What CM means to me!

The following was written by one of our members.  This was her response to the question: "What does CM mean to you?"  She has given permission for us to use her words.  I will keep her anonymous.  Enjoy!


It means having a site that I can log on to and feel the support of mom's who go through things that I go through, who feel the same feelings, and face the same struggles......

It means finding advice, and encouragement in sometimes the least likely of places, and it means sharing little parts of our journeys as parents with each other in order to help our fellow mom along......

It means community, friends, CM makes me want to have a "home" where I live, not just an area, or a house. This site is networking at its best, I have found my dearest friends through this site, my job, and, for the most part, my social life.

CM's mission makes me want to donate my old toys to others instead of throwing them away, it makes me want to make healthier choices for my kids, better choices for the environment, write a better budget, and save my family some money. This site makes me want to organize fund raisers, and help other mom's in need, and stop in target when I see a mom struggling with bags, and help her carry them or help her put away her cart . She could be a CM, and even if she isn't, this site has made me realize that there are other mom's out there in the world, something that when you are focused on just getting yours from point A to point B, is easy to forget.

All of this I get, for free, I don't have to google a million parenting questions to get textbook answers from strangers, I get answers from people that I have an idea of who they are, and where they are coming from, mom's who I know have been there...... I get real moms, gathered in a place that we can talk, debate, get together, get our kids together, and gripe about things that we might not be able to tell anyone else......a site that allows you to put as much or as little into it as you like, and asks essentially nothing in return other then that you use it ..... to me, that is a gift, it is something I treasure. I don't know any other "club" out there where you can join for free, be as active or inactive as you want, set your own time commitment to it, and gain as much as we can on here.

This site is my one stop shop for being the best mom that I can be, I do not rely on CM to tell me how to parent, or show me what to do with my children, but being a member here has helped me be a better happier and more fulfilled mom, which is I suppose is the mission itself.

30 days of thanks - Day 6

Today, I am thankful for the innocence & optimism of children. I love it! They see the positive in everything and it makes me smile. Kids grow up way too fast these days anyway, I wish they could stay innocent forever. For example, I love how Zoe thinks that when she sees two people kiss, that means they are married. And, when she was the flower girl in her aunt's wedding, she told her uncle that he looked "so handsome, like a prince" and that he was wearing "prince" clothes. Currently, she is waiting for a neighbor's pregnant dog to "lay" her puppies and she is very excited. I'm thankful for their honesty because it gives me hope.

I wish they could stay like that forever!

Written and submitted by: Sonya Tarrant check out her blog at: http://lovemyamos.blogspot.com/

30 days of Thanks, Day 4.

I asked the fantastic people over at the CM blog if they wanted to join the 30 Days of Thanks http://www.30daysofthanks.com/ project, and I'm happy to say that they do, and that I'm lucky enough to be the first post! So, if you are thankful for anything, and I'm betting most of you are, write up a post about it and send it to tonia@charlottemommies.com for your chance to get in on the fun!

30 Days of Thanks: Day 4

Today I am thankful for:

Other terrible moms.

I have my days. I admit it. Those days when you look back and start mentally adding up how much therapy will cost your child later in life. Those days when you said things to your children like:

• You *must* stop talking. Now. Right now. Not another word.  
• STOP touching me!  
• And one of my personal favorites - If you can't get your own sippy, you'll just have to be thirsty.

Those days when you wish you could put yourself in time out - preferably in a bath with an alcoholic beverage.

So today, I am thankful that it isn't just me.

I'm thankful that yesterday my friend showed up at school with the crazy-mommy eyes (you know which ones I mean, and don't pretend you don't).

I'm thankful that I wasn't the only one refusing to push my kid on the swing at the playground today.

I'm thankful that I'm not the only one who sometimes forgets to pack lunch.

And mostly, I'm thankful that on days when I am feeling like whatever the opposite of Mommy-of-the-Year is, they act like they've been there and done that, even if they haven't.

Written and Submitted by: Heather Hinson (maxnrowd) on CM.  Follow her blog at: http://www.runningmylife.com/

Help TMN!!!

More details can be found HERE: http://www.themommiesnetwork.org/novdrive.html

Recruiting Contest

Go check out the MF or your Area Groups for information and see what you can win!

Are you looking for a new job opportunity?

Do you have great organizational and people skills? Are you looking for a part-time or full-time job that is flexible and fun that helps moms in your community? If so, The Mommies Network wants to hire someone just like you!

TMN Sponsorship Account Executive
This is a TMN position. There are no membership pre-requisites required to apply.
The Mommies Network is growing and as part of that growth, we need some good people in your market to help with sponsorships.

The Sponsorship Account Executive should be organized, have great time management skills, feel comfortable contacting local business and building relationships to find sponsors for the local site. This can be accomplished through phone calls, emails, and face to face appointments.

SAEs will be compensated with bonuses based upon successful sponsorship contracts and there are tremendous growth opportunities as the network continues to grow. If you are interested please send your resume to Rachelle Watkins: rachelle (at) themommiesnetwork (dot) org.

Clothing Swap

CM Totes

CM's 7th BIRTHDAY PARTY!

Trekeroo ----thru end of August!

School Supply Drive CONTEST!

LakeNormanMommies has issued a challenge to us to see which site can donate more new school supplies to area schools! We have accepted this challenge and need your help to win!

Just add a few more school supplies to your back-to-school shopping and make a difference in our community! You can either drop off these supplies with your area group mod, or bring them to our 7th BIRTHDAY PARTY in September!

With your help, we can make a difference and help kids in our community who cannot afford to start their school year with their much-needed school supplies!

Thanks for your help!

Insider Pages Results!

$1,197.50!

Thank you, CharlotteMommies! You helped us raise $1,197.50 during our Insider Pages fundraiser! We came very close to our goal and couldn't have done it without all of you!

INSIDER PAGeS!

IKEA!

We're about to have one of our most EXCITING MNO's EVER!
Log in for ALL the details!