Welcome back to Finish The Sentence Friday Blog Hop (FTSF). We give you a sentence and you finish it (however long or short you’d like). Please feel free to link up and follow any or all of our hostesses, which are below.
Plus, please be so kind to welcome this week’s guest co-host: Jean from MamaSchmama. We are truly so excited to have her join us this week as a co-host!
And now for this week’s sentence to finish: “We can either be traditional or non-traditional in the way we do things, I…“
Next week’s sentence to finish: “A funny thing happened on the way to…”
“We can either be traditional or non-traditional in the way we do things…”
Here is the thing, if I was asked this question when I was a teen or even in my twenties, I would have answered that I was definitely not traditional, because I was truly rebelling and not wanting to conform to the norm or what my parents told me.
There was no way my mom knew anything. I swear every time I thought I knew what was right for me or the scenario at hand, usually my mom knew otherwise.
I would swear she was not right and I would prove her wrong .
Guess what?
Ninety nine percent of the time, I was wrong and mom was right.
Did it drive me crazy?
Hell YES!
Seriously, I could here my brain saying, “Fuck it, she is right again!”
Sorry for the language, but traditional I was not in these days and I swore like a trucker!
What happened to me then you may ask?
At thirty two, I became a mother.
My mom and my grandmother always told me growing up, “You will see, when you become a mother yourself!”
Yup, again she was right and so my my grandmother.
Being a mom, I now hear my myself saying things like, “Because I said so!” and “Wait until I tell your father!”
So, at 36 years old, I am more my mother’s daughter then I ever would have admitted in my carefree, untraditional youth.
Yup, I have become my mom in many ways and surprisingly I am ok with that.
Hell my mom is a wonderful person and we always teased her that she was saint like almost like Mother Teresa.
I will gladly admit I am not saint like and still curse with the best of them, but I definitely do have more of my mom in me. And traditional definitely isn’t as bad as I could have imagined or thought.
So, I am definitely more traditional then not at this point in my life, but can say I have been both and probably still have a little non-traditional in me, but yes I have conformed so to speak contrary to all the rebelling and fighting I did along the way, because of these two, silly princesses below (and wouldn’t change it for the world)!
Now that I have shared here, please tell me whether you consider yourself more traditional or non-traditional today!
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rmemommy says
Motherhood definitely changes our perspective!
Janine Huldie says
Totally agree and like I said with you on your post, my kids definitely put so much in perspective for me on this, Lisa.
dishofdailylife says
Definitely traditional…having kids tends to put things into perspective, doesn't it? Oh how we change…
Janine Huldie says
Michelle, so true parenting does have a way of putting it all in perspective. And oh how we do change, lol!! 🙂
Pam says
So funny, I said some random thing to my daughter the other day and my husband shook his head and said "I swear your mother might as well be in the room right now." We can't help becoming our moms, I think. We are just lucky our moms are worthy of our admiration and respect.
Janine Huldie says
Pam, I know I am just so thankful that my mom was and still truly the best. IT could be so much worse and if I had to turn into anyone just happy it was her in the end!! 🙂
Billybuc says
I'm not sure what I am, Janine. I'm traditional in a lot of ways, but I am so off the charts non-traditional in others…..I'm just a grab bag of contradictions. LOL have a great Friday my friend.
Janine Huldie says
Bill, I know exactly who you are and for that I am just so grateful to know you and be your friend. Thank you as always and have a wonderful night now, too!! 🙂
Jean says
I've slid back and forth between tradition and not like you. I am happy we are given those choices. And damn if those moms aren't right most of the time. My mom is the same way and I cannot wait until I get to be right all the time with my kids 🙂
Janine Huldie says
Jean, I seriously cannot wait to always be right now with my kids, too. Seriously, I have been wrong so many times over the years as the child, nice to be right for a change as the parent at the very least 🙂
Dana says
Becoming a mom definitely changes your outlook, but I think just getting older in general does too. I also hated when my mom was right, and I would never admit it!
Janine Huldie says
Dana, just glad to know it isn't just me and god how I hated her always being right back then!!
tamaralikecamera says
Yay for co-host Jean! I am cracking up a bit at your use of the "F" word. I was out tonight with friends I know from having kids and I kept swearing and apologizing and then realizing my kids weren't around! And their kids weren't around! And they luckily thought it was funny.
Anyway. It's hilarious how often my mom has been right about..everything. Especially parenting.
Janine Huldie says
Tamara, I am constantly watching my mouth and sometimes it is so hard, but I still have the compulsion to want to swear like a trucker. The other night I told Kevin to shut up jokingly and Lily picked it right up and mimicked me 30 seconds later. So I know they totally pay attention and repeat, so seriously I do try, but god how hard it is!
canigetanotherbottleofwhine says
What a cute picture. I think we're all traditional and non-traditional in some ways and at different points in our lives. It's interesting to think about, isn't it?
Janine Huldie says
I think it totally is Kate and I do very much agree with you on this. 🙂
Kristi Campbell says
HOLY CRAP YOU SWORE in a post! And I love it. Yeah, I love that we all become our mothers mostly. Your photos are adorable as are your princesses (and you). Big time. I look forward to the day when my son realizes how right that I am (although I guess boys don't often become their mothers??).
Janine Huldie says
I totally did and you should have known back when I was 16, because I think this word lived in my mouth and was said way too often back then! And I seriously can'r wait for the day my girls do realize I am more right then wrong, too 🙂
@dofKickassMama says
My teenage untraditionalism stuck with me and I'm 24 now. My mother is very dissappointed.
Janine Huldie says
At 24, I still was single and very much untraditional. This snuck up on my in my 30s, very much married and with children 🙂
tinarobmorley says
In terms of parenting, I'm probably more traditional than most. We still sit down and have meals together, especially dinner, and that kind of thing. So, I think, like you being a mother that takes after your own mom, and being "traditional" in that way, I could say the same thing about me. Thanks for hosting!
Janine Huldie says
My pleasure and can't wait to see what you had to say on your blog, but you are right we too are pretty traditional with sitting down to dinner together and such 🙂
Teresa Kander says
Great post….although my experience was much different–I became very NON-traditional as a parent, with my goal to be as much UNLIKE my mother as possible. I even allowed/encouraged my kids to call me on it any time they felt I was acting like her. The few times I heard "Whatever you say, Grandma" from them, I totally cringed!!
On the other side, my daughter is now 24, and mom of a 4 yr old, and not only has she admitted that I was right, she has apologized for stuff she put me threw when she was a child, and wonders how I held it together with three of them. (Little does she know, sometimes I wonder the same thing! LOL)
Janine Huldie says
Teresa, the part about your daughter, I do totally hope someday that even one of my daughter's say what your daughter said to you and gets its=. Not that I don't love them, but they are still very little and young and don't always see that they are indeed wrong and certainly don't want to be! 🙂
Karen says
OMG..I thought I knew it all back then, I thought I was knew more then my parents…what a laugh now…I sometimes cringe at the moments, things I say, how I act…because they are all my parents….sigh…and so the circle turns, right?
I still curse something awful…which is bad, but I rather Dino hear a curse than him ever hear someone say a racial slur or bigoted statement, KWIM?
Janine Huldie says
Karen, I totally agree and the circle definitely turns on this one. And as for the cursing, I do my best, but like you I know stuff slips out at times. It is more Lily I have to worry about, she repeats everything I say many times!
massholemommy says
My mother is almost always right and I hate that LOL. I have learned a lot from her, though and I definitely consider myself to be traditional.
Janine Huldie says
Robin, I know that feeling quite well and am now only starting like I said to appreciate that more and not hate it as much!! 🙂
The Dose of Reality says
Oh, girl!! I relate to ALL of this!!! I would have said I was totally non-traditional back in my 20s…and then where I find myself at 45…I'm actually pretty traditional in our family structure. WHO KNEW! And moms always turn out to be right. I was always irritated by that, but now that I *am* a mom with teen and preteen kids, I find comfort in that—because they'll be realizing that before you know it! 😀 –Lisa
Janine Huldie says
Lisa, I love that you can relate, because I already know we had a ton in common, but love, love, love that we have this in common, too. And yes I totally find comfort in knowing I am now a mom and can't wait for my girls to realize I too am always right!! 🙂
notinjersey says
interesting topic! I recall my mom telling me once that I was a liberal because I liked to be non-conformist, but in other ways i am traditional – religiously for example!
Janine Huldie says
I know sometimes I think I could be a little bit of both now, but definitely am more traditional being a mom I feel 🙂
flemily says
I definitely agree how parenthood can make us into more traditional beings. Although I didn't consider myself much of a rebel growing up, I do find myself wanting to instill routines and traditions into our family life. I think kids thrive on consistency and so I try to give them that — at least some of the time!
Janine Huldie says
I know I try very hard for my kids, too Emily. So why I say I am more traditional then not nowadays 🙂
Ruchira says
first of all those pix are adorable including you and the girls
secondly, becoming a mom tends to make us walk the path of our moms…teehee
i can vouch for that 🙂
Janine Huldie says
Thanks Ruchira and I know totally vouch for that here, too 🙂
Sandy_Ramsey says
I just had to do a double take and make sure I was on YOUR blog! The "F" word threw me! Lol! I think we all get to a point where we realize Mom was right about a lot of things. I call my Mom on a regular basis and apologize to her!
Janine Huldie says
I know Sandy I usually try to keep it clean, but just exactly what I would have said and thought, so I didn’t censor myself this time out. And I tell my mom daily that she was so right 🙂
kellylmckenzie says
"You look just like your mother!" absolutely drove me crazy when I was younger. I ermember going with her to a movie and walking in the shadows hoping against hope that no one saw me with her. Today – I delight in both.
Janine Huldie says
Thanks so much Kelly and same here about wishing no one would see us out together as teen, now totally the opposite here, too!! 🙂
irkedmommy says
I totally get what you mean. I have been and am both!
Janine Huldie says
Thanks and glad it wasn't just me!! 🙂
donofalltrades says
Hahaha, it sucks when you realize that mom was right all along. Still, nobody listens to their parents, even in the face of everybody telling you that they're right and know what's best for you…gotta learn the hard way I suppose. Cute kid pics too!
Janine Huldie says
Don't I know it Don and I learned the hard way quite often when I was younger, trust me I totally did!! 🙂
lovingmarshall says
I would say I'm traditional in that I was the one who stayed home with Marshall the first 3 years of his life, and I tend to manage the household and clean, budget, etc. But I'm non-traditional in that I've grown away from some of the thoughts and beliefs that I held when I was growing up, or more specifically, that my rural Southern community influenced me to believe. They were into football and country music, and although I like those things, I was more into ballet and Classical piano. My hometown community is overwhelmingly populated my Republicans, where I am a liberal Democrat. The differences go on and on. 🙂 (I love my hometown, but I could never move back there! Ha!) I'm not sure if I answered the question correctly, but there you go!
I loved hearing your story about how motherhood changed your perception and inspired you to embrace the traditional. I can't imagine you cursing like a sailor though!
PS I grew up in a household that never cursed, so when we lived in New Jersey for 2 years, I got QUITE the education. My husband loved it! He totally loved the freedom to let that language out! It was so funny.
Janine Huldie says
Lauren, thank you so much for sharing here today and loved hearing all about you when you were younger and how you got to be who you are today now. And NJ is a hop, skip and a jump away, so yes we definitely leaner choose words here, too, because it is seriously all around us!
katbiggie says
I am right there with you. I was as non traditional as I could be through college and in the immediate years following… then I regressed back to traditional when I went into the military and even MORE so when I started having kids. we are all our moms a little bit!
Janine Huldie says
We totally are Alexa and seriously love you even more after knowing we have this, too in common!! 🙂
Amanda Love says
Becoming a mother can truly change the way you think. I find I am more traditional in a lot of my way. I grew up in the Caribbean where things are done slightly differently. I tend to do things the way my mom does and I do find myself saying "just wait…." etc or "because I said so". Guess it's a mom thing. 🙂
Janine Huldie says
Totally a mom thing, Amanda and seriously say it more then I ever thought I would!! 🙂
Alison says
With age, I think most of us swing from nontraditional to traditional. I know I did!
Janine Huldie says
So true Alison and age does have a way of doing this to even the best of us, I suppose 🙂
stephsprenger says
I can hardly believe the things that come out of my mouth these days- just like my parents! I said "young lady" the other day, and like my dad I will say, "For crying out loud," or "Do you think I was born yesterday?" It's scary. 🙂
Janine Huldie says
Oh I know Stephanie and seriously sometimes I can't believe the things I have or will say here. And have definitely uttered quite a few that you listed and then some!! 🙂
rynolexson says
Don't you just hate when you start to realize you are your mother. When that happens then you realize you mother isn't so bad after all…I'm currently going through that now. Kids bring out your own mother in you…who would have known.
Janine Huldie says
I know truly never would have thought, but my kids totally did bring out my mother in me totally! Wishing you an easy transition as you are going through this too now! 🙂
stephanie2006 says
Love the pictures, Janine!! Maybe your youth was more traditional than you think, or don't you think that rebelling is a right of passage? That we are sure mothers don't have a clue until we find out ourselves? I think everything else would be more untraditional 🙂 Have a great weekend!
Janine Huldie says
Stephanie, I love you take on this and you may totally be right and never quite thought of it this way though! Have a great weekend, too 🙂
.MIS. Manhattan Image & Style says
You and your baby girls are so beautiful!! I am def a traditional! 😉
Diana http://www.ManhattanImageandStyle.com
New Outfit Post: A Knee High Kind of Day
Janine Huldie says
Thanks so much Diana and have a great weekend now 🙂
rosey says
I've gone from very non-traditional to very traditional, and I liked it then and I like it now…though I do have to admit, life is much easier and more comfortable when you are being traditional (good for the kids, I know). 🙂
Janine Huldie says
So true Rosey and now you know why I have totally embraced traditional 🙂
April (@100LBC) says
I don’t mind others swearing. I write for a Christian blog and I think it goes against their principles. Plus I have a 2yo which means that I will never hear the end of it.
Janine Huldie says
Totally understandable April and trust me I will probably pay for it with Lily if I do slip up, because she repeats everything I say as it is!
day-with-kt.com says
I loved the pictures you included today!!!
I just asked Chris and he said that I'm not traditional. I'm not sure what I think – probably a mix depending on different areas.
I'm not like my Mom (on purpose) and pretty much go out of my way to not do things or say things that she would.
Janine Huldie says
Thanks Kim and I didn't ask Kevin, but probably should have just to see what he would say on this for me now!! 🙂
jasteck says
There are some traditions that are so comfortable, they are just part of who we are, even when we refuse to recognize it. As we grow into adulthood, things make more sense. Thank goodness we have moms and grandmas who stick with us through our rebellious times.
Janine Huldie says
Definitely thank god for moms and grandmothers, too, because mine definitely did all they could for me and still put up with so much from me too back in the day!
jenkehl says
I love this post, it is a lot like mine. It took me a while to realized being a rebel wasn't all it was cracked up to be. At some point we stop fighting and start seeing how we can be more parts to a whole. Thanks for the look inside Janine 🙂
Janine Huldie says
Jen, I definitely do think we have a lot in common and this included. And I was truly happy to share and give a bit more insight into me here today!! 🙂
Justin Knight says
Traditional! It's amazing how becoming a parent can make you even more traditional.
Janine Huldie says
I know Justin, it is truly amazing how when we become parents, we do tend to become more traditional. Happy Weekend 🙂
Brittnei Washington says
This is too funny! I honestly could see now how I could have answered this question! Bummer! LOL. For me the tradition in this aspect depends on who I'm comparing it to. According to how both me and my husband were raised I would say we are non-traditional, but according to where our standards lie, I would say we are very traditional because we just follow the Bible. So even though it's not according to how we were raised and many are accustom to here in the states, it is still ancient history on how we are doing things because the Bible is way older than the US hehe.
Janine Huldie says
Makes sense Brittnei and I do very much think it depends on how you look at it and from what perspective you do indeed see it from.
gigigirl says
You've come a long way….and you're doing a great job as a traditional woman! Love you…….xxoo
Janine Huldie says
Thank you Aunt Gloria and take that as a huge compliment, because I know you totally knew me before and now after, too!! 🙂 xoxo!!
lizzy allan says
Oh I can identify with this post so much, Janine! Parenthood just puts an entirely new perspective on everything. Actually, I scare myself thinking how much I sound like my mother sometimes, when all along, I always told myself I was going to be a completely different parent from her! Love your photos in this post too 😉
Janine Huldie says
Lizzy, I know the same here and really was going to be nothing like my mother and now we see how wrong I was! Thanks as always 🙂
anothercleanslate says
I'm definitely more traditional is most ways. I can't imagine how much more i'll get after I have kids!
Janine Huldie says
I know it is scary how much more traditional the kids actually mad me, too! 🙂
whisperingwriter says
I'd say I was traditional. However, I also curse. I'm working on it.
Love that last photo. Too cute!
Janine Huldie says
Thanks and trust me I also am totally a work in progress 😉
Nellie says
oh my gosh, I totally get this post 100%!! My mom annoyed the heck out of me when I was a teen, but now I realize that she was right. Like SO INCREDIBLY right. and so good to me as a child. I appreciate her more and more everyday.
Janine Huldie says
Nellie, I am so glad you can relate and it wasn’t just me. Seriously, I love my mom to pieces, but back then she was definitely public enemy number one. Now I get it and feel terrible for my actions.
catherine gacad says
janine, i've tried to tone it down, but i swear a ton! i'm sure when this kid comes out, i'll refrain even more from bad language. it's so true how we turn out to be just like our mothers!
Janine Huldie says
Catherine, I know the feeling well and am totally still trying almost 5 years later with my first with cursing. Totally a work in progress here for sure. 🙂
Chris Carter says
I love this Janine!!! I can cuss like a sailor- oh, how I get that!! Some old 'non-traditionals' die hard, eh? 😉
I think you described SO many people here, I know I for one am JUST like you!! It's really amazing how we grow up, isn't it?
Janine Huldie says
I it’s totally amazing how we do eventually all grow up. And I love that you curse like a sailor, too. Seriously only makes me love you more then I already do 🙂
Kenya G. Johnson says
I am definitely traditional. You couldn't have ever told me when I was a teenager that I would say ANYTHING and sound like my father. The first time I told Christopher (who was around the corner playing with a friend) "You better check-in in 30 mins or there will be consequences), I almost choked on my own breath. I came out so naturally too! I hope I am not as strict as he was though – we shall see. 😉
Janine Huldie says
I know that feeling Kenya so well and trust me I have said and done stuff that had made me feel that way, too. Hearing our parents come out of our own mouths can definitely be shocking and take time to get used to!