Wednesday, May 28, 2014

AZ AMI gave over twenty five quilts to New Leaf, an organization that helps mothers get into new housing after they leave a shelter.  We also gave them gently used kitchen items.  We plan on helping in 2015, so save up dishes, pans, and kitchen items that you no longer use. Twelve of the quilts were made in honor of these mothers:
 Betty Ray
Janet Ray
Kathleen Palmer(2quilts)
Glenna Tingey
Alice Nelson
Janet Lewis
Kathleen Papa
Marilyn Wright
Laural Ann Strait
Melba Miskin
Jane Wright
Erma Andersen
Margaret James

 

Friday, May 23, 2014

Just a reminder to everyone that AZ American Mothers is having an American Mothers Garage Today and Tomorrow (May 23 & 24) from 7:00am to 12:00pm at Peggy Glass's Home 555 N. Date St. Mesa, AZ 85201. 

Lots of furniture and miscellaneous items being sold, come and volunteer or just look around and shop. 

Have a great Memorial Day weekend.

Monday, May 19, 2014


American Mothers is also excited to launch our first ever fundraiser in conjunction with Amazon.com. Through May and June, when you buy one of the featured products found on American Mothers webpage and Facebook page a portion of the proceeds will go back to American Mothers, Inc. ®. Funds derived from this campaign will be dedicated to the American Mothers endowment fund and will support our effort to reach, teach and honor the amazing Mothers of our country.


How can you be involved?
One of the best things you can do as a Member of American Mothers is to spread the word. You all have an immense network of friends, family, colleagues and associates that should be part of American Mothers and the great work we are engaged in. Use the images and posts you find through our social media to spread our message and collectively we can make the month of May a month to remember!
Membership Options
Member Free Access to E-Newsletters & AMI Social Media
Friend of American Mothers $30.00 * additional benefits include:
Mom2Mom Magazine, Chapter Guides, Training and Access to AMI resource materials available through the login area of our National Website.
Legacy of Giving Varies Honors & Memorial, Sponsorships, Lifetime Memberships


Amazon.com as well as the I Heart Mom section on our National Webpage.
http://www.americanmothers.org/i-heart-mom
Please contact the home office or Jennifer Larsen, AMI Membership chair, with any questions.


Friday, May 16, 2014

AMI Convention

Here are some pictures from the April AMI Convention held in Colorado.  Lila Shoemaker, Jill Geigle and Susan Ray all attended and had a wonderful time.


Lila Shoemaker on the left


Jill Geigle



Legislature Visit

In March, this year's Honored Mothers made a visit to the legislature in Phoenix to be introduced on the Senate and House floor.  They met with Senate President, Andy Biggs and Rep Justin Pierce as well as Sec of State, Ken Bennett, and received a certificate and specially made medal from Mr. Bennett.

AZAMI President, Susan Ray and Cathy Shepherd accompanied Lila, Jill and Lori.  Lori's husband, son and daughter in law were also able to come for the visit.  We had a wonderful time.

Lila Shoemaker with Ken Bennett
Jill Geigle with Ken Bennett
Lori Roberts with Ken Bennett

Friday, May 2, 2014

Spring House Cleaning?

If you're Spring House cleaning, or more likely, Summer House cleaning, please remember

The Arizona American Mothers is having a:

Garage Sale
May 23/24, 2014
       Peggy Glass's home 
       555 N. Date, Mesa 85201
7am-12 noon

Proceeds will help with our service projects for the year.  Please donate good usable items now and until May 20.  Drop them off at Peggy's home or call and we will pick them up (Susan Ray 480-773-1447).

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Interview with our 2014 Mother of the Year

 Here's a interview with Lila Shoemaker, our 2014 Mother of the Year:


1) What did you do with your children when they were younger that you think has impacted their lives today?
Church, scouting and music. We lived in Fullerton, CA when we got married and our first three sons were born there. I’d read to them, Dr. Seuss to learn their ABCs and Bible Stories to learn about God. Daniel had earned his Eagle Scout rank as a young man and became Scoutmaster. For a few years and we had the troop meet at our house each week. My job was to see to get a fire permit so the boys could practice fire building and campfire cooking. Our sons loved scouting. All four of them earned their Eagle rank.

I taught all six of my children how to sing. When the 3 boys were little, I’d make up songs to sing to them so they would get ready for bed or do things I needed them to do. I taught them to sing “I Want A Girl Just Like the Girl That Married Dear Old Dad”. My husband was a pretty good musician, too. The four of them sang on stage at a church variety show all dressed up like a barbershop quartet. All of us play a musical instrument as well as sing. Music was probably the best thing I ever taught them. We love camping, riding horses, swimming and playing games; all kinds of games, but we love music the most.

2) Share some experiences you’ve had with your family and/or others because of your involvement with music.
 I grew up singing with my twin sister and in the church and school choirs so it was natural for me to encourage my children to sing. I performed in the school musicals. My oldest son auditioned and won the role of King Arthur in “Camelot” his Sr. year of High School. He, the next two boys, played band instruments and marched in the school band like their father before them. Our daughters performed in their high school musicals. They loved to sing and performed for school talent shows and sang in the choirs. We paid for private lessons. We made a very nice mixed ensemble, all 8 of us. I’ve directed a church choir for many years and for the past 9 years I’ve been teaching violin and guitar classes after school at Burke Basic. It’s wonderful to see the joy on their faces when they learn how to play. Music makes life worth living.

3) What advice would you give young mothers?
Have fun! From the first moments try to make them smile. Play finger/toes games with them. Read nursery rhymes sing silly songs. The sillier the better. Dr. James Dobson said that the “dizzy blonde” moms were even better than the “draft sergeant” moms.

Routine is a good thing. Have a morning routine, afternoon routine and bedtime routine. Make it fun. Learning can be fun. If they enjoy learning (and a variety of games can teach just about anything) they will be good students all their lives. Ask me about my list of homemade games that teach things. The Weekly Reader was something my mother used with her kindergarten kids. That was a fun teaching tool. Numbers can be fun too, not just numerals but quantity. Counting things will help them learn to sequence, addition and subtraction. You’d be surprised how much fun counting can be. Colors, drawing, painting, clay molding, etc. etc. It’s fun.

4) When life gets difficult, what do you do to get things back into perspective?
I sit at the piano and play my favorite songs, hymns or classical pieces and sing. Or I go into my room and read a good book (the scriptures are always good). Mostly, I kneel by my bed or take a walk outside and pray for my family. Christ is my anchor and prayer is my solace. I couldn’t have made it without prayer. Many ideas and solutions have come through prayer.