A Secret to Success as a Working Mom: Use Dresses to Stay Cool and Stylish in Hot Weather

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Greetings from Chaton's World in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania! My days often start with laundry, early-morning emails, and making my kids a hot breakfast. They often end with late-night homework checks, making Instagram reels, and appearing on Celebrity Court of Public Opinion. Somewhere in between, I’m navigating boardrooms, working towards deadlines, and immersed in the good, bad, and ugly chaos of motherhood and household management. As a working mom of three and a professional carving out space in corporate environments, I share my journey of balancing leadership with loving my family, and I sprinkle it with self-care tips. Here, you’ll find honest reflections, hard-earned lessons, and practical strategies for creating an authentic life that you enjoy. If you’re trying to do it all without losing yourself in the process, you have found your sister in the struggle!  Continue reading to discover some thoughts, hacks, and/or lessons that I have learned from navigating my world.
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Celebrating Life During the COVID19 Pandemic

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The January 15th birthday boy

 

January 15th is the Founders' Day for my beloved sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Incorporated. It is Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday. It is also Andre's birthday. One year, our daughter did a project about Martin Luther King Jr. and she said that she wished he had lived long enough to meet her dad because he's also a great man. A daughter's love has a way of elevating even the humblest of men.

Birthdays should be celebrated

Well, we celebrated that great man last night by going out to dinner at an actual restaurant. For me, it was my first time out since March and it took a bit of planning. Fortunately for me, everything that one can want is available on Amazon. Because it was a party, I bought some decorations and decided to give the guests party favors--adult style. So, I prepared a hangover recovery kit. They included acetaminophen, an electrolyte replenishment pack, gum, candy, hand sanitizer, and a key chain that contained a bottle opener. 

The food was beautiful and delicious

After I had the party decorations and favors arranged, I started thinking about safety. We are still in a pandemic after all. So, I bought a personal air purifier and brought it with me! Having it made me feel a little more relaxed. I also washed my hands and maintained my distance. Fortunately, my sister-in-law, Natasha Jativa, got us the best table in the house on a separate level from the others. So, it was all good. 

Photos from the birthday dinner

Perhaps because I won't be making this a habit, or perhaps because I haven't been out since last March, but I decided to go all out. I did full makeup. I was even planning to don lashes, but I ran out of time. My Thrive Cosmetics mascara markets itself as "liquid lash extensions" and it didn't disappoint. I also decided to wear a new dress. Last March, before I knew that the world was going to shut down and socializing would come to a grinding halt,  I bought some things on sale. Those things have been hanging in the closet ever since. 

So, I had taken safety precautions. I was dressed for success and I had been locked up for nearly a year. 

It. Went. Down.

We had so much fun--the kind of fun it takes an entire day to recover from. We laughed. We ate. And we drank--A LOT! We spent so much money. And it was all worth it. And, because we were all having such a great time, everybody came to our house and laughed and drank some more. It was Andre's birthday, but it was like we were all born again!

Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA

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