A Mom Like You-Meet Heather Mom in the Kitchen

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From Highland Park to Hainesville, the Lake County suburbs are vast and everyone is looking for that parent who’s just like them. This month we’re taking a look “Behind the Trike” and meeting the parents who bring Lake County to you every day. Today we meet Heather our, “Mom in the Kitchen”.

Heather was raised in the city and moved out to Lake County 11 years ago and hasn’t looked back! Heather is a stay-at-home Mama with three kids and has been married for 13 years to her husband. Heather loves to run, cook, practice yoga, read, and write on her blog, “Girl and Her Kitchen.” Heather’s blog shares delicious recipes, weekly meal planners, and helpful tips beyond the recipes to help her readers create amazing meals for their family and friends. Personally, this girl is looking forward to trying the Baked Kale recipe in my kitchen. I have heard a ton of raves lately about the benefits of Kale. However, if I’m truly honest, I have to admit the Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Truffles sound devilishly delicious! Heather is a girl after my own heart, with her having the same challenging everyday Mom Moments that all of us have faced, the decision to leave work and stay home to do the hardest job on earth, and my favorite tidbit into Heather’s fun personality….her guilty indulgence of teenage angst-ridden shows on the CW!

Do you work outside of the house? Did you work before kids and if so what did you do?

I do not work outside of the house now. I am a stay-at-home mom, yet I fill my time writing for Little Lake County, my blog “Girl and Her Kitchen,” as well as volunteering at my kids’ school and our church. Before I had my first child, I was a middle school teacher. I taught 6th grade Language Arts and Social Studies. I loved every minute of it and miss it every day, although I would never trade being home with my kids for anything.

Are you happy you left or you prefer being a stay at home mommy?

I am happy I left to stay at home with my kids. It is a priceless adventure that goes by so quickly, and even on the hardest days, it has been the best job I have ever had.

Most Challenging Mom moment?

There are so many! I would have to say things feel the most challenging when you are in that spot when you really do not know how to handle a situation with one of your children. You almost wish you could say, “hold on!” and consult a giant mom manual. Unfortunately, I never got one of those, so most days I just wing it!

What do you do to take the stress off?

I don’t feel like the stress is ever really off, but I do feel better after a run or yoga. I am a different person! I also like to decompress by reading a good book or by baking. Which unfortunately cancels out the run or yoga, but chocolate cake is so good!

Best advice (and from whom) you have received as a mom

I have received so much good advice! I was lucky to have a few friends who were already moms when I had my first baby and they helped a lot. I am also a strong believer in a large group of “mom friends”. I honestly do not know where I would be without my friends. They are such a support and can always be counted on to make you laugh when times get tough, give you a shoulder to cry on, or share a bottle of wine and let you vent! Overall though, the best advice I ever received came from my own mother. She mothered five children and can always be counted on to listen, without judgment, to whatever mom challenge I am having on that particular day. One thing that sticks in my head that she said once is that we moms need to give ourselves a break. We cannot be perfect. We are so hard on ourselves that we forget that we are human too. I always think of that on those days where the TV is on a little more than normal and chicken nuggets are served for dinner. We are not perfect and we need a break some days.

What is your guilty pleasure?

I don’t know if I should admit it. No, nothing bad, but I am embarrassed to say I could sit and watch a whole marathon of shows made for teens! Haha! I love the CW. I mean, where was the CW when we were young? Definitely my guilty pleasure!