1988 was a big year for my family. My mom, dad and I moved from Fond du Lac to West Bend, a few weeks later my sister was born, and my mom also started her own business, Good News Yard Cards. My mom is the epitome of creativity and fun, which was at the very core of her business. She'd sneak into people's yards (as requested by customers ordering the giant "card" for a loved one) at night or early in the morning so the recipient would wake up to a larger than life surprise!
She'd stay up till midnight creating the signs, the hand cut and lettered personalized wood balloons, working on marketing, prepping for the next morning's deliveries.
In the morning, she'd fuel up on a pot of coffee (not exaggerating!) and be present with us all day. We'd go on adventures in the hills and woods of the Kettle Moraine, visit with my grandparents at their house on the lake, have picnics with our babies, hunt for rocks in the local quarry, visit the beach, play at the park, paint rocks. When we got older she'd work on her marketing brochures at the table with us as we worked on homework, just to be with us.
On nights my dad was out of town for work, she'd pack us into the car and we'd go on a "stake out." We'd sit in the dark suburban waiting for the house lights to go out (that doesn't sound stalker-ish at all...) and she'd tell her two wide eyed girls about "moss man" and "stump monster." She knew how to make work fun! When I was older, I'd go with her for pick ups and we'd drive, listening to music, and I'd talk endlessly about my latest crush, teenage life, and she'd patiently listen and encourage.
She is an inspiration and a role model, and probably the reason I've had two of my own businesses! In later years, my mom franchised her business, now called A Card in the Yard, and she hired me to help her with creating the patterns she'd sell. From her I learned work ethic, creativity, passion, balance - work hard, play hard was something she liked to say. But most of all, she was and is a person who, where ever she is, she is all there. I hope my girls grow up seeing these special qualities in me!
Thank you mom, for being an amazing mom and an inspiring girl boss! I raise my cup...er, pot of coffee to you!:)
