A Reminder

This is why my dad and I don't have a great relationship. I had this talk with him today, and it's a miracle I didn't rip my hair out.

Me: Hey, I just wanted to remind you that Monkey's birthday party is next weekend.

Him: Thanks, anything else?

Me: Uh yeah-I'm going back to school.

Him: What for?

Me: I'm, uh, first I'm going to get my AA, then a BS majoring in Political Science and minoring in Psychology, then I'm going to go to law school.

Him: You're going to be a lawyer?

Me: That's the plan.

Him: Are you sure you can do that?

Me: Well, I'm not sure I can start this semester, but I'm doing my best.

Him: No, I just mean you have the work ethic of a five year old and fewer social skills. What makes you think you can get and keep a job?

Me: I think I'll manage.

Him: Oh really now? You should really reconsider.

Me: I'll be fine-this is what I want to do.

Him: Well that's a lot of money to spend on something you're probably going to F-up.

Me: I think the words you're searching for are 'that's so exciting, I'm really proud of you-good luck!'. [and yes I really did say exactly that]

Him: Well you're going to need luck. I'm not trying to be a jerk [HA] but if I saw a sixteen year old with a Ferrari I'd think sure it's a nice car, but it's wasted if he goes out and wrecks it. It's fine to go to college, but if you waste a hundred thousand dollar education because you can't keep a job it's just pathetic.

Me: I have no problem keeping a job, I am a stay at home mom. On purpose.

Him: You're terrible with people.

Me: Yes, there are some people I don't get along with, but no one gets along with everybody. I have no problem being professional.

Him: All I'm saying is don't F* it up.

Me: Yeah, I'll do my best.

Him: See that you do. I'm gonna go into this store now, you go bathe your kids.

Personal, professional, and parenting attacks all in one three minute conversation-and that's why, in a nut shell, my dad and I will never be close. It does, however, make me even more thankful for the wonderful people I do have in my life.

For my husband, who believes in me even more than I believe in myself and loves me more than anyone ever has.

For my kids, who look up to me.

For my friends and bloggy friends like you guys, who encourage and unconditionally support me even though for many of you I'm a perfect stranger.

For my high school government teacher, who has Facebook-ed me several very sweet messages of congratulations and been kind enough to give me some advice. He even told me he was proud of me.

Some people are jerks, and a lot of them are in my family-but instead of letting them get to me I just take it as a reminder. A time to reflect on all of the people who love and care for me-who support me and believe in me.

Thank you all.

Mommy's Fabulous Find Friday:Laura of Vodka Logic

It's Friday again, and today I am honored to be able to bring back Fab Find Fridays-especially with this week's featured blogger. She is one of my very favorite ladies-a great writer and an awesome commenter-I'd love for you all to meet

Laura of Vodka Logic

She was very patient and sat down to answer all of my interview questions (and even email them back to me several times when I lost them!)...I can't wait for you all to meet her, I just know you'll like her as much as I do!

So, tell us about yourself (Family/friends/pets? Career/hobbies? Fun facts? Hidden talents? Medical oddities?)...

I am married 29 years now and have two daughters 20 and 15 years old. The oldest is a junior in college studying history and the youngest is a sophomore in high school and an aspiring song writer/guitar player. They each have a cat and I said if we got them I would not change a litter box and I haven't yet in the five years we have had them.

I have a bit of a green thumb although my gardening has slacked off the last few years. The house we have now has crappy soil but I am going to try and revive the flower beds this summer.

As for medical oddities, when I was a kid I was told I had ear canals like a dog...very twisty. Apparently they were hard to look down.

And of course everyone wants to know where we can find your writing...

I write as Vodka Logic at http://snickerbaraddict.blogspot.com. My blog was originally named I was a Snicker Bar Addict [which I figured would be the name of my autobiography someday] but I felt it was too long and having teens turned me to a stronger addiction [just kidding, mostly] I wrote a poem called Vodka Logic and thought it would be a better name.

Curious minds want to know-who and/or what inspires you to blog?

My blog started as strictly a place to post my poetry but I can't "just write" poems which meant I could go days without posting so I expanded to include standard blogging [as I call it] life events, concert reviews and whatever springs to mind....

Please share with us your favorite posts so far!

Happiness is a Room Inside My Head http://snickerbaraddict.blogspot.com/2010/01/sunday-rerun-happiness-is-room-inside.html#comments

The Wondrous World of Social Networking was very popular http://snickerbaraddict.blogspot.com/2010/01/wonderous-world-of-social-networking.html

Happy Anniversary to me (hopefully) The source of the title of my blog http://snickerbaraddict.blogspot.com/2009/07/happy-anniversary-to-me-hopefully.html

I hope you enjoy them..feel free to browse and comment

What writers (and/or bloggers) do you read regularly?

Unfortunately I don't read as much as I used to but my favorite authors include Ken Follett, Alistair Maclean, James Clavell and Robert Ludlum.
I hate to pick a favorite blogger [I know its the standard cop out answer] but I prefer humor to constantly serious blogs. I like to find blog written by guys, they have a different perspective. Check out my blogroll, I think it is diverse.

What are your future plans for your writing/blog?

I don't have any aspirations of being a professional writer but I suppose if I was approached to "spread my wings" I would take the chance. I think it would be fun to publish a book of poetry. Otherwise I will just plod along as I have been doing.

And now, for something completely different.......

Would you rather it be rainy and 70 degrees or sunny and 30 degrees?

I would have to choose rainy and 70. Like the saying "April showers bring May flowers" and I love flowers. I don't care for the cold.

Who was your favorite band/singer when you were 13?

Without a doubt Elton John was my favorite. His was the first concert I went to as well.

The best book of all time is.....

Tai Pan and /or Shogun by James Clavell

Desert islands are so cliche-if you had to spend the rest of your life inside of your home, what three items would you make sure to have for yourself?

Assuming I have necessities such as food, clothing and vodka I would want a constant source of music a computer and Kelly Jones [lead singer of Stereophonics]

Thank you for having me as your featured blogger I am honored.

Thank YOU for agreeing to be interviewed for Fab Find Friday! And of course for following me and being such a great commenter-you always brighten my day.

Alright everybody-go check out Vodka Logic to read some more from our friend Laura!

Friend Makin' Monday: Thanksgiving

Whenever I can l love to participate in FMM with my lovely bloggy friend Amber from aefilkins and this week I'm excited to talk about Thanksgiving with you guys in a fun little meme!

1. Turkey or Ham?
Turkey... gobble gobble! I'm trying a new orange-sage recipe.

2. Favorite side dish.
Hmmm....either twice baked potatoes or deviled eggs.

3. Favorite dessert.
Pecan pie and/or fudge.

4. Black Friday: Are you going or not?
Oh heck no! I hate shopping to begin with, when you make it a contact sport, you've lost me entirely. I'll shop online thanks =)

5. If so, what's on the top of your list?
My plans for Black Friday include sleeping in, being warm, and not being physically assaulted at 6am. Good times.

6. Going out of town or staying close to home?
I'm staying at my house!

7. Hosting or helping?
Its just us this year unless my parents decide to drop by-but I'm cooking either way.

8. Name one family tradition at Thanksgiving.
My parents have always eaten Chinese food and watched Clint Eastwood movies for Thanksgiving. Hubby's family enjoys picking each other into tiny pieces and being generally unpleasant while sitting in front of food. For years we've tried to fit ourselves into their traditions but we have decided this year to start our own tradition - an actual, pleasant traditional Thanksgiving. We'll see if anyone wants to join us.

9. What do you do after dinner?
Don't know yet. A movie? A game? A nap?

10. What are you most thankful for this year?
I have so many things to be thankful for this year...my husband who works so hard and takes such good care of us all. Our little ones, including The Bean who was born happy and healthy just this past May. The fact that my business is finally getting off the ground. My brand new lovely computer!!

My life is blessed and I am thankful.

What are you doing for Thanksgiving? Join Friend Makin' Monday and share!

Fabulous Find Friday (Saturday Edition): Angela from Becoming Me

First I'd like to welcome you to the Saturday edition of Mommy's Fabulous Find Friday. Turns out my Friday was super booked-I'm so sorry that I couldn't get this out in time! You know how much I love featuring YOU, my fabulous followers, and I'm especially disappointed because this week Random.Org magically selected one of my very favorite bloggers and personal bloggy friends

Angela from Becoming Me

I met Angela a long time ago. I've followed her blog and done a little designing on it and we've gotten to know each other pretty well. She is a terrific lady, and a wonderful writer, and I am so happy that I get the opportunity to introduce you to her! Let's get started...

So Angela, tell us about yourself ...
Twenty years ago I was a shy small town girl who barely spoke above a whisper. Today, I'm not so shy. I'm a flawed and forgiven child of God, wife, & mother. My daughter is five, sweet and spunky and my son is two, curious, and fun! I am also a writer, a lover of books, coffee, girl's night out, sunshine & waterfalls.

And of course everyone wants to know where we can find your writing...
I blog at www.becomingme.net and I also write biweekly devotions at 5 minutes for Faith and I write monthly at (in) courage.

Curious minds want to know-who and/or what inspires you to blog?
I started blogging about 18 months ago and continue so that I can encourage other women to know that they are not alone in their struggles.

Please share with us your favorite posts so far!
I have a favorite post section on my blog

What writers (and/or bloggers) do you read regularly?
This will look horrible, but I have been behind on blog reading lately. I honestly do love the writings of all the other (in) courage bloggers as well as those who write for 5 Minutes for Faith. And I love Big Mama, because she makes me laugh out loud...and of course I love MrsM!

Awww-I love Angela! So what are your future plans for your writing/blog?
To "keep on keeping on" and hopefully write more often.

I look forward to reading what you have to say, whenever you say it! And now, for something completely different.......

What three things would you bring with you onto a deserted island?
Matches, a knife, and a blanket

Who was your favorite childhood pet and why?
My first dog whom I named Princess.

What is your hidden talent?
I am "double jointed" and can cross my elbows and index fingers and then fit my head through the hole it forms.

In a movie starring your life, who would you cast as the main characters?
Drew Barrymore would have to play me. I think she would be able to best capture my quirky, fast-talking and awkward sides, but also be able to convey vulnerability, warmth and determination. Zooey Deschanel could play my sister Maranda and my youngest sister JeanAnn would be best protrayed by Abbie Cornish.

What an interesting cast that would be...and Drew Berrymore is such a great actress I think she might be able to do you justice! Thank you so much for agreeing to participate in Fab Friday Angela, and of course thank you for following my blog!

Okay bloggy friends, if you haven't had the pleasure already please go and check out Becoming Me! Angela is so insightful and inspirational, I promise you'll enjoy what she has to say. When have I ever steered you wrong?

[Remember, if you want a chance to be my featured follower on Mommy's Fabulous Find Friday all you have to do is be a follower! If you choose to subscribe in a reader or bookmark my page, you'll have to make sure to leave a comment so that I can include you in the drawing.]

Mommy's Fabulous Find Friday-Katie from Why Bother

Aaaaalright, everybody. It's time (finally!) to once again feature one of YOU for Fab Find Friday. I love getting to know you better, and sharing all of your fabulous blogs with everybody else!

This week Random.Org hit upon a truly fabulous lady....follower number 35

Katie (aka Kekibird) from Why Bother

I am thrilled to be featuring Katie this week. Katie is among the first followers I had, and I can honestly say that her comments have always been thoughtful and sweet. She is genuine, and funny, and the more I've gotten to know her the more I like her!

Katie's character shows up in her blog as well-but before you hop over for a visit, check out Katie's interview!

So, tell us about yourself (Family/friends/pets? Career/hobbies? Fun facts? Hidden talents? Medical oddities?)...
I’m Katie, a single mom to a high spirited little boy. Jake and I live in Southern California where the seasons vary slightly and you need a freeway to go 5 miles. Between my S.O. and I, we have 3 boys, all names with “J” names and all very much boys.

I lived in the City by the Bay for 6 years while I went to college at San Francisco State University for my BA and my teaching credential. Oh, the fog and the hills! I loved the city and history and the bridges!

Though I have a teaching credential, I am not currently a teacher. I work for the family business along side my dad and my brother and a few uncles and cousins. Yeah, when I say the “family” in family business, I honestly mean FAMILY! We cut and process steel for distribution.

On the side I scrapbook, make cards and try my best to raise my son to be a courteous, silly, genuine little guy. I’ve been known to attempt quilting, cooking, baking and sewing but some success!

And of course everyone wants to know where we can find your writing...
I’m blogging over at Why Bother? where I’m always asking myself, why bother?


Curious minds want to know-who and/or what inspires you to blog?
My main inspiration for blogging is my son, Jake. He came into this world very unexpectedly but brought with him so much joy, hope, and love that everyday I can’t help but write about him and for him. Sharing his silliness, his “boyness” and our day to day experiences has me writing constantly.

Other inspirations come from my personal experiences. From the moment I wake up to the moment I’m asleep (and sometimes when I’m sleeping!) I’m finding reasons to put my words out there to read. It’s like having my brain on paper, my thoughts typed out and my feelings expressed through words. I’m able to think, plot, write out, and then sit back and read it all. It can help me to see my situation in a different light. Plus it’s like free therapy!


Please share with us your favorite posts so far!

An Open Letter To My Obsessed Son

To My Butt

Why Can’t I See What Everyone Else Sees

A Life In Opposition

Once Upon A Playdate


What writers (and/or bloggers) do you read regularly?
Wow, this list could go on and on! I think I am currently following over 50 blogs and I try (TRY!) to comment and follow them regularly. But there are two ladies in particular that started me on this road. McMommy over at The McMommy Chronicles and Maria over at Mommy Melee. I joined Twitter and was told about both these women and their fun, touching, and beautiful writing. From there I was sucked into the blogosphere and have found so many friends.


What are your future plans for your writing/blog?
Blogging is a great outlet for me. I can write for myself, join a blog hopping meme, or write to share what’s going on in our lives. Because my writing is for me, my future plans are flexible. I can keep up my blogging just to share or to change it into something different depending on my needs. It’s a great tool and so fun to connect to others with.

I do hope that my blogging will serve as a history of the younger years of my son and I. Because mommy brain never goes away and my memory capability gets worse and worse each week, all our stories and our experiences are kept together in my blog for him.


And now, for something completely different.......


If I was an animal, I would be a wolf. They are powerful, beautiful and a little intimidating. I’ve always had a fascination with their habits and how they live in packs.

The TV show I (secretly) watch is DOCTOR WHO! And it’s nooooo secret! My boyfriend got my hooked on this great little sci-fi show that dates back to the 1960’s. I haven’t watched any of the older episodes but I’m currently in LOVE with Doctor Who #10, David Tennant. If you’ve never watched an episode, check out The Girl In The Fireplace or The Empty Child. Both of these episodes are sure to make you cry.

But if I have to tell a secret show….shhhhh….I love the drama and fakeness of all the Real Housewives shows. Just don’t tell anyone!

If you could only eat one kind of candy for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
Twix because….there are TWO in each bag. Come ‘on! Two candies? For the price of one? Love it! All that crunchy goodness mixed with the smooth caramel taste. Yum!

If you could only impart one piece of wisdom to your son what would it be?
Everything you are handed in life, you are strong enough to get through. No matter how hard, you are stronger and more capable than you think. Just remember to lean on your friends and family in the hard times and offer your shoulder or hand in return.

That is wonderful advice Katie! Thank you so much for agreeing to do my interview and for being a faithful follower, a thoughtful commenter, and an all around Fabulous bloggy friend!

Okay everyone, now is the time when you can hop over and find out even more reasons why our friend Katie is Fabulous!

Awww, You Shouldn't Have

I have a confession-I have gotten awards, and I am waaaaay behind on them. Sorry Jenny and Crazy Baby Mama, I promise I will get to the award you have so graciously given me tomorrow!

Today I am graciously accepting the "Over The Top" award, given to me by Beth from Laugh Until You Cry. I got such a sweet email from Beth-she really seems like a great lady, and I'm so grateful that she chose me to accept this award!

The rules for accepting this award are to copy and change the answers to suit you and pass it on. Answers can only be one word! Pass the award to 6 of your favorite bloggers and alert them they have been awarded.

1. Where is your cell phone? Non-existent

2.Your hair? "Tousled"

3. Your mother? Um...

4. Your father? Hilarious

5. Your favorite food? Quiche

6. Your dream last night? Cats

7. Your favorite drink? Diet Pepsi

8. Your dream/goal? Love

9. What room are you in? Bedroom

10. Your hobby? Napping

11. Your fear? Birds

12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Here

13. Where were you last night? Home

14. Something you aren't? Famous

15. Muffins? BananaNut

16. Wish list item? Laptop!!!

17. Where did you grow up? Smalltown,USA

18. Last thing you did? Sleep

19. What are you wearing? Sweater-dress

20. Your TV? Old

21. Your pets? Imaginary

22. Your friends? Bloggers

23. Your life? Lovely

24. Your mood? Fantastic!

25. Missing someone? Occasionally

26. Vehicle? Crappy

27. Something you're not wearing? Socks

28. Your favorite store? Best Buy

29. Your favorite color? Burgundy

30. When was the last time you laughed? Today

31. Last time you cried? Awhile

32. Your best friend? Hubby

33. One place that I go over and over? Groceries

34. One person who emails me regularly? YOU!

35. Favorite place to eat? WithFamily

PHEW! That was hard. Brevity is not my strong suit...hence the blog! Still, it was a lot of fun trying to come up with answers. Thanks again Beth!

The bloggers that I would like to give this award to are:

The Crazy Baby Mama
Samantha from Apple Juice and Milk
Kirsty from Momedy
Amber from aefilkins
Robynn from Robynn's Ravings
K from Interstitial Life

I can't wait to read your answers ladies!

Linky Love

More good news/bad news. Good (FANTASTIC!) news is that we had a blood test done and I am not pregnant as I had feared. More proof God will never give you more than you can handle! Bad news is, I am still feeling just miserably ill. I'm going to go back into the doc on Friday to see what's up, and I'm going to try to get to feeling better in the mean time, but this mystery yuck is hard to shake!

I don't want to leave you guys hanging, so I thought I'd share some of the cool posts I've seen in the past couple of days...

You can go visit my friend Robynn at her 30 Day Throwdown blog. The Throwdown being, of course, a challenge to get healthy...this month we're doing away with junk food (easy enough for me, since my stomach turns at the thought of any food at all at the moment!).

Also you can stop by my gal pal Jesse's place, Muthering Heights, to enter to win a 18 x 24" poster!

Lesley, who you might remember from Fab Find Friday, wrote about her online romance with her soldier Hubby....a cute read!

Remember Samantha, from Apple Juice & Milk? She has a fabulous recipe for potato, ham, and cheese soup that is just delicious! [Even if you pick the ham out like I did!]

Last, but not least, I certainly hope you get a chance to stop by Helene's place-she's being featured on SITS today!

I promise I am not abandoning you, and that I will return back and better than ever...well at least back...very soon. For now though I'm just going to go eat some tums and lay on my couch.

Mommy's Fabulous Find Friday: Wifey of Ask Wifey!

Hi everyone-it's Friday, and it's time once again for me to feature on of YOU, my fabulous readers, for my Fabulous Find Friday. This week's featured follower, selected by Random.Org is

Wifey of Ask Wifey

I met Wifey online a while ago-I'd say at least two years ago-when I won a copy of her book (that's right, she's a published author) Help! I’m a Newlywed… What Do I Do Now? Wife-Saving Advice Every New Bride Must Know to Survive the First Year of Marriage. She is such a sweet and caring lady....maybe that's why she's been on TV so much!

On her blog Ask Wifey she gives advice about marriage, and blogs about her own life with her husband and two children. I'm very glad that I've met Wifey-now it's your turn to get to know this fabulous lady.
[This week, as a little change of pace, the answers are in bold instead of the questions.]

So, tell us about yourself (Family/friends/pets? Career/hobbies? Fun facts? Hidden talents? Medical oddities?)...

I'm a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, author, writer, social media enthusiast, chocolate connoisseur, NFL and NBA fanatic, tennis player and music lover. I could live off of Italian food if my metabolism moved as fast as my mouth; and I love a good beer and glass of red wine - not at the same time ... on most days. I'm a former music industry executive who traded in myc orner office to raise my own little superstars - Miles, 8, and Milan, 6. Husband and I have been married for 10 years and our life-changing wedding was featured on TLC's popular television show "A Wedding Story." I was also recently featured in The Travel Channel's Great Cruises series on the show "Why Not the Mediterranean?" No, I'm not a reality TV star. I think you have to make money to be considered one of those.

And of course everyone wants to know where we can find your writing...

You can find my writing at my blog, AskWifey.com. I also have another blog that I co-founded, TheBlogRollers.com. And, if that's not enough you can read my book, "Help! I'm a Newlywed ... What Do I Do Now? Wife-Saving Advice Every New Bride Must Know to Survive the First year of Marriage," available on my site and at Amazon.com.

Curious minds want to know-who and/or what inspires you to blog?

Many things inspire me to blog. I love to write. Blogging is a wonderful outlet to share your writing and interact with other bloggers. My book inspired me to start Ask Wifey. I love having the opportunity to help other people that might have questions about marriage or motherhood who don't want to ask their mother, sister or girlfriends. Sometimes you need an unbiased opinion; and I love that my readers also leave their comments so multiple points of views are shared.

Please share with us your favorite posts so far!

Ooh, too many to pick favorites, but here's a variety of what you might find at AskWifey.com:

Don't Call Me Corny - http://askwifey.blogspot.com/2009/05/dont-call-me-corny.html
Wives' Words - http://askwifey.blogspot.com/2009/04/wives-words-hanging-with-mrs-cooper.html

Mother's Day Dilemma - http://askwifey.blogspot.com/2009/04/mothers-day-dilemma-mad-mom-or-angry.html

Pants and Panties - http://askwifey.blogspot.com/2009/08/pants-and-panties.html

What writers (and/or bloggers) do you read regularly?

Again, too many too choose favorites, I've got so many in my reader, so here are the last three I just read:

My Life ... A Work in Progress - http://www.christiecrowder.com/

The World According to Me - http://sixbelinskis.blogspot.com/2009/09/theres-always-bus.html

My Inner Dialogue - http://www.myinnerdialogue.com/

What are your future plans for your writing/blog?

My future plans for AskWifey.com is to continue to write, entertain and help as many people as I can. Outside of AskWifey.com I freelance for traditional magazines - gasp! I do plan on continuing to do that as well as expand my online writing.

And now, for something completely different.......

If I could go back in time and give myself one piece of advice it would be....

To believe in myself at an early age. As you get older, *ahem*, you really do get wiser and more confident. I wish I knew what I know now when I was in my twenties. I would've been unstoppable.

What is your culinary guilty pleasure?

Culinary sounds so "proper." Give me a bag of Oreos and it's on! Chips and salsa are a favorite, and did someone say chocolate?

If I had a nickel for every time I said "right," (with all types of inflections - Ri-ight. Riiiiiight. RIGHT!) I would be a bazillionaire.

What is your favorite book ?

I love reading self-help books. I'm a motivational "you can do it" junkie! I just read Victoria Osteen's "Love Your Life: Living Happy, Healthy & Whole." Loved it.

Thank you so much for agreeing to do this interview Wifey-I'm so glad we've gotten to know each other as bloggy friends!

Alright now, my other bloggy friends, you know how it works....please go visit the lovely Wifey and find out more about what makes her so FABULOUS!

[Remember, if you want a chance to be my featured follower on Mommy's Fabulous Find Friday all you have to do is be a follower! If you choose to subscribe in a reader or bookmark my page, you'll have to make sure to leave a comment so that I can include you in the drawing.]

Mommy's Fabulous Find Friday: Harriet of I Am Harriet

Finally-after last week's big fat nothing rest period-I am finally back for Fab Friday! I am so excited to once again feature one of YOU my truly fabulous followers. Really, I mean it. I'm not just blowing smoke at you-I brag about you and your fabulousness all the time to my "real life" friends....who probably think I'm crazy. And I am-crazy about you guys.

Okay, enough corn. This week we're getting to know our lovely friend

Harriet of I Am Harriet

Harriet is kind of a Jill-of-all-trades...she does a little of this, a little of that, and she does it all fabulously, of course. This month on her blog she is featuring a different follower every day! That, my friends is dedication to her readers. I admire that a lot. Let's get to know her a little better, shall we?

So Harriet, tell us about yourself (Family/friends/pets? Career/hobbies? Fun facts? Hidden talents? Medical oddities?)...
Hi. I'm a mom of 2- a boy and a girl. My son just hit 20! Yikes! and my daughter is 17.
I have a 3 year old schnauzer and I just adopted a 9 week old lab mix puppy. He is so adorable!!!
About 10 years ago I decided to go back to school...again...and I got a degree in computers. I decided to go into website development and then ventured into graphic design. I still take classes to keep up with my skills since the software is always updating. I am also an RN. The best job, of course, is motherhood.

And of course everyone wants to know where we can find your writing...
I have my personal blog at http://iamharriet.com. I am also involved with http://thecontesthub.com and http://sitedandblogged.com


Curious minds want to know-who and/or what inspires you to blog?
All of the wonderful people that I have 'virtually' met in this online world of ours.

Please share with us your favorite posts so far!
Every month I sponsor the "comment challenge". I inspire other bloggers to leave 1000 comments in a month. People really seem to enjoy the challenge. If anything, it gets us all communicating and making friends online. This month, we are taking a break from the challenge. I am featuring fellow bloggers on a daily basis. I introduce the blogger and include one of their posts or something from their site. Then I ask my readers to visit them. It's been fun meeting people I may have only visited a few times or dropped an entrecard on.

What writers (and/or bloggers) do you read regularly?
There are a few people who follow a lot of the same memes as I do so I do visit them a lot. Like Thom from Hawaii for instance. Then there are a few just to check in- Lola's Diner, Stacy the Random Cool Chick, Blond Duck, Diana, Jo and a few others.

What are your future plans for your writing/blog?
hhhmmm...good question. Blogging takes up a lot of time. Unfortunately, I'm one of those people that needs to refocus myself on the priority list when it comes to spending my time wisely. So, I guess I just take blogging one day at a time.

And now, for something completely different.......

Are you a morning person or a night person?
Morning.

That's awesome! I'm a late late night person-thanks to the kidlets. I do some of my best work at 3am, but when 6am rolls around yeahnotsomuch!

If you had to stay the same age forever, what age would you choose and why?
41. Once you hit 40 you become more secure about yourself and things in life. Kids are pretty self sufficient by this time and you are really looking forward to your future.

What's your favorite ice cream flavor? Breyer's Vanilla right now.

Fill in the blanks: __40__________ is the new ______30______

Uh-oh.....does that make 23 the new 13? I really didn't like 13 the first time around....Ha ha ha. Thank you so much Harriet for answering my little interview questions! It's been great getting to know you and your blog a little better!

Everyone else, you know what's next-go visit our new bloggy pal Harriet and check out all the things that make her fabulous! And remember, if you want a chance to be my featured follower on Mommy's Fabulous Find Friday all you have to do is be a follower! If you choose to subscribe in a reader or bookmark my page, you'll have to make sure to leave a comment so that I can include you in the drawing.

Want to get to know the other bloggers around here even better? (And why not? We're all fabulous around here.) Check out the new Bloggy Friends Community Pages. Introduce yourself, chat about entertainment (do you like Doctor Who? House? Bones? Psych? How I Met Your Mother? Another truly awesome show you'd like to share and talk about?), kids, recipes, and anything else you find fun. I look forward to seeing you guys there!

The Luck of Job

It is such a fantastic compliment when people say "she has the patience of Job"....I however, do not have Job's patience. I have his luck.

I am not a lucky person. I don't win contests, I don't find pennies, I don't happen upon great deals or opportunities. I am the 33rd person in line for 32 free tickets. I am the runner up after the last person to get a ribbon. When it comes to luck I am always a near-miss....unless it's bad luck-in that case the target sometimes locks it seems.

Late last night my glasses broke-literally snapped in half at the nose-for no apparent reason. I just went to take them off my face and rather than come all the way off one side got tangled in my hair and they just cracked. I didn't even see it coming. And my back up pair? GONE. Vanished into thin air. So I had to wrap red duct tape (yes RED the only color we had) right in the middle across the nose section to just barely keep them together enough so that I can barely see. I say just barely because they are basically continually falling apart while on my face. They bend so completely they even look like a frowney face:This was very upsetting. We don't have vision insurance until December and there is no way I'm walking around with duct tape on my face for 4 months (no matter what Hubby says!). So this afternoon I called around and made an appointment with the cheapest optical center in town.

First thing they did was make me take the glaucoma test. I have been wearing glasses for 18 years, but I have never been successful at taking one of those tests-I have a weird phobia about things touching my eyeball-and yes, "things" includes air. All of the doctors I've ever seen just have me sign a waiver and then continue on with the eye exam, but not these doctors. They absolutely refused to perform an exam without first giving me the glaucoma test. Even though I don't have diabetes. And I'm only 23. Oh well, the joke is on them-it took nearly a half hour and in the end the actual optometrist himself had to come in and HOLD MY EYELIDS OPEN in order to complete the test.

Torture? Yes. Worth it? Sure-this is the cheapest place in town. They said they could get me two complete pair of glasses with a free eye exam for a total of $69.95!

Yeah, that's not happening either. You saw that coming didn't you? I should have, but I didn't. Turns out my perception has gone from "bad" to "might need a dog for occupational purposes" and my lenses are now so thick that they will not appropriately fit into regular sized frames unless they are compressed into spiffy high tech (read:TOTALLY EXPENSIVE) lenses. The price went up from 69.95 to $230! GRRRR! Still, the frames I picked were cute and I chose my second pair to be a pair of prescription sunglasses which is exciting because I've never had sunglasses before!

Then I left the doctor's. That was my next mistake. There I was minding my own business, driving along, wallet $230 lighter and stomach feeling a little queasy about it, when KABLOW-my front right tire blows out. I nearly have an accident and I pull over to look at it. It's not shredded but it is totally flat. I cried right there. I couldn't call anyone to come and get me because, as you may remember, Hubby and I are the last two living adults with no cell phones, so I limped my poor broken car to the nearest gas station with minimal help from my pathetically broken glasses. Then came problem number two:

I don't know a single thing about cars or flat tires. I don't know how to inflate a tire, let alone change one. So I cried at the gas station too. I tried to call Hubby so that he could explain how to do it over the phone, but he wasn't answering. So I cried some more. (That's my go-to solution now. Total lack of sleep+Stress=Tears.) Thankfully, some very nice gas attendants saw how hysterical I was and offered to help me. They got everything out of my trunk and did all of the work. I bought them 1L bottles of water and a pack of smokes. They didn't speak English very well, but they were super nice to me and eventually I was off-driving home on my little donut tire.

I'm kind of waiting for lightening to strike at this point. In less than 24 hours we have had emergencies that have/will cost us nearly $600. Have I mentioned that our rent is due on Friday? Yeah, add another $50 onto all that new debt for a late rent fee.

I know I should look on the bright side. I AM getting new glasses sometime this week (whenever they come in). I didn't' get into an accident, even though I very well could have, and I am safe and healthy. No one is sick at home. We do make enough money that we can pay rent late and bounce back from that....eventually. I should be looking up!

Instead I'm pouting.

So I'm going to do something to make myself feel better. I wasn't going to officially open it until later when it's all the way done (it's been put on hold so that I can focus on the blog makeover winners) but I want something to cheer me up so I'm going to go ahead announce the

Bloggy Friends Community Pages!

Basically, it's going to be a place where we can chat, share ideas, and get to know each other better. I have some stuff up already-including a chat module, a 'getting to know you' area, a section about parenting broken down into forums by age group, a 'house and home' section for recipe swaps, craft ideas, homeschooling/unschooling talk, and household tips and more. It's still not as pretty as I'd like it to be and not all of the categories are up yet, but dang it I want to do something fun!

So everybody~please go over and visit. Sign up, start posting around, and have fun! I will be on there often tooling around and when I am I will always be logged into the chat system....so if we're ever in the neighborhood at the same time we should have a nice chat~maybe we'll even have to schedule one sometime for us all to sit down and visit!

Just thinking about that is making me feel better already. Thanks guys!

Winners, News, and Thank Yous

As you may have noticed, I haven't posted since Wednesday. I know-crazy, right? I am so behind on everything blog related! The truth is I've been suffering from exhaustion...and no that's not starlet code for 'drug overdose' (at least not in my case)-it's just the natural state of a mom of three kids 5 and under who uses her 3 hours of allotted sleep time to blog. Unfortunately this last week it got really bad. So bad that I literally couldn't tell the difference between nursing The Bean and dreaming I nursed The Bean. So Hubby commanded encouraged me to step away from the blog for a little bit in the name of self preservation.

In the last few days I have been luxuriating in my 3 hours of sleep and I even got in a two hour nap (that's practically an extra night!), and now I'm rested (read:up to my eyeballs in Diet Pepsi) and ready to go go go!

First order of business....announcing the Scentsy Warmer winner of course! Random.org has spoken, and the very lucky winner is......

Shel from Auntie Thesis!

CONGRATS! Shel, you are now the proud soon-to-be-owner of your very own Scentsy wickless candle warmer and three Scentsy bars of your choice!

And, of course, a warm thank you to our lovely and generous friend Angela! If you didn't win, don't worry-you can still get a Scentsy System with three Scentsy Bars for a very reasonable (and totally worth it) $45 directly from her!

In other fabulous news...can I just say how proud and grateful I am right now? Last month was the very biggest month I've ever had here on my blog! In July I smashed through the 1,000 visit barrier and had 1,373 blog hits-I know it may not seem like much, but it's more than I've ever had and it means a lot to me. Especially knowing that every day I posted I had a number of page views that almost exactly matched the number of followers I had at the time. When I had 50 followers, I would get on average 48 hits on every day I posted, and the trend only continues-even now, when I have 91 followers. (91!)

It means so much to me that you guys keep coming back and reading what I write. When I started this blog I didn't really have any big plans for it, I just liked writing. When I came back from my blog vacation after having Baby Bug I knew that I wanted to build a community of bloggers to share and laugh with, but I didn't know if it would happen. I'm so happy to say that I really think we're on our way.

The real credit, of course, goes to YOU! I could write until I was blue in the face (or fingers) but it wouldn't mean anything if I didn't have great friends like you guys to visit and share with me. Thank you so much!

As a small economically proportioned token of my gratitude I would like to give away a $15 Target gift card. Well honestly, I would like to give you a $1,373 Target gift card or to give $15 gift card to every one of you, but the small amount I can give comes from my heart with a big giant hug! If you follow me and you want a $15 Target gift card, just leave a comment! You deserve it! I'll draw for the winner on August 15th.

Thank you for a wonderful month~and don't worry, I do have great giveaways coming up for you this month as well!

xoxoxo

Ain't Too Proud To Beg

Alright, it's time for me to own up to it-I have been stalking lately. It's okay it's just a contest, and it's just a little stalking, but it's a BIG HUGE contest-and I want to win!

BAD.

Not bad enough, however, to nominate myself because I actually do take this contest seriously and I only want to win it if I deserve it. I just reallreallyreally hope I deserve it!

Noah's Mommy from Project Mommyhood marks her one year blogoversary in September of this year (YAY!) and as a super generous move has decided to create The Project Mommyhood Mommy Blog of the Year award. This contest was created to "honor 1 VERY amazing woman...who has inspired others through her writing". First there are open nominations, then Noah's Mommy and her panel will pick 10 finalists so all of the readers can decide who is the most amazing, inspirational lady of the year.

I don't know about "amazing", but I hope I'm inspirational. It would be an honor to take home The Title. It would also be a delight to delve into that magical swag bag the winner will receive! Gifts for mom, gifts for babies...there are over 21 companies participating, and all of the items look FABULOUS!

As always, it would be an honor just to be nominated...if you'd like to nominate me, of course. See, I might be too reserved to nominate myself but I am NOT too reserved to beg that any follower that might harbor secret (but honest) feelings that I am amazing and/or inspirational take a moment of their time to nominate me HERE at Project Mommyhood.

I will send you air kisses. Or stop sending you air kisses, if you prefer.


In all seriousness though, the nomination portion will be closing July 31st so jump on over and nominate your favorite Mommy Blogger-whoever you feel really deserves it. Even if it's not me (really, that's okay)-this award has the power to really encourage the awesome Mommy that inspires you!

One more time, a big thanks to Noah's Mommy for creating such a great award/giveaway!

A Time (and Place) For Every Post

I have been holding onto a post for a while now. It's about one of my personal pet peeves-people who butcher the English language online. I don't mean typos, I don't mean misspellings or little mix ups, I mean BUTCHER. On purpose. Because they think it's cool and they don't know any better.

I have had this post written and I've been sitting on it for a while now waffling on whether or not to put it up. I really liked it, but I was a little worried that I would offend someone. It is a pet peeve of mine so I was ranting a little, but in the end it was all in good fun....I just kept going back and forth.

Then, just a few weeks ago, Toni (of A Daily Dose of Toni) announced that she was looking for guest posters to help out while on vacation...and she picked me (among many far more talented others)! I thought and thought about what to write, but I just kept coming back to my little secret rant post. I think it's because of Toni's own post about anonymous commenters that made me think her blog would be the perfect place to debut it.

To post or not to post? I guess the solution is post...somewhere else! Ha ha ha.

I'm really excited for my very first guest post, so be sure to head over to Toni's on Friday to read "Dear Language Assassins" (yes, that's the real title)! Oh and please don't forget that I'll also be having Fabulous Find Friday over here.....this week I'm featuring

Samantha from Apple Juice and Milk!

She's a neat lady~you'll like her a lot!

Now I'm off to bed before I face plant on my keyboard.

8 Days A Week

The job of Mommy never ends, and with three kids 5 and under the process of keeping them all alive, (relatively) clean, and (moderately) happy can be a Herculean task. In the last two weeks I have added even more to my plate and have consequently become a headless chicken.

My major project has been designing a professional business site for a local salon. In payment I get to go and have my hair permed and colored later today. This is definitely a good trade, because I have hair down to my butt and the retail cost of a perm alone for hair as long as mine is nearly $300! On top of that, they are considering me (based on my design) for their web master position. This would be an amazing opportunity to make a very decent salary from home doing something I love to do, so I'm giving it my very best shot and praying really hard that it works out.

I have also been a busy little bee with behind-the-scenes blog work........unfortunately I'm not quite ready to announce anything, but I promise you will be excited when you hear about it! I'm totally excited just thinking about it!

Speaking of blog work, I have fallen a little behind because of everything I've been doing lately....so let's catch up!

I already drew for this week's Mommy's Fabulous Find Friday's featured follower and the winner is.......



Melissa from The Jensen's Crazee Life



She is a small town girl and has three kids (one boy and two girls just like I do!). This week I'm going to be trying out a different interview format---I'm going to sit down and chat live with Melissa Yahoo! style, and then share it all with you. I can't wait to get to know more about her-you all stop back in on Friday to check out her interview!! (And don't forget, if you want a chance to do an interview and be featured on my blog, just follow my page and you're automatically entered! [If you follow via email be sure to leave a comment to let me know.])

Also in blog news, I have received an award! Which I have been horribly horribly neglecting since it was awarded to me on June 11th. My sincere thanks (and apologies for my tardiness) to Kris from Hands, House, and Heart Full for the Honest Scrap Award!

The rules are:
* Tell everyone 10 things about you they may not know, but are true
*Tag 5 bloggers with the award

Hmmmmm...10 things....This is kind of hard. I think I've just discovered how boring I actually am! Oh well, I guess it didn't say they had to be 10 interesting things.

1. I haven't slept more than 5 hours in a row in over two years. (On average I sleep 3 1/2 hours a night.) True story! I had morning sickness during the first half of my pregnancy with Baby Bug, then gallstones for the last half of my pregnancy, then she was born and didn't sleep through the night until she was 14 months old...at which point I was already 9 months pregnant with The Bean and couldn't sleep because, well, I was 9 months pregnant. Now I am up at night with The Bean. So yeah-it's been literally more than two years since I slept a full night's sleep.

2. I miss sleep so much that I have actually dreamed about sleeping.

3. I had reoccurring nightmares as a kid about the Wicked Witch of the West (from Wizard of Oz). I had them every so often starting when I was about 4 all the way up until I was 15.

4. I have a social network account which I use pretty much for the sole purpose of being in heated political debate groups. I'm not rude or anything, I just love to debate things and other people in real life usually get tired of it before I do....so I go online and debate with 300 people at a time. For fun.

5. I have a very strange sense of fun. Besides debating minutia of law and government with hundreds of people at a time I also enjoy watching CSPAN, reading out of print non fiction (my currently reigning favorite is Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville), and writing new HTML/CSS code to try and create new functionalities for my blog widgets. In short, I am a giant Geek.

6. I was almost born at a gas station because my parents didn't have enough gas to get to the hospital but the gas station on the way didn't take cheques...but when the attendant figured out my mother was in labor, suddenly the gas was on him!

7. I love old fashioned names. All of our children have old fashioned names (though one of them came into extreme popularity shortly after our baby was born) and if I had gotten to pick The Bean's first name I would have picked Temperance.

8. Hubby and I have so many children that we actually have a child naming system. Not that three is that many, but it's enough to make a system out of it. We switch off picking the first name for each gender, and whoever doesn't pick the first picks the middle. For example, with our son I had first name boy and Hubby had first name girl and I had middle name girl and he had middle name boy. Then we switched with our second-I had first name girl and Hubby had first name boy and vice versa for middle names. Needless to say this means I ended up picking both Monkey and Baby Bug's first names. However, with The Bean it was Hubby's turn for first name girl...it was so adorable how excited he was that he would finally get to decide our new baby's first name!

9. I do not like tomato sauce on anything-only "white" sauce like Alfredo or garlic sauce. My perfect pizza is spinach, artichoke, feta cheese, mozzarella, and tomato with a white garlic sauce base. Yummmmmmmmmmm. However, despite not liking tomato sauce, I actually love fresh tomatoes-especially on gyros or BLTs!

10. Speaking of random things I love.....I LOVE the show How I Met Your Mother. It is only the coolest show.....wait for it.....EVER. Who doesn't love seeing Neil Patrick Harris and Alison Hannigan in the same place? Willow meets Doogie? With voiceover from Bob Saget? Seriously-if you have not seen this show you need to rectify that situation immediately.

So there you have it, 10 things about me. Boring? Yeah. But honestly boring. That's why I got this so very generous award. I would like to know about all of you, so please anyone who'd like it just take this award with my blessing. Say it was from me (and let me know so I can read what you write)!

And, with that, The Bean has officially fallen asleep on my shoulder so I'm off to sneak in an hour or two of sleep. Have a great day everyone!

Mommy's Fabulous Find Friday-Angela from I Will Bloom!

Alright my bloggy friends, followers, and visitors-it's finally Friday! You know what that means....time for my fabulous find! And of course I am still featuring YOU, my darling blog followers-because you are all such fabulous finds!

In my quest to feature every single one of you I know I will make a lot of friends (and, hopefully, help you guys make a lot more friends too!), and this week it has been great getting to know the very busy but always lovely

Angela from I Will Bloom

She is so passionate about everything in her life-her family, her work, her team (more about them later!)-and it comes shining through on her blog. It's a very good read-but before you check it out, please get to know her a little better!

So Angela, tell us about yourself (Family/friends/pets? Career/hobbies? Fun facts? Hidden talents? Medical oddities?)...

My husband and I have been married for almost 17 years and we still love hanging out with each other. We have 3 children (two teenage daughters, and a 9-year-old son) who are all three high spirited and keep us on our toes ­ALWAYS! My children fight, I try not to let them, but they enjoy it and it seems to bring them closer together ­I don't get it. My son is a math genius ­for real! I don't know where he gets it from either. We have moved 11 times in our married years, all work related and it is something that I DON'T enjoy doing. We have lived in Colorado, Utah, California, Minnesota, Idaho, and now Ohio. If anyone needs help staging a home for sale, I'm pretty good at it! Try Scentsy if you are struggling to sell your home. Real Estate Agents are some of my best customers. Did you know that you can leave on a Scentsy while you are having a showing and you don't have to worry about burning your house down while you are away! ;) (Just a little plug for my business!)

I was into the performing arts when I was a teenager. I earned a vocal scholarship when I was 18, taught dance for about 8 years, and was very involved in musical theater. I had to have bunion surgery when I was 19, and my big toe on my right foot didn't get put back right. Now I have a big gap between my toes and can only wear Chacos (see my post about that). I have scoliosis and was in a back brace (boston jacket) for about 3 years. It was a horrible time in my life socially (that's why I LOVED having an outlet on the stage). I remember hiding my brace in my closet sometimes because I didn't want to be different. I got teased a lot in Jr. High and back then, homeschooling wasn't the thing to do. Blessed are the homeschoolers!

I am a Scentsy Director and I LOVE that I get to do this full-time. We had a close call with tea lights a few years back (on Christmas Eve) and swore I would never "burn" candles again! Now, I am a huge fan of the safety factor of Scentsy candles. They are safe around children and pets, and have NO FLAME, NO SOOT, NO Wax Build up, and they have so many wonderful long-lasting scents. I have 56 people in my downline and they keep me going! I really do have a great team that continues to grow because I really believe that Scentsy is the best Direct Selling Company out there (I've tried quite a few) and I have just caught the "Scentsy Spirit" bug. There are times when I find it hard to sleep because I am thinking about my team, and ways that I can help them. Scentsy's core value: "Give more than you take". I try and incorporate this into every aspect of my life.

Wow, it sounds like you are a very busy lady! Three teenagers will keep you busy enough, but having a successful home business on top of that? That takes time and dedication...I'm so glad you have time to write on top of everything else! Where can we find your writing?

I have 3 blogs:
My personal blog
My business blog
My Team blog

I also have various "Mom Blogs" that I frequent.

All of that AND three blogs? That really is amazing! What inspires you to keep blogging through your busy life?

The fact that we have moved so many times! I have friends, family, and team members all over this country now, and blogging helps me stay in touch about our family happenings, share my Scentsy business with others, and train my team. I started blogging 2 ½ years ago as a way to keep my journal, and it was so much easier then scrapbooking (and cheaper!). I recently published my first blog book (www.blurb.com) and I am so happy with how it turned out!

A blog book-what a fantastic idea! When you're going through your book (or blog) what do you find are your favorite posts so far?

I have quite a few, but here are a couple:

Real Moms Are...
http://bloomswheresplanted.blogspot.com/2007/03/real-moms-are.html

Interview with Scentsy:
http://authenticwicklesscandles.blogspot.com/2009/06/interview-with-scentsy-direct-sales.html

Cherry Blossoms in Washington D.C.
http://bloomswheresplanted.blogspot.com/2009/04/spring-break.html

How it Works:
http://authenticwicklesscandles.blogspot.com/2009/06/how-it-works.html

And now that you've published your blog book, what are your future plans for your writing/blog?

No future plans, just taking one day at a time. I'm not much of a TV watcher, so while my family is watching their daily dose in the evenings, I am on my laptop in the same room.

When you're not writing or doing one of the other hundred things you do, what writers (and/or bloggers) do you read regularly?

Pioneer Woman! Love her just Check out this post and you will understand:
http://thepioneerwoman.com/2009/06/a_hobby_of_mine.html

5 Minutes for Mom

Living in Strawberry Land

BlogRollers

Two Pretty Little Skirts

There are so many and it is hard to keep up with them all, but I get to them when I can.



And now, for something completely different.......
I want a Shi-Poo puppy for my 40th birthday in November!! My daughter thinks they are the ugliest dogs ever, but I think they are perfect!

My birthday is in November too! Though I have three kids under five, so I'm not in the market for another living creature, hee hee!

Would you rather go out on the town or spend a quiet night in?
A quiet night in!

Are you a cat person or a dog person?
I am 100% a dog person! See above!

If you had to eat one meal every single day for the rest of your life it would be:
BBQ Salmon, baked potatoes, salad and any flavor of Greater's Ice Cream!

YUM!

What is your favorite book of all time and why?
Okay, another one that has too many answers! The Bible, because it is historical and the stories are just as relevant for today; The Book of Mormon, because it is simple, historical, and just as relevant for today, Tuesdays with Morrie, because I love the life lessons taught; Angela's Ashes, because it I never understood my Irish background until I read this book; and just about anything by Jack Canfield because he is so motivating.

I love Chicken Soup for the Soul! Thank you so much Angela for doing this interview, and for following my little piece of the interwebs!

Alright now, my other lovely followers-go visit our new friend Angela's blogs to find out more about this very sweet lady, her family, and her home business...you'll be sooo glad you did!

[Remember, if you want a chance to be my featured follower on Mommy's Fabulous Find Friday all you have to do is be a follower! If you choose to subscribe in a reader or bookmark my page, you'll have to make sure to leave a comment so that I can include you in the drawing. Thanks everyone!]

Mommy's Fabulous Find Friday-Robynn From Robynn's Ravings!

It is time once again for Mommy's Fabulous Find Friday. I am continuing to feature YOU, my wonderful blog readers. I have been having a great time browsing blogs and asking questions, getting to know you and your writing a little better. I am so excited to get a chance, at some point, to feature every one of you!

This week's fabulous follower is the lovely and talented

Robynn from Robynn's Ravings

I first found Robynn during The Ultimate Blog Party 2009 and I have been hooked ever since! She has an amazing sense of humor that keeps me cracking up and yet balances it with a more serious side that is always eloquently expressed. Just the quality of her writing is stunning-that's why I am one of her followers!

Let's get to know my bloggy friend a little more, shall we?

So Robynn, tell us about yourself...

I thank you so much for your kindness in featuring me! I hope I don't bore everyone to death. Life IS crazy right now with having just graduated my daughter after 13 years of homeschooling. I'm a little behind on my blog but I'll try to do justice to your questions and not cause everyone to lapse into comas.

Let's see, I am married and have served 23 years of this life sentence. My cellmate and I get along pretty well most days. We put up with each other which qualifies both of us to receive some sort of massive humanitarian award. We have been blessed with two children, one of whom is now an 18-year-old adult and done with high school! That blows my mind. My son is 14 and we all love to laugh and give each other a hard time. It's The Comedy Store around here at some point every day. We have two dogs, JoJo and Minky, and one cat who belongs to my daughter only. She loathes the rest of us.

I am SO not in a coma~I can't imagine a boring day with you! Tell me, on top of spending time with your family, what do you do career wise?

Homeschooling and writing after many years working for Corporate America.

Wow...Corporate America is hard, but homeschooling and writing? Out of the frying pan and into the fire! Do you have any hobbies? [Do you even have time for hobbies?]

Reading by flashlight in bed so my cellmate doesn't stab me with a sharpened plastic spoon from the dining hall.

Sounds like fun! Hee hee...any other fun facts you'd like to share about yourself? Come on, I'm sure there are lots!

I love shaved legs - mine, not my husband's, I started shooting firearms at four and still love it today, I am most content in the bosom of my family, I can't write without a dog laying on at least one foot, and I love to speak in front of a crowd and would like to try acting.

You seem like you'd be great at acting-especially in comedy! Any other hidden talents? Hobbies? Medical Oddities?

I spent 10 years playing guitar in different bands and singing lead vocals. I still sing for fun and occasionally work with an informal singing group - The Boms (Bunch of Moms) and am considering posting one of our performances on my blog. I love Allison Krause and the kids and I just worked out one of her songs yesterday and nailed down the three part harmonies for something we're doing next month. Both my kids play piano and my daughter also plays guitar.

I AM a medical oddity. I have something called Porhyria that few doctors know much about and it has caused me some damage. I have to avoid most medicines as I can't process them due to a missing blood factor. But I find talking about my health to be among the most BORING and TEDIOUS of subjects. It slows me down on some days and stops me on others but I like to blast ahead in between those times. However, when I melt down it's worse than the global warming effect. I cry and carry on and then get over myself.

With all of that on your plate, I'm so glad that you can still carve out time to write. Speaking of, where we can find your writing?

Most of it appears on my blog - Robynn's Ravings. I am working on a few books but have to quit blogging to do them justice and I can't seem to embrace that concept.

You'll definitely have to tell us when you end up publishing! The blog world would miss you terribly, but I'm sure everyone agrees we'd love to hear more from you-your writing is fantastic! What inspires you to write?

I think everyone is entitled to my opinion. And I have so many of them it seems wasteful not to share.

I'm so glad you share with us! Would you like to also share with us your favorite blog posts so far?

I loved writing about our encounter with a bear while camping - "A Bear Market" in three parts - it starts here.

My battle on the front lines of the weight wars was addressed through an article I wrote for a competition. It's called, "Cinderella Is Overrated" (oh! and I won which didn't hurt my feelings.)

A post about my ongoing technology nightmares concerning my blasted bluetooth device was very cleansing for my liver and spleen. It's called "Toothaches and Technology".

And if you like reading about how to make your next medical procedure gangs of fun, go here: "Let The Games Begin!"

Great posts! I love your writing style and humor-that's why I read your blog regularly! Of course, it also makes me curious-what writers (and/or bloggers) do you read regularly?

If you visit my sidebar you'll see them. I really do visit these people regularly and feel disconnected if I don't. Some of them have become true friends. My life is richer for them and I feel that has been the biggest blessing I have received through blogging. I only hang out with the best. Please check them out!

Absolutely! As far as your own blog goes, what are your future plans for your writing/blog?

I want to give people something worth coming for. If I can make them think, or laugh, or reflect, or say, "ME TOO!" then I feel I'm not wasting their time. There is much to see and read out here and when someone is willing to give you a portion of their limited time, that's huge to me. I want to grow the blog through followers so I have a presence in the market. I feel it will help when I hawk my articles or books. Publishers do look for what you've already done. Having more people say they want to keep coming back, by following, causes publishers to believe you are readable and marketable.

Oh, I have no doubt that anyone who reads your blog would know for a fact that you are marketable!

And now, for something completely different.......

Your significant other is going to buy you flowers-would you like dozen roses or a bouquet of wildflowers?

Oh, this is a tough one. I WANT the roses but know what they cost. And since I do the budget for our household, I wouldn't want them to come from a florist. I would immediately see the $60 price tag. Now Costco for $15.00? I could get over that. But wildflowers are free - if you're already driving by.......but if you have to DRIVE to go get them, then there is the cost of the gas.....you can see that my practical economics is a true nemesis. What I REALLY LONG FOR is romance without budgetary insider information!!

Finish this sentence: When I was 5 I wanted to grow up to be a(n) _____________.

Nurse - then I found out people threw up and that was out.


Best mythical creature-Unicorn or Loch Ness Monster?

Nessie because we are STILL looking for her! That fascinates me.

What famous figure (current or historical) do you most admire and why?

Obviously Christ would come to mind first because he is current AND historical. He is my reason and my hope. I am also greatly moved by anyone - famous or not - who willingly, and with a heart of grace and love, gives of themselves everyday, going forth and facing hard things, and yet does it with humility. I heard someone say once, and I love this, "Humility isn't thinking less of yourself; it's thinking of yourself less." I want to be that and I love those who are.

You ask incredible questions and seem to have a promising future as a Talk Show host - please replace Jimmy Fallon - hurry. Thank you for this great opportunity and I think my verbose and lengthy answers may QUALIFY for a book so, there you have it. My latest novel....coming to a Dollar Store near you!

Hey Robynn, if you were selling a book I'd buy it! Especially for a dollar-then I could even buy copies for friends! I would also be happy to replace Jimmy Fallon. I may have had a celeb-u-crush on him when I was 14, but I figure I've grown up to be at as least as funny as he is and I'm up at 2 am with The Bean anyway....so why not make a tidy paycheck. Hee hee.

To Robynn, Thank you so much for agreeing to do this interview! And, of course, thank you for following my blog.

To everyone else, I sincerely hope you get a chance to visit Robynn and read more of what this hilarious lady has to say!

[Remember, if you want a chance to be my featured follower on Mommy's Fabulous Find Friday all you have to do is be a follower! If you choose to subscribe in a reader or bookmark my page, you'll have to make sure to leave a comment so that I can include you in the drawing. Thanks everyone!]