Get to know our contributor Melissa M. a little better as she shares all the details on her passions, her spirit animal, and her love for pie a la mode!
Kid Situation: “Two wild and crazy boys, 5 and 4, and a little girl on the way. Lord, help her. ”
Hometown: “Hailing from the great state of New York, I found my true home here in Colorado 16 years ago.”
Job Situation: “Full-time mess cleaner, grocery getter, ouchy kisser, snack distributor, and assistant treasure hunter by day; Part-time Licensed Professional Counselor and aspiring writer by night.”
When I’m not in “mom mode” or writing contributor posts for DMMB, I enjoy. . . “Trail running, hiking, skiing, camping and adventuring with my hubby and boys, traveling to new places, connecting with girlfriends over dinner and wine, hiding out in my shower to steal a moment of peace and quiet.”
My tagline is . . . “Love deeply, hold loosely, laugh often.”
I’m passionate about . . . “Being active outdoors, connecting with people, empowering women, writing, and inventing boys’ pants that don’t rip in the knees {some day}!”
My favorite indulgence is . . . “Pie. A la mode.”
I never leave the house without . . . “My son’s Epi-pens and my Burt’s Bees Pomegranate lip balm.”
Guess what’s in my purse right now . . . “Let’s see, wallet, band aids, lip balm, nerf gun darts, epi pens, 3 matchbox cars, wipes, fig bars, a who knows how old string cheese, and altoids.”
What I most love about being a mother is . . . “I love doing my best to care for and nurture these little humans, watching them develop and being witness to their learning and accomplishments.”
On a typical Saturday morning. . . “Saturday mornings call for pancakes and bacon, especially if the hubs or I have just come back from an early long run. After breakfast with the boys, my husband and I have a standing coffee date on our deck or by the fire. The boys are old enough now that they can jump on the trampoline or play with play dough and they know it’s “mommy & daddy time.” I wouldn’t want to spend my Saturday morning any other way, except maybe with a little more sleep!”
My favorite smell is . . . “Walking into my boys’ bathroom and having it smell like anything other than urine. ”
My mom style is like . . . “Mostly granola with a little bit of Cheerios thrown in; active and casual and in my dreams, I’m laid back. But only in my dreams.”
My spirit animal is . . . “Cheetah. Roarrr. Ok, not really. I have no idea.”
My favorite things to do in the metro area are . . . “Go hiking or play around by the creek at Bear Creek Park.”
My most treasured material possessions are . . . “My journals.”
My secret to balancing it all is . . . “If someone knows the secret to this, please do share. Honestly, I don’t know that balancing it all is possible. I find that it’s a constant process to know which areas need more if my time and attention in any given season and which areas I need to practice a little letting go. Something’s always gotta give and I find I’m most fulfilled when the way I’m spending my time is aligned with my values. “
The title of my autobiography would be . . . “Live Hard, Love Well. Or at least that’s what I hope will summarize my life. ”
So, there’s this strange thing about me . . . “II really cannot handle repetitive noises, like if someone is tapping a pencil. It produces an irritability in me that is absolutely disproportionate to the situation.”
