Knoxville Moms Team Photo by Karen Stone Photography
:: Social Media Assistant ::
Jordan
I’m Jordan, and I have small town, southern Florida Panhandle roots that have been transplanted to the foothills of the Smokies. I am a very proud wife and mom of two. I love to be outdoors, travel, spend time with family, sit on the front porch, take a nap, do some yoga, and you’ll always find us at our church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, on Sunday. My husband and I met in high school and the rest is history! Married at 19 and made parents at 22, we haven’t necessarily taken the traditional route, but it’s been the best ride. My kids keep me on my toes daily and if I’m not running around after them, then I am inevitably dealing with our human-like animals or trying to spend five minutes with my husband.
I do my best to find humor in all things and keep motherhood real – the good and the bad. I struggled in my transition to Mom and found ways to soothe my soul with writing and yoga. I am by no means an expert at this whole parenting thing (truly, I’m just winging it), but I never want another woman to feel alone on the journey of motherhood and that’s what you will find at the core of my writing. I am the owner and founder of Mama Yoga here in East Tennessee where I create community for moms and encourage self-care with mindful movement in prenatal, postnatal, and traditional yoga instruction.
You can follow along with my writing and yoga adventures on Facebook, Instagram, and on my website, www.jordanmorgan.com
:: Project Coordinator ::
Lauren B.
Hello! My name is Lauren Bouch. I am a Knoxville native and cannot imagine living anywhere else. I married to my college sweetheart, Daniel. We met at our beloved Alma Mater, Tennessee Tech University, and got married shortly after graduating. We became the proud parents of twin daughters in 2017 and added another little girl to the family four years later. I have been a P. E. teacher, a paralegal, and a preschool teacher but being a mom is my favorite job by far. These days, I am living the dream as a stay-at-home mom, and I love it.
My college degree is in Secondary Education English, so I am not kidding when I say I LOVE to read. Classic literature is my favorite, and if Jane Austen (Pride and Prejudice, anyone?) wrote it, I have read it. I also enjoy traveling, naps, drinking coffee, re-watching Gilmore Girls (for the millionth time), going to concerts, hiking, and spending time outdoors.
My faith plays a huge role in how I mother and how I view motherhood. Also, as a girl mama, I have a passion for making sure young girls know their worth and that they can do or be anything they want. I am definitely not an expert when it comes to being a mom, but I hope to encourage other moms through my writing. I am so proud to be a part of this amazing group of women.
Kailey
Hi, my name is Kailey. I am a Registered Nurse turned high school Health Science Teacher. I am a proud wife and mom of 1. My sweet Brady (any football fans?) was born in August 2018. I am a Knoxville native and absolutely love the area. Where else can you drive to a beach, major city, or mountains in less than 6 hours? I married my husband in May 2017, we have known each other since he was 16. I love all things true crime, Disney, crafts, and Mexican food . If we aren’t at work you will find us traveling or planning our next trip. We have a passion for traveling and our goal is to visit all 50 states. I do also work as a travel agent. I absolutely love planning vacations for families. I have been a travel agent since 2016. At the end of the day all we have left are memories, I make sure each and every family creates lasting memories. I’m most certainly not an expert on being a mom, but I hope to add some experiences and outlooks being a “millennial mom”.
Jasmine
Hey everyone I’m Jasmine! I was born and raised here in Knoxville, which is why I love sweet tea by the gallon. I also love coffee, and probably drink way too much of it in one day. I’m a wife and mom of 5 little ones, plus one hyperactive Weimaraner! I get asked all the time if my kids are all mine, and even though the answer is yes, I always laugh when asked. It’s funny I never saw myself having a big family, but I wouldn’t have it any other way! Our days are loud, chaotic, messy, and so full of love. In between breaking up sibling feuds, cleaning spills, and changing diapers, I work seasonal in an emergency department. I get summer off to be home fully with my family and I love it! In the summertime we love going to the parks, lake, and all the splash pads! And fall here is my favorite next to summer, you can find us jumping in the leaves and doing all the fun fall festivities.
You will usually always see me with coffee in one hand, and a good book in the other. I also do photography occasionally and I love to blog. My passion for writing ignited back in elementary school when I won the D.A.R.E. essay contest. It opened up a whole new world for me, putting my thoughts to paper. I had so many journals and old school diaries with a lock and key. I never shared my stuff until becoming a mother. I had so many emotions, and desired to write and connect with other moms. I started writing a lot on Instagram connecting with mothers from all over, and writing posts for other websites. From there I took the leap and created a blog. Writing has become part of who I am. I believe in sharing our stories, because that’s where the connection and healing starts. I hope to not only encourage others through my words, but to be encouraged by others along the way. Because we are all in this motherhood thing together! So pull up a seat, because there’s always room at the table here for you! You can find daily posts on motherhood, faith, and my crazy filled life here on Instagram. And for more longer posts you can check my blog Raising The Martins out here.
Meredith
¡Hola! I’m Meredith. I moved to Knoxville when I was 8 years old so I have always considered Tennessee home sweet home to me. We especially love the VOLS! I am a Maryville College graduate. I also have a master’s degree from the University of Tennessee and an education specialist degree from Lincoln Memorial University. I am a high school Spanish teacher and have been teaching since 2006. I love to travel and have visited 18 countries. My absolute favorite place is Barcelona, Spain.
I met my husband, Nasaem, in 1999 at a place in Knoxville called Celebration Station, where we both worked. If you are a Knoxville native, you probably spent some time there playing arcade games, riding go-karts and bumper boats, or playing putt-putt. We got married nine years later, in 2008. So, we have known each other for over half of our lives! We have two children, Hunter (born 2009) and Sophia (born 2012). My kids keep me on my toes and I feel like I always have a crazy story to tell. We also got a dog, Wrigley, in 2020. I never thought we would be dog owners, as that was not in our plan, but here we are! Our life is one adventure after the other and we never know what is going to happen next. We are also the family that is always late for everything, which drives many of our friends and family members crazy.
We are a sports-loving family. My daughter plays soccer and absolutely loves it. She also recently started running track and really enjoyed it. She played basketball for a few years and finally told us that she thought it was boring. She also did gymnastics and tumbling for a few years, but it conflicted with soccer, and she chose soccer. My son has played a variety of sports, including baseball, basketball, and flag football; however, his preferred sport is now golf. He also really loves fishing, which he learned all about from his uncle. I do not particularly enjoy fishing and neither does my husband. With all of that said, I spend most of my time at the soccer field with my daughter and the golf course with my son. I have become his preferred caddie, even though my golf knowledge is limited.
When I’m not at school, the soccer field or on the golf course, you can find me shopping at Target or traveling to a new place to check off of my bucket list. When we travel, we usually do not have a plan so we tend to stumble upon really neat events and find really interesting things. That also tends to happen when I shop at Target and I end up spending way more than I anticipated! I used to be the type of person who had to plan everything out, but once I became a mom, I had to let go of that and learn to go with the flow, which is actually much more fun and exciting. I’m looking forward to sharing our adventures with you all!
Julia
Hi there! I may not have been born in East Tennessee, but I definitely consider it home. My family moved to Oak Ridge from Southern California right before I started high school, so I’ve been here since 2004. After high school I went to Lincoln Memorial University in the small town of Harrogate, TN for my Bachelor’s in Elementary Education. A couple of months after graduating I married my husband, Zach, and soon after we moved to Knoxville. After spending some time trying to find my niche, I ended up back at Lincoln Memorial University but this time as an employee at their Knoxville campus, and earning my MBA. I really enjoy getting to work with college students as an adviser, and helping them achieve their educational and career goals!
Faith and family are very important to us. After being married for five years we had our son, Will, who is now one. Every day is so exciting watching him learn and grow! We love to get outside and explore our beautiful area- it’s amazing how much we have to do and see right here in our own backyard! We also love to cheer on the Vols, even in the tough years. I also love reading, singing (previously in choir, now just in the car!), coffee with too much cream and sugar, and browsing the aisles of Target on an early Saturday morning. I’m so excited to be a part of the Knoxville Moms, and can’t wait for all the adventures we’ll have together!
Jamie
Well, hello there! I’ve been writing for Knoxville Moms since 2019 and I love being a part of this great group of women, moms and writers!
I was born and raised in Indiana as an only child with two incredibly supportive parents and surrounded by three huge extended families. I graduated from Ball State University with a major in Telecommunications (TV Production) in 2004 and got married in 2005 after 3 1/2 years of a long-distance relationship. After graduation and marriage, my husband and I unexpectedly found ourselves moving to Birmingham, Alabama where my initial job at a TV station inadvertently led me to a career in advertising for an additional 7 years. I thought the land of Roll Tide vs War Eagle would be a short stop in our history, but it lasted 13 years until we moved here to Knoxville in 2018. And so far, we love it! I am now a SAHM to 2 girls and 1 boy, born in 2012, 2016 and 2017. I call them my vowel kids because they start with E, A and O. If we had any others they’d have to start with I and U because I’m OCD, but that’s not going to happen. We actually never wanted more than 2 kids, but after #2 girl popped out, I could only picture our family with 3 kids, the baby being a boy. Somehow God perfectly answered that last minute prayer for me. We feel complete in our family and happily settled here in Tennessee!
I am a blunt person. I don’t sugarcoat things. I pride myself on being real and quite the open book, always looking for the humor in the mundane.
In my minimal free time I enjoy playing the piano, traveling, watching horror movies, drinking wine, having game nights with friends, taking walks, getting the occasional massage and writing. My dream is to one day see my name on the cover of many children’s books, but for now you can catch my posts on Knoxville Moms and on my personal neglected blog, My Groggy Bloggy.
Audrey
Hey guys…..I mean, Hey ya’ll! (I’m told that first one is not a Southern phrase!)
I’m Audrey, a middle of nowhere, East Tennessee transplant. My husband (and forever crush) Andy and I were born and raised in Ohio State Buckeye territory, where we met in junior high school and married halfway through college. We have 2 tweens here on Earth: Lucas-the sweetest jokester boy you will ever meet, and Alaina-a charismatic and responsible redhead. We were hoping for a bigger family, but it wasn’t in the cards for us.
For years we have vacationed here in and around Knoxville and so when the opportunity came to move here for Andy’s new job, we took it!
Prior to moving here, I was first and foremost a Wife and Mother, but filled my days at a special needs preschool, title company, and as a FT volunteer-a-holic. I was VP for the PTO, board member of our district Visioning Committee, 4-H club advisor and wrote for the Dayton(OH) Moms Blog.
In my spare time, I love DIY, crafting, reading and writing.
And I will always be a barefoot farm girl at heart. We raise/grow our own food- and I occasionally even make dinner out of our homegrown goodness- but I hate cooking!
I can’t wait to immerse myself in this sweet, southern community!
Jasmine B.
Hi, I’m Jasmine Ball – wife, mom, and founder of BTM Writing Services. My days are usually divided between being a stay-at-home mom of an energetic 1-year-old (Trinity), running my home-based business, and getting to know what all Knoxville has to offer.
I’m originally from Selma, AL, and have since lived in a few different places and a few different states before settling down in Knoxville, TN in 2019 with Chris – my husband of 6 years (together for 11 years). Since we’re newer to Knoxville, we mostly spend our time getting used to what life looks like now as new parents in a new state in a pandemic. It’s a whole new world and we’re ready to take on the new adventures.
Stephanie R.
Hi there! I’m Stephanie (but everyone refers to me as Steph) and am a Knoxville transplant originally from South Florida. Moving here from a big city 12 years ago was a culture shock for me at first, but I have since grown to enjoy this city I now call home. I do consider the term ya’ll part of my vocabulary now, along with an occasional bless it, however it will always be sneakers (not tennis shoes) and a shopping cart (not a buggy) to me!
I have been married to my hubby Dave for 11 years now, but we have been together for almost 21! We met when we were both summer camp counselors in the year 2000 and never looked back. Dave was actually born here in Knoxville, but grew up in Atlanta and South Florida, where we met, while I lived in the same place for eighteen years. So therefore, he is an avid TN Vols fan, and I like the tailgating lol! I attended the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida where I received my BS in Elementary Education. I just entered into my 15th year as an elementary school teacher, currently teaching 4th grade math. The day after we got engaged, he got a call with a job offer he simply could not pass up, so off we went to start our life. If you had asked me 20 years ago if I could see myself living in Knoxville, TN, I would have never believed it! But here we are, having put roots down and going strong 12 years later!
We have one outspoken, sassy, 9 going on 16-year-old daughter named Peyton (literally nothing to do with Manning for me, I just really liked the name and hubby, being a Vols fan, was all in) and then our never stops moving, all boy loving everything son Gavin who is 5 and just started kindergarten! Being their mommy is probably the hardest job I will ever have, but it is also the most rewarding (cliché sounding I know) and I can think of no better way to receive and give unconditional love. Watching these little people, who are part my DNA, grow up into individuals is the coolest thing ever!
When I’m not lesson planning or driving people to their dance, swim, or flag football practices, you can find me with my nose buried in a good book with either a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, depending on what time of day it is, binge watching the latest new release on Netflix, trying my hardest to get in a workout when I can, and testing out new recipes in the kitchen. If you’re here for anything sarcastic, I’m your girl! Sending memes and Tik-toks are my love language, I always check out the dessert menu first when out to eat, and I love event planning for my friends and family! A few of my favorite things are Friends, long walks down the aisles of Target, coffee, musicals, playing with makeup and skincare products, shopping, the beach, all kinds of music, Fall season, spending quality time with friends and family, traveling, and all things Disney.
I am beyond excited to be on this new adventure with Knoxville Moms and cannot wait to get started. I am looking forward to sharing my adventures and experiences in this crazy thing called life with you all through the written word!
Tricia
Hello! My name is Tricia and I am an associate professor in the Department of Audiology & Speech Pathology at University of Tennessee in Knoxville with specialties in stuttering and early childhood language. I am a mom to 3 school-aged girls (including a set of twins) and a stepmom to 2 boys in their twenties. In 2013, my husband, Richard, and I relocated to Knoxville from Delaware. He grew up in NY and I in Pennsylvania. We love the close-knit, small-city feel of Knoxville, the proximity to the mountains and the fantastic community that surrounds us in our Farragut home. We spend our evenings and weekends on the sidelines cheering on our kids in various sporting events. My primary hobby is driving children from one place to another. I have a passion for anti-bullying movements, outdoor education and building support group networks around the world. I host a podcast entitled “Stutter Stories” to help share the voices of people who stutter internationally.
I am a huge fan of thinking globally and acting locally. I am glad to be a part of Knoxville Moms and feel inspired when parents connect to take action for the well-being of each other and their children. Supporting moms in their quest to survive and thrive while raising the next generation is a mission with which I am proud to be included.
Caitlin
I am a local public relations professional by day, but my most important titles are ‘Mom’ to my rainbow baby, Clayton, and ‘Wife’, to my high school sweetheart, Louis.
I have worked at McGhee Tyson Airport in the public relations department for the past ten years. I manage the airport’s website and social media accounts, but what I love most about my job is the ability to help passengers have a safe and enjoyable experience at TYS. After becoming a mom, it became even more important for me to share travel tips and ‘mom-hacks’ that make traveling with children seamless, stress-free, and maybe even fun!
As a born-and-raised East Tennessean, I am a fan of (orange!) all-things Knoxville. I love seeing our area continue to grow by offering unique, memorable experiences for all ages and interests.
When I’m not singing a Blippi song that’s stuck in my head or kicking around a soccer ball with my son, you can find me traveling, reading, or reading about travel.
Angie
Hi there! My name is Angie. I was not born and raised in Knoxville, but I am so happy we now call it home.
I am originally from an extremely small suburb of Chicago (the part where it’s mostly cornfield). I wanted to move away so badly and I decided in my early twenties to move to Florida. After living there for a few years, I met my husband and we got married. We stayed in Florida until it was time to start a family. We didn’t know where we wanted to go, but we wanted to go somewhere. We came to the Knoxville area to visit family and immediately fell in love. We moved less than a month before our amazing son, Flynn, was born.
My son had some complications at birth. Thanks to the fast actions from my doctor and the hard work from the team at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, my son was able to survive and I am so grateful for that every day. Right after my son turned one he was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. We drive all over Knoxville going to appointments.
I have a background in Cosmetology (doing hair), marketing, graphic design, and working in the medical field as a medical assistant at a dermatologist. After my son got his diagnosis I made the decision to put all my attention to his care and helping out moms in situations like mine. I started MOAGG.org to help raise awareness and spread kindness for all these amazing people with a little extra need.
We love finding fun things to do with my son where he can feel included, and the Knoxville area has some pretty amazing stuff! Every day is a new adventure for us and it’s always a surprise! I am so happy to be a part of Knoxville Moms and I look forward to getting to know you, and you getting to know me!
Amanda
Hey, hey! Amanda here! I’m a forever Carolina girl that moved to Knoxville in 2003 and have called it home ever since. I’m an introvert married to KJ (the most extroverted person I’ve ever met) and I’m a proud mom to my 3 boys: Noah (14), Nash (4) and Banks (6 months). I’ve been a teacher for 17 years in both general and special education and am currently working part time as an academic coach in the Anderson County school system.
When the stars align and I have a few moments to myself, you’ll find me compulsively decorating my house (a.k.a. moving things around), listening to Oldies music and making plans to retire at any beach we can afford. There’s nothing that ruins my day faster than having to figure out what’s for dinner and nothing lifts my spirits more than a good true crime podcast or book. I also firmly believe that Halloween is the best holiday ever and I dare you to try and convince me otherwise (I see you, Christmas lovers!).
Writing is where I feel the most like myself and it’s truly become a form of therapy for me over the years. My writing is typically much funnier than I’ll ever hope to be in real life. I love being a mom so being able to write about the highs and lows of “momming” 3 boys who are all in very different stages of life excites me. I hope you’re excited to join me on this wild and chaotic adventure we call Motherhood!
Missy
Hi, I’m Missy. I wasn’t raised in Tennessee, but it has become my home and the place where I plan to remain forever. I became a mama three times over in the early 2000’s after several years of infertility and losses. I am mom to three teenagers now. Motherhood is my real-life dream come true, but not everything in life turns out dreamy. I was stunned to find myself a single mother and learned so much about resilience and community during that season. I was even more surprised when I remarried and became a second wife and stepmom! What a sweet gift that has been, and even more growth opportunities.
My heartbeat is to encourage others and faith in Christ is an integral part of who I am. I view the world through the lens of motherhood and love the way being “mom” connects so many of us. I have no family ties in the area, so friendships sustain me and investing in people is my passion. Relationships are the richness of this world!
I am girlfriend to my husband, mother to my three kiddos and “Missy” to my step daughters. Along with keeping our household humming, I also work in the software industry, keeping the office running. Both at home and at the office I keep the kitchen stocked and the coffee flowing. For fun I love to head to our Smoky Mountains, garden on our hillside or unwind on the patio and read a novel. I find words to be so powerful, so I process my thoughts and find clarity when I write. I’m excited to share with others. You can also find me at my blog, Far From Flawless.
Kelsie
Hi friends, I’m Kelsie! I’m a midwestern girl that is proud to call Knoxville home for the past 8 years. I moved to Knoxville after graduating with my master’s degree in public health from Indiana University. I came to Knoxville to train as a professional athlete; pole vault was my specialty. I competed in the 2016 Olympics, as well as the 2017 & 2019 World Championships – my sport took me all over the world and I absolutely loved the time I spent dedicating myself to my athletic goals!
My husband and I met at Indiana University on the track team. We were friends first, then dated long distance for 4.5 years before he followed me to Knoxville. We were married in November 2019 and are expecting our first baby in January 2022! We are active people and love to spend time outdoors. We recently discovered mountain biking and have had so much fun exploring the trails in the surrounding areas.
After retiring from sport, I decided to go back to school to become a nurse. I will graduate from Lincoln Memorial University in December and am looking forward to merging my nursing education, background in public health, and experiences as an athlete as I pursue my career. I am passionate about helping others find simple, sustainable strategies to create a healthy lifestyle for themselves and their families. I believe one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves is to take care of our bodies so that we can do the things we were made to do in this world!
Sarah
Hello! I’m a tried-and-true East Tennessean with deep roots and an even deeper accent. I live in Maryville with my husband, daughter, two cats, and a dog.
We’re a chaotic, adventure loving, movie watching, book reading, messy, loving household. I work in Proposals and am always on a deadline, but I always make time for a wild-as-soda-pop daughter. My favorite hobby is introducing my daughter to all my favorite things from sweet treats to Target runs to the BEST movies from the 90s to people watching to going overboard on decorating for every holiday.
I grew up in nearby Corryton, TN, and attended Maryville College. I have a background in marketing and public relations but have now transitioned into proposals and love it! I am work from home as a Proposal Manager and enjoy the peace and quiet when the husband is at work and my daughter is at daycare.
An over-thinking and over-sharer, I am excited to have an outlet to share my adventures and misadventures in motherhood!
Abigail
Hey Friends!
I’m Abigail. I’m a southern girl at heart, primarily raised in North Carolina; but most recently I called Colorado home. My husband and I took a leap of faith to relocate to Knoxville in 2019. We didn’t know it then, but we were moving somewhere we would plant our roots and never want to leave.
I was a high school Spanish teacher for 8 years before leaving teaching in the wake of covid to stay at home with my two little girls, Selah (3.5) and Isla (1). In my (very limited) spare time as a baby-raiser, I started making earrings as a stress-relieving activity that was something I did just for ME. What started as a creative outlet evolved into a small business that I run out of my home.
I’m also a sweet tea connoisseur, an avid country music listener, a TJ Maxx & HomeGoods deal-finder, a teen drama binge-watcher, and a just-for-fun home decorator. I love spending time with my church family in Karns. Most importantly, I love Jesus and try my best to follow His example in my day-to-day life.
I love this life we are building here in Knoxville and watching our planted roots grow. You can follow along with my small business journey and see my two tiny business associates on my Facebook or Instagram.
Chassidy
Hello! My name is Chassidy and I’m a Knoxville native (basically born and raised)! I graduated from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville in 2013 and have a deep love for all things Vols! I have been married to my husband Tyler for ten years this October and we’ve been together 12 years! We have three children and one on the way! I’m a bonus mom to our son Landon (17) and we have two other children: Easton (8), and Harper (3) and another little boy due in January. I work from home doing support for a startup and my husband also works from home when he’s not traveling for work so we get to spend a lot of good quality time with our babies.
Our kiddos have done everything under the sun but right now we are involved in soccer, baseball, and dance, and when we’re not at one of those activities we are traveling, going to baseball games, or headed to the mountains or the lake. We love Norris lake the best and my husband has been working on me for a long time to buy a boat, so we’ll see how that turns out! I’m a huge book lover and I am always looking for my next read so I’m up for suggestions. I also love all things true crime and Disney! I am so excited to be a part of this community and I’ve been reading articles on Knoxville Moms for a long time and it’s such a dream to get to be included in this tribe. I’m a huge believer that women should support and root for other women and that is especially true for moms. I hope to gain some good insight on motherhood and life in general and hopefully give some of my own knowledge to other women and moms. Thanks for having me!
Kristi
Hello friends! I’m Kristi. I’m a lucky transplant to Tennessee, heralding from a small farming community in southeastern Idaho. We moved to the Knoxville area in 2022 looking for a new adventure, and we’re not disappointed. I love the small town values that are so prominent in east Tennessee.
I am a mom to four littles, which means we really embrace the chaos and the fun that comes along with a family of six. My family enjoys the outdoors, and we’re on a quest to experience all of the best lakes, rivers, and campgrounds this area has to offer. I stay at home with my kids, and during nap time, I teach middle school language arts online with a company that partners with schools experiencing teacher shortages.
In the moments when I choose to ignore my cleaning (i.e. my free time), I can be found in my kitchen, where I am a connoisseur of homemade cakes and breads. Birthdays are a big deal at our house, and we spend months planning the perfect cake. I am a self-proclaimed foodie on a mission to feed my family delicious dishes as frugally as possible. I look forward to Wednesdays each week because that’s when the new grocery store ads come out. Just recently, I decided to dabble with writing and hope to be a published author soon.
I’m a firm believer in finding solidarity in motherhood and creating spaces where women can help and support one another.
You can follow along with my grocery deals and adventures in writing here.
Christine
Hi! I am Christine.
I am an East Tennessee native that recently returned home after 15 years. I am a stay-at-home mom to four charming children that keep me joyfully busy. I married my college sweetheart. We met in a class called ‘The History of Ideas.’ We thought it was a good idea to get married. The rest is history.
As a family we have been extremely blessed to have lived and explored many parts of the world. My husband’s schooling and work has kept us moving pretty much constantly since we have been married. We have lived in England, Paris, the Philippines, Singapore, and New York City with our kids. NYC was our home base for most of that time. It is where I learned how to become a mom.
My motherhood journey has been a unique one. I learned to cope with taking public transportation, living in small apartments and pushing strollers through blizzards. But through it all the challenges of city living were always outweighed by the exciting experiences l had with my kids. Being a city mom pushed me to get out and explore something new every day. And blogs like Knoxville Moms were a crucial part of our adventures.
Tennessee has been a wonderful landing spot for our family to settle. We are finally enjoying the perks of suburban living, especially having a dog.
When I am not busy with mom life you will find me looking at google flights for our next family adventure, enjoying a pint of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream or running or at the gym while listening to Taylor Swift.
I am excited to be a part of the Knoxville Moms team and sharing all that the area has to offer with all of you.
Bethany
Hey Y’all! I’m originally from Texas but I got to Tennessee as quick as I could! I love most things southern including the great food and I’m enjoying the similarities that Texas and Tennessee share. I’ve been told Texas and Tennessee are like cousins and I’m loving how wonderful it’s been living here in the Volunteer State.
I earned my bachelor’s and master’s degree in education from Texas State University and then went for my doctorate in education at the University of Mary-Hardin Baylor. I taught elementary aged kids at a public school in Lockhart, Texas before staying home full-time with my own kids. I am a teacher at heart, and I love learning.
I’m married to my high school sweetheart, so we’ve literally gown up together. Life’s mountains and valleys have been so fulfilling next to the love of my life. We have five kids and one on the way. My husband and I absolutely love our big family and all the entertaining/eventful days we have together. We lean on our faith and ask God for wisdom in raising up all these beautiful souls He’s entrusted us with. Our children enjoy singing, dancing, gymnastics, basketball, and learning to play new instruments. We are a homeschool family and enjoy the flexibility that we get throughout the year.
I cannot wait to enjoy all the new activities and traditions our family will create in the coming seasons here in East Tennessee. As past residents of Texas, seasons are a new thing we are looking forward to experiencing for the first time. I’m so grateful God has called my family to lay down roots here and explore all the state’s natural beauty.
I don’t have much free time but when I get the chance I love reading, writing, and exploring new family activities and attractions. I have lots of dreams and aspirations for myself and one that I plan to start this year are my children’s books. As a teacher I am extremely passionate about learning, and I’ve always had a soft spot for children’s literature as it is the gateway to becoming a lifelong learner. I have written several children’s books but haven’t taken the next step in publishing them yet. As a mom of five (soon to be six) it’s a lofty goal but one I’m sure I can meet with determination.
In the coming year there are so many new things to experience and new friends to meet! I’m thankful I have my family to keep me grounded and remind me to take life day-by-day. I’ll always love my biggest and most important calling as a wife and mother and I cherish the life God has given me. Through His grace I am able to wake up every day and strive to meet the needs of my family and others I meet along life’s journey.
Megan
Hi! My name is Megan, and I’m a newbie to East Tennessee. I have been married to my wonderful husband, Byron, for almost nine years. We have two precious and wild children ages seven and four. Our family moved here in the summer of 2022 when Byron took a job in student affairs at the University of Tennessee. I was born and raised in Blacksburg, Virginia, home to Virginia Tech, and I’m a true Hokie fan (although I’m starting to appreciate the color of orange that is popular here). I have spent my career working in a variety of marketing and communication roles on college campuses and am passionate about the college student experience. I worked in athletics, university relations, and most recently, campus recreation. My last role was a dream job, helping college students thrive through physical movement. When we moved to Tennessee, I took on a new adventure as a stay-at-home mom!
Our family has enjoyed visiting the incredible parks in Knoxville and exploring the greenways. We have put in a lot of effort to find our favorite ice cream shop, too! (Current fav: Sugar Queen Creamery and UT Creamery). My kids love going to the “tall buildings” so we often head downtown to Market Square and check out all it has to offer. My kids are into soccer, basketball, volleyball, baseball, and ninja class — all things active! We are constantly discovering new things in Knoxville, which has made this stay-at-home mom experience a lot of fun.
I enjoy college sports — especially college football — and spend a lot of time watching them in person and on television. ESPN College GameDay replaces Saturday morning cartoons in our house! I also love words and stories, so you’ll find me with my nose in a book at any free moment. Since moving to Knoxville, I’ve been listening to books as I drive around and have checked more books off my to-read list that way! (Recent must reads: The Light Pirate and Lessons in Chemistry). I also spend my “me time” practicing hand lettering. I truly value authentic and vulnerable conversations, and I love to visit with new and old friends while we get a coffee (or hot chocolate in my case) and talk about the highs and lows of life.
I care deeply about people not feeling alone so I’m very excited to join this team that helps parents find practical help, support, solidarity, and encouragement!