Meet Becca, the mom behind West Knox Moms!
Where are you originally from and how long have you been in West Knoxville?
I am originally from Canada, but moved to Oak Ridge in 2000 because of my dad’s job. I graduated from Oak Ridge High School in 2011 and then went to the University of Tennessee, where I graduated in 2015 with my bachelors and 2016 with my masters. After graduating, I started teaching in Oak Ridge and bought a house in Karns. My husband and I love this area and have no plans of ever leaving!
Tell us about your Family!
My husband, Tommy, works at Fifth Third Bank in Knoxville. We have a son, Carson, who is 3, and a daughter, Laney, who is 9 months old. We also have a dog, named Callie, who is 7 years old and is a black lab mix.
What did you do before starting West Knox Moms?
I was a Kindergarten teacher in Oak Ridge for 5 years before having kids. Since having kids, I have been a stay at home mom and worked part time at our church as the student ministry director. Now I have entered the phase of sitting in preschool car lines, sports schedules, and playdates….and loving every second of it!
Why are you excited to bring us West Knox Moms?
I found The Local Moms Network when we were vacationing in Charleston and I used one of their local guides to help plan our trip. After looking through her site, I realized that Knoxville needed something just like this. I always see moms on Facebook asking for recommendations or looking for events for their kids and my mom friends would always share stuff and it was hard to keep up with things from multiple places.
I want West Knox Moms to be a user-friendly website that contains all of the resources people have been searching for. The community resources are easy to find and categorized in a way that you can find them quickly and the calendar is full of events that are from multiple locations and all listed in one place. The guides and blog posts are relevant to the area and the stage of life that we are currently in.
I am just one person that is sharing my love of West Knoxville and Oak Ridge with all of the other moms in the area. It truly takes a village to raise children and I hope to be a small part of your village by making your life a little easier!
What is your favorite thing about being a Mom?
I love all of the little moments that are often overlooked. The first time my daughter pulled on her brother’s hair or how excited my son is when I pick him up from preschool and he wants to tell his sister everything that he did while he was there. Their relationship is currently the highlight of my life because it is so sweet to watch them together.
In your spare time, what do you and your family enjoy doing together?
We love going to local parks, UT sporting events, or having a fun family game night at home. During the day, you can often find me and the kids at Target or Marshalls walking up and down every aisle!
What’s your favorite thing about raising a family in West Knoxville?
West Knoxville has so many local places that are unique just to this area. Whether it’s amazing food, fun activities, or even just a local park to visit, there is always something to do. The amount of events for kids, families, and adults is endless. We love finding the “hidden” gems of Knoxville and then becoming regulars at those places because we go there often!
Best mom hack that makes your life easier?
I have a paw print magnet on the side of my car that my son knows he has to put his hand on whenever I am getting my daughter out of the car and can’t hold on to him. I say “touch the paw” and he will put his hand on the pawprint until I am ready to hold his hand in the parking lot. Makes juggling 2 kids a little bit easier!
We love supporting local businesses! Favorite places in West Knoxville to…
Have dinner: Hard Knox Pizza
Grab a coffee: Bud’s Farmhouse Coffee in Oak Ridge
Have a date night: dinner at Corner 16 and an escape room at Escape Knoxville
Spend time together as a family: any local park-our favorite is Karns Park!
Shop for yourself/shop for your kids: Southern Market shops
Any hidden treasures or other favorites you want to share?
We love going to Beavers Dough Joe when they are open at night for ice cream! Best soft serve in the area!
