My Mom means the world to me. She is my best friend. We have this thing where we laugh so hard that no sound comes out, and then simultaneously we make this loud “horn sounding noise” as tears stream down our faces and our bellies hurt.

My brothers and father just stare when this happens. Even now as I say this, I miss her to my core and have a huge smile.

Here are a couple pics of the two of us:

Isn’t she the cutest thing ever?

When I look back, I see how my Mom’s lifestyle and her choices influence so much of who I am.

Here are important life lessons my Mom taught me that I bring to you today:

Bargain Shopping with Style – Hello TJ Maxx & Marshalls! Hands down one of our favorite things to do is find great bargains and stellar fashion pieces that get lost in the shuffle. My mom taught me that no matter how much inexpensive an items is, if you know you’re personal style and how to dress to play up your assets, you can pull anything off and make it look like a million bucks! Ladies this is SO true!

Mindful Eating – my Mom and I would sit, dip our biscotti in tea, and take our beautiful time with each other. It was our nighttime ritual and I adored it! To this day, I love tea and each night have a warm cup of something and think of her!

Know Good Quality – my Mom never got rid of things. She prefers to re-purpose or reupholster, but the idea of throwing out something that was perfectly good is still beyond her comprehension, you reuse it or give it to someone that will love it as much as you did.

Honor Tradition – holidays in my house are all about family tradition, not gifts.Spending time together and creating sweet memories is what matters most in life – always have for me and always will!

Love – my Mom taught me to love others, care for them, and what it means to be selfless. I feel her love in her cooking, the way the house looks when I visit, and her messages to me. Her love is everywhere.

Kindness – I watched my Mom since I was born and I swear she becomes more kind with every moment of each day, she is selfless in a way I can only hope to be for my family and for you.

Thoughtfulness – my Mom taught me the power of being thoughtful and how much a simple card or thoughtful act can make someone’s day. She puts thoughtful touches on everything and as I’ve gotten older I see them everywhere with deep appreciation. I love sending cards.

Being Italian – eat good quality food with quality ingredients not packaged foods. Eat meals with your family at the dinner table, not on the go or standing up and be proud of who you are and your background.

Family – family means everything to both of my parents. Always make time for family and treat good friends like family – those are life’s treasures.

Positive Outlook– my Mother looks at the positive side in life and doesn’t dwell in the negative.

Lifestyle – My Mom has groups of girlfriends she makes a point to see each year for the past 30 years. She is always engaged in learning and growing.

Marriage – my parents have been married 44 years. I know my Mother’s independence, healthy lifestyle and love for herself have played a big piece in their happiness.

How to be Classy – my Mother is a very classy woman. She is feminine to her core and it’s beautiful.

I watch my Mom and I learn from her (even when she doesn’t know I’m watching). To my surprise, my Mom is learning from me too or so my brothers pointed out…

My Mom, at age 68, works out 5 days a week and has boundless energy. People tell her all the time she looks 10 years younger then she is and she eats clean (my Dad is working on it;) lol. Most importantly, she invests in her health.

It’s never too late and you never know how your positive choices are changing the lives of those around you!

Keep it up and know that learning goes both ways for Mothers and daughters.

Huge Hugs & Love,