To celebrate those who are still waiting to become mothers, to those who have lost a child, and to all the mothers who show up consistently, day after day. You are brave, resilient, and we wouldn’t be who we are today without you.
This week we sat down with our friend Victoria of The Blonde Budget to interview her on all things family and motherhood!
Tell us a little about yourself!
Hi there! I was raised just down the coast in Ventura, CA where I started dating my husband at 15 years old. We’ve been together ever since! In 2015, we finished paying off my school loans and ended up paying off $65,000 in under 3 years. In the last few years, we’ve welcomed our two boys (Daniel, 2.5 and Micah, 2 months!). Being a budget coach, I’m passionate about helping others implement safeguards for their spending and getting out of debt!
How were you introduced to Parker Clay? And what is your favorite bag to carry when you are with your kids?
I was introduced to Parker Clay almost from the very beginning. My sister-in-love, Lauren brought home this gorgeous bag and after eyeing it up, I knew I had to have one. Almost 5 years ago, my first bag was the black Merkato tote and it’s even more beautiful today. When I’m out with my kiddos, I reach most-often for it because it’s so easy to throw over my shoulder. On longer days, I tend to gravitate towards the longer straps on my rust brown Eden. I love that these bags effortlessly replace the need for a “traditional” diaper bag and obviously style isn’t compromised either!
As you know, this series is all about Motherhood! Tell us what motherhood looks like for you right now.
My “mama” skills have been stretched and tested these last few weeks as we welcomed our second son just before things really got heavy with COVID-19. Mornings and afternoons are often filled with whatever *somewhat* educational game I can think of, using supplies in my closet and keeping Daniel occupied while my husband works as a CPA from the kitchen table. Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty of TV watching too (and I’m okay with that right now). In between chasing my toddler, nursing and playing with Micah, and trying to keep them away from the kitchen that is now our home office, I work! I get to meet with clients and help with their budgets while juggling a few other side hustles. Can you tell I love to stay busy?
We know you aren’t the only woman in your family with a Parker Clay ( the love runs deep! ) Tell us about those women!
I feel fortunate to be surrounded by very stylish women, ha! It’s not rare to see several Parker Clay bags when the family is all together. In fact, they’re mostly all any of us use! It’s fun to see the different Parker Clay bags hanging on the backs of chairs at holidays when we’re all together, but sometimes we definitely get them mixed up!
What's something you admire most from a woman in your life? Do you try to emulate that in your own life?
More recently, I’ve learned to admire the skill of confidence in a woman. Confidence in who she was made as a child of God! A confident woman of God is true to her needs and doesn’t require affirmation from anyone or anything outside of Jesus Christ himself! For me, this means confidently expressing my emotions however they may happen, and continuing to find my identity in the Lord and nothing else.
What has been one of the most valuable lessons or experiences you’ve learned in motherhood so far?
Much like your company’s theme “We Go Together”, I feel the same about motherhood. I’m surrounded (digitally, right now) by friends and family that are walking this journey of motherhood with me. I have my two mamas that have been in my shoes and I can look to them knowing they’ve made it on the other side of the toddler years. Ha! I have friends in the same season as me and it’s been so refreshing to even text in the middle of the night sometimes to get an “oh my gosh, me too!” You know what they say- It takes a village. It really does!
What advice do you have for a woman who is about to become a mother for the first time?
Give yourself grace. All the planning and trying to anticipate “what will be” isn’t bad, but more often than not, what ACTUALLY happens is different AND better. One thing you can definitely count on is being overwhelmed by the amount of love you’ll feel for that sweet baby. No matter how they come into the world, nothing can prepare you for it and I think that’s one of the best parts! So many people will tell you they wish they could freeze the baby months, but I’ve actually really loved every age. Plus, it’s nice when your child can hold up their own head and you don’t feel like you’re carrying around a porcelain doll! Ha!
This is a strange time in our world to say the least - how are you balancing it all? Any tip to share on how you can survive and thrive through it?
It sure is! We get by each day with a lot of Jesus, FaceTime calls, play Doh, and snacks. More recently, I’ve been loving two apps I can use audibly while nursing or during bath time. They’re prayer and devotional apps called Lectio365 and Pause. I highly recommend both to the busy mama that constantly needs her cup refilled (let’s be honest- who doesn’t need that?!)