GottaLoveMom

by Dawn Nicholas As thunder rumbled loudly overhead, a waitress scrambled among the tables to collect payment from those of us who had been enjoying a lazy late afternoon lunch in Central Park.   My 16 year old daughter and I dashed through the trees and onto the city streets, our large, overstuffed goodie bags bouncing against us, just as warm , heavy drops of rain began to fall.  With less than two blocks to cover before reaching the subway station, the downpour began, and we were among the unprepared, laughing as we surrendered to our fate. Months earlier, I had come across an ad in Self Magazine announcing the 20 th Anniversary Self Workout in the Park.  This event is held yearly in cities across the U.S. to promote health and fitness to women of all fitness levels.  During this outdoor event, a wide variety of mini fitness classes are held every 20 minutes from 11 am – 3 pm, taught by a group of energetic instructors.  For a $20 entry fee,...

by Sonia Lopez Simpson “Friends are the family you get to choose”  It’s interesting that coaching sessions on friendships have been showing up for me lately along with blogs and conversations on the topic.  You see, at the beginning of 2013, one of my intentions was to surround myself with women who are supportive, loving, kind and who are willing to put forth the effort to build beautiful friendships.  And it’s happening, with effort from both parties.  Like any relationship, friendships require work towards growth – at least the good ones do.  Recently I had a session where a client reminded me of my own growth in the friendship department.  She was getting all up in her head that a good friend had become distant and she didn’t know why.  She made up scenarios that were VERY creative and VERY untrue. Which she later discovered.  In this session, my own friendship buttons were pushed.  A few years ago I los...

I'm almost 49 and it seems like every decade, there's a new slogan inspiring me that my life begins at this so and so decade. I've been looking forward to be 50, because for some absurd reasoning that I concocted in my silly brain, that I need a milestone to motivate myself to start celebrating life.

Tears keep falling, mostly at night when I am alone, after my family has gone to bed.  My heart feels so heavy, filled with sorrow since my dad entered heaven a few weeks ago.  My heart had already been heavy from the recent loss of my husband's dear friend, a man my children called Uncle Paulie.  Both were sudden and profound losses.  Both lived good lives as men who loved their families fiercely and unconditionally. My "village" that I have to support my parenting endeavor has been there to offer kind words, child wrangling, and food offerings.  Without this village, I would be lost.  Much more than this, there are some who have traveled this road and offered me wisdom that helps me deal with the grief. My husband's parents both passed away before his 33rd birthday, so having been through that with him, we were no strangers to this life event.  I was a pillar of strength for him then, and he is my pillar of strength now.  My...

Wednesday marked New York City's celebration of Immigrant Heritage Week. On Tuesday night, after dinner, I prepared the kids' lunches, something I usually do in the morning. I left instructions on what time my youngest needed to be in school for his early morning orchestra rehearsal. Scribbled a few notes about the after school schedule, and reminded my third child of request for paperwork needed for his semi-finalist scholarship applications. I continued to recite a litany of reminders: allergy medicine, asthma check protocol reminders and more to-do lists. It seemed like I was going away for a long time.  I was just preparing myself for the next day's event: breakfast reception at the Gracie Mansion at 8:30am. For me to get to 88 E End Ave in New York in time for the reception, I needed to be on the 5:38 train to NY Penn Station, which meant I needed to be up by 4:30am the latest. I had invited my friend to come with me to the reception, and even...