Kristine Burns nominated Loretta as her #MomCrush in our Nom-A-Mom program that recognizes and celebrates Moms, like you and me, for those small (and sometimes large) wins we have along the journey of Motherhood. Kristine wrote us and told us about Loretta (a mother of four) who she admires and looks up to. She wrote,
"She always puts others first and has taken in children from other family members several times even when she was not financially prepared for it in that moment. She has taught me that its better to help any child in need, even if it means putting a little extra stress on yourself. She is beyond selfless and expects nothing back in return for her good deeds."
Thank you Kristine, for sharing your #MomCrush with us! Because we chose Kristine and Loretta's story, we have awarded Kristine with $50 worth of Oilogic products. Loretta has won $100 to treat herself and $100 to the charity of her choice. She chose Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Foundation because "my mother was a breast cancer survivor and a very close friend of mine was also diagnosed recently with breast cancer."
Finally, we asked Loretta a few more questions about herself so we could better learn more about why she is awesome-sauce. Here is what we learned:
4 kids ages 18, 16, 13 and 11
Watching my kids when they get along. Seeing them smile and truly enjoying one another as they play or just hang out. Especially when we would make time for a family vacation.
Sweets of any kind, wine and Disneyland
Alive: Martha Stewart so I could learn how to be a better baker. Deceased: my father, mother, twin brother and 2 sisters. I lost them all between a close window of each other and would love to see them again.
Goofy, dependable and loyal
To fly. I love birds and would love to fly like one even though I'm terrified of heights. I'm not to sure how that would work out now that I think about it more. (LOL! :))
Loretta, we loved getting to know ya'! Maybe sometime we can go to Disneyland with you to drink wine, eat cake and ride the roller coasters. Thanks for being a really awesome human, inspiring mother and loyal friend.
Nominate her now in our Nom-A-Mom program HERE!
Jessi was nominated by her friend, Mandy Bui, as her #MomCrush. She wrote to tell us that, "Jessi is a rock star! She's a full time physical therapist and a full time Mom to 3 beautiful and smart little girls! Jessi has been able to maintain an enviable work/life balance, and she is committed outside of work and family to her health (practicing yoga & running marathons!), and maintaining & supporting her friendships! Jessi's husband (who is a full time firefighter) volunteers at a camp for kids with burn injuries every year, which means Jessi commits to being a single parent for a whole week every summer, so her husband can continue to serve these deserving children at camp! Jessi is an inspiration to me and I hope to have as strong a relationship with my husband, kids & friends in my future!!".
Wow! Awesome! We are so glad to recognize you Jessi and the inspiration you are to your family and friends.
Because Jessi was chosen as our #MomCrush, she has won $100 to treat herself and $100 to the charity of her choice. Not surprisingly, Jessi chose Parklands Burn Camp for Children where her husband volunteers each summer. What an awesome organization to recognize, Jessi.
We wanted to learn a little more about Jessi, so we asked her a few questions. We had so much fun getting to know her, and we know you will too!
3 daughters, Ryan Layne age 7, Emma Reese age 5, Pollyanna Jane age 16 months.
Watching my girls discover new things and seeing the world through their precious, innocent eyes. Their unconditional love and grace is the greatest gift.
I showed up to kindergarten round up WITHOUT my kindergartner! I thought it was just for parents, so I had to run and grab her from her grandparents house! The worst part was my husband had tried to tell me that he thought it was for the kids too and I adamantly told him he was wrong......
Dark beer and dark chocolate and watching the Bachelor.
My husband, Chris, has been a volunteer camp counselor at Parklands Burn Camp for children for over ten years and I have worked at Parkland for almost the same amount of time. I have gotten the privilege of working with many burn survivor children as their physical therapist and he has had the same privilege of getting to know these same kids and watching them grow over the years at camp each summer. Parklands burn camp is free for any child who was burned and treated at Parkland and I know this money will go towards the continued success and life changing experiences this camp offers to children who have been burned.
Read and pray
From the living I would choose Michelle Obama.
From the deceased I would choose my grandmother, Pollyanna, who passed away when my own mother was only 7 years old and whom my youngest daughter is named after.
Determined
Dedicated
Compassionate
To not need sleep! I want the power to not feel tired. I always have so much that I cram into my day that I sometimes sacrifice sleep.
Read, run, practice yoga, have a beer on a patio with my husband.
Sleep! Unless I had that superhero power to not need it any longer. 😉
Congrats again, Jessi! We loved getting to know you and learning more about you.
Nominate Her Now HERE
Sumar was nominated by Abbigail Getty as her #MomCrush through our Nom-A-Mom program. Abbigail told us that Sumar is a passionate lactation consultant in the neonatal intensive care unit and registered nurse. Sumar made all the difference in learning how to successfully breastfeed her daughter by visiting her house several times to teach, and always showed up with fruit, muffins, flowers and a positive attitude. She was loving and patient as they worked through the process together.
Abbigail wrote that a quote by Proust sums up Sumar perfectly, "Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.". Sumar, we applaud you for making many souls blossom in the NICU as well being a charming gardener to your sweet friend, Abbigail.
As our winner, Sumar has won $100 to treat herself to something nice, and a $100 donation in her name to the charity of her choice! Sumar has chosen the March of Dimes as her charity. The March of Dimes has such an amazing mission to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.
We also sent Abbigail some Oilogic goodies for taking the time to recognize her #MomCrush, Sumar.
We asked Sumar a few questions to get to know her better...
OILOGIC: BOY MOM! Sumar has 3 sons, ages 15, 10 and 4 years.
SUMAR: I think my favorite thing about being a mom is teaching my boys about the world, traveling, sharing new experiences as a family. Also, they think I'm the most BEAUTIFUL woman they've ever seen. Warms my heart!
OILOGIC: Those boys sure do love their mamas!
SUMAR: Probably my shameless love of trendy pop music.
OILOGIC: We are loving the new song out by Justin Timberlake, "Can't Stop That Feeling" - Makes us want to have a dance party in our office!
SUMAR: Catch up on Pinterest boards, Etsy sales, and Facebook friends.
OILOGIC: Us too! Except not just at night, we also do it after breakfast, in the carpool line, and while watching reality TV :/
SUMAR: Definitely Susan Branch. And Abbigail and her girls would be invited and we would talk about the natural world and listen to her stories and learn from her spirit.
OILOGIC: Aaah so sweet! Sounds like a fun dinner party!
SUMAR: Passionate, Teacher, Curious.
OILOGIC: Yep, we just met and we can totally recognize those qualities in you.
SUMAR: I'm pretty familiar with superheroes and their powers (extensive education with 3 boys and husband in the house). I'm pretty sure I would choose the power of healing. I would heal the WORLD! All ailments, the climate, the hearts and minds of many.... You name it, I'll heal it."
OILOGIC: Awesome, love it! Have you ever considered running for President? We could use someone like you in Washington.
SUMAR: I enjoy gardening. I find it relaxing and gratifying to work with the Earth to make things grow and be beautiful (Abbigail and I have this in common).
Congratulations again, Sumar! Keep up the great work in the NICU, with your boys and as a friend. You are an inspiration to us!
Nominate Her Now HERE
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Her amazing friend, Lisa Grund, nominated her as her #MomCrush through our "Nom-A-Mom" program, which asks our customers to nominate those friends/family members in their life that they want to recognize for any recent "wins" (either big or small) they may have had as a mom. After all, we are all on this journey of motherhood together and we know it takes a village to raise a mom :) We need to support, mentor and help each other through the daily tribulations of Mommyhood and celebrate each other's wins - whether big or small.
Lisa told us that Nikki is "...wise, brave, and passionately committed to the well-being of her children not only spiritually but in every way a mother can". We loved what she wrote and for that reason, we are recognizing her as our first ever official #MomCrush!
As our winner, Nikki has won $100 to treat herself to something nice, and a $100 donation in her name to the charity of her choice! Nikki has chosen Preemptive Love Coalition (Read more, CLICK HERE) as her charity. Read more about why she chose this awesome organization below! We also gave Lisa a little somethin', somethin' too for introducing us to Nikki :)
Want to know a little bit more about why Nikki is so great? We asked her a few questions about herself to get to know her better and here is what we learned.
"I have three kids: A 3.5 year old daughter, a 2 year old son, and a 9 month old son. My husband and I have been married for almost 7 years, and I'm living my dream: Being a stay-at-home wife and mom. That is NOT to say that it's all rainbows and unicorns--having three children ages three and under is what you could call "intense." :-)"
"My most recent mom fail was this weekend. The past few days have been unseasonably hot for our area, and--just like EVERY YEAR when we have our first sunny days where the kids can play outside--I totally forgot the sunscreen. Sure enough, my 2 year old son (who basically lives outside when the weather permits) has a nicely toasted pink face! Thank goodness he was at least wearing a long sleeved shirt!"
"My favorite thing about being a mom has got to be the sweet, snuggly newborn stage. Even though I'm way beyond tired, always smell faintly of sour milk, and feel unkempt and bloated and like I'm never....ever...going...to...emerge...from...the...newborn...sleep...deprived...fog...I am also beyond in love with nursing and rocking a tiny baby in the stillness of a sleeping house in the middle of the night. With the way each baby burrows perfectly in the crook of my neck and shoulder. With the way I'm the source of nourishment, comfort, and first smiles. With tiny feet and fingers, tiny creases on feet bottoms and skinny little chicken legs before they get those luscious thigh rolls (though I love their thigh rolls, too!). With the milk comas and the way they will sleep ANYWHERE, so in spite of having a newborn and no energy and having not slept in weeks, you are strangely free to do things almost like you don't have a baby. Ah, yes, I have to stop--I'm going to give myself baby fever!"
"My guilty pleasure is giant chocolate chip cookies from the grocery store. Or chocolate ice cream--the chocolatier, the better. I can almost never justify the cost, but when I do, I will DEVOUR as much of Ben & Jerry's "Tonight Dough" as I can afford!"
"If I had an extra hour in the day, I would totally spend it reading design/home/DIY blogs. The Nesting Place is my #1 pick, but I love a lot of them--Young House Love, Little Green Notebook and Vintage Revivals are way up there, too!"
"I chose the Preemptive Love Coalition as my charity for a couple of reasons. As their website says, "Preemptive Love is a global movement of peacemakers changing the way we engage the world’s most polarizing conflicts by confronting fear with acts of love...Every day, you make choices that either sustain conflict or transform it. In the face of terror, you can confront fear with preemptive love and remake the world." Preemptive Love does this by providing lifesaving heart surgeries for children, emergency relief for families victimized by ISIS, empowering grants for small business owners, education for at-risk children, and a variety of other avenues. The surgeries they provide to children in Iraq with heart defects, though, is what really stirs me. Before becoming a mom, I worked as a cardiac sonographer, performing ultrasound exams of the heart. Then, my first child was diagnosed with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia that required major surgery when she was 21 hours old. I can't imagine the anguish of moms and dads in broken countries like Iraq, watching their children die of heart defects that are treatable--sometimes easily treatable--in America. If I can help an Iraqi mom's child get the medical care that I took for granted for my daughter, I am all about that!"
WOW, Nikki! You really are an amazing woman, mommy, wife and friend. We understand why you are Lisa's #MomCrush and we enjoyed getting to know you. Thank you for being so honest and real. We could not be more excited to celebrate you!
Nominate Her now HERE OilogicCare.com/pages/Nom-A-Mom