I was featured on Bump Club and Beyond today and wanted to share my interview!
In case you aren’t familiar, Bump Club and Beyond (BCB) connects parents and parents-to-be with the best baby products and resources, both online and through events around the country, including Chicago. As a mom of 3, I often use them as a resource myself and was thrilled that they wanted to feature me as a favorite Chicago Mom.
I’ve included my interview below. You can also view the full interview on their website here (along with some other amazing Chicago Moms!):
Meet Our Favorite Chicago Moms: Best of Bump Club Edition
Please note that affiliate links are used which means I may get a small commission for purchases. This is at no extra charge to you. Thank you for supporting Shining on Design!
Photo taken by Jennifer Kaye Photography
Name: Samantha Regan
Kid(s) and Ages: 3 girls, Taylor (age 4), Kinzie (age 2), and Harper ( 11 months – almost 1 years old)
Where do you live? Geneva, IL
Work life: I have an interior design company, Samantha Regan Design, and lifestyle blog called Shining on Design. My clientele (and many blog readers too!) are families with young kids that want their homes to look beautiful, and still be kid friendly.
What has been the biggest reward of motherhood?
Watching their personalities evolve as they grow up. All three girls are so different from each other, but all so fun.
What’s your best “mom-hack” you think other moms could benefit from?
When the kids are fussy, put them in the bath 🙂 Works every time.
What is the best part about where you live?
We have the cutest town, like something out of a Hallmark movie. Geneva is a small town, but only an hour drive from Chicago and easy to get to by train. Boutique shops, amazing restaurants and the people are why we love it here.
Favorite thing to do with your kids in your hometown.
The festivals are always fun (Swedish Days and the Christmas Walk are favorites). Grahams for ice cream is always a must!
Favorite date night in your hometown.
Dinner at Fioras
What are 5 things that you could not “mom” without? (Products, apps, anything that helps you to be a better mom.)
- Apple watch. I don’t like to have my cell phone out when I’m with my kids but because of my job, I sometimes need to be available to clients at off hours. I can get call and email notifications on my watch but only respond when absolutely necessary.
- Dry erase weekly calendar on our fridge. This has been great for my husband, me and our sitters so we can all keep track of all our daily activities. Since each day is so different, this has been a life saver! Also, writing things down (vs typing) is supposed to help you remember 🙂
- Instagram! Staying connected on social media, especially instagram, is great for keeping up with things like helpful mom hacks, fashion trends, decor ideas, etc. I know social media gets a bad rep sometimes because we see too many “picture perfect” lives but I do believe it is also a great place for inspiration and to connect with our moms.
- Amazon Subscribe and Save. I have diapers, wipes, boogie wipes, toothpaste, laundry detergent and much more automatically delivered to our house so I don’t have to worry about buying these things – or running out!
- Baby Einstein Lullaby Classics CD for the car. This CD has been like magic for my babies. If they are fussy in the car, I play this CD and it almost instantly settles them down. Many times, it puts them right to sleep; it’s so serene.
What are your 5 must-have items in your diaper bag? Besides diapers and wipes, I always like to have these things on hand:
- Snacks (my kids always want snacks!)
- YumEarth Organic lollipops (Sugar free). Even my husband loves these.
- BB Cream Golden Glow
- Tory Burch card case. I use this as my wallet and just keep the essentials (drivers license, credit card). It’s tiny, which is great because I like to keep my diaper bag as lightweight as possible.
- Sunscreen
When you have time to yourself, what do you like to do?
I try to do something creative when I have extra time to myself (which is why I started a design and decor blog 🙂 . I do love tackling a home project, browse through flea markets or try a new recipe with any free time.
Who are your “mom idols”?
My Mom
Who is in your mom tribe and how did you meet them?
There are 5 moms in my mom tribe and we try get together twice a month. Each mom has a month where they host a playgroup and choose a field trip. We started playgroups almost 5 years ago when we all had babies, and barely knew each other (our husbands all went to high school together). Today, we are all good friends and our group has grown quite a bit!! There’s 14 kids between all of us which means juggling a lot of schedules to get together. Sometimes, just the moms get together without the kids!
What is one piece of advice for new moms that you wish someone told you before motherhood?
Trust your instincts – no matter what.
How do you balance it all?
This is a struggle for me. Balancing work, family and life is challenging.
I create a lot of “to-do”lists and number each item on my to-do list based on priority. That has helped me stay on top of things lately.
If you had a theme song, what would it be?
Let it Go
Social Media handles:
Instagram @samantharegandesign
Facebook @shiningondesign
Pinterest Shining on Design
Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this post. Be sure to check out the other interviews from favorite moms of Chicago! Meet Our Favorite Chicago Moms: Best of Bump Club Edition
Also, if you are in the Chicago area, Bump Club and Beyond is having a fun event on May 4th. You’ll discover the BEST products, and get a goody bag 🙂 Use code CHICAGOMOM for 25% off All Access, General and Basic Tickets!
I’m also giving away a pair of tickets so message me to enter!!
Photography by Jennifer Kaye Photography in Geneva, IL
