5 Minutes with a Mom: Thipp Mhoon

Name: Thipp Mhoon

Daughter’s name: Addison  – age 2 ½ (dressed as a garden gnome on Halloween in the picture above)

How long have you lived in NWA? I’ve lived here for about 10 ½ years

What brought you to the area? When I moved here, I had just turned 21, and was going to school at FSU in Tallahassee. I was disenchanted with college life, I didn’t want to go back for the fall semester of 2000, and I was far away from my family. They had been living in Pittsburgh, and had just moved to NWA the beginning of 2000, and I wanted to be closer to them, so I made the move here myself. I grew up in a tiny little town called McCrory, then moved to Ft. Smith before we moved to Florida when I was 11, so I was familiar with the area, and I had several aunts and uncles who had gone to or were going to U of A. I figured a change in scenery would do me good! So here I still am 10 years later 🙂

What’s one movie you could watch over and over again? I could watch There’s Something about Mary, Steel Magnolias, Sweet Home Alabama, and really, any John Hughes film from the 80s over and over!

What’s playing on your iPod right now? I’m loving Bruno Mars, Lady A, Zac Brown Band, and the song “From a Table Away” by Sunny Sweeney right now… and of course you really can’t go wrong with Kenny Chesney!

What are some favorite traditions you’ve started with your daughter so far? Let’s see… as far as traditions go… we haven’t really developed any traditions, per se, but since Addie was little, we go to Bentonville’s first Friday almost every month they have it, and she just loves that!! It’s a great time to walk around, listen to live music usually, eat “fair food”, enjoy being outdoors, and bump into some friends.

What’s been the most unexpected thing about motherhood so far? The most unexpected thing about being a mom is how such small things, like a certain silly look that my daughter gives me, can make my heart swell with so much love and pride that it overwhelms me. Motherhood has made me become sappy!!

Favorite place to play in NWA? Place to play… if you consider shopping playing, I’d say Pinnacle Promenade! 🙂 but seriously, we like to go to Beaver Lake in the summertime, and it’s always a good time at any of the area parks. I just discovered a new one by our house, off of Horsebarn Rd… it is fantastic- there’s a creek, and 2 great playsets and swings!

Tell us about your work: I work at Signature Bank, and have been there for over 4 years. I started out as a teller in our Bentonville location, then I was the assistant manager, moved on to loan coordinator, and now I’ve landed in our deposit operations department in Fayetteville. I work with a great group of ladies, and I can honestly say that we usually have a great time working together!

What are some hobbies you enjoy (when you have time)? When I have time for hobbies is right!!  I love, love, love to read!! That is my favorite thing to do in my spare time. I also love to play scrabble… since I have gotten my iphone, I’m completely addicted to Words with friends! (my husband will attest to this… hehehe!!)

What’s something your friends might not know about you? Something my friends might not know about me is that I’m a closet singer! I’d love to be on American Idol… but alas, my lack of great vocal abilities and an aversion to public humiliation stops me…

If you could vacation anywhere in the world this summer where would it be? I would love to vacation in Thailand and Laos this summer!! I’ve always wanted to go back and visit the place where I was born, and to see and meet my family that still lives there. I want my husband and daughter to see it also, and have an appreciation from where I’m from. Plus the fact that it’s beautiful, lush, and tropical doesn’t hurt either!

What’s something you have always wanted to learn? I have always wanted to learn how to sew and how to play an instrument, namely piano or guitar. I’d love to be able to make Addison cute little outfits without spending a bloody fortune (I have a feeling my husband would like that too!). And I love music, so I think it’d be really cool to be able to play and teach my daughter if she were so inclined to learn!

What are three things you always have with you? My purse, my watch, and floss (I have very close set teeth and black pepper, greens, bread… well, just about any food!, is not my friend!)

One word to sum me up… vivacious!