Smarty Mom: Sue Ellen Bennett

By Rachel H

We have a very Smarty Mom to introduce to you this Saturday! Sue Ellen Bennett is mom to Daniel (10), Thomas (5), and Ward (3). She and her husband, Tom, have lived in the Triad for 7 years. Sue Ellen is one of those stay-at-home moms who never stays at home! She was a preschool and kindergarten teacher for 15 years and plans to start Academic Coaching at Forsyth Country Day sometime in the future. She is currently serving a two year term as the Children’s Ministry Team Leader at Centenary United Methodist Church, which will end in 2010, and is also on the UMW board there. Sue Ellen has the wonderful gift of playing the flute, and plays for the Lion’s Club Christmas Luncheon each year along with a few worship services at church. She spent an entire year planning a large reunion for her high school marching band where over 400 people attended. She even got a website together to tell the success story of her marching band. Check it out at www.rockymountseniorhighmarchingband.com.

Sue Ellen has recently gotten involved with the MS Society. She was diagnosed with MS in May of 2008. Her sister also has MS, but thanks to their optimism and terrific support system, they are both doing great! It was after being diagnosed that Sue Ellen decided to start running. Her exact words were, “I was not going to let the disease control me, in fact I am going to out ‘run’ the disease!!!!” She ran her first 5K race in December, the Mistletoe Run. After only training for six months, she ended up completing it in under 30 minutes!

Sue Ellen is a mom who not only brings joy into her own home, but is always wanting to bring joy to others. She is always planning some sort of celebration or party. Her gifts of entertaining, giving to others, cooking and baking, continue to delight her friends and bring new friends together.

I am happy to introduce you to Sue Ellen …

You are a mom of many hats. How to manage to juggle all of your commitments and still devote time to your family?
I keep an index card with me that I fill out each weekend, from my calendar, for the week ahead and write down everything that needs to be done at home, children’s activities, meetings, etc. and I prioritize all that is coming. Some tasks have to go in a column “if you have time this week” and the rest are assigned certain days. I have realized that it is okay not to accomplish everything that I have assigned for any given day and I just shift it to the next, or the next… I do what I can but my children come first. If someone needs me to help with homework or build a sandcastle the other things just might not get scratched off for the day and that is okay. But writing out all the specific tasks, children’s activities, carpools, etc., for each day helps me stay focused. Besides, I forget many things if it is not written down. And the index card is easy to slide into my purse and pull out if I forget where I am going or what is next.

It is obvious you love to plan events and gatherings. What is your best tip for staying organized?
First, I create word documents that I can constantly edit and add to for any project. I print hard copies and then put them in a notebook so I can easily access them if I am at a meeting, on the phone, etc. Again, the index card comes in very handy for me here too. I will prioritize tasks that need to be completed, with deadlines, and clip to the inside of my notebook for that particular project. I just love to scratch off things that I have written on the cards when the tasks are completed!

Tell us more about your diagnosis with MS and how that has affected your life.
I was diagnosed May 19, 2008 with Relapsing Remitting MS. This past year has been a learning process for me. Figuring out how to manage the fatigue and keeping healthy at all times. Listening to my body and getting adequate rest has been vital. I have to take one day at a time and pace myself in all that I do. That has been a challenge for me. I am so used to going full speed all the time and now I have to “stop and smell the roses”. Truthfully this disease has been quite a gift for me! I am taking more time to just enjoy life rather than run full speed through it. I have found that exercise has been another important key in managing my MS. I work out 6 times a week. I was running 5K five times a week until I began to have feet problems. I started taking cycle classes in January of this year and now I am just starting out with a road bike. It is fabulous! I hope to ride in a race someday! Maybe even the MS Bike race in Sept. I have found an awesome group of women that I ride with that are so encouraging and supportive. One girl said we should call ourselves the Biking Bettys! Riding with them is one of the highlights of my week! A cure is coming! With the support of many we will beat this disease. I am determined to continue to be active and vital for my children.

What do you feel has been your greatest accomplishment in life thus far?
Of course my children! They are beautiful, fun, energetic, smart, warm and loving! I am also a little proud of having run my first race in December, The Mistletoe. I had only started running outside 6 months prior and I was 16 out of 87 in my division of 40-44 year olds, and I did it in under 30 minutes! I hope one day I can start running again.

What is your favorite family activity?
We love to go to Grandfather Mountain and Blowing Rock as a family. The boys love to go on the hiking trails and romp in the creeks and streams we encounter. Other places we like to go are Pilot Mountain, Reynolda Gardens, Dan Nicholas Park and Maybry Mills. We also love to just play in the backyard and driveway. Any place that gets us outside makes everyone happy.

Favorite “me-time” activity?
Right now it is getting on my new road bike and riding 15-20 miles with good friends.

Favorite Date night with your husband?
Dinner somewhere downtown and anything at the Stephens Center.

Best place to eat lunch with the kids?
Of course it is Chick-Fil-A., especially on a rainy day when they can’t get outside to play. Or a at a park for a picnic. There is a cute video about Chick-fil-A by Tim Hawkins that Tom and I think should be our family theme song.

Favorite place to eat dinner out with the kids?
West End Café’-They just love to watch the fish in the fish pond. We always try to go early so we can sit in the window overlooking the pond.

Funniest thing your kid(s) has ever said?
My oldest, Daniel (11): One night I had prepared a recipe from a friend that swore her children devoured, shrimp and chicken quesadillas. I do not know what I did wrong. Everyone was taking very tiny bites, pushing their food around on the plates, not saying much and the my oldest, Daniel said, “This food is like being on Fear Factor”. I thought my husband was going to fall out of his chair laughing. He was not too pleased with the meal either. I actually liked it!

My middle child, Thomas (5): This past year we took our 5 year old to the Nutcracker for the first time. We were telling him a little about it on the way, explaining that there would be people dressed up that looked like they were from different countries, Spain, Egypt, etc. Tom said, “There will even be Russians, that is my favorite dance.” And Thomas replies, “Where are they rushing to?” Again, the laughter penetrated the car walls!

My Youngest, Ward (3): Everything he says is funny! He is quite the character. He reminds me of the little boy, Travis, in the movie Hope Floats that dresses up each day. You never know what you are going to get with Ward. As he enters preschool the teachers will say, “Good morning Ward!” And he replies, “I am not Ward, I am Indiana Jones!” He is great! So creative and always makes us laugh!

Favorite park in the Triad?
Does Dan Nicolas Park count? It is in Salisbury, NC but it seems like we are still in the Triad. The boys love going there. We can spend the entire day there and still not get it all in. The gem mining, the paddle boats, the train, the petting barn, the zoo animals, there is so much to do and see. We love Pilot Mountain too. But right here in Winston, our favorite park is Miller. The boys love to romp in the creek, play on the equipment and just run in the open fields.

Mini-van or SUV?
SUV, Yukon XL - Need plenty of space for all those boys!

Best thing about raising a family in the Triad?
Endless access to arts programs offered at Secca and the Sawtooth, the WS symphony’s discovery concerts for children, the Community school of the arts at FCDS….

Best kept secret in the Triad?
The farm at the end of our road. There is an old couple whose family owned most of the land on which our neighborhood was built. They still have a large bit of acreage that they continue to garden as well as raise goats, chickens, horses and sometimes cows. My boys just love to take a walk to feed the animals, watch the babies being born in the Springtime, and explore a part of our world that isn’t expected in the middle of the city. It has been a wonderful teaching tool for us as parents, giving our children an opportunity to see first hand what my parents saw each day as they were growing up.

Best birthday party you have attended?
Just this past winter my 3 year old went to a party where Captain Jim the magic pirate was the main attraction. He was fabulous! The children had a great time and so did the adults. He does parties for all ages, cradle to grave… quality entertainment! His message is wonderful and very inspiring.

I could not live without my...
Girlfriends, cell phone, exercise, Young and the Restless and email.

I wish someone had told me sooner about...
Road biking! It is such a wonderful source of exercise but also a great time for reflection and centering oneself. It is even better when you are with a group of great girlfriends.

Thanks, Sue Ellen, for all your Smarty answers!

Don't forget to register for a FREE 1/2 day slot at one of Sawtooth's summer art camps! You must first be a Triad Smarty Pants newsletter subscriber, and then you can click here to register. For more information on this give-away, visit our post about Sawtooth's summer camps. Last day to register for this give-away is Friday, June 12, and the winner will be announced on Sunday, June 14. Good luck Smarties!

Posted by Triad Smarty Pants at 5:00 AM