GPP: You and Jake have been together since middle school. What has it been like growing up together, and how has that shaped the way you parent your boys?
Shelby: It’s really special to have someone who has known you through all of those seasons of life and still chooses you through each new one. We’ve definitely grown and changed a lot, but we’ve done it together.
I think it shapes how we parent because we really want our boys to feel that same sense of security. We want them to know that our family is their safe place, that we’re always on their team, and that we’re figuring life out right alongside them.
GPP: What has it meant to move back home to Pensacola and raise your family?
Shelby: It’s funny because I always told Jake we’re going to move back home one day. He wanted to live in a big city, and I always knew Pensacola was home. There’s something really special about raising your kids where you grew up.
Our boys get to be surrounded by family, and they’re making memories in places that already hold so many memories for us.
GPP: What have you learned about balancing creativity, work, and family life in this season?
Shelby: I truly love being a mom, and being home with my boys is something I’m incredibly grateful for. At the same time, finding the balance between motherhood, work, and creativity is not always easy. There are days when I feel pulled in several directions, and I’ve had to learn that balance can look different from one day or season to the next.
Being able to work and create has helped me rediscover parts of myself within motherhood. It gives me an outlet to build something meaningful, and feel connected to who I am outside of the day-to-day responsibilities of being a mom.
One of the coolest parts has been watching my boys become involved in that world too. They love seeing what I’m working on, helping with ideas, being part of videos, and creating things of their own.
GPP: The Pensacola Moms Social Club has grown quickly in just over a year. What inspired you to create it?
Shelby: The idea came when I was living in Tallahassee. My oldest was 2.5 and I was pregnant with my 2nd. I didn’t have any family and all my friends were back home. I found a local Facebook group of moms with babies and thought it was great. When I found out we were moving back to Pensacola, I thought I should start something similar.
I started the group with my friend. We wanted to create something that made motherhood feel more fun and less isolating. We wanted moms to have a place where they could come as they are, meet women in the same season, and actually build friendships. The whole heart behind it has always been growing in motherhood together.
GPP: How do you use your social skills to support both the local community and the moms you serve?
Shelby: Social media has given me the ability to connect people, and that’s probably my favorite part of it.
I love helping local moms discover businesses, experiences, products, and resources that they may not have found otherwise. I also love being able to introduce local businesses to a community of families who genuinely want to support them.
Through the Pensacola Moms Social Club, we’ve been able to work with so many amazing local businesses. I always want partnerships to feel natural and mutually beneficial. I want it to add value for the moms we serve while also helping a local business grow and reach new people. We’re so so appreciative of the businesses we’ve worked with this far and have supported us.
GPP: When your boys are grown, what do you hope they remember most about their childhood and the kind of mom you are?
Shelby: I hope they remember that their childhood felt magical, safe, and full of love. I hope they remember the family adventures, themed parties, days at the beach, dancing in the kitchen, and all of the little traditions we’ve created together.
More than anything, I hope they remember how much I loved being their mom. I hope they remember that I showed up, listened to them, celebrated who they were, and made our home a place where they always felt loved and wanted. I want our home to be a place they always want to come back to. Being their mom is the greatest privilege of my life.
Rapid Fire:
Caffeine boost? Sweet Tea
Splash pad or pool day? Pool Day
Early bird or night owl? Night owl
Target run or online shopping? Local Businesses 🙂
Disney vacation or beach vacation? That’s hard. Can I do both?
Pensacola native Shelby Barnes and her husband, Jake, have been together since middle school. They married in September 2015. After relocating a few times for Jake’s career, they were glad to return home, where they’re now raising their two sons, Brooks and Benji, surrounded by family and friends. Shelby is a stay-at-home mom, social media content creator, and co-founder of the Pensacola Moms Social Club, a community dedicated to helping local moms build friendships and connections.
