Smarty Mom: Melanie Carroll

GENUINE – that is the first word that comes to mind when introducing you to Melanie Carroll. She is one of those people that I hope every Smarty reader could meet; she is one of a kind! Melanie and I met through Pilates about 6 years ago and instantly connected, she just has that way about her. And she has a fun story too!

In my mind Melanie and her husband, Matt, are meant to be in Charlotte, hopefully so!! Matt played for the Charlotte Bobcats for many years; and then when Melanie was pregnant with their 2nd child, Matt was traded to the Dallas Mavericks in 2009. In Dallas their sweet little girl… Charlotte was born. Only one year later the Charlotte Bobcats traded for him back! For those that knew this family, we were all so excited to have them back in the Queen City!

I now like to call Melanie ‘super mom’ – She is a new mom of 4 and truly makes it look easy. She has this calm about her that’s contagious. Her husband is now retired but working on the business side of the newly named ‘Charlotte Hornets’ – I hope this means they are putting roots down in Charlotte for a long while!!

Smarties, please meet one of the smartest, most giving, and amazing moms I know : Melanie Carroll!

Smarty Mom: Melanie Carroll

Smarty Mom Stats
Married to: Matt Carroll for 9 years
Children: Matty (Matthew Jr., age 6), Charlotte (4), Nicholas (2) and Rosalie (1 month)
Years in Charlotte: Off and on for the past 9 years. We moved to Charlotte just after we got married, then bounced around a few times due to team trades. We moved back to Charlotte for the 2nd time in 2010. Hopefully, we are here to stay!
Hometown: Philadelphia
Alma Mater: Penn State University

How would you best describe the life of being a wife/mom to a professional athlete? Matt played for a lot of teams in his 10 year career. It can be really fun and exciting to move around, learn new cities, and meet new people. At the same time, it prevents you from really putting down roots and getting settled anywhere because you never know how long you’ll stay put. I’ve known Matt since I was 16 years old, so to me, he’s just Matt. It’s surreal to hear a crowd of thousands cheering for your husband, or have kids asking for his autograph. It was also wonderful to watch someone I love so much live out his life long dream.

Now that Matt is retired and you’re in a different phase of your life, what to you miss most about the NBA lifestyle and what are most grateful for now? I brought my two older children to so many games…they were practically raised in NBA arenas! But they were so young and cared more about getting cotton candy and dancing in the aisles. Now, my 6 year old son is a huge basketball fan and would so love watching his daddy play. Matt actually blew up a photo of himself guarding Lebron James so Matty would believe that he played against his favorite player! Now that Matt is retired, I’m grateful for all of the time he now has to be home with our family since he isn’t traveling as much.

Are you excited about the re-branding from the Charlotte Bobcats back to the Charlotte Hornets? I loved the Bobcats and spent a lot of time cheering for them over the years, but it’s really exciting to see how the city has embraced the return of the Hornets. Matt is now working as the Hornets Community Ambassador and the team is doing so many wonderful things on and off the court. Plus, you can’t beat the purple & teal! Much better fan gear!

Now for some fun stuff to get to know you better…

Favorite thing about Charlotte? The weather! I love that we get all 4 seasons, but the winter is so short compared to Pennsylvania. In PA, it seems like the sky is grey for 5 long months. Even when it’s cold here, the sun always seems to be shining which makes it not feel nearly as bad.

Something most people do not know about you? Most people here know me as Matt’s wife or my kids’ mom, but I’m also a lawyer. I never took the time to get certified in NC because I didn’t know how long we’d stay. I’d like to get back into it when my kids get a little older. I hope that part of my brain still works!

Another fun fact is that Matt and I were high school sweethearts! I still have our prom photo displayed in our house. Our kids don’t believe that it’s us because we look so young!

Best place to have a date night with your hubby? We love Luce in Uptown or Ilios Noche if we stay closer to home.

Family’s favorite restaurant? Firebirds… the kids love that they get Oreos with their dinner!

Guilty pleasure? “Scandal”, celebrity gossip, and chips & guacamole, and red wine.

Last book you read? I’m currently reading Charlie & the Chocolate Factory with the kids. My little one isn’t sleeping too great yet so most of my down time is spent napping 🙂

Celebrity crush? Matthew McConaughey. I guess I like Matts!

Best part of being a mom? I’ve never felt as lucky and loved as when my kids came to visit me in the hospital when our youngest was just born. I could hear them running and yelling down the hall before they even got to my door. Within seconds, I had a newborn in my arms and 3 kids sitting on my lap in a small hospital bed. It was crowded, hot, chaotic and loud, but in the most beautiful way. I imagine that’s what our life will feel like for a long time and I couldn’t be happier.