mother’s day

WHY MY MOM IS MY BEST VINA

/ csdutoit / Leave a comment

The shops are now filled with beautiful floral arrangements, unique mug designs are on the shelves and pamper packages are a dime a dozen. Yep, it’s time for Mother’s Day!

Yes, many people say, ‘you shouldn’t just tell your mom how much you love her once a year,’ (kind of like the Valentine’s Day critics), and I do agree to some extent. However, now everything is mom-themed and for a change it’s not hard to find a key ring that says ‘World’s Best Mom’. That’s what I aim to show my mom this year, that not only is she my world’s BEST MOM, but she’s also my best vina. What follow are 5 reasons why my mom is my best vina, so here they are:

DISTANCE, WHO CARES? NOTHING CHANGES

Candice and her mom
Me and my mom 🙂

In a world today where young adults aim to travel and experience the world, we often find ourselves away from home for long periods of time. In my case, I moved around the country, but not once would my mom miss a thing. When we talk, she doesn’t miss a single beat. It was as if she’d been staying next door to me the entire time, and I just sat in her lounge and unwound after the crazy days at the office.

SHE’S SEEN IT ALL

Being with my mom, I get to be my most natural self. No being the ‘perfect wife’ or the ‘star employee.’ When I’m with her I get to be my introverted self, with dreams of a simpler life. I can share my true feelings, emotions and thoughts with her and I can tell her all my secrets, knowing it won’t be circling through a few other ears a week later. Plus she’s seen it all. Every phase I have ever gone through, every colour I’ve died my hair and every broken memory. (OMG… I’m trying not to cry here!)

SHE UNDERSTANDS

Another reason my mom is my best vina is the judgement-free zone that she and I have with each other. Like I mentioned before, she knows the deepest secrets I have. She listens to me when I need to rant or cry over an argument with my husband, and she never passes judgement on me or anyone. (Except she obviously takes my side deep down…)

MOM’S ADVICE IS PROBABLY THE BEST ADVICE

Candice, her mom, and her brother
Christmas gang

When we’re young, we don’t always want to admit that mom knows best, but when we get older we learn that it is indeed so. When we do ask mom for advice, she is also most likely to give you the best outsider perceptive as she probably understands your background, history and why it is that you’re having a dilemma in the first place.

MOM IS MY NUMBER ONE FAN

 I could decide tomorrow that I was packing up my life as we know it and am going to travel the world as a backpacker or go live off the grid in a small deserted town, and one thing will always be for sure is that she will support me in whatever I decide to put my mind to. She would obviously question everything, but it is only out of love and to make sure I am doing it with the right mind and for the right reasons.

No relationship is perfect, but if it were, just imagine how boring life would be…

A THANK YOU LETTER TO MOMS EVERYWHERE

/ Erin Rose Belair / Leave a comment

Mom:

It seems too simple to just say, thank you, as if those words might somehow cover the ground in which they come from. How do I thank you for the many millions of different things you have done for me?

I want start by saying thank you for bringing me into this life, for creating a home for me within your body, and for sacrificing in ways I cannot yet understand your own person to make me so. I quite literally owe you my life.

I think at a younger age I might not have fully understood that you were anything other than my mother, because that role, that part of you, seemed to take up so much space and it was for so long the only way I knew you. But, as I have become my own person I have been able to see that before I arrived you had an entire life, and heartache, and happiness, and late nights, and shitty jobs, and half furnished apartments, and lovers, and a million other things I cannot point to– thank you for sharing your life with me.london-scout-27290.jpg

You have shaped me in every way and the best parts of me are you. Your lessons have seeped into me and made me the kind of person I am today, and I owe you everything for this. You are infused into everything I do from the way I make a sandwich to how carefully weigh my decisions. I cannot even begin to dissect how much of me has been made in your likeness. I would not be the same person without your sensibility, your style, your love of music and thoughts on the world.

I know I was not always an easy person to be near, and there were those teenage years in which I am sure you sometimes did not recognize me. As much as I want to thank you, I fear I have just as much to apologize for, but we are both only human. Thank you for sticking it out with me.

I know being my mother is only one of the many things you have been in this life, but I hope you know it has been the most vital to mine. Thank you seems too thin a word, so please take this rest of these to back it up. I love you, and Happy Mother’s Day.

Sincerely,

Me

Share this with your mom and tell her just how much you love her!

MOTHER’S DAY GIFTS FOR EVERY TYPE OF MOM

/ Jenna Huerster / 1 Comment

Mother’s Day is right around the corner.  This means it’s time to show our mom’s some affection whether we’re spending time with them, sending them a phone call or buying them a fun gift.  But what do you buy for the women who helped mold us into the Vina’s that we are today? Here are some awesome gift ideas for all of the mom’s everywhere!

FOR THE FOODIE MOM

Taking your mom out to her favorite restaurant is always a great time. You could even hit up that new brunch spot you saw the other day.  But why not take your moms love of food and mix it with her love of bonding time with you? Grab a reservation to a cooking class that the both of you can enjoy! Learn how to make a new food and maybe find a new hobby for the both of you.

FOR THE FITSPO MOM

It’s so important to stay active!  If you have an active mom who likes to walk, run, bike or just work it out then grab her a new fitness tracker.  The Fitbit or Apple Watch are perfect to pair up with your mom and can be completely customizable to someones unique style and activity habits.  You can totally up that gift by throwing in a yoga class for two and namaste together.

FOR THE TECH MOM

Selfie time!  Grab your mom some new accessories including an attachable camera lens that fits right on your phones camera.  Not only will you take crazy quality photos, but you can make them fun by using a mini fish eye lens.  Family pictures just got ten times better.

FOR THE NATURE MOM

Build your own indoor terrariums.  This is another awesome gift that you two can make together.  All you need is a fun planter or glass terrarium case, and some cute succulents.  Put in some dirt and arrange your plants however you like.  You can even add some flowers, stones and crystals.  Not only do they look crazy awesome when they’re done, but what’s more unique than a “living” gift?

FOR THE SENTIMENTAL MOM

Keep it classic this mother’s day.  Two of my favorite go-to gifts are always a hit with my mom whose favorite present is me!  Get your mother an updated family photo in a killer frame for her to show off to all of her friends.  You could even do a reenactment of a photo you had from when you were a kid to make it fun.  And you can always make a heartfelt card.  Nothing says “I love you” like a cute note in a handmade card.

What are you getting/making your mother for Mother’s Day? Let us know in the comments down below! 

(Feature image via Carissa Gallo)

A LOVE LETTER TO NEW MOMS!

/ Erin Rose Belair / 1 Comment
dlee_bozhani-baby
via @dlee_bozhani

Happy Mother’s Day you beautiful, courageous, fiercely loved woman. We welcome you. We celebrate you. We tip our hats to you. You literally brought a new human into this world. It’s pretty crazy, incredible, and it deserves all the celebrating!

Entering into motherhood is kind of like moving out for the first time, or that semester you lived abroad. It can be a daunting and overwhelming transition, and it can take over. There’s a real importance in surrounding yourself with strong women who are in the same boat as you. Few experiences will so wholly alter your life and rattle your identity as becoming a mother, but change is good, change is right, change is evolving and we want to be there for you and with you.

One of the greatest parts of the new mommy club is all the other kick-ass mommies that are figuring this out too. Finding them, with their deep understanding of the late nights and puke in your hair, can create a sense of camaraderie like nothing else. They’re going to just get you. So, this Mother’s Day we want you to treat yourself to a new best friend.

krista.horton_baby
via @krista.horton

Motherhood is a lifestyle, there’s no doubt about that! In transitional times, our once close friends might not always fit the bill. Your bedtime is earlier, your phone is full of songs about farm animals, and your idea of a good time simply alters as you become a new version of yourself. There is nothing wrong with any of this, and this is not about cutting people out. It’s all about bringing people in.

Why is this so important? Major shifts in life are handled best when you’re surrounded by people who understand where your head is at, or who are losing theirs right alongside you. They can help carry the load, swap babysitting duties, complain about breast pumps with you, and actually appreciate a good poop story. Wouldn’t that just be the best thing ever? Most of all, they will understand that you are still you. Becoming a mother hasn’t changed your core, it’s just added a little extra flair and a lot more things to load into the car.

Let Hey! VINA link you up with some other like-minded mommies who understand the importance of picking a kid friendly restaurant and the beauty in sleeping an extra twenty minutes. Take those mimosas to the park or read tabloids together while the Care Bears play in the background because we think expanding your inner circle is the best gift you can give yourself.

We get you. We love you. Happy Mother’s Day.

3 REASONS YOUR MOM NEEDS HEY! VINA

/ Erin Rose Belair / Leave a comment

older-mom-with-younger-daughter

via Celeb Baby Laundry

Your mom needs Hey! VINA, and she doesn’t even know it yet. The older you get, the more life changes. Making new friends becomes a challenge and the friends you used to have might not be there anymore. For Mother’s Day, be the best daughter ever and give her the one thing money can’t buy: a new best friend.

 

Now, don’t be surprised if you’re met with some resistance. After all, Hey! VINA is new, it’s digital, and like most amazing things (microwave ovens, electric toothbrushes, etc.), it may seem a little strange at first. We’ll help you convince Mom that Hey! VINA is the hottest thing since sliced bread.

  1. AN EMPTY NEST SHOULDN’T MEAN EMPTINESS – Growing up, your mom’s world revolved around you. She put her big plans on the back burner, waiting to revisit them once you were grown. Now that time has come, but what’s she doing with it? She spends more time catching up on daytime TV than planning her European backpacking trip or learning how to paint. What she needs is an accountabili-buddy! Friends can be an amazing source of motivation. Learning a new skill or planning a trip is made so much more enjoyable when you’re doing it in the company of friends.
  2. IT’S GOOD FOR HER HEALTH – Some days, the only reason you leave the house and put pants on is because a friend wants to get lunch or needs a ride or somehow convinces you to go to yoga. We all get like that, and the same can be said for your mom. Having friends is a massive motivator to do pretty much anything, even basic necessities like eating and bathing. Think about Mom, sans bathrobe, going out for a night of dancing with a new vina. Or getting involved in water aerobics with said friend. They could wear those cute swim caps with flowers on them. Think of all the good you’ll be doing.swim-caps2
  3. BUSY MOMS DON’T BOTHER – We know you love her, we do, but does it ever feel like she’s mothering a little too much? She told you what to do, when to go to bed, what to wear, and what to eat while you were under her roof, but it doesn’t seem to have stopped now that you’re on your own. We know she means well, but you’d rather her be off having fun than sitting at home worrying about you. Helping her find fulfilling friendships and her own social life means more time to be in charge of yours. We call that a win-win.

We could go on. We could talk about how making friends might increase her social and cultural awareness, how it will boost her confidence, how it might help stave off social isolation which can lead to depression, how it can help keep her mind and body active and youthful. Not to be dramatic, but you’re saving a life. Hey, we said we were up to something good over here.

Share the love with mom and sign her up for Hey! VINA. She wants you to, she just doesn’t know it yet.