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#mothers

Ode to My Mother

May 8, 2020 By kimwheeler 30 Comments

This Mother’s Day will be unlike any we’ve had before. Moms will be either spending a LOT of quality time with the fam or sadly their loved ones are far or unable to be near them now. The 2020 Mother’s Day may be the least commercial with limited shopping and that’s maybe good. Old school coupon books and breakfasts in bed will be enough for many and a treat. My own wish for is for time to chill, maybe a glass of wine in the yard or with a favorite show, and a break from the everyday grind of cooking, cleaning, food and toilet paper procurement, etc. Many of us are very familiar with the grind right now, thanks to family togetherness in the era of Covid 19!

It’s been five years since my own lovely mom has been gone, and each year I miss her more. There are so many milestones I wish I could talk over with mom. In the past year I could have asked her opinion about the house remodel, raising sons and college choices. We could have talked over shows and ice skating on television. Mom would have loved The Crown and so many good books I have discovered. I know she would be so proud to see my boy’s graduate and what all the grandkids have become. I would like to ask of her own experience with menopause and when hers started and when did she stop having extreme hot-flashes. I would tell her now I totally get how she got burnt out on cooking at age 65 and left it to my dad. I also now sympathize with her increasing anxiety about driving and many other things previously second nature. In some ways it’s better she’s not here to see that Hilary lost and what has become of our nation. She cared so much about women’s rights, animals and those who have the least among us. She also was a self-professed germaphobe and this virus would have put her over the edge.

My mom avoided taking photos so I have very few of her. My favorite is this 1967 photo dad snapped of her ready to board a train to her hometown of Milwaukee, leaving me with grandma, which I look none too happy about. I love her chic suit and Sassoon kind of haircut. In the back was her sharp black and white 65 Buick Skylark, which she drove for all our childhood.

This weekend I’ll think of the cool things about Suzanne Marek Fleming, that continue to bubble to the surface of my own conscience and become part of me. I can attribute so much to mom like my visceral love of yellow, anything by Carly Simon, Gladys Knight and Helen Reddy, Audrey Hepburn, all things tennis, cats, biographies, white t-shirts and neat blue jeans, enjoying the yard, puttering about the home, and a perfect cocktail on Friday night, mom’s being a Manhattan. Those are the little things that bring happiness. That is probably the best gift I have received from my mom- find joy in the everyday, make your home your nest and have a happy routine. It’s simple, slow living and it is a good way to live life. My dad is very much the same. I hope my boys will find small things that bring them joy in the everyday too.

Do many of you feel the same? Do you now live like your mother, even inadvertently? Maybe it’s partly in our DNA what we like and what we do. I believe that may have more to do with it than we know.

I am excited to share will be back Monday with my new series, Californians at Home, where I interview stylish Californians about how they live, entertain and decorate. Make sure you’re subscribed to the blog- here or on the right sidebar to get emails when I publish a post. You can also follow on Instagram, where I post more regularly, and Pinterest.

I hope you have a beautiful weekend and find a little bit of what fills your basket and brings joy. Take time out for you, even if it’s sitting alone for a bit with your feet up and listening to some great music or watching the clouds. For the moms -chores don’t exist this weekend so don’t touch anything until Monday. I’m giving you permission starting now!

Hugs,

Kim

Mom’s original Breakfast at Tiffany’s album we still play.

Photos property of Northern California Style and may not be used without permission.

Filed Under: My mom, Uncategorized Tagged With: #californiakid, #mothers, #mothersday, #odetomothers, #rememberingmom, #vintagecalifornia

Mom’s Gifts

February 28, 2018 By kimwheeler 18 Comments

Today is my mom Suzanne’s birthday, well actually it is the 29th, Leap Year. She always insisted it was the last day of February, not the first of March if we didn’t have a Leap Year, so I will celebrate her today with a Manhattan, her favorite cocktail.

It has been three years since we lost my sweet mom and though the pain is a little less, I seem to miss her more each passing year. There are so many things I wish we could chat about…so many things she is missing, especially with my boys she loved so much and her other grandkids. On this day and many others I can only cope by being grateful for all she has given me and passed on to me. Some I didn’t even realize were her doing until lately.

So many things my mom instilled in us and also made us passionate for.  She was lovely, kind to everyone and yet sadly a terrible worrier. I got that too. She was always taking the side of the underdog and injustice- whether it was a kid at school or prejudice at the supermarket, my mom called it out, sometimes embarrassingly so for us at the time. Now I think back with pride at my mom’s bravery.

My mom laughing with my kids as she always was.

My mom was a mini philanthropist in her own way. She gave to little charities, especially animal ones regularly. Later when she had more money, always had a little wad of bills in her hand for the busboy, the waiters and waitresses, the man on the street and so many others. My mom would go out of her way to find the girl with the kind smile and make sure she got the money, sometimes to our exasperation. Now I see it was her way of spreading love and being grateful for what she had.

My mom was the first person to speak out about women’s rights that I knew of. I remember her passion during the Billie Jean King- Bobbie Riggs tennis match which we watched in earnest and cheered when a WOMAN beat a man! My mom said we were Woman Libbers and woman deserved equality and the same rights was any man, and I believed it. I was eight at the time. My mom would have loved that Battle of the Sexes film and would be thrilled about the Women’s Marches that have taken place in the past two years.

Last week watching the Olympics, I missed her more than ever. My mom was a huge Olympic fan and thanks to her, I have watched every one since 1972 when Olga Korbet of the U.S.S.R. was a little gymnastic darling and wowed us. My mom’s biggest sport love was ice skating, much to my dad’s dismay as she watched every ice competition ever.  Mom grew up in Wisconsin and loved ice skating on ponds and would bike long ways just to skate with her friends. We scrutinized many a ice performance together and she loved the really artistic skaters, as do I now too. She would have loved Adam Rippon and the commentary by Johnny and Tara of this Olympics. After I saw the film I Tonya, all I could think of was what my mom would have thought and how fun it would have been to dish about that whole Tonya Harding thing again…

Thanks to my mom I love Wimbledon and playing tennis. She got me started at an early age as she loved it herself and we had a tiny club, Dunnets around the corner from our house. Mom liked that I could ride my bike there and she bought me one of the first Prince aluminum racquets in high school when everyone else still had wooden ones. We watched many a Wimbledon together and always loved Chris Evert’s feminine style best of all the players. She has missed many a good match and would be thrilled Serena just had her first baby.

Thanks to my mom I love cats, buttered noodles, Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffanys, little children, old folks, Hollywood gossip, Doris Day, Carly Simon, beautiful clothes, people dressed neat as a pin ( her words), being at home, sitting in the sun, and yellow roses and flowers.

I plan to bring my mom some today.

Kim

With my parents in 2014. One of the last and best photo we have of us.

My mom’s original Breakfast at Tiffany’s album which I still play and love.

 

 

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Filed Under: My mom Tagged With: #leapyearbabies, #mothers, #rememberingmom

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A January PSA- get in your closet and get those wh A January PSA- get in your closet and get those white jeans out! I found mine at the bottom of my closet today in a basket and thought -yes! I love the look of a classic white jean, paired with a chunky sweater or turtleneck in black, beige, tan, creams-  neutral colors always look fantastic. Today it was warm enough that I could go sockless and wear my Madewell loafers with them and a little jacket I have from Anthro. Get your white jeans out. it will give your winter wardrobe have a little kick. White jeans can be worn all year and they even look great with winter boots and coats. 

This is also a great time to look at your white Jean inventory. 🤍If you don’t have a pair that’s comfortable and straight leg, in a thicker material…this might be a good time to look. I’ll share some on the weekend blog as well.

if you missed our LIVE this morning, you can watch it on Juliet’s @makemineaspritzer Instagram and I’ll link to it on my stories ! Thank you everyone for tuning in in for the fun questions and comments. We love doing this with you all weekly! Let us know in comments if there are any other topics you want to hear about. Today we talked trending colors, exercise classes .. finding art and pillows and more..

#whitejeanseason #januaryclosetremix #winterwardrobehacks
I love the sunshine in the morning streaming throu I love the sunshine in the morning streaming through the kitchen.. My baby daffodils are blooming to make it even happier. This is one of my favorite things about the new year, the bulbs and daffodils and California poppies that hint spring it on the way.💛 If you don’t have a few blooms in the kitchen, maybe you can add a few?

Hope your having a beautiful week!

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I love this of Liz Taylor at her first wedding to I love this of Liz Taylor at her first wedding to Richard Burton in 1965. She’s wearing a empire, knee length dress and orange blossoms in her hair, which must have smelled heavenly. I want yellow in my closet this spring!

This is the center of my spring vision board! 💛 Link to all Elizabeth’s wedding dresses on the weekend post -and a few yellow things I added to the house if you missed it! 

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Sunday beach trip… We made it to Santa Cruz to c Sunday beach trip… We made it to Santa Cruz to check out the coast after these rough last weeks. Aptos looks pretty good and poor Seacliff is terribly battered. So sad to see what people have lost. My heart goes out to them.

We had the beach to ourselves and the weather was winter perfect. ☀️Cold and sunny. We had a picnic of sandwiches from Zoccolis deli and took in the sun and sea air while watching surfers and birds.

This song just seemed to fit -and relatable as I could not sleep last night! No idea why. Isn’t it maddening? 

Hope you get a chance to take a winter beach walk.. They are the best. 

#santacruz #aptos #california #northerncalifornia #winterbeachwalks #seacliff #norcal #seascapebeach
Happy Sunday! The weekend post is up and I’m sha Happy Sunday! The weekend post is up and I’m sharing a few good ideas for a dining room refresh, pops of yellow, my favorite winter skin care essentials right now, a beautiful and unique San Francisco house in @archdigest, online yoga, and the story behind a historic San Francisco home I came upon last week.. Head to the blog for all the deets! 

I hope its a wonderful weekend.☀️

Don’t forget to visit Juliet and Elizabeth blogs ..links as always, in our bios or stories:
@northerncalstyle 
@makemineaspritzer 
@pineconesandacorns

#northerncalifornia #weekendpost #yellow #diningroomdecor #bernardmaybeck #sanfranciscohomes #architecturaldigest #potterybarn #serenaandlily #californiastyle
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#californiacontessa #californiansathome
I have to share a snippet of just some of the wisd I have to share a snippet of just some of the wisdom that was Martin Luther King. He will always be one of my biggest heroes and ten years ago I wrote a small post highlighting some of his very meaningful words and quotes that we could all use as a life guide. Link to the post in my bio and more on my stories. 

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The recipe and all the weekend fun- along with some cozy coats for this weather, and a recap of our SF meander are on the weekend blog. Juliet and Elizabeth also have great ideas this weekend.. links as always, in our bios or stories:
@northerncalstyle 
@makemineaspritzer 
@pineconesandacorns 
Have a great weekend !

#californiacookie #californialiving #californiachocolatechipcookie #weekendpost #chocolateandorange
Just a little peek at some of the homes in San Fra Just a little peek at some of the homes in San Francisco’s Laurel Heights and a little walk through the Presidio to the Lyon Street Steps. We had an unbelievably beautiful day after so much rain and darkness. I highly recommend walking through this neighborhood, through The Presidio and grabbing lunch and checking out the lovely shops like the new Emily Joubert! The views are amazing all the way to the Golden Gate, and I am in love with all the beautiful homes of San Francisco. ❤️

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Unearthed my Hunter’s and dusted them up! Bring Unearthed my Hunter’s and dusted them up! Bring it on, I am ready. I’m getting used to the rain, but this California girl is struggling with the gloom. How do people do it in the Pacific Northwest? Getting out for rainy day walks seems to help. Anyone else feel the same? I feel guilty for even mentioning it, with all the flooding and struggles so many are dealing with. 
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It’s time for our first Signature Style of 2023 It’s time for our first Signature Style of 2023 and Cindy and I are talking cozy clothes, workout outfits and athleisure! And actually what else are we wearing right now?  If you’re not trying to workout, you’re likely staying cozy so we have all kinds of good things for you. 
Hope you’re staying dry and safe if you’re in California. 💛We had the craziest night yet with wind and rain last evening. We began with no power and internet so I was a bit slow getting this out..Sending good thoughts to everyone.

Stop on by our blogs..
As always links are in our bios and stories..
@northerncalstyle 
@cindyhattersley

#athleisurestyle #workoutstyle #cozycore #pajamastyle #signaturestyle
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Stop on by our blogs- links as always, in our bios or stories:
@northerncalstyle 
@makemineaspritzer 
@pineconesandacorns

#freshstart #californiahome #losgatos #chicbasics #whiteshirts #jeansfor2023 #weekendblog #emilyinparis #sylvieemilyinparis #phillipineleroybeaulieu

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