Meet Kathryn Morgan's Mom, Mrs. Sheila Morgan!

Welcome, ladies! Today we have a very special guest at The Not-so Desperate Housewives. Mrs. Sheila Morgan is a chic homemaker, loving wife, and famous for being ballerina Kathryn Morgan's Mom. if you are a fan of the celebrated ballerina, then you will most likely remember Mrs. Morgan from her frequent and memorable appearances on Kathryn's Youtube channel and podcast.

Welcome, Mrs. Morgan, to The Not-so Desperate Housewives community! I think many of us who are fans of your talented daughter, ballerina Kathryn Morgan, feel like we already know you!

Your loving presence in many of her vlogs made quite an impression! Your lovely home, style, and what a wonderful mother you’ve been is an inspiration. What particularly stands out, is that you moved to New York City from Mobile, Alabama to take care of her, as she had just been accepted into the prestigious School of American Ballet. Was that a difficult decision for you and your husband? How were you able to make it work?

Thank you so much for the opportunity to be part of The Not-so-Desperate Housewives, Mrs. Hannover! I'm so happy to get to know you better. You ask about our significant change of family living plans when Kathryn was accepted at the School of American Ballet. I moved with her to NYC when she was fifteen.

Yes, they have a wonderful dorm for students and she could have stayed there, but both my husband and I were not anxious to essentially have her leave home without any parental guidance at that age.

Although neither of us knew much at all about ballet, we knew that it would be filled with daily competition with the other students.

We also knew that a very sheltered young woman from a small southern town might have a hard time adjusting to NYC. I was very fortunate to be able to move to NYC especially with my husband's blessing. Actually, he was more adamant that I should go than I was!

He has his own dental practice and was often able to fly up to NYC for long weekends and any school performances. Obviously it was crazy, lonely, and hard on both of us! I usually say that he was lonely and I was crazy!)

But we were already old pros at this with his former military career and dental school years, so we looked at it as a short term solution to her incredible opportunity.

We believe that your daughter, Kathryn Morgan's determination, discipline, and work ethic must have something to do with your great parenting skills (and your husband’s). How were you able to instil those qualities and values so successfully?

Katie's determination, discipline and work ethic came directly from her father! I'm afraid I was the “anti-ballet-mom" that always said, "Katie, don't you want to be a brain surgeon? It would be easier than becoming a ballet dancer!" But her Dad was the encourager from a very young age for whatever it was she was doing.

Mrs. Sheila Morgan (far right), with friends.

How would you describe your style? (personal and in home decor). What inspired you to open your vintage Etsy shop?

I'm so glad you asked about my personal and home decor style! As far as personal style, I am definitely timeless and classic… Little Black Dresses to go out, skirts and sweaters for a casual look, and jeans and boots for daily dog wrangling!

I started my Etsy shop as an outpouring of love of beautifully made, stylish clothing. I have blouses, skirts, and sweaters that are all vintage. I still have my own red Villager cable knit sweater from my 16th birthday, and no one knows it's vintage when I wear it!

I wore a 70's gown to one of our local debutante balls last year…. and the list goes on. The Etsy shop is closed now, but I still love searching for fabulous things. As to my home, I always want it to look like a beautiful Instagram photo, but I fall very short!

I am, however, in love with frou-frou chandeliers and have vintage and antique chandeliers in my home, including the guest bathroom and the kitchen.

It's a smaller suburban home that doesn't have the bones to merit that kind of lighting, but I love it! My husband keeps up a running joke about getting an RV, and my answer is "no" because I can't use my chandeliers! (If he ever gets serious about this, have no fear, I will find a chandelier that will work in that space!).

I heard you recently celebrated your wedding anniversary. Congratulations! What would you say is the secret ingredient for a loving and long-lasting marriage?

We have been married for forty-four years! It seems like it's been just a few until I catch a glimpse of "that older couple" in a mirror!

As far as a secret ingredient goes, you could probably come up with quite a few things from most people. Go on dates after you get married, don't go to bed mad, and hold hands whenever possible. But I think the most important thing is to always think of the other person before yourself!

I would say this is harder today than ever, but it's always been hard to think of the other person first.

Start doing this in little ways - have ham for Thanksgiving because he hates turkey, go to his family reunion with a smile on your face, buy him those flannel shirts he loves and you hate!

You will soon find that the larger problems become easier and the small problems take care of themselves. At forty-four years, we are not perfect at this, but we keep trying. (This is the year I go to the family reunion with a smile!)

What are your holiday plans for this year?

Our holiday plans this year are kind of a jumbled mess. Thanksgiving is a very small gathering. It will just be the two of us and my eighty-nine year old mom! She lives nearby and babysits my little Papillon pup, Carson, for a few days each week.

She has a stroller for him and they cruise through the independent living facility in style. Somehow, even the big dogs listen to her when she comes over!

Christmas is at home, and Katie may or may not be able to make it. But she will be home for New Year's Eve, and we will celebrate another New Year together!

And lastly, how are Carson, Luna, and Dixie getting along?

You saved the most important question for last…the dogs! Dixie and Luna, weighing in at sixty-five and sixty-seven pounds respectively, have to back off and bow down before the king Carson (pictured below), who is all of six pounds!

Carson can even jump up and snatch a treat away from them, and they do not retaliate!

Dixie and Luna are not to be trifled with, but Carson has the "little dog syndrome" down to a fine art and gets what he wants when he wants it!