12 Days of Christmas: Day 3: There’s something sweet and magical about decorating a Christmas tree with my mini me.
We have a lot of fun, give each other suggestions on where ornaments should go and love standing back and admiring our work! 😋🍩🍪🧁🎄
All the best,
Tanya
For four years before my daughter’s birth, I’ve been hosting a holiday party for my family and friends. Each year, the guest list increases a little, there’s a few more treats, and my twelve year old contributes a bit more.
While we’ve made cookies together in the past, Quinn baked the chocolate chip and Christmas M & M cookies from start to finish, and they were deliciously made with love and a festive spirit.
All the best,
Tanya
What a beautiful coincidence that today is the 13th of December and the thirteenth day of celebrating Christmas with my daughter. Though she jokingly calls me “Nostalgia” from the Inside Out movie for often talking about previous years, I love reminiscing about memories including her, especially the Christmas past.
All the best,
Tanya
I love spending time with my daughter, and we both love watching certain shows on Netflix, so checking out the Netflix House in King of Prussia Mall during her Thanksgiving break was the perfect outing to celebrate her perfect streak of earning straight A’s since first grade.
We had such a fun time playing nine holes of miniature golf featuring Is It Cake, Squid Games and Stranger Things, just to name a few. We’re definitely considering going back for their virtual reality series.
All the best,
Tanya
Every day I’m amazed by the person my daughter is becoming. Though she’s only twelve, she’s developed an interest in fitness and joins me at the gym every Sunday. I love our bonding time and am amazed at how quickly she has grown and caught on.
I would like to think that she’s gotten her strength partly from me, but she’s gotten her drive to challenge herself from deep within. I’m so proud of the person she’s becoming.
All the best,
Tanya
One of the reasons I post about my fitness journey is to hopefully inspire others, but today, it was my mini me who left me feeling inspired. Quinn, a 12 year old, boldly ran in the Rocky Run 5K a race with over 30,000 people, predominantly adults 😅. Think I might’ve felt a bit intimidated at her age, but she smiled, was in the zone and had a great time the entire way.
Not only was she determined to cross the finish line, but she maintained the pace she set for herself and demonstrated what hard work, commitment and dedication is all about!
This is not the first time that Quinn has left me in awe and certainly will not be the last, but today she was definitely my inspiration! She went the distance!
Best,
Tanya
Both my twelve year old and I love Halloween activities and getting dressed up, so of course we had to attend Boo at the Zoo for some fun with our cousins and my mom (Quinn’s nana).
Perfect weather and company! I look forward to these memories, and am grateful for them.
All the best,
Tanya
How is it that my daughter is starting a new school and seventh grade when I vividly remember her starting kindergarten as though it was moments ago? 😅
I asked my twelve year old how she was feeling this morning, and she said a combination of excited and nervous, but more excited about the school year. I too am excited for her as this is her last stop before she enters high school! 😳 Wow! High school!
But before she gets there, I’m grateful that she is entering middle school with the opportunity to continue her educational journey by not only continuing with the core disciplines like math and English but learning a foreign language, financial literacy, cooking skills along with countless extracurricular activities to further establish what she’s good at, enjoys and may even want to pursue when it’s time for high school.
Here’s to a wonderful semester for my tween who continues to make me proud to be her mom.
All the best,
Tanya
Many people have uttered the phrase, “time just flew by,” especially when it comes to summer. Even still, if I had to sum up my summer meet with one word, it would be “memorable!”
As days fly by, so do weeks and years, so I’m grateful that my 12 year old preferred to spend her summertime doing activities and just hanging out with me.
Whether it was amusement parks, water parks, the beach, the movies, playing board games or just walking and talking, the memories will remain with me.
While next week around this time, she’ll be back to work, and I’ll be back to work, I don’t find myself longing for a longer summer break because the moments we had together were just perfect.
All the best,
Tanya
Upon arriving in Wildwood, NJ to have some fun with our cousins and aunt for a couple days, I took a selfie with my 12 year old to let my husband know we made it there safely. When I looked at the picture and observed how Quinn looked at me, I was filled with joy and hope. Hope that she will always look at me with love, happiness and towards me for guidance as needed.
I knew becoming a mom would change my life, but I didn’t realize how much it would change me into a more confident and assertive person. Perhaps this is what I am becoming because I know this is what she needs and what my hope is for her as she blossoms into an adult, which may seem light years away, but it’s really not. 😅😳🫣
All the best,
Tanya
Mommy's Baby Steps 