Begining January 4, 2010 and airing the first Monday of every moth at 8PM EST, join me and Erin Erickson as we dish tips, tools and advice on The Stepmom’s Toolbox Radio Show!
I write for the one and only online magazine for Stepmoms!
I am Featured Contributing Writer for Diva Toolbox!
Listen to my podcast with Jacquelyn Fletcher as we talk about being stepmoms of special needs step kids!
Peggy Nolan (also known as Tool Box Girl) is the mother of two daughters and the bonus mother of four children. Peggy is a published author and the founder and creator of two blogs, The Step Moms Tool Box and Serendipity Smiles. She is also the founder of The Mother’s Day Dare Project. As a self-care advocate, certified yoga instructor and breast cancer survivor, Peggy is passionate about helping others help themselves.
She is a frequent contributing writer to The StepMom Magazine. Peggy’s mission is to heal families and save the world…one mom, one step mom at a time.
When Peggy’s not saving the world or helping others with self-care strategies, you can find her relaxing with her husband Richard, pursuing her black belt in Thai Kickboxing, teaching and practicing yoga, playing with her dog, Ed, or day dreaming. Contact Peggy at toolboxgrl at gmail dot com and follow her on Twitter.
Our Family
When Richard and I said “I Do” his four and my two became our six! L-R: Jessica, Katie, Christina, me, Richard, Kelly, Richie, and kneeling Christopher
Edgar, the Wonder Dog
Recent additions to our family
Olivia Grace, daughter of Katie and Jon
born June 15, 2009
We welcomed our new son-in-law, Jon, into our family when he said “I Do” to Katie
August 28, 2009
We will be welcoming son-in-law, Noel, into our family in February 2010 when he says “I Do” to Jessica!
That’s an awfully tall ring bearer!
Beautiful family
He’s kneeling
Hi, Peg, can you please call me ASAP? i’m a reporter for The Washington Post and I’m writing a Mother’s Day story about birth mothers and stepmothers, and i want to interview you about your “Mother’s Day Dare.” i’m at 202 334 6000. Thanks!! Theola
Hi Theola,
I left you a voice mail and sent you an email! I’m thrilled to talk about my Mother’s Day Dare project!
Thanks,
Peggy
Your family is beautiful! It’s also both enlightenting and inspiring to see that you’ve accepted two difficult roles with a graceful, positive attitude – the roles of stepmom AND military wife! I too am a stepmom/military wife! My husband is in the U.S. Marine Corps. It’s great to have found a site that offers me a great sense of camaraderie!
Thank you Janelle! Please thank your husband for his service!
xxxoooo
Congrats! These are beautiful pictures of precious times. Please tell your husband that we are thankful for his service and he is truly a modern-day hero. Love him well! Blessings!
Hello Peggy,
10-11-09
Hi Peggy,
I am reorganizing and I realized while I have your website as a resource listed on my website, I do not have anything in writing expressing your authorization to be listed. When you have a chance, please send a note for my website’s records of your wishes.
Thank you,
Tricia Powe
Mediator – President, StepfamilySystems.com
Directing Founder & Talk Show Host, Stepfamily Straight Talk Foundation
951-313-1984
[...] Peggy Nolan (aka Tool Box Girl) will be giving away a FREE signed copy of Tess’ book to one lucky stepmom today, but you gotta play to be entered! So, today’s challenge is to finish this sentence: “When I am living my ideal life, I am ____________________” [...]
Dear Peggy,
First, I want to applaud you on your contributions to the Stepmom community. As a husband with children from a previous marriage, I know first-hand the sacrifices you make in the name of love.
A nationally-published and award-winning essayist, I captured my experiences as a divorced and remarried dad in a funny and critically-acclaimed book, “The 40-Year-Old Version: Humoirs of a Divorced Dad,” which was released this year.
To my delight, the book has been extremely well received by stepmother writers and bloggers including Izzy Rose, Wednesday Martin, Jennifer Newcomb Marine, and Jacqueline Fletcher. Many consider it an entertaining and uniquely meaningful holiday gift for a remarried dad.
Given the holiday season, would you be interested in reviewing the book or posting a sample chapter on your site? I think your audience in particular would enjoy it.
I invite you to learn more about and see strong reviews for “The 40-Year-Old Version” at http://www.divorceddadbook.com. I’m pasting some of those reviews below.
My personal essays have been published in The New York Times Magazine, Newsweek, New Jersey Monthly, The Star Ledger, The New York Daily News, The New York Post, Babble.com, Chicken Soup for the Soul, and many regional parenting magazines throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Thanks for your consideration, and Happy Holidays!
Joel Schwartzberg
http://www.divorceddadbook.com
joelscorp@gmail.com
Reviews of “The 40-Year-Old Version: Humoirs of a Divorced Dad”
“As a woman who’s married to a divorced man with kids, Joel’s vulnerable wisdom hit a raw nerve…I applaud [his] courage to put his insecurities on the table, not only because it’s admirable, but because his candor is so damn funny.”
- Izzy Rose, author of The Package Deal: My (Not-So) Glamorous Transition from Single Gal to Instant Mom
“The essays in this memoir are sometimes laugh-out-loud funny, sometimes absolutely heartbreaking…I love how the book shows his feelings for his kids and documents those little awkward moments that come with life after a divorce.”
- Jacquelyn B. Fletcher, author of A Career Girl’s Guide to Becoming a Stepmom
“A captivating, humorous, insightful book offering wise, hard-earned guidance for divorced dads, this is the perfect gift for men who are co-parenting with their ex-wives.”
- Dr. Linda Nielsen, President of the American Coalition for Fathers and Children and author of Between Fathers & Daughters
“I couldn’t have bought a better present for my hubby, a Divorced Dad. We love reading it together, laughing and crying as we turn the pages of the short stories (most only 2-3 pages long) that speak VOLUMES to us as readers in a blended family. I HIGHLY recommend ALL Divorced and Separated Dads buy this book, or all Stepmoms and other family members and friends who know a Divorced/Separated Dad to buy them this book as a special gift that will be sure to uplift him in a very difficult time. No one feels alone after reading this book!”
- Enlightened Stepmom’s Group, Atlanta, Georgia
Love your site! I am blessed to live in the blender as well and I am a mom of 4 and a smom of 2 more. Our six kids are between 5 and 11 so it makes for a busy house. Like you, I have a heart for blended families and stepmoms in particular. I recently launched my own site and would really appreciate your feedback. Please check out my story at http://www.cafesmom.com
Looking forward to listening to you and Erin on the Internet Radio Waves. I’ll be sure to spread the news on my site and via twitter.
Take care, Heather
Joel – I LOVE YOUR BOOK! I’ll have a review of it up in time for holiday gift giving
Heather – just went out to your site. Please check your email. Love what you’re doing!
I hope you have a Merry Christmas! Thank you for putting my blog on your blog roll! However, you are missing a letter… it should be http://www.theevilsim.blogspot.com
Thanks!
ESM
Thanks for the link correction ESM!! Merry Christmas