A chat with my mom for Mother's Day!

In honour of Mother's Day, we wanted to share a special mother with you - my mom, Eileen D'Angelo (Morelli). Enjoy the questions and answers below from our discussion.

Where did you grow up?

I was born in Hamilton, Ontario. I grew up in the city's north end with fifteen brothers and sisters. I'm the ‘baby’ of the family and now the sole surviving family member. My parents immigrated from Italy.

How many children do you have?

I've been blessed with four great children. Michael, our first born, is an electrician, married with three children and five (almost six) grandchildren. Antoinette, the shop owner, who's also married. Jaqueline, a registered nurse who retired at the beginning of April after 35 years of service. She has three adult children. Christopher, works for the federal government and is married. All live in Hamilton except for Antoinette.

Did you notice anything about Antoinette as a child that indicated she'd have a future in entrepreneurship?

I would say I felt Antoinette was a leader. As a child she was either teaching other children, or helping others through the church. She was independent as a child.

Do you have any favourite aspects of being a mother?

I've always wanted to be a mother as I love children. And the great thing about children is that you can teach them so much. They're very receptive. I love to cook and especially bake. It's rewarding to watch your family enjoy homemade food. I love teaching my children, and now my grandchildren, how to bake.

Do you have special Mother's Day memories? Any Mother's Day rituals?

We didn’t have a whole lot growing up with our big family. But my mother loved her family and being together as much as possible was important to her. She enjoyed cooking and bringing the family together to eat. We had a lot of fun around our dining room table.

What's your favourite colour?

True blue has always been my favourite colour.

Favourite flower(s)?

Red roses are my favourite flower. I also love hydrangeas.

Are you right-handed or left-handed?

I'm right handed.

What are your favourite stationery items?

I love pencils, day planners and stickers. I especially love the Midori stickers. I like adding them to cards as people happily react to them.

Where in the Niagara and Hamilton regions do you enjoy spending time in the spring and summer months?

I love strolling through the Botanical Gardens. It is a peaceful place to visit. I also love visiting the wineries of Niagara or listening to live jazz music.

 

We hope you've enjoyed spending some time with my mom today. And we wish you a Happy Mother's Day this Sunday, May 8th!