Everyday Motherhood
This post is part of our series, Everyday Motherhood!
For this series, we sit down with a fellow mom to have an honest and candid conversation about everyday motherhood.
We cover all things real mom life: from helpful mom hacks, easy dinner recipes, favorite must-have mom products, to any advice or wisdom that has helped them throughout the seasons of motherhood.
You know, a lot of the stuff you text your mom friends about!
Meet Stephanie!
Stephanie is an exceptional wife, mom, and woman! She is one of the most positive people I have ever met. In fact, I can still say this about her after she endured the unimaginable: losing her husband, Seth, to cancer.
She comes to Everyday Motherhood with vulnerability, insight, and some plain old good advice on motherhood.
I hope you enjoy this truly inspiring conversation with Stephanie!
Tell us about yourself!
Hi! My name is Stephanie Raleigh and I live in Corvallis, Oregon.
I didn’t always live in this “big”city; I grew up in a small town called LaGrande, which is also in Oregon. I was raised with two older sisters and two wonderful parents. I loved my childhood as I was raised with good values and a great group of friends that I still call my friends to this day.
I have lived in Corvallis now for the last 25 years. Out of those years I graduated from OSU and got a teaching license from Western Oregon University, worked at various places around Corvallis, and now have been teaching kindergarten for 12 years. In this time, most importantly, I married the love of my life and had two beautiful boys.
As some stories go, my life changed when our youngest son was 3 months old…
My husband had a seizure in our home and was then given a diagnosis of brain cancer. In five years he had five surgeries, two aggressive brain tumors, two rounds of radiation, and chemotherapy.
He passed away peacefully amongst family. This shaped our lives for many years, however as he would say, “cancer sucks, but life is amazing!”
After his death I tried to live the best as I could and to the fullest, but my 22 year old niece who was also battling cancer died 6 months after him.
You can say that this chunk of my life was the hardest but I also grew from it and its hardships. As my therapist would say, “this is a big part of your story but not the whole thing.”
Six years later, I find myself still teaching young minds, raising two amazing boys, hiking, crafting, traveling, spending time with family and friends and doing all of this with my new partner of three years who has been a great addition into our lives. He reminds us daily of adventure and hard work.
Some of my greatest accomplishments are taking care of my mental health during my husband’s cancer journey, raising my boys, belonging to an amazing gym, completing a 43 mile hike around Mt. Hood, running in 6 half marathons and 1 marathon, rafting the Rouge River, and knowing that I can survive hard things.
What’s something you can’t live without?
Cheese and exercise!
What’s some of your favorite wisdom on everyday everyday motherhood?
Sometimes less is more! And kids will tune you out if you keep blabbing at them. Keep things short and sweet with love and logic.
What’s your current go-to dinner recipe?
Anything that someone wants to cook for me!
If you could put on any outfit so you’ll feel your best, what would it be?
A pari of spandex, a sports bra, and my gym shoes!
Pregnancy or postpartum items you couldn’t live without?
Blueberry Kashi Clusters Cereal, dried mangos, the show Mad Men, my Doula (Dana), my family.
Activities, toys, or traditions your kids (and you!) love?
We have quite a few we love!
- Since Covid, we watch one Harry Potter movie a weekend starting in September and ending on Halloween weekend. We dress up, make themed desserts, and have friends over!
- We love to have fire nights in our backyard.
- I make the boys memory books every year and they get them at Christmas.
- We try our very best to go on a backpacking trip with friends every summer.
- We go to Palm Spring for spring break to get some sunshine, hike, and swim!
- Instead of material gifts we do experience gifts instead. This year we’re taking them to Sunriver for a week!
What has surprised you the most about motherhood?
How hard it is to let your children fail, to see them cry and feel sad. All your wants and dreams for them, and how MUCH you love them.
Any everyday motherhood tips, tricks, or hacks that make your life easier?
Let them play, get dirty, run around outside, and leave your sight. Ask them questions, let them problem solve, and read, read, and more reading! Let them wonder about everything. Hug them, kiss them, sit with them in good and hard times. Let them make a mess, have them do chores from a young age, let them help, and don’t do everything for them. Be away from them from time to time. Have them see you cry, be silly, joyful, and angry. And when they get older in the summer by those baskets with a paper liner so that there are not so many dishes! Lol!
My one relationship advice if you’re in one…..make sure that you take time away from your children with each other. Go on dates, go on an overnight, just remember why you chose that person in the first place. Your kids will thank you!
If you could tell a new mom one thing, what would it be?
Ask for help! You cannot do this on your own!
Also, yes, you’re now a mom but that is not your only identity. Remember who you were before kids, your children need to see that too!
Thank you so much, Stephanie! We are so lucky to have chatted all-things Motherhood with you!
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