It was so close, and EVERY mom nominated truly deserves to win. We wish we could award all of these inspiring women!! The winner was selected by a tally of votes (30%), comments (30%) and selections from a panel of judges appointed by Little Black Dress/Little Red Wagon magazine (30%).

We are pleased to announce that Halaveshia Mosley is our 2010 Gabriel’s *Take the Cake* Mom of the Year! Halaveshia, we will be in touch shortly with more details. In the meantime, go celebrate! You have a WHOLE lot of pampering coming your way!!!

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As our Gabriel’s 2010 Mom of the Year, Halaveshia will receive:

• A custom cake from Gabriel’s Restaurant and Bakery.
• A signed copy of Johnnie Gabriel’s cookbook, Cooking in the South.
• Two-nights deluxe accommodations (for two) at the luxurious Lodge and Spa at Callaway Gardens.
• A custom LBD/LRW “Jane” pendant (with her initial on the reverse side) exclusively from David Douglas Diamonds and Jewelry…to recognize her ability to gracefully balance womanhood with motherhood.
• A free initial home cleaning from Prestigious Cleaning.
• A print photography session and handmade leather album by Captures by Summer.
• A feature and photo in the summer issue of Little Black Dress/Little Red Wagon and on www.blackdressredwagon.com.

For official contest rules and guidelines, click here.

Sponsored by:

[polldaddy poll="2872994"]

Original entries:

Kristen

submitted by her husband~ Kristen is a treasure of impeccable character, a faithful wife, and Mom of the year!  The last 12 months have included dizzying lows in our journey as a family. In the midst of our most challenging season, bright spots have emerged. Outside of God’s provision, Kristen has been the source of these bright spots for our family, especially our three little boys!
Despite unemployment, family health challenges, financial despair, and two relocations, Kristen has kept the emotional, intellectual, and physical health of our sons as her first priority. She has sacrificed every level of her own interests to provide the best life experience our boys can possibly have every day.
She educates and inspires them with tireless creativity. As a result, they are each at or ahead of their age in development. On their birthdays, she writes, illustrates, and binds a custom storybook just for the birthday boy that teaches a core character trait based around his favorite character. She ensures they experience a wide range of the world around them and the history of it. It’s impossible to list all the reasons Kristen is deserving of this honor with the word limit. Thanks for your kind consideration!

Kay

submitted by her daughter~ Mama and Daddy gave birth to a healthy baby girl in 1976.  Eighteen months later my older sister Lauren lost all normal abilities.  My parents struggled with multiple misdiagnoses for several years until my sister was about 8 years old and formally diagnosed with Rett Syndrome. My sister and I are 5 years a part in age and even though I never heard her speak, her love embraced me and taught me life lessons I could never have learned anywhere else.  My parents have given their lives to the care of my sister.  Mama made her job to care for my sister and her multitude of needs. Many years of “fighting the system” for Lauren-with special needs school classes-appropriate medical care-has been my mother’s life from 1976-2007.  Tragically, in 2007 my sister passed away. We have been on a journey of healing for the past three years and this contest would give our mom a treat that she has never had and totally deserves. She’s never taken any time in the past 33 years to do anything for herself-she care gives for others now in Lauren’s absence.  She’s very deserving and I’d love to give her this honor and surprise.

Carol

submitted by her daughter~ I’m sure most wouldn’t consider my mom to be the storybook mother. She doesn’t spoil my sister and I by any means. She never attained a college degree. Our home isn’t spotless, nor does she have dinner waiting for us every night. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. Since my parents’ divorce, my mom has served as an inspiration to my sister and I. Steadfast in succeeding as a single mom, she has dabbled in multiple career paths- lending to both encouraging successes and humbling setbacks. With each victory and failure, she remains faithful to God and the idea that all will work out. She does everything in her power to show her undying love for my sister and I daily through tacky, yet deeply appreciated notes. She’s taught us the difficult lesson that money does not buy happiness and the lack of it does not warrant sorrow. She’s taught us to be grateful for all, for everything is a gift. Through her lack of a college degree, she has demonstrated the priceless value of a college education. My mother, Carol, has demonstrated what it means to be an inspirational person, hard-working single woman, and an incredible mother.

Melissa

submitted by her son~ My mom is the best mom a boy could ever have. She goes the extra mile with cooking, running my two brothers nad me to our activities, and volunteering. She is always organized. I am happpy that I have a one of a kind mom. She makes every holiday special, especially birthdays. My mom plays board games with me, helps me with my homework, plans family movie nights, and tells the best jokes. My mom is an optimist, the glass is half full! My mom is Christ-like to everyone even when it is hard. Whenever I look at my mom, she is always diligently working. My mom is fun and enjoyable. When it is a dark and gloomy day, my mom is always there to have fun and make arts and crafts.I don’t know how I would live without my mom being so organized. When there is a special date, my mom marks it right on her calender just like that. I do not know why my mom is not a gourmet chef. My moms spaghetti, especially her meatballs, are the best! My mom is the best mom. I could not live without her. I love her very much.

Guelda

poem submitted by her son~ My mom is a real treasure/ She helps in many ways/ I’ll try to list a few of them/ But know there’s more to say.
She drives when it’s time to travel/ She cleans and dusts our home/ She listens when I talk to her/ and calls me when I roam.
She taught me my good manners/ Please and thank you, sir and ma’am/ She cooks me nutritious dinners/ And desserts that are shazam!
She reads me stories and sings songs/ We go to church and pray/ She likes to garden outside all throughout the day./ She helps me when I’m sick
And keeps me on the go/ She also makes me exercise/ So I won’t be so slow.
She gives me hugs and kisses/ and helps me with my chores/ She cheers me when I’m sad/ She’s the one I truly adore.

Jessica T.

submitted by her mother~ I am nominating my daughter, Jessica T., as the 2010 Mom Of The Year because of her dedication to motherhood and at the same time her determination to finish nursing school. Her son, Gavin is two and a half years old and for the last two years she has lovingly and unselfishly mothered Gavin while working much determination to finish nursing school. She went to college right from high school and flunked out because she wasn’t interested in going to college at that time. She became a mother at 21 and quickly realized the importance of a good job and providing all that she could for her son. While maintaining all A’s and B’s in college, she has not wavered in the love and nurturing of her son. I truly admire her love and caring of her son and never wasting one minute of time that can be spent with him. I often offer for Gavin to spend the day or the night with us so that she might have some quiet time or study time or just “me” time, but she refuses, not letting a precious minute of time that can be spent with him.

Rachel

submitted by her daughter~ My mother has given up so much and has never asked for anything in return. She helps everybody that crosses her path and never overlooks anybody. She is always willing to help anyone in need. She has always puts other people first and never herself. My grandmother got sick a couple of years ago and my mother helped her through her treatment and was always by her side. She gave up vacations, trips, and eating out just to be able to take care of her mother. She never complains about anything and always puts on a happy face even though she may not be. She has always believed in me and others and has never given up on anything or anybody. She is always willing to take on projects that other people would not want to do. She really is a true hero and angel. She works extra hard and because of that she has medical problems. I want to give this to her to thank her for being who she is. I want to be able to give her what she has given everybody else, such as love, determination, selflessness, and courage. She deserves to be taken care of.

Angie

submitted by her mother~ My daughter Angie really “takes the cake.” She has a son named Christopher. He is 9 years old. He is her only child. She is the best mom I have ever seen which is quite amazing since I was not the best role model for her. She puts him ahead of any needs she might have. He loves his Dad, but Chris adores his Mom. Every child should have a mom like Angie. If that were the case, the world would be a better place. She helps him with his homework; takes him to church; spends time hunting frogs with him; buys his favorite kind of clothes and cooks his favorite foods. She goes fishing with him and Dad and will get up at 5:00 a.m. to go deer hunting. He has never spent the night away from home without his Mom and Dad. His Mom protects him and makes sure he is safe and secure and watched over. There are pictures of Chris all over their house. From the time he was born to today. She makes sure he feels loved. She should be “Mom of the Year” for sure.

Margaret

submitted by her daughter~ I would like to nominate my mother, Margaret, for your “You Take the Cake” Mom of the Year Search! My mom meets the description of a loving, giving mother but goes above and beyond the call of duty. The past year and a half I have been sick with an auto-immune disease called Crohns. February 1, 2010, I was hospitalized for five days in which my surgeon removed a portion of my small bowel. Three months later I am on the road to recovery but every day is a struggle.

So…back to your “Mom of the Year”….Margaret. She moved in with my family and became a stay-at-home mom again at the age of 78! I have two small boys ages 4 and 1……say no further, right? She stepped into my shoes and became MOM with a capital M! Feeding, bathing, clothing, carpooling, cleaning, etc., etc. etc. We all know the protocol. I should be giving back to her at this time in my life but she became the ultimate care GIVER! She is the definition of “Mom of the Year” in my book even if she never wins an award.

Heather

submitted by her sister-in-law~ Heather, my sister-in-law, takes the cake when it comes to motherhood. I want to hate her because she looks like a walking Barbie doll. She can eat whatever she wants and not gain a pound. Yeah, she’s one of those people.  However, she is such a great mom that I have to love her anyway. She is what I call a “hands on mom.” Not hands on like “I will put my hands on your little bottom if you don’t…” but more like “I will put my hands in the sand with you and make the most fabulous castle.” Her girls are always happily baking, swinging, laughing, learning…and a slew of other -ing activities with their mom, Heather.  She is not a mere spectator in their lives, but rather a right-there-with-them kind of gal. Heather and her daughters are always helping out the community and loving on others. Her goal as a mom is to teach her kids to see a need and get right in there and serve someone else. She deserves some recognition for being a positive, engaging parent. And she also deserves to gain a few pounds from that cake. (Okay, not really that last part).

Trish

submitted by her husband~ My wife, Trish, really deserves to be “Mom of the Year” because she is always giving back through the church, charities, non profit organizations, almost all her time, and especially to our three adopted children from China. She is always taking them and keeping them involved in sports, dance, ice skating, girl scouts, and gymnastics. At night she is helping all three with their homework and going to PTA meetings and setting up room mom activities. She does all this before she does anything for herself. She is very deserving for this award and honor. Thank you for your consideration.

Karen

submitted by her friend/neighbor~ I would like to submit a nomination for Mom of the Year … Karen. She is the amazing mother to two lively, well-adjusted little boys, Brian & Evan. Karen teaches and plays every sport imaginable with her boys, including just a few: football, baseball, tennis, street hockey, lacrosse, volleyball, basketball, etc. Not only is she the mom of all trades in the sports arena, she spends a good bit of time showing the boys how to cook. They are fully schooled on nutritional values in foods and which herbs go best with which meats and such, to name a few of the things she teaches them. It is really interesting to see two boys watch and love to cook and soak it all in. Not only is Karen an amazing mother, but she is also the world’s best friend anyone, such as myself, is lucky enough to have. She is adored by everyone in our neighborhood and we’d do anything for her, as we all know she’d do anything for us. (I also adore her mother as my own!) Please consider this nomination as the winner above all. (I can submit better pictures, should you need them.)

Jessica C.

submitted by her mother~ I would like to nominate Jessica C. for Mom of the Year. Jessica is the devoted mother of Cameron. Cameron is two and a half years old. He was born early and had a heart operation at four months of age. He has had several hospitalizations. Yet, through everything, Jessica has remained calm. She spends a lot of time with her son. Reading to him and playing games are always a part of their day. She has a busy schedule with working as a teacher and attending KSU as a graduate student. Jessica even finds time to coach a high school gymnastics team. I am very proud of her, as is her husband. I think I know her well, because I am her mother. I believe she does an outstanding job of balancing the demands that face every young mother.

Halaveshia

Halaveshia is the 29-year-old mother of three children with the oldest being 7-year-old Landon, who is deaf and autistic. Halaveshia has thrived, since learning that Landon was deaf, to get him the best help available. Against everyone’s will, she had him implanted with the cochlear implant in 2005 so that he can her. It works great! And then after he failed kindergarten in 2009 in her small county she began to seek ways to better his education so she packed up and moved the family to Cobb Co. so that he can be better evaluated and helped with his deaf/hard of hearing education. Since being here he was diagnosed as being autistic and is receiving great help. Halaveshia is a young mother/wife, she works for DFCS and works hard and takes care of her children at whatever costs. She deserves to be pampered and get a day to herself. She never takes a break!