Leaving!

So this weds I am getting on a plane and flying to New York City for two days. Normally this would be no big deal except for the fact that this will be the first time I have left my children since they were born. I am leaving them in very capable hands (my husband) but its weird to think I will not be there to put them to bed or to get them up. Then I start to think will I be able to enjoy my trip if I am worrying about them. Like I said I have all the faith in the world that they will be fine with my husband, but I still worry. I have thought about this for a while. How fun it would be to get away, to sleep in to be care free again. However I think I forgot how to do that. I am sure I will pop up out of bed at 7:00 like usual and think I need to get the kids up and ready or at 4:30 feel like I need to be some where(picking kids up).  I hope not but I probably will. So I am curious to hear how some of you handled this first separation from your children?

How Do You Do It? Emily Stroud

How Do You Do It?

Emily Stroud, Founder Hayden Reis

 

 

 

Photo Credit: Alisa Sue Photography

 

 

I love women entrepreneurs, especially those who have done what they do while raising a family and this woman is no exception. Emily Stroud, founder of Hayden Reis, is one of those women. Not only has she created one of the hottest line bags around, but she has done this while raising two adorable kids and up until last year a full time job. So here is her story and of course we want to know, Emily how do you do it?

 After graduation UF in 2001 I was hired by Merck Pharmaceuticals to be a pharmaceutical sales rep in Sarasota.  I worked for Merck for 10 years.  As the industry changed I found myself feeling less passionate about my career with Merck.  Two kids later i knew something had to change.  My family and I spend almost every weekend at the Longboat Key Club, on a boat or by the pool.  Every summer I would buy a Restoration Hardware beach bag to use for the summer.  The problem was it  was not water resistant or sand resistant so it would get gross and dirty very easily.  I had sunscreens floating around the bag lose that would end up squirting out into the bag, never could find my keys or money and most the kids wet suits were just lose in the bag.  Basically it was a disorganized mess.  A month before I resigned from Merck  I had an "a ha" moment when I came across sail cloth for the first time.  I said to my husband..."what if I design the perfect beach bag? One that’s fashionable, functional, durable, water-resistant, sand resistant, lightweight and machine washable?" December 31, 2012 was my last day with Merck and by the end of March I had my first batch of Hayden Reis bags- Made in the USA!  Hayden Reis bags are carried in over 30 stores all over the country and in the next couple of months we will be launched a gym bag line of sail cloth totes.

1. What time does your day start and how? My day starts at 6:30am.  I get the kids up, dressed and feed and we leave the house by 7:45am.Kindergarten starts at 8:30am for Hayden and then bring Reese to preschool downtown.

2. What time does your day end and how? Every day is different. Depends if we have dance, tennis, t-ball or tutor.  Most days I get the kids around 4:30 from Discovery Days after care program and then head to our evening activity. Usually don’t get home until about 6pm. Sometimes earlier- sometimes later.

3. Do you work from home or in a office? What is the set up likeI have an office in the Rosemary District. If I didn't have that office I would get very little work done.  Instead I would find things to clear or straighten around the house.  Having an office downtown was one of the best decisions I made when I started Hayden Reis a year ago.

4. Do you speak/see your children (child) throughout the day? If yes, how/when?

Not usually. Sometime I will have lunch with Hayden at Southside.  Its a nice break in the day for me.

5. What is the best thing about being a working mother? Hardest?

There are a few things I think are positives to being a working mother.  One is teaching my kids a strong work ethic.  They see how hard I work and it inspires them to work hard too.  Reese tells me she wants to grow up and  sell bags with me:)  It's very cute.  I also find that I appreciate my time with the kids so much more than I would if I was home with them all the time.  And lastly it's important for me to keep my brain engaged.  
The hardest part about being a working mother is keeping an organized household.  I love structure and its hard sometimes to keep it all straight.  If I don't put appointments in my calendar I will never remember where I have to be.  I love to cook dinner for my family and keep a clean house and not let laundry pile up.  Unfortunately, sometimes those things go by the waist side because there isn't enough time in the day to get it all done.  I'm learning that.

6. Be honest, what is the one thing you envy about stay at home moms?

I have so much respect for stay at home moms.  It’s a tough job!  Kids grow up so fast and as a working mom I am not around as much as a stay at home mom.  I have to travel for business frequently and I hate waking up in the morning and going to sleep at night without my family. 

 

A Day To Myself!

After weeks of worrying about my son and his surgeries( those are over now) I woke up yesterday morning and just felt crappy.  I mean there is no other way to explain it then crappy. I knew it was time for me to take a day to myself. So I dropped the kids off at daycare, yes I did not go to work but they went to daycare (time to judge), then came home and went back to bed. I slept and then got up and had lunch and did some things  around the house and took a shower. I adore my kids and my husband but every once in a while I need a day where I am not being asked for more goldfish and juice or asking my two year old every 10 minutes if she needs to go pee-pee in the potty. I needed a day of silence and reruns of the Real Housewives!
As mothers we wear so many hats and just run ourselves to the ground, so to stay on top of my game I need to recharge my batteries every once in a while, granted I would much rather do that at a spa some where. So all the ladies out there take time for yourself, it is so important to do that.  I feel it makes me a better mother in the long run.

How Do You Do It? Emily Walsh

How Do You Do It?

Emily Walsh, Chief Digital Officer of The Observer Group, Inc

Photo Credit: Alex Stafford Photography
 

 

I met Emily about 13 years ago when she and my sister became fast friends in a sorority at FSU.  Since they were both from the same town put them on the fast track for being best buds (still are today). After college Emily moved back to Sarasota and began working for her parents emerging publishing empire.  Today the Observer Media Group has grown to 8 newspapers, five websites, a quarterly arts and social magazine and employs nearly 100 people.  Emily started as the Black Tie editor (7 years) and then moved onto her current role as Chief Digital Officer. She sits on the board of several not-for-profit organizations as well as chairs some of Sarasota’s best events. Emily has been named one of the “100 Most Powerful People” by Sarasota Magazine in 2007,  received the “She Knows Where She’s Going” Award in 2006 by Girls Inc. of Sarasota, “Caring Heart of the Year” award in 2012 by First Step of Sarasota, and “25 under 35 - The Next Generation of Publishing Leaders” in 2012 by Editor and Publisher Magazine. Not only is Emily on track to one day taking over for her parents, but she does it all while raising her adorable 2-year old son, Rhys. She is a hands-on mother who manages to do all that she can and be a working mother.  So, Emily Walsh, how do you do it? 

 

1. What time does your day start and how? My day starts at 6 a.m. when my alarm on my iPhone goes off. Then I proceed to hit snooze a few more times. Finally, I'll take a quick look at my email, calendar, Facebook and headlines before I force myself out of bed between 6:30 and 6:45 a.m. to get a head start on getting ready for the day before my two-and-a-half year-old son, Rhys, wakes up. 

 

2. What time does your day end and how? My office day ends around 5 p.m. I used to stay at the office late before I had my son. Now I make a point to spend some quality time together before bedtime. Then after Rhys goes to bed, I'll usually pop my laptop open for another hour or so of work before settling in bed around 10:30 (well ... more like 11 p.m.) with a good book on my iPad. 

 

 3. Do you work from home or in a office? What is the set up like? 

I work in an office. My desk is full of "creative chaos." :)

 

 

 

4. Do you speak/see your children (child) throughout the day? If yes, how/when?

Rhys goes to Early Care Center at First United Methodist downtown, so he's usually busy learning and playing with his friends while I'm at work. However, his mom is really good at forgetting things for class parties until the hour before so I'll see him when I'm delivering goodies in the afternoon. 

 

 

 

5. What is the best thing about being a working mother? Hardest?
The best thing about being a working mother is setting an example for my son. I hope that he'll be proud of the accomplishments I've created in our business and industry as well as the future I've helped create for him. The hardest is trying to juggle it all: work, home, family, friends and personal life. 

 

 6. Be honest, what is the one thing you envy about stay at home moms?
All the wonderful hours during the week they get to spend with their kids. They can keep the laundry. ;)

 

 

Emily’s must have items of the moment!

 
 
 iPhone - For emails, calendar, music, Facebook and the camera apps for cute pics of the little guy and FaceTime when I'm not with him

 

iPad - Especially useful when loaded with Power Ranger episodes for dinners out (for Rhys) and all my newspaper and magazine subscriptions and novels of the moment.

 

   Starbucks Verismo coffee maker - Changed my life ... hot, fresh, Starbucks café lattes made from a pod ... For reals. 

 

Ralph Lauren Classic Cotton T-shirts in Red - I've managed to convince Rhys that these are the shirts that Jayden, the Red Ranger (from Power Rangers), wears to school. Otherwise, getting dressed would be very difficult. 

 

Ray-Ban Original Wayfarer sunglasses - I'm in love with the Blue Music shade. 

 

Bluetooth - Absolutely necessary to multi-task while driving with 2-year old so you can make phone calls handsfree as well as Spotify and Pandora music listening pleasure. 

 

 

 

Love this and so true!

While doing my usual drive by of Facebook post I came across this article from the Huffington post. It is funny, brutally honest and in my opinion true. Check it out.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/una-lamarche/how-to-be-a-perfect-parent_b_2888253.html

Great Weekend!

So little man had a very successful surgery on Friday. He was only back with the doctor for about 5 minutes and he was done.  He is breathing like a champ now. Hopefully we are done with all of this. So after that went well it was time for some family fun to celebrate St. Patrick's day at our local Sam Snead's Tavern (www.samsneads.com).  They have a great Irish band, corned beef and cabbage and plenty of Guinness. It has become a family tradition and now that my little sister is expecting the group will be adding another next year. Below are some fun pictures from the day.
It is really fun to start traditions with your kids.




My Little Guy!

So my son is now 13 months old and since birth has had some minor health issues. It started with acid reflux (meds until recently), then we got that under control only to start with a ear infection that lasted several months. We went though about 10 antibiotics and 1 trip to the ER.  We then figured it was time for tubes. So after a trip to All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg. Let me just tell you All Children's Hospital is an amazing establishment. The staff is great and the whole experience was top notch. Granted we had minor procedure done, and I know there are many parents and kids there for many reasons, but they have a well oiled ship there. So my little guy was doing well until some cultures came back of his sinuses he has a major infection and back on antibiotics for 20 days!!! Then after the 20 days it was back to All Children's for a CT scan . The scan came back that my son still had an infection and virtually the smallest (almost non existent) sinuses. Next step surgery. So two weeks ago my son went under to basically create sinuses for him. We then headed to our doctors surgery center in Tampa for the procedure. He came out of surgery just great but it has been a challenging.  He cannot breath out of his nose due to swelling and so sleep has been difficult in us all. As I write this we are on the eve of his last surgery. I certainly hope that this will be the last and he can get the relief he will need.

This is how he came out of surgery the first time!