Welcome fellow Mommies and readers!
I originally started this site as a blog all about self tanning, one of my favorite subjects. But, after the blog took to a liking from some of my readers ... other people with other great services wanted to be a part of this too! Thus, I am no longer the Tanning Mom. The Valley Mom became much more suitable as I am happy to share all of my Mommy beauty secrets, favorite foods, baby products, fitness ideas, Mommy&Me groups and any Mommy-related subjects to other Valley Mommies alike!
I'm Erica Fields, just your everyday stay-at-home Mommy who happens to be a Blogger, a Realtor, a Notary Public, have a passion for fashion, own a Boutique for kids clothes and someone who likes to feel healthy, pretty and tan! Well, because why not? ;)
I was born and raised in Calabasas, CA making me a true Valley Girl! A lot of you are the same and some of you are thinking, "the Valley, ugh!" But ... I love it here! I have lived other places too, but as a family woman, the Valley is a great place to nest! I have made home Woodland Hills and see a ton of you readers each day for the last 20 plus years.
It's crazy to say but I have become somewhat of a Jack of all Trades over the years! After graduating from Calabasas High School I went to school in San Luis Obispo where I learned it just wasn't for me! Having to start all over, I went to Pierce College in Woodland Hills where I later was enrolled in the Child Development Program for CSUN as my dream was to become a Kindergarten Teacher! (Believe it or not, at that time there was a need for Teachers!) During school I was working at NKL, a high-end clothing boutique in Calabasas. My sales, at the ripe old age of 18, were at a record high and I was immediately promoted to rep their line on the East Coast. I was the youngest person working in their Downtown warehouse but, nonetheless, I was selling their clothes like it was candy to kids! I learned some pretty amazing tricks and trades from the owner Judy Lee and she helped me spread my business wings and move on in the fashion world. I became a costume design assistant to Debra McGuire where I worked on Television shows such as Friends, Jesse, Jack & Jill, Freaks & Geeks and Judging Amy. After I helped Debra launch her own label to Henri Bendel in NY, I learned that sales was in my blood! Dressing celebrities was fun, but a no-brainer. I needed a challenge! I had the desire to make a lot of money selling again and I had seen that Real Estate was on the rise. In 2000 I went to work for a couple of Realtors. Homes interested me almost as much as fashion, but the commissions certainly were better than a sales rep commissions! So, I got my Real Estate License and worked for Prudential in Calabasas. I mean why not try to sell homes where I could find a home blind folded? Well, my sweet little driven young self would go door knocking and people would say, "are you selling girl scout cookies?" Damn! Another road block ... I looked way too young to be listing homes for a million dollars! So, it gets much more cubicle style after this, I went to work as a Realtor Assistant and eventually on to working in Escrow (which I loved as it challenged my brain) for over 6 years until I got pregnant with my son! As a stay-at-home Mom, the business and sales blood in me never quite left. I opened a home boutique where I sell high-end woman's clothing and the cutest kids clothes ever for wholesale prices!!! Click Here to see my Haute Closet. During these last couple of years as a Mom and a small business owner, my network of Mommies has grown into quite a large group ... the rest is history! Or I guess present?
I honestly get so many messages and questions about how I stay tan all year, where I get my clothes, where I shop for my special diet needs, who my hair stylist is, and how I stay in shape all while being a Mom and owning my boutique ... so, I have created this site to answer just those questions! Please feel free to ask questions, request a subject entry or send me your secrets to how you stay healthy, happy and feeling beautiful!
Most importantly, this site is created not as an advertising site, but as a true referral based site. All of the products, services, stores and anything listed has been something that I have personally tested, tried, used and LOVED. Remember, everyone is different and you may not love something as much as I did, but I can attest to the fact that all posts are, tested and typically approved by more than just me, The Valley Mom. I have hand picked more than a dozen Mom's to come along this journey with me to get a lot of feedback! If you have ever tried anything from TheValleyMom's recommendations and you were delighted or not satisfied ... please send me an email letting me know what and why so that I can let the owner of that product, service and/or store know!
I hope you find this site useful, helpful and somewhat entertaining!
xo
Erica"The Valley Mom"
