We partnered with Hefty® to celebrate strong Moms, in honor of Mother’s Day! Here is a little bit about the lady who taught me that no matter how uncertain life can be, our strength and love will get us through anything.
I was 9 years old, sitting in front of my school nearly an hour after the final bell rang. All of the other kids had already gone home and I was still waiting for my Nana to pick me up. It was the days before cell phones, so if you couldn’t get someone on their house phone, you just had to leave them a message and wait. I was scared and imagining the worst, when I finally spotted her car pulling into the entrance. I didn’t know if I wanted to yell at her or hug her, I just knew that I was finally going home. As I got into the car, she apologized and told me that she had won the jackpot at bingo and had to stay a little later to sign some paperwork. Then she handed me $100 and told me I had earned it for being so patient. Was it a bribe? Maybe… but it was $100 and I was 9, so I gladly accepted it and got on with my day.
While I was so angry at the time, I look back on it now and laugh. She was always so honest with me. Sometimes too honest, like the time I went to see her after proudly losing 10 lbs and she said “I thought you were on a diet? You look the same to me.”
My Nana was one of a kind and a no-nonsense lady who was just as strong as she was loving. While there was so much to love about her, the trait I adored most was her sense of humor. She could take any situation, no matter how sad or scary and make me laugh. It wasn’t something she tried to do either. She had no idea she was funny… she just was. Sometimes it was embarrassing, sometimes it was shocking, but we still look back on it and laugh because it’s who she was and she was never afraid of being herself.
She grew up in a time when you moved out of your parents home only to move in with your husband. She never knew what it was like to live alone or take care of herself. In 2004, my Grandpa passed away. It was the first time, in her almost 80 years that she was going to live alone. While we should have worried how she would handle it, we knew that she was going to rock the single life. Sure enough, not long after she moved into her new place, she was making friends, being a social butterfly and having a blast.
When we were asked to partner with Hefty® to celebrate strong Moms, I couldn’t wait to celebrate the lady that was there for me until her final days, even if she was a little late every once and a while. I mean, there was usually money in it for me, so…
All kidding aside, my Nana taught me so much about love, parenting and not taking life too seriously. It’s those important lessons that I will pass down to my daughters. As I watch them each grow into strong, independent young ladies, I know that our Nana is watching us from up above, laughing at our stumbles and applauding when we get back up again and tackle the situation like a boss (just like she would).
I love that Hefty® is encouraging us to celebrate our strong Moms. Check out this commercial staring John Cena and his Mom, Carol Cena, another ultra strong Mom:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSkzwdQI0tk
Hefty® Ultra Strong™ trash bags offer “Hefty Hefty Hefty” strength at a price that fits in our “Wimpy Wimpy Wimpy” budget. Their Triple Action Technology resists tears, punctures and leaks and their break resistant drawstring helps to prevent the bag from falling inside of the can. While we can’t choose our Moms, you can choose your trash bags. So why not choose Hefty®, the brand that gives you a 100% satisfaction guarantee, or your money back?!
What makes your Mom ultra strong? Comment below and let us know!
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Hefty®.
Your Grandma sounds like a great lady and a lot of fun. I miss my mom on Mother’s Day and it turns out to be a tough day for me and my sisters.
I am all for celebrating strong moms. Love the pic of your daughter. You are raising her to be a warrior 🙂
What an awesome thing for Hefty to be doing! Mum’s definitely need celebrating all they can, as they are all amazing people.
I love this! I also have a headstrong Nana–she’s still with us and is nearly 97. It’s always wonderful when there are strong women in the family.
What a sweet story about your Nana! My mom was a very strong woman and she was such a giver. She was always cooking for people that were experiencing grief, etc. I love being able to remember all the good times we had together.
I love that commercial of John Cena. Your daughter is quite a model, love her pose flexing the muscles!
Happy Mother’s Day! I really enjoyed reading this post. Raising three rambunctious post made my mom ultra strong.