Sunday May 9th, 2010

New Image Day Spa would like to thank all our contest entrants for writing such lovely essays in honor of Mother's Day. We would like to congratulate the winners and wish all the mothers a Happy Mother's Day!

I enlisted the help from many other eyes and hearts to help me to determine the Winner of this Year’s “Best Mom Award” I hope all the entrants enjoyed the opportunity to publicly nominate their beloved wife, mother or grandmother for this contest. Each mother praised sounds like they deserve to win, and it was tough making the final decisions.

I personally have had a very emotional and love filled Mother’s Day. My heart is full as I read these great essays over and over and felt the genuine love that the writer’s words translate into forms of gratitude, praise and public celebration.

I will contact all winners. I have a gift of appreciation for all entrants. You may pick up your gifts at the spa this next week. I would love to get a picture of you, and the winner when you claim your prize. Please email or call me to make special arrangements for time or delivery if needed.

Thank You, Michelle Solum
New Image Day Spa, President

Grand Prize Winner of "Spa De-Stress Retreat" consisting of the ultimate relaxation combination of a classic spa facial and manicure and a luxury massage and pedicure. This service is over a $190 value. The Grand Prize Winner is the Mother of Amber Harsin.

The three runner up winners each will recieve a "Luxury Spa Service of your Choice" our Luxury Spa Services are listed in our service menu. They are one hour in length and the normal price is $55 to $80 depending on the service desired.

Luxury Prize Winners are:
(1) Makenzie Dye, the Mother of Blake and Wife of Sean Dye
(2) The Mother of Kord Holmes
(3) Verna DeLapp, Mother of Chandelle Hunt

Remember I have a gift for all entrants at the spa. Thanks

By Brianna Covell

My Mom is the most important person in my life. For all of my 23 years she has been my rock. As a teenager I was horrible to my Mom. I was forever in trouble at school, smoking, and running away. I remember once telling my mom that I hated her. Looking back I can still remember the grief-stricken hurt look on her face. It breaks my heart to know I caused her so much pain. She and I are extremely close; I have no idea what I would do without her in my life. In my eyes she is Superwoman. My Mom can do ANYTHING!!! I just want her to be able to take some time out and take care of herself once in a while. She is so busy with her job, being a wife, mom, and Grandma to her very special grandson Kaleb, that she forgets about herself. Please help me give her one day just for her so she knows she is as important to us as we are to her.

Thank you,
Brianna Covell

By Erica Roundtree

Hello Michelle, My name is Ericka Rountree and I would like to send my mother to the spa for mothers day.
As I sat as a child eating a bowl full of burnt macaroni and cheese I felt angry at my mother. It was the last box in the cupboard and no money to buy more. Now as an adult I think about how my mother could have been angry at so many of life's situations, but she was not. My mother has always stayed strong and fought through all trials in her life. She gave up a lot for her children and family to watch them succeed.
Now here I am, I have just graduated from WSU, I am leaving the country and am about to start a new career. My future looks optimistic because of her support. She took on a second job to help pay for my school, would always send a card in the mail for each holiday to make me feel at home and would bring me meals to eat when I could not afford them.
I am a jerk. I have recently discovered New Image Day Spa in the last two years and have made multiple visits for myself to the spa. I have come out feeling like a million bucks. the reason I am a jerk is because I sent myself before I sent my mother. My Mother is 53 years old and has never been treated to feeling like a princess at the spa. I would like to send her there so she can be treated like she deserves for all that she does for other people. She always puts others before herself and often gets overlooked in the gratitude she deserves. I would like to say "Hey mom, thanks for carrying me in your tummy for nine months, delivering me, and then sacrificing the rest of your life for the pains and joys I have put you through." "Mom, I love my life and I want to thank you for giving it to me." Muah XOXO
Much Love,

Ericka Rountree

By Kord Holmes

Dear New Image,
I am writing to you because I want to win my mom something special. Something that she doesn’t get to do every day because she is too busy loving and taking care of me and my brothers. Something that she can do to relax and take care of herself because she makes sacrifices that some people might find terrifying because they’re asking themselves “How can someone do that for someone else?” Well you can give that to my mom. You can give her a day off. You can give her a SPA treatment.
You might be asking yourself “What does this mother do for her children?” Well she does a lot of things. There are so many to count that I will only list some of the things she does for us. One, she is always there for us when we are sad. She always seems to have the right thing to say or does something for us to make us feel better. And sometimes she just gives us a hug or kiss. Second, she is always there for our sports activities. It always seems she is the one screaming at us the loudest or always the one giving us encouraging advice. And last but not least, she loves us. She is always there to give us a kiss at night and make us dinner and so many other stuff. She is the kindest person I know.
She also does a lot of running and biking. It always seems like she is on the trails. She basically lives there. She is as fast as lightening and has the determination of a lion stalking its prey.
Now before you read the next letter I want you to compare my mom to the other moms and see if the other moms are better. Now please pick my letter because my mom is the BEST!!!!!


Your Friend,

Kord Holmes

By Amber Harsin

Why My Mom is the Best Mom

My mom probably would not, in a traditional setting, win a “Parent of the Year” Award, however in the hearts of her children she takes that title every year for the courage she found when I was in the third grade to make a life altering decision, that would save her life and her children’s.

My mom started having kids at 16 years old, by 24 she had 4 daughters and was in a relationship built on fear, abuse, instability and outright terror. After 8 years of wondering if we would all survive the next day, she decided enough was enough. In the middle of the night she took 4 kids and fled. She struggled for the next 5 years, working sometimes as many as three jobs to provide us safety and security. While I cannot say that we did not struggle financially or emotionally through these times, I can say that she never, ever gave up. Showing her four daughter’s what dedication and perseverance really means.

Each daughter has grown into their own, with college degrees and successful relationships of their own and our mother has stood faithfully at our sides through it all, sacrificing herself for her kids.

By: Loving Daughter Jenney

My mom is the most selfless person I know. Soon after I was born my brother died. She had me and my two older brothers to raise. My dad always out of town for work; it was mostly just her. She did everything for me. When I was twelve, my parents divorced but she carried on. She showed me how to be independent. The last three years with my husband and my two kids, she let us live with her in her 2 bedroom house. She watches my kids while I'm working and never complains. She is a wonderful beautiful person.
loving daughter Jenney

Mackenzie Dye

I would like to nominate my wife, Mackenzie Dye. She is what holds our family together. Our son was born in 2008 with many complications. Shortly after he came home we were stationed in Germany and had our son treated for clubfoot using the Ponseti method except they did it wrong. So she found Dr. Ponseti and talked with him and a week later she flew from Germany to Iowa to get our son treated by the very best. We were reassigned back to the states because he was undiagnosed and she fought to the bone to get the doctors to do testing so she could know how to help him progress. Finally he was diagnosed, because she pushed for it, with a form of Muscular Dystrophy. She has done therapy with him everyday since he was only a few months old. He screams and cries and it breaks her heart to put him through it. She kept everything together when I was deployed to Afghanistan. She makes sure I have what I need and what her son needs before even thinking about what she needs. Those are only a few of the great things she has done for her family. She is selfless and the strongest mother I know and she deserves this.

By:Sean and Blake
(Husband and son)

Wow- The entries posted here on this blog are so nice. Thanks so much for your entry. A contest like this is such a great way to publicly recognize how wonderful the women in our life are and how they really can impact us. Some great mother is going to enjoy their Spa De-Stress Retreat at New Image Day Spa- just because someone publicly recognized them! Michelle

My Great Mom

With a gay son, a son who became a father at age 17, a son on an LDS mission, and a daughter with a rebellious past, my mother is the perfect example of unconditional love. Some may believe that these things are the product of a certain way of parenting, but I know that they come from a beautiful and accepting mother. She loves all of her children equally and has inspired each and every one of them to spread their wings and be all they can. Each child is thriving and doing it with soul today, and with our mother there every step of the way.

By Jenna Black

My Grandma

My grandma is the most giving person I've ever met. I've literally seen her take the coat off of her back and give it to someone who needed it. She's going to be 67 at the end of May and she's still working so she can keep giving. It is just her nature to make sure her family and everyone she meets has what the need and everything they want. I'm thankful for the blessing she has been in my life growing up. I can only hope her kind, giving character has rubbed off on me! Thank you
grandma, forever.

By Kaitlyn M. DeGroot