Cath Edvalson
These are always the hardest blog posts to write. You know, the ones where we have to say goodbye to a treasured co-worker.
Yeah, those.
As you may have heard, Brandy has decided to embrace full-time motherhood rather than full-time editor-hood, and she’ll be managing her little Mini Cooper rather than the production of magazines and special issues. Instead of organizing spreadsheets, supervising editing and attending meetings, she’ll be organizing play dates, supervising schedules and attending to the needs of her sweet little man.
Cooper and Mommy
And while Brandy told you all the wonderful reasons why she’s stepping down as Paper Crafts magazine’s managing editor in this blog post, we couldn’t allow her to leave without telling her how much we have valued her contribution.
When Brandy joined the Paper Crafts team over four years ago, I could immediately tell that she was an attentive go-getter who took great pride in her work. A consummate professional, she sets a high standard for herself and is constantly striving to meet or exceed that very high bar. As someone who has to keep a lot of plates spinning in the air at one time, Brandy has always impressed me with her ability to solve problems quickly and to think on several planes at once. Not to mention how great she is with a fire extinguisher for an untold number of both small and large fires.
What will I miss most about Brandy? I will miss collaborating with her on concepts and articles the most. She is always open to my ideas and then helps to define and clarify them further. I will miss her beyond-her-years wisdom and the important things I have learned about life from someone much younger than myself. I will miss laughing with her at lunch, hearing about her delightful family life and listening to her honest and thoughtful approaches to the problems and joys of the day.
I asked the other team members what they would miss most about Brandy as well. Here’s what they had to say:
Kelly: I’m still convinced Brandy is a super hero posing as an editor by day. I will miss her ability to make everything look effortless. She can multi-task like no other! From managing our crazy production schedule, to keeping a beautiful home, she can now add stylish mommy to her long list of attributes. I wish this Wonder Woman all the best as she takes on her toughest assignment so far: full-time mom. But if I know Brandy, it’s going to be cinch!
Holly: Brandy made an immediate impression on me. I admire her intelligence, grace and kindness. She’s thoughtful and considerate. She’s genuine in her concerns about people, as well as the success of the magazine.
Ahtanya: Since I’m new to the team, I was just getting to know Brandy and will miss our lunch time chats and stories about her little one.
Matt: It’s sad to see Brandy go. Her skills and contributions to Paper Crafts and eye for good card design will truly be missed. Brandy always brought smiles and laughter to the group, rather it be a Wednesday morning meeting or a quick brainstorming session. Good luck, Brandy! We’ll miss you.
Susan: Brandy’s calm demeanor, mad fashion sense and organized mind won me over from the start. But what I think I’ll miss most is her goofy side – that Anchorman/30 Rock/The Office-loving side that surprised me at first and then totally made a lot of sense once I got to know her! I’ll never forget travelling to Chicago with her just a month after I started working here. We had a lot of time to really get to know each other. I sparkly, hand-embroidered, puffy {heart} you, Brandy!
Jennifer: Like a binding holds together the pages of a book or magazine, Brandy held together all the moving parts of our production process – and she did it with an unflappable can-do attitude and stylish presence. She’s the perfect blend of militant organization and creative talent that will be exceptionally challenging to replace. As she transfers from in-office managing editor to at-home mom (and part-time writer), we sure will miss her!
We sure will. And if there is a silver lining to her departure, it’s that she will continue to be associated with our team in the future because she will be writing for us, so we know that we’ll be able to see her from time to time—and hopefully get a regular and much needed Cooper fix. (Hint, hint, Brandy!)
How wonderful to have had so much fun producing so many, many magazines with Brandy. But there is always a time beyond what we currently do for a living, and what lies in that time beyond is friendship. She may no longer be our managing editor, but she’ll always be our friend.
So grateful for Brandy,
Cath
P.S. In honor of Brandy’s cute snugglebug, I’ve got four sets of Little Yellow Bicycle’s Snugglebug Collection (two boy, two girl)! Leave a comment for Brandy (parenting advice, tips, tricks, etc.) and I’ll pick four random winners to take home one of these adorable collections. All comments must be received by midnight (MDT) on Friday, July 30.
Four lucky people will win a Snugglebug collection!
Best wishes, Brandy! Cooper is a such a cutie! Take time for yourself, keep a journal to jot down all those little things and thoughts, and most of all, ENJOY!!
I was lucky enough to stay at home with my 2 kids. So the best advice I can give you is don’t sweat the small stuff. It all works out in the end. Have fun with Cooper, you will never regret it.
I think all of us agree that you are doing the right then, and will never regret your decision. I left my career to raise my three children, and I am glad that I did. As they started Jr. High, I went back to work, and saved all of that money for their college. Good luck!!
you will be soooooo missed!!
I don’t have kids! So to leave you a child-raising tip, seems a bit odd to me. But, I was a kid once, and I think that qualifies me to leave you with this- Always, always, always…go and kiss your kids goodnight, no matter how old they are, what they are doing, or what they’ve done that day (especially that patience-testing stuff!) My Dad, without fail, came to our rooms, and gave us a goodnight kiss & hug. And to this day, it’s one of the things I love most about him. That no matter what, at the end of the day, I always knew he was there for me, and that he loved me! Nothing can beat that! Good luck Brandy, I’m sure we all look forward to hearing from you soon!
Enjoy every moment, never forget how blessed you are that you have a healthy child.. an the best parenting book ever is The Baby Whisperer! It’s a must read for every new parent!
I never had the chance to be a stay at home mom. I think woo hoo to you cause being a mom is a blessing. Good luck and you have the best job now and thats being a mom. You will be greatly missed.
I LOVE being a stay at home MOMMY. I have a 4 yr old princess and a 1 yr old prince with a muchkin in the oven due to arrive in Feb. Enjoy every moment like its your last. Take LOTS of pics. You can NEVER have enough. They change everyday. Before you know it they will be taking care of us. Kisses every night and a book before bed. And a schedule that works for you and the kids. And always have your kids try all foods at least once. That will keep them opened minded
All Mommys get tired and grumpy so don’t feel it is just you. We all have our days. Enjoy being a MOMMY it is the BEST!!
Good luck with your new venture as SAHM! Cooper is one lucky little boy!!
Brandy, you will be missed out here too! We’ll miss Copper and all the pics and stories! So here’s to you and your new role in life! It’s exciting and ever-changing..much like a magazine (but with burp-ups and smelly pants)! I don’t have to tell you to enjoy life..because you already do!
Brandy,
It has been a pleasure working with you. I hope you enjoy the challenges and unmatched rewards of motherhood. Best wishes to you and your sweet baby!
Enjoy every moment, before you know it he will be all grown up and you will wonder where did the time go. Keep memories near and dear to you, and constantly making new ones to add. Jobs and careers will always be out there, but your little will not wait for you. It is a hard but right decision.
Hug that baby as much as you can! Don’t worry about cleaning etc. My “baby” twins just turned 9-it goes by quickly!
Enjoy every moment and phase – they go by so quickly! I keep a journal just for things I overhear my kids say to each other, because the world through their eyes is just amazing.
How exciting! You are totally making the right decision. The best piece of advise I ever got was that you need to do what works best for you and your family. I always over analyzed every decision regarding parenting, read numerous books, and solicited advise from all my family and friends but I finally realized that what is right for some isn’t right for others and that is ok.
Enjoy and try to record as much as you can (they grow up so quick).
Aww, what a lovely goodbye to Brandy! If she HAS to go, Cooper is the only good reason to do it! Best of luck to you Brandy!!
My tip is easy, because it’s what you’re getting ready to do! Take time to enjoy the little things! Don’t rush any stage, even the ones that seem awful lol Little ones grow up so quickly! Enjoy your time with adorable Cooper!
That was a very sweet post. Saying goodbye to dear friends is always difficult. But, I am sure Brandy and her beautiful family will keep in touch with you all. Hopefully we — out here in Blogland
will get to see her some time too.
Best wishes to you, Brandy, enjoy every single moment with your wonderful little baby~before you know it, he will be growing way too fast!
my dad always told me not to eat yellow snow! great advice!
Sorry to see you go, but how GREAT it is that you are going to be a full-time mom! I left my teaching job 2 years ago to have my baby, and there had been some VERY challenging days, but I would not trade watching my little one grow for anything
)
Best Wishes, Brandy! And I LOVE this collection!!
And, oops, my tip–take lots of video, you’ll actually forget how darn cute he is when he’s a big kid…seriously! I watch my kids and think how great it is to relive those sweet days.
I don’t really have any parenting advice to give but as a stay at home most of my life, I just want to say you will be amazed at how fast time flies and being home with your children day in and day out is always something you will treasure once they have left home.
Parenting advice? Don’t blame yourself when he isn’t perfect. I’m still working on that one…
I applaud Brandy’s decision to be a stay at home mom full time. It is not an easy job and it can be difficult to learn to live on one income, but the rewards are oh so great! I know not everyone is in the position to make this same choice, but how fortunate for Brandy and her family, that she can do this. Best wishes to her and her family! She will be missed.
Carol Bloomberg
Brandy – you will be missed. However, I think you made a wonderful decision. Childhood goes so quickly! Honestly, 20 years fly by in the blink of an eye. Enjoy your child!
I was lucky enough to be a stay at home mom too. My advice is to enjoy your time with your mini Cooper, and take tons of pictures they grow up so fast.
My parenting advice?? Enjoy every minute of it!! You never get these moments back again
Brandy, My youngest child is also Cooper, so good choice on names. My Cooper is 9 and truly Super. Since he is my youngest, I learned to listen to him. He loves to talk and sometimes I forget to listen. It’s important because little people have brilliant insight. Enjoy your Cooper!
Brandy, congrats on your decision! I wish I had that option. Take the time and just enjoy every moment! It goes by waaaayyyy too quickly! And of course, as a scrapper, I shouldn’t have to remind you to take lots of pics and document everything! You and your baby will love reliving the small moments later on in life. Congrats again!!!
My advice is MAKE MEMORIES. My mother was a SAHM but never made any event memorable. I never had the opportunity to be a SAHM. I was a single mom working long hours and depending on others to care for my son. I visited with my now 43 yr. old son this past weekend. We took a trip down memory lane. I found it interesting that he didn’t mention our trip to Disneyland. I had save up for five years for that trip. What he did remember was us camping in the backyard under sheets and blankets. Me reading to him by flash light, roasting hot dogs and marshmallows over the grill. He couldn’t remember any of his B-day or Christmas gifts, (I remember the ones I saved up for months to buy because he just had to have them) he remembered that I’d wrap each box several times and there was always one with a simple note that said I Love You. He remembered how I’d send him on a treasure hunts from room to room hunting for his gifts. He remembered the road trip we took when we got totally lost and ended up having more fun then we would have had if we hadn’t gotten lost. He remembered the simple fun things we did but things that had cost a lot of money seemed to take a back stage in his memories. So I say MAKE MEMORIES, enjoy every moment and mix in lots of hugs and kisses and you can’t go wrong, even when he is a teen and you think some monster from another planet has inhabited his body.
Hugs & Blessings
Bernie
Cooper is too cute! My parenting advice, enjoy every minute!
Brandy, you will never regret being a stay-at-home Mom. I stayed home for 12 years with my 2 girls and I don’t regret a single day. The one piece of advice I have is to always keep a diaper bag packed by the door. If a friend called or we just wanted to get out of the house all I had to do was grab the bag and go. I also joined a MOPS group which is a group of Moms who are mentored by an older experienced Mom. They always had great ideas on how to problem solve or come up with cheap fun.
I also loved being in playgroups for the kids(and adult conversation for Moms). Get involved with groups whether it is through the community, church or family. Support gets you through the tough stages and gives you some wonderful friendships for life. Best wishes on your new exciting career!!!
Trust yourself as you’re with your child 24-7, and you know him better than anyone else. Remember to raise your child with lots of love, not race him against other children.
Cooper is a cutie pie…Enjoy every second with him. They grow up so fast. Make lot of memories and take lots of pictures.
Hey Brandy–you will LOVE your new job–most days! Just remember to take some time for yourself–you will need it. Also love every minute/stage/growthspurt/ with your mini-Cooper–because some day you’ll have a 6’4″ “Ry guy” or beautiful college rad grad girl–I do–and I DID stay home with them when they were small, switched to part-time employment, and I DID kiss them well every time they went in their car seats, read stories, sang songs, played “Charlotte and Templeton” yes, from Charlotte’s web and am soooo glad that I did! My “babies” are now marvelous adults who are happy, healthy and lovely Christian people.
Read to him an hour every day. Make it a priority. It’s fun!!! And it pays off.
Farewell Brandy. What great comments from your colleagues.
Remember to take some time out for yourself – it keeps you sane.
Enjoy every single moment you have with them at home. All too soon they will head to school and then leave the nest. Even the chaotic moments will be looked upon fondly in the future.
My best advice is to enjoy every moment!!! They grow up so fast…. it seems like just yesterday my were babies…. now they are 10 & 15!!!! I hope you enjoy every moment of it (even the crazy days) they are absolutely wonderful!
Congrats & have fuN!!!!
~Ola
okj83 at live dot com
I think the best parenting tip I can give you is if you one child or a dozon… don’t ever take your eyes off the road, even if you are sitting at idle in rush hour traffic. It WILL cause an accident!
Imagine if you will… my two young boys fighting in the back seat. I mean physically fighting. I was sitting in traffic, foot on the brake, so I turned to the back to settle them down and… my foot eased off the brake peda!l And bam I hit the person in front, and two more behind me got involved too! All this because “A tomato can too rip the roof off your house….member mama, like in the movie!” He was talking about the tornado in the “Wizard of Oz”
What fun times you are about to create with your family. Congrats, Brandy, on becoming a stay at home mom. And I hope you’ll be as successful at home as you’ve been at the magazine.
Hugs, Jessica
Good luck to you Brandy and your family! You will be missed! Cooper is super adorable!!! Enjoy him! They grow up so fast!
Sounds more like Brandy should be giving me the advice
Enjoy it all!
What a lovely baby! My mom taught me to go sleep when the baby is sleeping so you can rest a little.
And enjoy your cute baby ^^
You are awesome and I hope it is the mostest rewarding experience for you!
What a cutie patootie! I admire your decision to stay with your little Cooper. Enjoy each day with him, as life is so short and he’ll grow up before you hardly notice! Happy days!
I have one advice… Never, under any circumstances, leave your (sun)glasses in your baby’s hands! Even if you think you’ve got the sturdiest glasses in the world. Because you’ll be proven wrong…
That was for kidding! Just enjoy your days with your son, be happy!
When you take a picture of such a little one, try rolling a tiny bit of tape, or double sided tape and put on his fingertips. You can get some cute expressions as he studies and puzzles over that and waves at you etc. Best done before they get to the ‘everything goes straight to my mouth’ phase !
Brandy,
Give him love as if it were a boomerang and brace yourself. It will return to you with force. Enjoy every moment. I have a daughter who is a delight to me and my husband.
Brandy
Congrats on the little bundle. He’s super cute!
My only advice is to enjoy every moment. They grow up way too fast. One moment you’re changing their diapers and the next they are walking down the aisle and preparing to have children of their own.
Can you tell I just sent my one and only son down the aisle this past weekend and I still can’t believe 27 years have passed??? LOL