Rating:

5.0 (1 vote)

Meet our newest Mom on the Move, Kelley Parker. Not only is she an awesome mom, she works at one of the most amazing placing in Colorado Springs, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo! We talked to Kelley about balancing being a new mom, life and work, all while looking fabulous.

Tell us about your family: My husband, Daryn, and I have been married for almost six years. We have eight-month-old Jack (human), 12-year-old Bumper (schnauzer) and two-year-old Mouse (some kind of random doberman mix). We live in a 120-year-old house in Manitou Springs that is basically just a warehouse for all of Jack's toys.

Tell us about your job and why you are passionate about what you do?: I have the best job in the world. As Major Gifts and Planned Giving Manager at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, I not only get to go to the Zoo everyday, but I also get to work with this community's most generous and inspiring philanthropists. It's really amazing to be able to go to work each day knowing I'm making a difference for wildlife and wild places.

What is most rewarding about being a working mom?: Because I have a career that I love, it's always been very important to me that I try to find that balance (TRY being the key word) between being great at my job and being a great mom. It's not easy, but for me, it's the right decision. I think having a challenging and rewarding position actually makes me a better mom. And I want my son to grow up with the understanding that women should have choices; whether you choose to work or stay home, you have to do what's right for you and your family.

What is your biggest challenge as a mom?: In a word: snot. I cannot handle runny noses, even my own child's. I also can't figure out how, at eight months old, my child is stronger, smarter and funnier than I am. Aside from those things, I definitely struggle with the "Working Mommy Guilt" that we can all feel at times. It's hard to know that somebody else gets to snuggle your baby all day long!

What is your perfect day?: A perfect day for me would be lunch with my girlfriends, a hike with Daryn, Jack and the dogs, followed by a tasty dinner that someone else prepared, a glass of wine and a new episode of Mad Men.

What is your favorite (adult) book?: Is it bad that I just tried to think of a super smarty-pants book that I could pretend to love, to make myself look scholarly and well-read? The truth is the last books I read were the Hunger Games trilogy, while I was pregnant. (And those aren't even adult books!) Although I love to read, these days it's more Vanity Fair and less War and Peace.