Resolve Beyond January

January 10, 2020 by Heather Reid in adulting, celebrations, finding quiet, holiday, momlife, work

Welcome to the New Year! Time to get off the couch and back to the real world where you are expected to wear pants and function in society once again. This year I’m setting goals through seasonal themes to keep me motivated beyond the New Year’s burst of enthusiasm. This structure offers a chance to check in throughout the year, rather than going out in a blaze of glory when Oreo launches a new flavor in January. (Side note: Chocolate marshmallow? That hardly seems fair.)

The (Not Always) Happiest Time of the Year

December 10, 2019 by Heather Reid in adulting, celebrations, family, holiday, home

love Christmas, every part. Cookies and food and seasonal music, yes, please. I make menus and gift lists, and I obsess about all the details. The kids and I count down to Santa’s visit, and the Elf on the Shelf (his name is Bubbles) is in full effect every night.

This essay should be right up my tinsel-laden alley.

But not this year.

The Hand-Me-Down Blues

September 16, 2019 by Heather Reid in adulting, fashion, home, kids, memories, momlife

My kids have so many clothes.

I’d like to blame my Rockstar-shopping Mom, but she’s really miraculous to behold. If I happen to mention to her that the kids would use an extra rash guard shirt or some variety of pants - like clockwork - a package appears on our porch with said items, and extra treat or two and some paper green anacondas. (That’s a whole other story.)

What's in a Name?

August 24, 2019 by Heather Reid in adulting, adultlife, family, feminism, momlife, memories

At one point in my life, I used my maiden name as my middle name, and my husband’s last name as my own, but then my middle name disappeared. I remember seeing my ‘new’ name on some official document and I found it disorienting and unfamiliar.

Where was my name? Who was this? Where had I gone?

The Best Worst Vacation

June 30, 2019 by Heather Reid in adulting, celebrations, family, holiday, in memoriam, memories, momlife

In my life I have been lucky to have the opportunity to travel around the world and across the country, but in my heart, none of them will ever come close to the vacations my family took when I was growing up.

Exceeds Expectations: A Tale of a Mom's Report Card

May 20, 2019 by Heather Reid in adulting, adultlife, education, family, kids, memories, work

Babies are not good at communication. Beyond malodorous clues, the new little person that I was suddenly responsible for was really terrible at telling me how things were going. For those of us who thrive on positive reinforcement, this was frustrating.

Bad Sport: The Art of Becoming a Passionate Cheerleader

April 01, 2019 by Heather Reid in adulting, adultlife, chicago, family, sports, momlife

The transition from an extremely competitive wanna-be athlete to a Mom on the sidelines is going to be tough for me, I just know it.

I, Phone: My Dysfunctional Digital Life

March 13, 2019 by Heather Reid in adulting, family, finding quiet, guilt, kids, work, politics

I checked in everywhere. I posted witty updates and tag friends and places. I quoted insightful articles. I was in the maelstrom of social media, and I reveled in the connectivity, the community of it all. I loved it.

Until I didn’t.

Saying Goodbye to Max

February 03, 2019 by Heather Reid in adulting, family, in memoriam, kids, memories, momlife

There’s something of a miracle in each pet that enters our lives. Without Maximus, we never would have found Matty. And without both of them, we might not have been ready to be parents together.

The Power of Purple Hair

January 24, 2019 by Heather Reid in adulting, adultlife, family, feminism

As my birthday approached, I thought about where I wanted to go in the next year of my life. What was I waiting for?