Today, the last new posts will be going up across all Silicon Valley Moms Blogs.

While Beth Blecherman (a.k.a Tech Mama), Co-Founder and Chief Technology Mom of the Silicon Valley Moms Group, has made a personal commitment to keep the site live for fans and contributors to continue to visit, there will be no new content or comments on any of the sites as of July 1, 2010. It’s a sad day for many of us.

Since hearing the news of the site’s closing, I’ve read some stunning tributes, tearful good-byes, and most of all, whole lot of gratitude.

I wrote my own “thank you and farewell” the day after the announcement was made and I’ve complied some of the others here:

Our two very awesome editors: ChefDruck (Ohio Moms Blog) from Chefdruck Musings marks The End of the SVMoms Group As We Know It and Akemi (Silicon Valley Moms Blog) from Chalk and Cheese Chronicles bids Goodbye SV Moms Blog

Linsey Krolik (Silicon Valley Moms Blog) from Me Too You listed My Top 30: Contributors, Partners, Friends to SV Moms Group …and all by 2 am. She could have gone on, but sleep called.

Beth Blecherman (Silicon Valley Moms Blog) from TechMamas offers cyber hugs and and an Update on SVMomsGroup

In spite of the news, Rox (Silicon Valley Moms Blog) from Rox and Roll reminds herself, I Am on Vacation, I Am on Vacation, I Am on Vacation

Meanwhile, Jessica (Silicon Valley Moms Blog) from It’s my life… says Goodnight SV Moms. You were more than just a collaborative site Not so much a good-byes, but hope for what the future may bring.

Dawn (DC Metro Moms Blog) from my thoughts exactly sums things up like this: What a mess!

Jennifer (New York City Moms Blog) from Ramblings of a Semi-Conscious Mastermind Mommy is Pissed off and not liking it

Stephanie (DC Metro Moms Blog) from dial M for minky (moo) We interrupt your regularly scheduled funny kid post…

April (LA Moms Blog) from It’s All About Balance looks at the journey in This blog is 500 posts old!

Helen P (NYC Moms Blog) from I Want a Book Deal calls this an End of a Chapter

Jessica (DC Metro Moms Blog) from Jodifur Sick Day, Again and Assorted Ramblings of a Very Tired Mom

Emily (New Jersy Moms Blog) from Mama Sick reflects on What Silicon Valley Moms Group Meant to Me

Jeanie B. (Silicon Valley Moms Blog) from Anybody Want A Peanut is considering what’s next for us Homeless Bloggers

Jean (DC Metro Moms Blog) from Stimeyland says, So Long, DC Metro Moms Blog

Elaine (DC Metro Moms Blog) from Conner and Helen Grow Up Easy Come, Easy Go

Elena S (DC Metro Moms Blog) from A Day In the Life takes a hopeful look at a Walking down a hall of doors

Nicole (Silicon Valley Moms Blog) from Not Just a Working Mom gives a grateful  So long, SV Moms

Jamie (Silicon Valley Moms Blog) from JPD Mom says Thanks for the Memories

Susan (Chicago Moms Blog) from Two Kinds of People announcing an exciting new collaborative in Farewell and Thanks, SVMoms

Sue (DC Metro Moms Blog) from Laundry for Six with gratitude and hope in Farewell DCMetro Moms Blog

Nenette (Canada Moms Blog) from Life Candy asks, Are We Done?

———————————————

This list continues to grow day by day… If you have a farewell post that you would like to add, please email the link to grace {at} formerlygracie {dot} com or post it in the Big Tent. Thank you!

Cassie Boorn put out the request and Jessica Gottlieb, Maggie, and Sarah responded. Turns out I had a few things to say to 20-something me, too.

After all, now that I’ve been 29-for-the-second-time for all of FIVE days, I feel as if I now have the proper authority to lecture younger me. So here goes:

Hey Doll,

You’re gorgeous. I know that’s hard for you to believe since you’re not used to hearing it, but occasionally people will tell you that. You owe it to yourself to believe them.

That boy you’re with on your 20th birthday. He’s a great guy, but he’s not the one. Stop trying so hard to make it “work”. Just enjoy it. You’re having fun and that’s all it’s needs to be.

Then, when it’s over. Let it be over. Toss that Dashboard Confessional CD and  go out with that waiter/trust-fund baby… or that co-worker… or that history professor (not yours, of course. The one you meet after you graduate. He is cute, no?) But not the pilot. He’s married.

When the time is right, you’ll find the love of your life. Actually he’ll find you, so relax.

The two of you will make gorgeous children and they will be just as you feared. Smart like him and relentless like you. You will want to sell them to gypsies were they not also kind and generous like him and thoughtful and witty like you.

Don’t worry so much about disappointing your parents.  You already have and that’s okay. You weren’t meant to be a doctor and you didn’t fall in love with one. Just accept it and they will too. It’s YOUR life. Go live it.

Let the fact that your favorite thing about your major is writing the thesis (and that you seriously offered to write your roommate’s thesis, too) be a clue that your passion just may be writing. So, pursue that career in advertising. You’re going to love it and will be good at it too, but be fearless and  follow your passion as well. Write… and start that blog! Not later. Now.

And while we’re on the topic, be honest with yourself and don’t be afraid to look stupid. You ARE stupid, but you’re here to learn. Pay attention. Ask questions. Laugh at your mistakes.

You don’t need the bigger house. In fact, you’ve been happiest in the smaller house and sharing the one car. You also like spending your days at home with your kids. So when your friends brag about the stuff they bought and the thing they just renovated, go ahead and feel smug in knowing something that they don’t

You hate beer and like scotch and pinotage. So put down that Miller Lite. You’re getting no joy from it and it’s making me gag to watch you try to drink it.

Get plenty of sleep. Your biggest faux pas will be directly related to being tired. Also, you’re setting a bad example to your future children, who will follow in your night owl tendencies. This will not bode well for you.

And Lord Almighty, do NOT let your mom convince you to include the line “Formal Attire Requested” on your wedding invitations. It will seem like no big deal at the time, just a tiny concession in the battle known as “planning your monster wedding”.

That line with cause more grief and vexation then you can ever imagine. It will only confuse and upset your in-laws and their friends, and lead to the complete unraveling of your father’s entire side of the family.

Your dear cousin, Patricia, will tell you it’s not your fault. All of that bitterness, resentment, jealousy, and anger was there all along, but, secretly, you will know it is your fault. None if it would have ever happened if you just had left your mom at home the day you picked out invitations.

On second thought, you really should just have a destination wedding like your best friend, Beth. Now that was awesome!

Also, Mike is planning a surprise party for your 23rd birthday. So stop listening to your mom freak out about flower arrangements or seating charts, dry those tears, and just let the man take you to dinner. Thirty of your dearest and closest friends are getting tired of waiting for you to arrive.

So sorry to ruin the surprise, but you really should know you’re being a party pooper.

love,

Older, wiser you.

P.S. I’ll be back in 10 years to chastise present you.

Do you have something to say to your 20-something self? Email it to cassieboorn {at} gmail {dot} com and she’ll post it on her blog. Fabulous idea, by that way!

A beautiful Sunday morning in the park. The sun’s rays barely peaking through the trees. A soft layers of dew on the lawn and two silly monkeys playing peek-a-boo on a blanket.

It was such an ordinary thing. The two of them have had an ongoing game of peek-a-boo since Lou let loose her very first laugh. They must do this about forty or fifty times a day– in the car, on the sofa, in the middle of dinner, when they’re supposed to be going to bed…

This could have been a moment like any other, but it just so happens to be one of those little slices of heaven that a mother treasures in her heart forever.

—————————————————

It’s not difficult to find children in their element. Capturing it is another thing entirely.

One of the many perks of contributing to the Silicon Valley Moms Blog has been the opportunity to meet and work with amazingly talented people like Anna Mayer (formerly of Silicon Valley, now of the Chicago Moms Blog).

I was beyond thrilled when she offered to do a special photo session for our family.

When asked if there was anything I wanted to focus on, I told her, “Yeah, I have a few things in mind…”

The way Scout and Lou adore one another, the secret bond of siblings…

The way Scout calls out “Family Hug!” whenever we’re all together…

They way each of us knows we’re right where we belong…

Savoring this moment.

Right now.

Life as lived by the moments.  Images by Anna.

Disclosure: As a contributor for the Silicon Valley Moms Blog, I was offered a special family photo session with Anna Mayer of  Images by Anna (Los Gatos, CA) and Anna Grace Photography (Milwaukee, WI) at no charge.

The opinions in this post, though, are purely my own.  Neither I nor my family were compensated otherwise. This is simply an opportunity to support (and promote) one of our own.

— 1 —

Best defense against time-out heard to date and perhaps, of all time.

After throwing a toy at my head, Scout says to me, “But it was soft… like your hair. (Patting my head) And so pretty.”

Neither his father nor I are this charming. We both laughed and then I took him out for cake. Parenting at its best. I should write a book.

— 2—

Tomorrow (Friday) is my second annual 29th birthday and I’m tempted to celebrate it by taking my son to see Toy Story 3.

Those who held my hair back after witnessed me celebrate my 21st through 25th birthdays definitely would NOT have seen that coming.

— 3—

Have you be watching Friday Night Lights?

I have and I love it. It makes me both homesick for Texas and glad I had cause to move away. I would have withered away in town like Dillon, Texas, but its charm and hospitality would win me over time and time again.

I waved to our next door neighbor from our yard the other day and she came marching up my driveway and demanded to know, “What’s wrong?”

What’s wrong? I’ve lived next door for six months and she hasn’t so much as acknowledges my presence. The first (and only) time I’ve had an opportunity to acknowledge hers, she insists that there better have been a darn good reason to have interrupted her day.

When I explained that I was just saying “hi”, she seemed bewildered by the concept and just walked away.

Sometimes I just miss the big way Texans say “Howdy” and only expect a nod in return.

—4—

Speaking of Texas… I’ll be there soon. My younger sister is getting married and I’m the Matron of Honor.

(Matron… ugh! That word like I should be wearing sensible shoes and dress shields with my bridesmaid’s gown.)

I have yet to come up with a toast, but at least, I have my dress…  following a huge fiasco in which the company made a mistake and exhibited ZERO customer service in helping to correct it.

Rather than fighting it, I just took it to my tailor. The alteration cost nearly the same amount as it did to buy the dress in the first place. (grumble, grumble…)

There was a time in my life when I, Queen of the Rant, wouldn’t have let something like this slide. I would have chastised the manager, demanded reimbursements, gotten people fired… but who has the time and energy for that.

I couldn’t even muster a scathing blog post about the experience. (Although if you or anyone you know is getting married, I’ll be happy to tell you the name of the company so you can AVOID them)

At the end of the day, the worst that happened was I had to get a dress altered. No one died and one ‘s life was ruined., which is a lot more than I can say about some weeks around here…

The important thing is that I have my dress for my sister’s wedding and that’s one less thing for her to freak out about…

Maybe I’m growing up after all?

—5—

For a variety of reasons, I decided to change my kids’ names to online monikers on my blog. Then, I went about it in the least tech-savvy way possible.

I did a search, then manually replaced each mention. Yes, I am sure there’s a WordPress plug-in somewhere that would  have made the switch a breeze. (If you know of one, please don’t tell me. I kick myself daily as it is.)

Yes, it was tedious to go through each and every post, but it wasn’t terribly difficult. That black hole of depression I fell into over several months helped. No posts to update, which goes to show that there’s a bright side to everything.

—6—

The perils of technology: A mom I know emailed to cancel a play date due to having a “sick kid”, then checked in with Foursquare at a nearby park 20 minutes later and posted it on Facebook.

So, of course, I tweeted about it and now I’m blogging about it.

—7—

Tomorrow, I will be closer to having an 15-year-old, than being a 15-year-old. It’s a pity that the kids have to get older, while I’m able to stay 29 forever. Tra-la. Tra-la.

Somewhere in my attic, there’s a pottrait of me that starting to show some wear.

Yesterday morning, the news dropped that…

My feelings at the moment can best be summed up as, “Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!”

And then I cried. Not because I’m normally like that, but because of the kind of day it had already been. However, this news certainly ranked highest in terms of unexpected and devastating.

Later that night, once the kids were in bed, I poured myself a scotch (because that’s what I normally do) and read all of the tweets, posts, and messages that came as fall out from the news.

Some were angry. Most were sad. All were shocked.

After four years and fourteen regional sites, the three founders of the Silicon Valley Moms Group, for various personal reasons, made the difficult decision to shut down the network effective June 30th. I respect that on so many levels.

I  began contributing to the Silicon Valley site in March of this year, but only because it took me a little while to wrap my head around the idea. In was early January when the founder, Jill Asher, called to invite me to join their team of brilliant, inspiring, clever, influential, savvy, remarkable women (and a dad or two…)

We were in the middle of our last move. I played it cool and told Jill I would consider it….

Yeah right. She had me at hello. She had me at HELLO.

I started reading the SV Moms Blog shortly after it launched in 2006 from my home office in Flower Mound, Texas. Never did I dream that I would live in Silicon Valley, much less that I would ever have the privilege of being one of its writers. What an honor it has been!

It’s been a fun ride, albeit as rather short one for me. However, the friends I’ve made, the lessons I’ve learned, and the connections I’ve fostered will be lifelong.

Silicon Valley Moms Group , I was just getting to know you. Thank you for having me as one of your own.

I am honored and in awe.

This is the link to the press release with Silicon Valley Moms Group LLC statement .

Also, the news of the closing as reported by BlogHer. There’s a quote in the article from yours truly via Twitter. If you don’t already follow me, it’s just a sampling of all the snark, wit, and charm you’re missing out on… ha!