Meet a Mom – Celebrating 1 Year as FairfieldMoms! | FairfieldMoms

FairfieldMoms turns ONE!! We can’t believe it’s already been a year since we launched this website and created this platform as a fun way to connect local Moms with our amazing town and all the local businesses that are thriving here!!  We thought we would take this time to re-introduce ourselves to you as there are so many new faces who have joined us over this past year.  We also asked our followers for any questions readers had for us that we’d answer here!  Read on to learn more about the two moms behind FairfieldMoms!

 

Children & age(s)?

J: Emma and she’s getting old 🙁 2 and a half yrs old.
A: Kennedy is 2.5 and Camden is 4.5

 

Over the past year, what is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?

J.  I not only run FairfieldMoms, but I co-own AR Workshop (which both started days apart in 2018!)
A. That I’m not Jessica’s partner at AR Workshop HAHA – I get asked all the time, but no, she runs that with her amazing business partner Michele!  I run a full-time Interior Design business @rowlantides (besides FairfieldMoms) and have loved diving into the work that I truly love!  My husband flips homes here locally and is one of the reasons behind why I quit my full time job to start my design career.

 

One thing you wish someone would have told you about becoming FairfieldMoms?

J: People might notice you and your family out in public!  If you do, say hi!
A: That this business would be so hands on – I’m always on my phone answering emails or writing things down!  And also how many people we would meet!

 

Favorite local things to do in Fairfield?

J: Still the same, eating out at our local restaurants.  I also love all the events the town has to offer!
A: Finding new things to do and new places to eat!  Talking walks around our neighborhood, grabbing lunch at Firehouse deli, date nights at a Comedy show – so many!

 

What’s your new favorite thing about raising a family in Fairfield?

J: Now that Emma is 2, we put her in a 2’s program at St. Paul’s and love it!
A: All of the new families we meet!  We send our son off to Kindergarten next year and can’t wait for that new adventure!

 

Do you have a favorite family friendly restaurant?  Date night?

J: Family night is colony or the Irish Club.  Date night at Sinclair or 55 Degrees with of course ending it at the Seagrape 🙂
A: Flipside is our go-to!  I’ve been trying to get a date night at Malibu Taco soon – our last one was at The Chelsea!

 

What is your go-to activity for your family?  For yourself?

J: We love going to the beach or for walks or bike rides.  For myself I love getting my nails done at Grand Design and working out!
A: We lived at the beach all summer, so now we try and get outside (bundled up) and head to a play ground or the library.  I haven’t had a lot of time recently for myself, but when I do, it’s getting my hair done, or a facial at New Beauty Wellness!

 

Funniest part that you’ve learned about parenthood?

J: This age of 2 and a half is pretty funny.  How they can throw a tantrum and you can lose your patience so quickly and then it ends and you love them so much, but for that one second you didn’t think you loved them anymore!
A: How brutally honest kids are – and sometimes they are 100% right.

 

Best mom hack that makes your life easier?

J: Babysitters!  But also we never wanted to give her our phone or IPad but giving it to her really keeps her calm and quiet!
A: Carry a portable toilet and Honest hand-sanitizer with you at all times – you just never know!

 

What’s the biggest challenge so far of being FairfieldMoms?

J: It’s a lot more work than we thought, but so worth it!
A: Staying on-top of emails, blog posts, social events – it adds up quickly.  We’ve been trying to put the phones down on the weekends to spend time with our families.

What has been your favorite part about starting FairfieldMoms?

J: Meeting all of our followers and hearing when they love it.  It makes all the work it takes worth it!  I love all the connections we have made and how we can help in so many ways!
A: The people for sure!!  We love hearing from our followers and businesses to see how we can help connect the two, and how we can also help connect moms with new moms!  We LOVE having events for FairfieldMoms and seeing the support from this town!

 

What are your goals for next year to keep growing FairfieldMoms?

J: Growing our audience to include moms with middle school and high school aged kids.
A: Connecting more with local charities and using our platform to help spread the word on serious issues and ways to help families in need.  We’d also love to find a way to do more events to connect local moms (either mom meet ups or moms night outs!)

 

Favorite events you’ve been a part of in the last year?

J: The Shop & Stroll for sure!  We loved putting the before and after parties together and seeing how many people come for it.  Also putting the raffle bags together with local businesses.  It takes a lot of time, but really fun to get to know the local businesses!
A: I LOVED our Beach Bonfire and our Halloween Trunk or Treat.  Both were HUGE successes and we can’t wait to do again next year!

 

How do you do it all?

J:  We hear this question a lot and I never think of it like that.  I really think that for me, getting up early totally helps and I get a lot done before anyone wakes up.
A:  Jess and I compliment each other so well – and we just get it, without asking each other questions.  We’ve learned what to spend our time on, and what can wait and I think that helps a lot when you have a business that is growing as fast as FairfieldMoms is.

 

Is it hard building your other businesses, while also having kids & running FairfieldMoms?

J:  YES!  Having pretty much two jobs is hard, but I like to get up early to do as much as possible before Emma wakes up.  Ask Amber, she wakes up to 10 texts from me daily!  Both things are going to take up a lot of your time in good and different ways.  Make sure you have a reliable babysitter or family to help!
A:  Very hard!  I’m usually always up after the kids go to bed working on my computer to get deadlines met, or running in between client design meetings and meetings for FairfieldMoms.  But when you love what you do – you make it work.  I send Jess 10 messages at night and she sends me hers in the morning hah!

 

Best advice for moms who experience the inevitable MOM GUILT handing a career, FairfieldMoms and a family?

J:  We are going to feel guilty for most things in life.  But I love that Emma sees me working.  I love that she has been a part of AR workshop from day 1 and that I can almost put her to work!
A: Don’t compare yourself!  You are doing what is right for you and your family.  I also love that my kids see me working hard.  Before in my full time 9-5 career, my kids never “saw” me working, but they knew where I was all day.  I love that they can actually see me at work and ask me questions about my job – it teaches them that you have to work hard for what you want!

 

Who has influenced you the most in this area for FairfieldMoms?

J:  All women business owners!  I love that Fairfield has so many of them.  I love meeting them, learning from them, and love getting to know how they do it!
A:  Almost everyone we have met!  We were welcomed with open arms into this Fairfield community and I couldn’t be more proud to live here and be raising a family here!

 

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