With Love, Not A Rose Girl

Hi, I’m Jamie. My married surname is Rose, and I’m Not A Rose Girl. I'm a wife, mom to three boys ages five and under, and a fashion enthusiast with wanderlust in the heart. 15 years dating, 10 years wed, 4 states, 3 boys, and 1 dog, my little family now calls Princeton our home. I’m currently living every bit of my “what do you want to be when you grow up” dream in one of the last places I’d ever thought I would end up – suburban New Jersey. But it’s perfect for our family right now and just an hour from New York City, to boot.

Not A Rose Girl is a nod to two defining things about me: 1 – I refuse to be ordinary and 2 – I’ve maintained my independence even in marriage. (Also, I think my husband is a little offended by the name of this blog.)  

Over the last five years I went from being a stay-at-home mother to full time working mom, and am now happily back to stay-at-home for the foreseeable near future. I’m also a freelance social media and brand strategist—among other things, I help bloggers and influencers create content. In the last year I increasingly wanted to have an outlet for something that was purely my voice. Simultaneously, I found myself more and more interested in the storytelling aspect of daily motherhood and redefining “mom lifestyle”. These ideas synergistically combined, and Not A Rose Girl was born.

I was an individual before I got married, before I became a mother. Far too often couples morph into one over time–and while there’s nothing wrong with this–my own feeling is that I was an Ng for way longer than I was a Rose. Not A Rose Girl represents more than just individuality though–it’s an expression of uniqueness, not conforming to motherhood by society’s standards and traditional expectations, and choosing to still look, feel, and be like my former self prior to becoming a mother. Refusing to be ordinary is something I work at every day.

For those who have been following my journey on Instagram and have offered me support throughout, thank you! And to any newbies who happened to find their way over here–big welcome! I love to take photos and tell stories, so this blog is fun for me. Not A Rose Girl is about looking at motherhood, mom style, food and travel through the lens of a thoughtful, elevated life.

I love to use this blog to talk about family and mindful parenting, share my lifestyle, and feature brands and products that I support and actually use (you’ll always know if I’m partnering with a brand or if I receive products or compensation through affiliate marketing). I am also excited to introduce to you a special section called Momma Makers, featuring the real-life stories of remarkable mommas with creative, entrepreneurial spirits–Momma Makers–who are not solely defined by either motherhood or career, and what sparks them.

My biggest dream for Not A Rose Girl is that it will become an online destination and a source of inspiration for other mommas who refuse to be ordinary, defy society’s definition of a mother, and all those who desire to reconnect with their individuality.

Special shoutout to my biggest supporters– the Husb (for doing allll the late-night laundry so that I can squeeze in a couple hours of work each night), Melissa (the original "don't be basic, don't give a sh*t what anyone thinks" fellow blogging momma), Brit (my creative muse), Alpin and Gayle (my fave late night group texting ladies), and my mom (who has been lifting me up for always, hi mom!). Join me as I redefine motherhood by refusing to be ordinary–let's do it together, shall we?