Meet the Mom – Nichole M.

Name: Nichole Manor

Where did you grow up: I grew up in the Rotterdam/Guilderland area of Albany, New York.

Town you live in now:  Palm Beach Gardens

Why you love living there: Like many that live in Florida, the weather and the beach of course.

Tell me about your kids: I have twin boys, Ian and Owen, that are 6 years old. Ian’s got a sweet smile that will melt your heart and a sense of humor that can change your whole day at just the right moment. He’s passionate about all things football, Firefighter and ARMY related. Owen loves anything sports, especially baseball. He’s got a sensitive, loving heart and a determination that’s fierce . They are truly the lights of our lives.

Favorite things to do with the family locally: With two young and active boys we do a lot of outdoor activities with them including the beach, parks, mini put, etc,..

Best family restaurant:  On Friday’s after baseball games we typically go to Pizza Girls or Grimaldi’s. The boys love getting to play with the pizza dough at Grimaldi’s and of course a train ride.

Ideal family vacation spot and why:  Coming from the Adirondacks we like to go back to  New York and get a break from the hot summer weather with the boys and spend time with family.

What’s your ‘day job’? I am the branch manager and mortgage banker for a local lender, Element Funding. We work with clients looking to purchase or refinance with a residential mortgage.

What is something that makes your life easier/better/more fun?  Having the support of my husband, parents, friends, and co-workers truly makes our crazy days easier. I have a great team that know and support myself and the kids. Life is more fun getting to share time and experiences with my fellow friend Mom’s so we can laugh (or cry) about all the crazy things our kids do.  I love getting our kids together when we are not all busy running in 100 different directions and they just get to play and enjoy being typical kids.

How do you balance your ‘day job’ and motherhood?  A lot of time management, having a structured day allows me to schedule my days around my client appointments, the kids schedules, my husbands work and shift schedules as well as being able to volunteer at school and help out with their activities when needed. Our boys have grown up since day one working with us in the office, out on construction jobs and of course visits to the fire station. We hope that we are showing them the value of hard work that they will use at school and in their own lives when they grow up

Who inspires you and why?  This may sound cliché, but my fellow mom’s and dad’s who may not be able to be as present as they would like, who don’t have flexible job schedules, or even extra hands to help out. It’s a struggle for many and they should be commended because they are doing the best they can. I see it in my own household with a husband who is a firefighter, he has had to miss school performances, games, holidays, ….many of his experiences are felt through a phone on facetime but I know he would rather be there in person but just can’t.

What do you do for self care? Like many Mom’s self care usually falls at the bottom of the list of daily activities but last year I started running and getting mind and body healthy. I participate in some local 5k runs, it’s such a great energy and many for a great cause. I also try and go for a mani/pedi at least once a month and squeeze in some “Moms nights out” with friends

What did you wish you knew but no one told you about being a parent? I think the biggest thing for me was the reality of having to adjust your lifestyle and learning how to just be more than Mommy. It is  finding the balance between marriage, parenthood, friendships, and work. There is so much to accomplish in a day and often much of it goes undone just because there are not enough hours in the day and that’s ok! We all want to be  “supermom’s” but in reality there is no such thing. You have to learn to find what your own individual balance is, be aware of where improvements are needed for yourself and strive to just do the best you can. Some days it’s just ok to be a hot mess!