While the series, Meet Mom, is intended to introduce readers further to me (in layers); I wanted to expand on my ‘about me’ page. My purpose is to give you a snapshot, if you will, of me (Kori)- the mom behind the blog. I’m a mom blogger in Albany, NY.

family picture

That’s me!

Above you’ll see myself, my youngest (Squeaker) and my other half- Kyle. Those pictures were taken at Hoffman’s Playland, a small amusement park near Albany that will be closing permanently at the end of September. This was one of the few family outings we’ve had with just the three of us- and a day full of memories that I will cherish forever.

But what does that really say about me? Nothing really, unless you can see the fleur-de-lis on my t-shirt (that’s for the New Orleans Saints, by the way)- as I proudly show off my fan love for my favorite football team. Or maybe you’ll see that I don’t smile for the camera unless I don’t realize that my picture is being taken. It’s true- I prefer to be on the other side of the camera taking the pictures. Believe it or not, I’m an introvert, though once I get comfortable I tend to ramble on and on.

My Blog

I’ll start by introducing my blog, yes I realize this page is supposed to be about *me* but I tend to view the blog as an extension of me. Or at the very least a reflection of me- my life, my interests, that sort of thing. This blog is called Just Another Mom because that’s who I am- just another mom, just another mom with a boy, with a girl, with special needs children, with a blog… etc. While I could have gone for something else and while I have debated changing the name to something else, ultimately I feel that Just Another Mom sums up who I am and what my blog is about.

So, what is this blog about? Well, I call myself a parenting and lifestyle blog because that’s what this blog has become. Over the course of my first six months of blogging (again), I started to refine what I wanted for this blog.

Ultimately, I would say my purpose for this blog is to provide support and encouragement for parents of children with autism (and related disabilities), provide support and encouragement to parents (those involved in co-parenting, special needs parenting, and blended families), to share Squeaker’s school experiences at home (from Tot School through Kindergarten- possibly beyond), share our own health and wellness journey (including using essential oils), and our journey to going green and becoming a more frugal family. I also want to share recipes that we enjoy.

If you’re really interested in learning more about my blog (or why I blog), I invite you to read Why I Blog and Rethinking My Blog (Again!). To see the networks that I belong to, please visit this page.

And, if you’d like to get an overall snapshot of my blogging voice and the type of blogger that I am, I invite you to take a peek at my Top Five. I strive to be 100% honest and transparent, with a touch of humor here and there to balance things out.

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And Me

One question that I do get asked is if Kori is short for anything. And no, it’s not. Kori is my full first name. I believe that my mom named me after a friend of hers, or at least was inspired by a friend of hers to use that particular name. When I was younger, sometimes I wish my name had been different but I couldn’t really think of a different one that I liked.

From my Home is Where the Heart Is, you’ll know that I was born in New Orleans, Louisiana and eventually ended up in Albany, New York. And though I couldn’t truly appreciate living in Albany until I was a little bit older and became a parent, I do enjoy living here. We’re not very far from New York City, Boston, or Montreal and it’s really hard to beat all of the amazing seasonal things that occur in and around the greater Capital District. Sure, it’s not as exciting as living near Orlando or Los Angeles and maybe it’s not quite as cultured as San Francisco or Washington D.C., but it’s home.

I share my home, and my life, with my other half- Kyle. And one of these days I’ll get around to sharing our story, because I think it’s worthy of sharing. Maybe on Valentine’s Day or at least close to it, because that would seem appropriate and fitting to me. Other important figures in my immediate life are my three children- V (16 year old boy with Ataxic Cerebral Palsy- which really isn’t as bad it sounds), Sweet B (my non-verbal 13 year old girl with classic/severe autism), and Squeaker (my baby girl who will be turning 1 in December). On weekends, we also have Kyle’s two boys, T & J, with us. Our house isn’t too full though as Sweet B is with her dad on the weekends, and V lives with my mom (another story that I’ll have to get into).

I am currently a stay at home mom, working on my Bachelor’s degree online through Mercy College with a major in Psychology. Eventually I hope to obtain my PhD in Psychology and focus on either developmental or neuropsychology. I realize this will also mean giving up staying at home as I also have aspirations to teach at the college level and hopefully contribute to research. But, that won’t be until Squeaker is at least in elementary school. Until I return to the workforce, or at least until I start graduate school, I intend to homeschool Squeaker through Tot School, Preschool, and possibly Kindergarten. If I can work something out, I’ll homeschool her longer but we’ll see what we see. I’ll leave that in God’s hands and go from there.

I recently started attending church again after being away for several years. Once I started attending again, I fully realized what I was missing but I also knew that it wasn’t something that I could or should have rushed. I needed to go back when I was ready and I am so glad that I did. I’ve always been a very spiritual person, and for awhile I think that was enough for me. But then I felt that something was missing- I was missing something essential. I was never baptized but I did attend services with my grandmother as a child. Now, as an adult, I’ve made the decision to be baptized into the Lutheran church. My faith, even when it as practically non-existent, has always been a central part of my life and who I am.

I think that’s pretty much me in a nutshell. I could also tell you that I enjoy crafts, knitting, baking, and cooking. Or that I highly enjoy swimming and find it very relaxing. Or maybe you’d like to know that my favorite Disney characters are Eeyore, Dumbo, and Belle. I could also tell you that I enjoy listening to almost all genres of music. I can also tell you that one of my biggest pet peeves is bad grammar and spelling- quite possibly the lone reason I would never want to be an English teacher; even though English and Literature were amongst my best subjects. I’ll also let you know that I’m a bit of a perfectionist and a border line control freak.

I’ll leave you with a few random facts, and if you have any further questions please don’t hesitate to contact me. I enjoy getting to know people and making new friends.

 

Random Facts:

I highly enjoy watching sports; especially NFL football, college football, and hockey. Football is another season, in my mind.

My favorite season is Fall; for the weather, the outdoor activities (pumpkin picking apple picking), and the colors of the leaves.

I’m still very much a kid at heart; I love almost anything Disney (but especially classic Disney), video games, comic books, and dolls.

My favorite holiday is Christmas, I love everything about that time of the year. Family, friends, being together, reflecting on Advent, cookies, and carols.

I enjoy learning about all types of holidays and religions.

I love to read- especially non-fiction, historical fiction and classic literature.

I have a special fondness for Twix minis and Chocolate Oranges.

My favorite animals are elephants, sea otters, orcas, and ravens.

I almost always have music playing when I’m on the computer; I was in choir or some sort of vocal group from 1st grade through 12th grade, and also played the violin for 10 years.