Please introduce yourself, where are you from, where you live now and what brought you here?
Hi! I’m Erin.
I’m originally from New Albany, Ohio and went to college at St. John Fisher where I earned my Bachelor of Science degree in Sport Management. I applied to 13 schools and only 1 was north of the Mason-Dixon line…it was -13 degrees with 3 feet of snow on my college visit but even then, I just knew there was something special about this place.
I worked for the PGA at Oak Hill Country Club where I met my husband. We never wanted to leave but moved down to Greenwich/Stamford, CT for his career 10 years ago and just moved back this past fall.
Currently we live in Victor with our 2 boys and 2 dogs.
How many kids do you have and what are their ages? What is your favorite thing about being a mom?
I have 2 wild and adorable little boys.
They are 16 months and 2.5 years old (33 months? I think lol).
It’s near impossible to choose just one thing – but top of the list is the sense of purpose and fulfillment I get from raising my children.
It’s hard to put into words but the connection I have with other moms from simply being moms. We could have literally nothing in common except motherhood and that bond alone is enough and so unique.
I can only imagine how much I would’ve loved connecting with my parents on a different level if I had been
able to share my parenting journey with them.
What do you love about living in the Greater Rochester area?
What’s your favorite place(s) to shop in the area?
I love the people! It’s hard to explain if you haven’t lived anywhere else, but I would say it’s the midwestern friendly with the down to earth vibes. I love how beautiful and unique every town is. I love the endless amounts of trails, the canal and riverways, the parks, the main streets of every town. I love the farmlands that encircle Rochester and that we’re a stone’s throw away from the Finger Lakes. I love how everything around the city is within a 20-30 minute drive. I love that we offer big city opportunities with a small town atmosphere. It just feels like home.
I don’t have time to do much shopping but Wegmans is my most visited spot! As a Rochester transplant I quickly became enamored and I love the quick and easy meals as well as the Wegmans brand. My boys love driving the “green drive drive carts”, grabbing a treat at the bakery and watching the train circle above. All of the employees are so friendly and helpful which makes it much easier to do my shopping with two littles in tow.
What did you do before you got involved with Greater Rochester Moms?
What brought you to The Local Moms Network?
Prior to becoming a mom I worked in college and professional sports – I was an event manager for the Buffalo Bills Training Camp and then for The Ohio State University before working as the Championship Manager of Administration & Volunteers for the 2013 PGA Championship at Oak Hill.
Then we moved to Connecticut and I went back to school and got my masters in Secondary Social Studies Education and I spent about 8 years in education. I was working as the Social Studies teacher for an alternative school when the pandemic hit and then I had my first son. Being a stay-at-home mom was initially a financial decision as my teaching salary would not have covered the full cost of daycare for one child where we lived. Then we had a second son and as they say the rest is history!
From my lived experiences in motherhood I am extremely passionate about supporting other moms and helping create a village for those of us that have no village. Since I am in the thick of it myself with 2 littles the best way I can do this is to share what I know and offer comradery. I was also raised with a strong sense of community, both my parents were extremely involved in our community, and this is one way I can do that here.
When I first became a mom I lived in Stamford, CT and used Stamford Moms almost daily. When we moved back up to Rochester and I saw there was no Local Moms Network here I reached out and here we are!
Do you have any side hustles? Hobbies?
Aside from mommin’ 2 boys 2 and under and running the Greater Rochester Moms network, I am also a Color Street Stylist (ask me about my nails!) we offer the #1 selling nail polish in the country and they’re actually dry nail polish strips (no dry time – clutch for busy moms!) as well as hand care and cosmetics.
And I am just starting an Etsy shop where I sell digital products to help moms.
I would love to start a garden and grow some of our own food and flowers – but I know that’s not realistic right now!
I would also love to learn all the of the homemaking and homesteading skills.
And I think I’d love to write a book one day.
How do you juggle work with being a mom?
I am not the person to ask!! I have not figured it out yet.
Something always has to give because at the end of the day I am only one person and my kids will always come first.
My husband works a very demanding job, pretty much every day, and helps as much as he can, but we got a lot going on.
What’s helped me the most is planning out blocks of time in my day so I know what my focus will be at that time – and sticking to keeping work inside the work block (aside from extenuating circumstances) or else I feel like I have to be on my phone and working 24/7 and that doesn’t work for us. I am also lost if I don’t prepare for the day the night before. I started this at a very young age and it’s served me well in all stages of my life (ask my college roommate about my whiteboard schedule lol!)
Can’t live without ITEM skincare or makeup products?
Tinted moisturizer and chap stick. Nothing fancy, I need to do a much better job at finding and sticking to a good skin care routine. Also, don’t’ underestimate the power of a good mascara and concealer.
What are you currently reading or listening to?
I wish I had time to read – I’m more of an article reader than a book reader but I’m currently in my listening era. I also have a bad habit of jumping around depending on my mood but currently I’m listening to:
- Hunt, Gather, Parent by Dr. Michaleen Doucleff
- Good Inside by Dr. Becky Kennedy
My must read/listen list includes:
- Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey (he narrates it so you have to listen!)
- Raising Men by Eric Davis
- Untamed by Glennon Doyle
- Captivating by Stasi Eldridge
- Wild at Heart by John Eldridge
I cannot wait to read The Green Desk by local teacher and author Jeannette Maloy and a work-in-progress novel by one of my oldest friends Vic Nogay.
What’s in your pursue or diaper bag?
All of the necessities but I also always forget something…
WIPES are the number one thing though I never forget and even if I don’t bring the whole diaper bag I always bring wipes. And I have an extra pack in my center console.
Diapers, diaper cream, snacks, water (a water bottle for all of us and a giant water bottle to refill), a few toys and books, extra sets of clothes for my boys, chapstick, cash (after a very unfortunate event that only took cash and I didn’t have any…I keep a reserve stash of cash at all times in the car/diaper bag!). Then there’s the obvious phone and keys…
This time of year sunscreen, bug spray and a fan get added.
At The Local Moms Network, we believe in giving moms the gift of time. What advice do you have for new moms?
TRUST your mom instincts. You think you don’t have any, you’re a new mom, but I promise, if you tune out what everyone else is saying and really listen, it’s there….and it’s not wrong.
This sounds deflating but lower your expectations. You cannot do everything you used to do before kids – and that’s ok! Figure out what you can manage – for me, it took almost 2 years before I could run multiple errands in a morning and even now some days I know we can only do one thing before lunch and naptime. It’s forced me to plan better and think way ahead – something I’m hoping to help other moms do by researching and sharing all the things to do and all the resources around here.
What are your favorite spots in Greater Rochester?
- Our home!
- Powder Mills Park
- Powers Farm Market
- Motion Junction
- Egypt Park & Lollypop Farm
- The Schottland & Sands YMCA
- Any water or trailway
- Semmel Road Splash Pad
- Seneca Park Zoo
- Wickham Farms
- Oak Hill Country Club (we’re not members but this place will forever hold a special place in my heart)
Looking forward to adding to the list!
I truly am so exited for the opportunity to spearhead Greater Rochester Moms and be a part of The Local Moms Network. I promise to bring a dash of humor, a heap of reality and all the love and support I can give to you, other moms in the area, and moms everywhere.
Yours in Motherhood,
