found throughout the years that these challenges are extremely rewarding, more than I could've ever imagined. I find new hurdles and yet new rewards each day from my vocation and I wouldn't ask for anything different!

Katy (best friend and business partner) and I have always loved a new challenge and have definitely had our fair share, even sometimes seeking them out ourselves...don't ask! We have accomplished a lot over the years, including writing a book, and having it published in 2013 (Provocative Manners: The Sauce of Life), planning events together (she's the event planner and I have owned a specialty floral company for 9 years), organizing moms groups, and this year opening an art studio in the Milwaukee Metro area, but most importantly we have become the dearest of friends. I view her as the sister I never had and I have been most fortunate that our paths crossed just at the right time. We compliment each other extremely well, to the point where most people don't understand it. Katy has become a friend who I can count on through thick or thin, not only in the everyday happiness and struggles of life, but someone who has every bit of my best interest at heart. 

I apologize, this post has become much longer than I anticipated, but at least I filled it with fun pictures, right? I truly hope you follow us as Katy and I pave the way through our busy lives as mothers and business women. I hope to keep it light-hearted, but also touch on topics close to many of us as wives, mothers, friends, career women, and how to get through this beautiful world as gifted human beings. Follow us, as we juggle and love our lives each week, just like all women dreaming, searching, and living through those everyday adventures!

Facts About Me!

Favorite Things:

My husband and children (the loves of my life), bedtime for the little ones and spending quality time with my husband (sans kids), warm cups of coffee (yes, I may have an addiction), old movies (especially musicals, I can't get enough of Easter Parade or Singing in the Rain), sushi, spicy Portuguese dishes, all sweets (well, I guess I am a food lover!), and the ability to help others in need.

Pet Peeves:

Having to stop for gas (I know, I know, this can't be helped), looking for lost soccer gear and dance shoes (I give up!), re-folding the same basket of clothes for a 2nd or 3rd time in a day), chewing with one's mouth open (I sound like a broken record at the dinner table with the kids), chipped nail polish, and lack of common-sense.

First Celebrity Crush:

Fred Astaire, Cary Grant, and Gregory Peck! What can I say, I have a thing for the oldies but the goodies?

Go-To Drink:

Red wine (specifically a fabulous Pinot Noir) or Tequila Sunrise for cocktails.

Favorite Books:

Hands-down Pride & Prejudice, I'm a huge Jane Austen fan in every sense of the word. After that, I have a long list, way too long to list now. A short list would include anything written by Wilkie Collins, Charles Dickens, Margaret Atwood, Cecila Ahern, Willa Cather, and Agatha Christie.