A Year's Reflection - Not Your Typical What We Learned Sunday

Usually on Sundays we reflect on the last week and talk about what we learned or observed, but this past week was kind of different - we started a whole new year (never mind a week)! The start of the new year is a time that people reflect on their last year and think about what they want to do in the next year. As a blog, as three moms writing together, we've got a lot to reflect on. We did some awesome things in the last year.

A year in review!

As a Blog

First of all, we came together. In August of 2013 Robyn and Lisa joined Liz in the adventure of blog writing, and the blog went from MamA to MamaS Around the House.

We grew our readership and our social media communities like mad. Prior to August, most of the blog posts had 20 or fewer views. After Lisa and Robyn joined up and we were posting more consistently, those numbers doubled and sometimes quadrupled. We went from 184 "likes" on Facebook to almost 3,000. We're working to "talk" more to our readers through Facebook and Twitter. Come join the conversation (or give us a "like").

We started building our Pinterest (and someone...ahem...Robyn) became addicted. We're constantly trying to figure out what would be interesting to pin, so look forward to seeing some new boards from us in the coming year.

We caught some people's eyes. Every day people are emailing us, asking us to promote their product or something similar. Sometimes we find some great things we want to share with you, but it leads to a lot of email.

We wrote some pretty good things. Our top ten posts from the last year included...

How well do we know our neighbors?

Losing your self in parenting

My own game of dungeons

Why I don’t have an Elf on the Shelf

Blogger Idol Play at Home – Write your own eulogy

Little Monsters – Children and Halloween

Pardon me, do you blog?

Mirror Mirror – Adults and Friendship

An Ode to Bloggers

Paleo Me

 

As Individuals

Robyn:

I became associated with the Civil Service world through a new job offer. While on leave, we took the family on a 5 day road trip to Disney World. Our original trip was a cruise that was booked, but the Carnival Triumph got stranded in the middle of the ocean. Therefore, Disney World was our plan B. I was then able to work through June and nest my house from top to bottom. I won a scholarship through the Air National Guard and then Reagan was born in July. We took her to her first pro baseball game at 1 month. She slept through the entire night at 4 weeks. Sean and Kasen got to ride in a helicopter as a birthday present. Bailey started high school and has kept busy running from school to ROTC, and Boyscouts. Mike took several bike trips to Ft. Worth, Corpus Christi, and Oklahoma during his short break in between classes for his almost finished masters degree. We ended the year with taking the family on a cruise as the kids' Christmas present. 2013 was the year of making memories by living out our dreams! 

Lisa:
We've had a busy year here. The happy highlights: we were able to get a diagnosis for the Banshee, Pixy has developed a knack for singing, Sailor is doing much better now that he's sleeping with a CPAP for his sleep apnea, I began to write with Liz and Robyn, Cubby!, moving to a new house, reading...you name it. We have had our sad moments too, but without those, we wouldn't ever learn anything about life and the universe, right? :) We are happily setting off at our usual crazy pace for 2014 and getting things done, all while managing to Carpe Diem as much as we can. We're happy you're here for the ride!!

Liz:
We've had a lot to be happy about in our house this past year. My husband graduated with his Associates in Fine Arts and got a "real" job (after working 19 hours a week and going to school part-time for five years). Sage started sleeping through the night (praise to all gods) and started walking. Silas learned to use the potty. I finished my dissertation and graduated with my PhD (yay student loan payments). We added Lisa and Robyn as authors to the blog and I've enjoyed working with them on making this an amazing blog. Overall a very good year and I'm looking forward to seeing what 2014 has in store for our house.

We'd love to hear from you. Tell us what you did in the last year that you're the most proud of or that makes you all smiley inside.

Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net "New Year 2014 Calender" by Danilo Rizzuti

An Ode to Bloggers

If you are a blogger who reads our posts (THANK YOU) then this post is for you. If you're not a blogger, read on to see what the experience is like.

In this season of gratitude, I (Liz) want to tell you that I am thankful for all the work bloggers do. This "glamorous" life we lead is filled with bumps and things you worry over, things you work hard on. Things like...

Writing good content.

Staying up late after your day job is done and/or the kids are in bed to write something you hope people will read (and enjoy).

Watching youe email for notifications of comments posted by readers (please? Let me know I'm not just writing to myself).
Responding to any (ANY) comments.
Reading other blogs and responding to their posts in a meaningful way.

Trying to think of ways to engage your readers on social media.

Moderating comments from trolls and/or discussions that may seem to be getting out of hand on social media.

Trying to understand Facebook's newest algorythm.

Chatting on blogger discussion boards about how to reach readers after the newest Facebook change.

Watching your Alexa score.

Hoping your Google Page Ranking will increase - you've been working hard for how long?!

Tracking your page views like some people track their weight.

Searching for giveaways to promote to get your readers cool prizes (and find new readers).
Posting on social media about your giveaways (and keeping track of how many times you've promoted what posts).

Many nights spent like this - so glamorous this blogging

Oh and writing good content.

Reviewing emails from companies asking you to promote their products.
Trying to decide if the product matches your readers and their interests.
Trying to build your subscriber list (list? what list?)
Keeping up with new social media strategies (Google + what? Buffer...hm...)
Making sure each post has a Pinable image (and Pining it).
Oh and keeping up with your Pinterest page.

Coming up with new post ideas.
Making sure someone else hasn't already written exactly what you want to write (and worrying that they have and you just didn't see it).
Keeping it positive (because nobody wants to read your crankiness, really)

Building your brand. Wait, I'm a brand? What is my brand?
Focusing on your niche (wait I'm in a niche?)
Finding ways to make your blog stand out in your niche.

All of these things and more go through a blogger's head on any given day. If you're a blogger, what else do you think about or work on? What did I miss? Leave me a comment to remind me of what I'm not focusing on that I should ;)

Thanks for reading, and again, if you're a blogger, keep at it. Blog for yourself. Write your good content. You'll go viral some day (maybe). And if not, well, make sure you enjoy what you're doing. Because if you don't, well, then why are you doing it?

What We Learned This Week (November 17th, 2013 edition)

Someone posted on the Facebook page that there's only 6 weeks left until Christmas. What is this B.S.?! Where is the time going? What did you do this week? This is what we did. And it was awe-some!

Liz:
1. I turned 37 on Thursday. Not sure how I feel about that. I think I'm OK with it. I'll get back to you.

2. I spent my Monday night and Tuesday day preparing a talk on stress and health, which isn't my research area but I think I did pretty well. I apparently work pretty well under stress (hehe) when it's about a topic I know something about but that isn't, like, my favorite thing ever. Check out my talk here.

3. I'm realizing that persistence is paying off in the blogging world. You'll see what I mean in a few weeks. Let's just say that a certain affiliate we advertise for is giving you gals (and guys I guess) something awesome. Something awesome this way comes November 25th. Be there or...I don't know.

Robyn:
I've learned that trying to get a baby to relax and have some quiet cuddle time is not the best idea while wearing a rhinestone studded shirt. Reagan kept playing with the bling, and would get even crankier when I tried to hold her hand (Give me the shiny stuff MOM!) Is this a sign of a glitz and glamour child of the future? AH! Prepare the bank accounts now!!!

Reagan wants the bling!

2. I've learned that flu symptoms set in less than 15 minutes after getting the shot. Shoo shoo flu! 

3. I've learned that I cannot take you serious when you pull up next to me in a low rider with pink accent windows, do the upward head nod at me, and drive away with the "shocker" sticker on your back window.

Lisa:
1. I learned that things happen when you least expect them. We had to take Kai to the vet because we feared he'd torn his ACL. It turns out that he is having a neurological issue and he's losing feeling in his hind end. I would lie if I say that I'm not heartbroken. He's my first baby and it has hit me hard. My consolation though? If he gets his wheelchair, I'm painting flames on the side. He has to look cool!!

2. Banshee started her new group at Kennedy Krieger and we couldn't be more pleased for her. She is so happy, in spite of being sad about Kai, that it is infectious. She screams and laughs and dances....just a happy child. That is worth all the riches in all the world.

3. I had the bestest afternoon with Pixy. She decided to come into my room and sit on the rocking chair with me to ask about babies. She's so excited for Cubby to show up that she needs to know about when she was a baby, if his diapers are ready for him, does he have everything he needs....Pixy is a little Mama in training and it was awesome to relive her babyhood with her.

4. I learned that I am ready for this kid to get here. Anyone wanna take bets on when he shows up?! ;)

Now you! What did you learn? What was super cool-io about your week? Share in the comments!

What We Learned (Sunday, October 20th Edition)

First with business...
This has been kind of a big week for us. We've made some decisions about the blog as a team. First, we're going to switch to a 3 posts per week schedule as oppo

ed to a post every day schedule. This means that on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays you'll get your weekly dose of the Mamas. Will there be other posts in between? Sure, but most of them will be relating to giveaways we're sponsoring with other bloggers. Speaking of giveaways, we're trying to provide our readers with some awesome giveaways that they can use (or gift for Christmas), so be on the lookout for those in the coming weeks. Always visit the Giveaway tab (top right) on the blog to see just what we've got cookin'.

How will I know what's going on?

Will we be posting every day on Twitter and Facebook about the giveaways? Not every day. So how will you know if there's one you want to enter? Great question. Become a post subscriber - on the right of this page you'll see "Daily Email Updates? Yes Please!" Signing up there will get you an email whenever we post something new to the page. So then what's the Subscription box above it? That's for folks who want to be on our subscriber list - those folks will receive info about giveaways, upcoming posts, and even discounts from the marketers we work with starting in November. Want in? Heck, sign up for both!

And now...the mamas.

What did you learn this week ladies?

Liz:

- I learned that Halloween shopping for these children is a beast. Silas switched his thoughts every day, every HOUR on what he wanted to be. Finally I ordered their costumes from Amazon - Silas will be a green dragon and Sage is being a spider. DONE. Now I have to wait the almost two grueling weeks of "Today Halloween mommy?" No baby it's not yet. "Tomorrow?" No, not tomorrow either. *Eye roll* I want to say, Get a calendar kid! Eesh! But we all know that wouldn't help.

- I learned that using certain blog helping tools rock our socks in terms of page views (PVs) and I love it. Being the person that manages the blog, checks the stats, and is always looking for new ways to get us "out there" (not like crazy out there, we're already there, hullo), I'm feeling like what I'm doing is paying off. It's a pretty cool feeling. Keep up the reading hard work ya'll. I appreciate every single reader (maybe a little more the ones who comment though...hint hint).

- I'm pondering vlogging (blogging via video) but I've watched so many bad ones that I don't want to be "that guy," you know? TV blaring the in background, gum snapping, looking like they haven't showered in a month, dogs barking...not so professional right? The thought freaks me out. But it's growing on me. Would you want to see vlogs from our Mamas?

Robyn: While cleaning out a peanut butter jar (to reuse and recycle) I've learned that wet peanut butter feels like dog sh!t. 

I need to add an addiction to my list.. Chocolate, Wine and now Scandal addict. I see the previews once a week...or maybe 4. I wait *patiently* until Thursday evenings for the next episode. Put the kids to bed, grab a square of dark chocolate filled with caramel as I pour my red wine, and then indulge in my guilty pleasure.

I've learned that my kids hide frogs and lizards in the metal tank that belongs to the local water company. The small one that contains the meter, in our front yard. This week: 5 dead ones. Silver lining: Atleast their hiding spot is NOT in the house! 
Lisa:
1. I learned that a road trip with the family is still a fun opportunity to see all kinds of things. From the truck driver picking his nose, to the lady shaving her armpits. Fun times!! 

2. Seriously, manners matter. I had the opportunity to help out at Pixy's classroom and the amount of children who need to learn please/thank you is huge!! People...it takes two seconds to teach this concept and it will help you for the rest of your life. Get.it.done. Sigh.

3. I treated myself to a 3D/4D ultrasound, having never had one before. The military doesn't use those, so it was fun. Girls and Sailor went with me and we got to see Cubby's face. He's a wild man, not that I'm surprised, and super fat!! Yay! 

What about you? The one reading this. What did you learn? Don't be shy, share! Comment below! 

Losing Your Self in Parenting

I read a lot of blogs and articles about parenting in my free time (you know, that 5 minutes you have between their bedtime and your bedtime). I was reading an article today about single parenting and 10 women weighed in on the difficult parts of being a single parent. One said it was hard not to lose your "self" in parenting and I thought, "Isn't that hard for everyone?" I mean it may be especially hard when you're the only parent, but I see it in parents who are still with their partner as well.

The "self" can be seen as the part of you that distinguishes you from others. As an adolescent, as a young adult, someone without kids, we are free to define that self as we please. Before I married Mike, before I had kids, I would have defined my self as a psychologist, as a therapist, as a professor, as a crafter (I have always loved to knit and create things from other things, like making a collage), as an academic (I always had my face buried in a book or an article), as a friend, and as a daughter. When I married Mike, I added "wife" to that list, and it changed how I thought about myself and how I thought about what I did. For example, when you go to the grocery store as a single person, you get whatever the hell you want, because why not right? It's you eating it. I used to eat Ramen Noodles and Black Bean Burgers with pepperjack cheese on a bun probably 3 nights a week. I'd buy wine and cosmopolitan mix (and good vodka) and have hair dying parties with lots of alcohol and a good friend as often as possible. Then I got married and even grocery shopping changed - now if I saw something new I wanted to try, I'd grab one, put it in my cart, then a thought would come up, "Maybe Mike might like that too?" so I'd try to find something he would like. It was an adjustment even in just that small area of my life. I read less and spent more time hanging out with my husband. I still used to bring work home with me in the form of papers to grade, and many nights I'd sit alone as he watched TV or while he was working, grading papers. But I'd feel guilty because I wasn't spending all my time with him. So I developed a way to not bring as much work home.

Then we had kids. Well we had Silas. I stayed home with Silas for the first 4 months or so because I had him during summer break. Mike still worked, so I spent a lot more time with Si than he did. I ended up being the one that got up and fed him and changed him. I investigated cloth diapers and started using them. I took him to all his appointments. I washed his diapers. I cooked. I cleaned. I was tired a lot (especially because newborns don't sleep long stretches like us adults need). Rather than going to the store and thinking about what do Mike and I want to eat, I ended up spending some time in the baby section now too. Clothes, formula, gear (swing? bouncer? toddler bed when?) then food (stage 1? stage 2? WTF? Where's my phone, I need to Google that stuff), cups (is he old enough for this one?), silverware, self-feeding, do we need different plates for this little dude? Becoming a parent, having "parent" become part of my self, how I saw myself, was very quick for me. And maybe it is more so for women than it is for men because they carry the baby, they nurse the baby (maybe, if they can), things like that.

But even now, three years after having our first child in April 2010, I'm still the one who does a bulk of what I think of as "parenting prep." I buy Silas' clothes and shoes. I look at Sage and figure out if he's ready to size up (and find the buckets of those clothes and wash them to get them ready for when he does size up). That reminds me, Silas needs 5T pants - it's gotten chilly here and I have 2 pairs of pants for him only. 5T is a B to find! I get home from work and start putting together dinners for everyone - the boys usually eat the same thing and Mike and I eat the same thing. I get pajamas ready so that when baths are done PJs and diapers are ready to go. I make sure post-bath milk cups are ready. I do the laundry so everyone has clean clothes. I clean up after dinner (sometimes with Mike, sometimes without). I wash diapers. I wash the boys' wool PJs. Mike does baths. We wrangle wet boys. They drink milk, watch a show, then we brush teeth and read a book. Then the bedtime struggle ensues (for Silas). Now it's, "But I have to poop!" He's gotten up to use the potty twice since I sat down to write this. Mike thinks it's a stall tactic but most nights he does actually poop.

That's me (not really)

So where is the "self" in all of this? I mean sure you can see how I define my self in relation to my children. I'm their Mommy, Momma, Mamama (Sage). I spend most of my time doing for others, and most days I'm fine with that. Every once in a while I wish I could go back to that time where I sat on my couch in my attic apartment in Providence, RI and knitted until I was tired and went to bed when I wanted to (rather than going to bed because everyone else is finally in bed and I'm quite literally brain exhausted). I go running some days. I exercise at least 30 minutes a day (but usually there's at least one child attempting to "help" or copy me). I blog (at 10 p.m. under a camouflage blanket where nobody can see me). I've been reading the same "for fun" book since June. And no it's not 1,000 pages long.

My kids aren't old enough yet for sports and we don't know enough kids for play dates, so I'm betting that the time I spend with them watching movies or playing dinosaurs (today it was rockets) will change and I'll spend my time driving them to and fro. I don't see the amount of time I have to spend on "me" or even with my husband changing any time soon. I wish I could change it just a little bit, but if I did I think I'd feel guilty. I work 40+ hours per week. Mike worked 55 hours last week. The boys hang with their nanny more than they do with us. We see them for an hour in the morning (and that's "get dressed and get your butts in the car") and three and a half hours at night, and that's it on the week days. Weekends we spend more time together, but I feel as if that's "make up" for all the time we didn't spend Monday - Friday.

In the end, as a parent, any parent, single or not, it's hard not to lose your self in parenting. It's hard to not focus on "being someone's Mom" and to instead focus on what you as a human, as an adult, want. I bet that's why people have trouble with "empty nest syndrome" or whatever you want to call it - once you don't have your kids to define you anymore, what do you do? Who are you? It's like you need to rebuild that self from the ground up.

What do you think that you can do to maintain some sense of "self" as a parent? Do you think it's possible?

Blogger Idol "Play Along at Home" - Write Your Own Eulogy

Ok, so we weren't chosen for the Top 13 Contestants for Blogger Idol. But no matter, we're still going to do the "play along at home version." This week's prompt asks writers to introduce themselves through...a eulogy and it has to include at least one picture. After some debate as to who would write the eulogy post, we decided a group post where we all took a shot at it would be the most fun. Presenting...the Mamas and their eulogies.

Lisa: <Nessun Dorma plays in background> Thank you all for coming. Lisa was never a huge fan of prolonged mourning, she just thought there was not time for it, so today we celebrate her life in the way she would have wanted. Quick and painless (sorta), and with plenty of time to enjoy the day.

I am not going to bore you with lots of details of her life; I think we all know that the most important things in Lisa's life were her husband, Brandon, her 5 children, and her animals. Where they were is where home was, as far as she was concerned. She loved to read, to write, to sing in church and the shower, and to change the world by doing the smallest daily kindnesses she could.

A firm believer in Carpe Diem, Lisa would never waste a moment of the day. If there was something to do, she enjoyed doing it because hard work is one way to keep you humble. A devout follower of St. Francis of Assisi, she believed in treating everyone under the sky, animal or otherwise, with respect and love. She also loved to sing outdoors because St. Francis said: Always preach the gospel, when necessary use words. She was fond of saying that "You never know when something you do will change the course of destiny forever", and she lived her life that way.

Lisa wore many hats in her life: teacher, mother, babysitter, vocalist, and at one time, she was a model. But, that was not what she defined herself by. She defined herself by her actions because ultimately that  is all you will be remembered by. From the students she taught and expected perfection from (even though as low-income children, they were told otherwise by those around them), to the homeless man she befriended in DC and would ultimately help her at a tough moment (she fell down and no one dressed in a suit would stop and help her. The homeless man walked her the three blocks to the train station, propped on his shoulder), all the way to the strangers she'd make conversation with daily. That is how she lived.

Throughout her life, she never knew where she was going or what she was going to do next, but she always knew that if she tackled the day like it was her last, then she could go to bed happy that it wasn't wasted. Oh, she had her bad days and her temper was terrible when unleashed. But even those who were unfortunate to bear the brunt of her temper, always knew that there was some kind of lesson attached to it. Our job on this Earth is to remain eternal students, learn from everything around us, and be kind...no exceptions.

So, to celebrate her life, let us not focus on the sadness that we are feeling. Lisa was not ever one to remain sad for long. Let us all remember all the things she lived by and try to emulate that. Do one good deed daily, even if you don't feel like it. Always treat all life with respect, animal or otherwise. Learn something new each day and celebrate the simple joys in life. Pray to whoever you believe in and when you can sing that prayer. Life is short and in the end, only your actions will live on. Remember this and you will always remember her.

Oh, and one last thing! When you can, every Friday, go to a bar. Order a drink and a drink for someone else in the bar. Strike up a conversation, connect with someone else without expecting anything back from them. As Lisa was fond of saying, it is 5 o'clock somewhere.

Liz:

            I appreciate your being here as we celebrate Liz’s life. Rather than weepy salutes, she would have preferred that we spent our time remembering what she was passionate about and what we should all take from our interactions with her.

Liz doing her favorite thing

            Many of you are here because you met Liz or worked with her in her favorite place – you met her while she was teaching at the college. She told me a story once about something her Dad, Mike, said to her when she was finishing her B.S. in psychology. He said, “Heck, why don’t you just get your Master’s and, like, stay here forever?” While he may have been being facetious, Liz apparently took it to heart or at least as an endorsement of her long-loved career of teaching. If you ask Liz’s Mom, she would tell you that even as a child, she played school. And she was always the teacher. As many of you will agree, she loved what she did. Her multiple nominations for teaching awards should say something about that (even the one that she lost to a dead guy). When she talked about the importance of loving your career, many of you who were previous students will remember her Dad’s famous words, “If you don’t like your job, find a new one. But just make sure you have a new one lined up before you quit the old one.” Smart man.

            For those of you who knew Liz outside of the college, you’ll remember that she was what she would call a “mishmash of life.” Her personality partly came from her early experiences with her family and partly from her adult life experiences. When her Mom became sick and unable to work in her early 40s, Liz worried. She worried it would happen to her too. After her stroke in 2008, two myocardial infarctions in 2009, two pregnancies that made all of her doctors scratch their heads, Lupus, and muscular tension dysphonia which caused her to lose her voice some days, Liz instead laughed – she wasn’t going to end up just like her Mom, she was going to go about messed up health in a completely different way. When other people were saying, “Well, I don’t know if I should do that because of what could happen later,” she was shaking her head, knowing that the randomness you could life could just, *poof*, end tomorrow.

            And that’s funny – it makes her sound as if she was carefree, but instead she was the person that tried to control everything she could. She knew how much money was in the bank account, when students were submitting assignments, what days had the most appointments, and when she’d have time to write. And then real life would happen. Her body would disagree with the requirements she was placing on it, and it would show her who is boss – bam, in bed for two days with a stupid cold due to a crap immune system. And that would of course frustrate her to no end until she finally accepted the possibility that she could get sick at any point and she just started doing everything way far ahead of time, just in case she was too sick to do it when it needed to be done.

            As always, there’s a take-away, a learning outcome if you will (oh how we discussed learning outcomes at our house). “Love it or leave it. Don’t stay and be crankypants. Nobody likes a crankypants person. Decide what is most important to you and fight for it. Everything else? No worries. Work hard, but make time for rest (or it will take time from you). Prepare…to be unprepared. But prepare as best you can anyway (just accept that something jacked up may happen).” I put those all in quotes as I’m betting that if you knew my wife you could hear her say those things in your head. Just as long as her voice isn’t telling you to do something bad then we’re all OK. Thank you for remembering her with me.

-Mike Wright

Robyn:
"Shots, shots, shots, everybodyyyy..." Brrrruuuurrrrpppp (interruption sound). Now, raise your glass! Take this shot...blonde headed sluts all around! (Jäger, peach schnapps and pineapple) This is to honor Robyn. To the girl that was a classic beauty. Her lashes were perfectly mascara'ed and each one was perfectly separated from the next. She had a love for primping, but was perfectly comfortable in going out in a t-shirt and messy bun. She loved being pampered (what girl doesn't?) Pedicures, spa treatments, and getting spoiled with flowers made her smile. Versatile, fun, educated, edgy and daring, she was. She had some of the baddest, best, bitches by her side. Hell, they helped her bury the body before she accidentally stepped down off the edge of that mountain. I mean, hypothetically bury the body of course. She never met a stranger, and was able to go anywhere and would always see someone she knew. Robyn was athletic, competitive, loving and caring. She had a heart bigger than Texas, and an addiction for chocolate bigger than that. She lived for the most random of moments. The ones where her and Mike, the absolute love of her life, would spend a Friday night with beer and takeout pizza on a tailgate. The ones where her kids would bring in animals from the backyard and want to keep them as pets in jars. Robyn wanted everyone to gather, not to be sad. But merely to celebrate. She wanted you all here to say hello and goodbye. So, say hello to your neighbor. Share a story, and take a shot and clink your glasses and cheers her name. Say goodbye and celebrate the legacy she's leaving behind. Share the good times, the laughter, the randomness, and most of all leave happier than how you came. Be happy that you knew the most gorgeous, loving, attentive, dedicated, kitchen dancing, most intelligent, country loving Texan bitch. Raise another glass and say it with me 'To the good times and to the nights we can't remember. May this be a chance to celebrate, reminisce and live in laughter together. Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Live it by never wondering what if. Take risks. Love your family. Live your own dream!' 

What would your eulogy include (or what would you want it to include)? What do you most want to be remembered for?

What We Learned This Week (Sunday, September 29th Edition)

Where does the time go? It's yet again time for the weekly round up. We hope you enjoy reading these (or at least they entertain you) because we enjoy writing them! So Mamas, what did you learn this week?

Robyn:

I've learned Saturday mornings are Wild when I step back and observe...The kids came in (at 730...c'mon, seriously!) our room, wrestled us outta bed, and proceeded to follow like ducklings. Here we go! Into the bathroom. As the baby is strapped to my hip, I brush my teeth with the other hand, and the boys prep for Sean's haircut. Kasen got the broom and dustpan (riding it like a witch at times), while Dad cut Sean's hair into a Mohawk. "Gawwww, I'm BEAUTIFUL!," Sean says. And yes, picture day is this week folks. 

I've learned just how tacky people can be. Kasen had his opening day of baseball this week. At the game, all sorts of people show up. Classy, sporty, and everything in between. While Kasen was batting, I noticed a grandma with her granddaughter sitting in fold out chairs. The grandma was changing the granddaughter (who was atleast 3). The granddaughter was standing up, and taking off her pull up in plain sight! I was disgusted that the woman didn't know better to atleast cover up that poor child. With all the pervs, pedophiles and molesters out there, you would think that more common sense would be used! SMH.

I've learned that every girl needs 'her girls'. My bestie is in North Carolina, and I miss her everyday. She knows me in and out, as I do her. We don't have to talk everyday, but when we do...it's like nothing has changed between us! I've learned to never trust that girl that doesn't have atleast 1 close girlfriend. There's a reason she can't keep any close confidants. She'll spill your business to get what she wants, destroying everything in the path. Be aware, these women don't change. Just be careful: these girls (mommies too) are PTA members, girlscout moms, home room moms, teachers or anywhere else women go! They are a Red Flag, Ladies! SWIM AWAY, SWIM AWAY :D

Lisa:
1. I was able to get Banshee a medical ID bracelet that is waterproof and little kid proof!! WOOHOO! She keeps it on every day and likes wearing it because it is "pink". It has the basic information on it and I feel better knowing that there is information in there that will help out a first responder. Go me!

2. I learned to give in and buy myself some maternity clothes. I am just not fitting into any of my regular clothes now and I kept putting off going to the store to grab a couple pants. Sigh..why do I make things harder for myself? Happy to report that I am now more comfortable and so is Cubby.

3. I learned that it is good to be teaching again, in any capacity. I volunteered to help out with the girls' Sunday School and it felt nice to be in the classroom again as an assistant. I feel like I take on a lot sometimes because I like to help but I had a blast today. It was cool. :)

Liz:
1) I learned that children's watches aren't necessarily waterproof. Silas got a watch because he used the potty. He wore it in the bath. It's now in a bag of rice on the counter. #Mommyfail

2) I figured out how to do some pretty cool stuff on the blog. Never too old to learn about coding I guess!

3) I heard Roo (Sage) say I love you back to me for the first time this week. Makes a Mommy's heart melt :)

What did you learn this week? Anything fun and amazing? What do you think about our learnings? Tell us about it in the Comments area!

What is BlogLovin'?

You may see on the top left of the page that we've got snazzy new social media buttons (the turquoise circles). You recognize Facebook, Twitter, maybe Instagram...but what's that plus sign?

Bloglovin' app for iPhone

If you're an avid blog reader, that plus sign is a godsend. Bloglovin' is a free service where you can follow your favorite blogs and get all of their new posts emailed to you daily or weekly. No more bookmarking pages. No more wondering if you missed a post from your favorite bloggers. You can get them sent straight to you. It also cleans up your inbox - you don't need to subscribe to individual blogs, all you need to do is add them to your Bloglovin' feed. Fabulous!

You can also download the app and read and add new blogs from your phone or tablet. Very cool if I do say so myself. 

Do you follow us on Bloglovin'? Of not, you should! Want some motivation? Follow us on Bloglovin' and comment below that you do, and you'll be entered to win a $10 Amazon gift card. Be sure to put your email in the comment so we know how to contact you if you win! One random commenter (who follows us - we'll be checkin') will win! Comments to win close at 11:59 p.m. CST Saturday, October 5!

For Those About to Write...We Salute You! Blogger Idol 2013

If you read a lot of blogs like we do, you'll know that there are some amazing folks out there. Great storytellers. Funny. Amazing writers. Some of them are all of those and then some. Blogger Idol is an annual contest to find THE most amazing writers who appeal to a wide audience (especially the judges). The contest allows them to show their stuff, meet new people, and maybe find some new readers who wouldn't otherwise stumble upon their URL. You can also win some cool prizes. But nobody plays just for prizes (right?!).

And we're throwing our three amazingly stylish hats in the ring.

Liz (finds her hat under the desk): Damn it, mine's made of paper and covered in purple marker scribbles. I swear Silas writes on everything. I'll never have anything nice until that kid's 18 and at art school.

Robyn (perfectly coiffed): Mine's pink and sparkly camo with a Harley logo on it.

Lisa (takes her hat off): Seriously. There's wolf hair. All. Over. Mine.

Why would we do this? Because it looks like fun. Because we'd love the challenge of weekly prompts and the excitement of possibly making it at least two weeks before we get eliminated (because we know we're not going to win). But who cares. Not us.

So this is our audition post. *Ta dah!* Who are we? We're three moms from different parts of the US. Liz started this blog in 2011 as an outlet for writing about her experiences with her first son. It waxed, it waned, until finally something clicked and she decided to play "go big or go home." In August of 2013 Liz invited two friends, Robyn and Lisa, to write with her, expanding the scope of the blog and adding in some fresh voices (Robyn's the fresh one, Liz and Lisa are pretty tame in comparison). The focus of our blog is, obviously, on parenting, but we tend to stray into different areas, flexing our writing muscles and our brains (which can get taken over by children). We write a weekly "What We've Learned" post which shows parenting experiences from different perspectives. We write about parenting stories in the news, cloth diapering (since we all cloth diaper our Littles), cooking, and introspecting, all things that parents these days may spend some time doing.

We hope that you have enjoyed what you've read and that you get a chance to click around the blog at different recent posts. We love seeing new faces around our Facebook community, so be sure to stop by!

Want to learn more about Blogger Idol or follow the contest on Facebook? Do. It.

We Need Your Opinion

Have you ever woken up and thought, "My bedroom needs a new color paint?" So you go to Home Depot and you look at the paint swatches and try to decide what would be cool.

But then your two friends are there, and they spend a lot of time in your house and you want them to have input too. But nobody is "OMG!" excited about the same paint.

Welcome to our world. I (Liz) am tired of the blog's look. It needs a makeover (especially after this week's "code takes over the home page" fiasco which has caused the current template choice). So I started looking at templates and sent some to Robyn and Lisa. The ones Lisa loved, Robyn "meh"d and vice versa. You try getting three chicks to agree on one template!

So we're turning to you, our readers. The ones who, you know, look at the blog. Four options. Choose your fave and comment with "blue," "yellow," "pink," or "rainbow."

"Blue"

"Yellow"

"Pink"

"Rainbow"

Top 25 Southern Mom Blog?

Recently we told you we were nominated for the Top 25 Southern Mom Blog. Voting ends today at 5 pm PST. We need your help (and the help of anyone around you who will vote). We've been holding our own around the 8 or 9 spot for a while, but now we're down to 12.

Voting is quick. There's no sign up. You literally go to the Circle of Moms page, scroll down to our blog (ahem, Mama Around the House if you forget), and click the vote button (it looks like a heart). You can x out of the two pop ups that ask you to sign up for Circle of Moms. And bam, you're done.

Why do we want to win? Mostly just for the fun of it. And we'd get a cool badge for our blog saying we were in the Top 25. Woo hoo! 

So what do you get? Once you've voted, come back to this page (or hey, open Circle of Moms in a new tab) and comment that you voted. Be sure to leave your email address in the comment. One random lucky voter will win their choice of a $10 gift card. Amazon? iTunes? What's your poison?

Vote!

Back to School Giveaway

Back to school...a parent's favorite time of year? This month we're working with a ton of folks to bring you this fantastic giveaway. What can you win? How about a little bit of everything! Love From Elle has created an amazing group of sponsors for this thing. Ah-maz-ing. Over $1400 worth of prizes! The giveaway starts September 1 and closes September 30.

Be sure to enter and share the giveaway with your friends. We'd love to see one of you win a first tier prize! Any questions? Comment on this post or send us an email.

Welcome to the  Back to School Giveaway Bash 

Hosted by: Love from Elle 

Co Hosted by: Search with Vonni | Rock-a-bye Parents | Mommiez on a Mission | Heart of a Philanthropist | Young Finances 

Sponsored by:  New Wave Enviro | Apple Pie USA | Comp and Save | Geekify | Pimsleur | Jamberry Nails | Daughters of Cambodia | Mighty Bright | The Geekerie | Do Good Buy Us | Skip 'n' Whistle | Everest Bags | Maidservant of Encouragement | Eat Smart | PB Crave | 31 Rays of Hope | Whole Being Shopping Experience | Select Specs | On Hand | It Works! with Courtenay | CP Docks | Order Out of Chaos | Logitech | Christy BBags | Texas Instruments

We here at Love from Elle are super excited to bring our readers an opportunity to win great prizes from AMAZING sponsors! There aren't just great prizes to win, but multiple opportunities to win them because we are hosting a 3 WINNER giveaway! 

That's right three lucky winners will win a prize package!! We will have a Grand Prize winner, 1st Runner and a 2nd runner up winner. All of the prizes above with a combined total of over $1400 in gift cards and prizes. WOOHOO!! 

Grand Prize Winner Prizes

TIER 1 (GRAND PRIZE)

$50 Walmart E-Gift card

$25 Amazon E-Gift Card

Apple Pie USA

Big Bilder Box Fort Kit (ARV $76.50)

Pimsleur 

Pimsleur Language - Level 1 Digital Language Course of winner's choice

(ARV $119.95) 

Mighty Bright 

LUX Dome LED Task Light

Chartreuse, ARP $79.99

The Geekerie 

4 Geekerie Posters (of winner's choice)

(ARV $80)

Loaded Everest BackPack 

(incl. Notebooks, Pencils, Pens, Paper, 3 ring binder and more)

(ARV $75) 

Maidservant of Encouragement

Romance & Adventure Self-Study Guide from Morgan Day Cecil

(ARV $99) 

Daughters of Cambodia

Mini Laptop Case (fabric light grey)

EatSmart 

Eat Smart Precision Tracker Digital Bathroom Scale

(ARV $79.95)

Comp and Save

$25 worth of ink supplies

PB Crave

PB Crave Variety Pack 

(ARV $17.97)

31 Rays of Hope

A Month of Daily Devotionals by Hollie Marie

(ARV $10.99)

1st Runner Up Winner Prizes 

$35 Target E-Gift card (Tier 2) 

Whole Being Shopping Experience/Amway

1) Nutrilite Men's or Women's Packs, Nutrilite

2) Fruits and Vegetables 2 Go Twist Tubes

(ARV $47.85) 

Geekify, Inc.

1) Neverending Story Journal

(ARV $65)

Jamberry Nails

1) Nail Care Kit

2) A sheet of "Kiss Me Ombre"

(ARV $42.50)

Select Specs

Voucher Code for one pair of Standard Single Vision basic lenses 

or Plano/Fashion Lenses (or frame only)

(ARV $45)

Do Good Buy Us

$50 Gift Certificate 

New Wave Enviro

1) Seriously Safe Stainless Steel Container w/ Tinted Lids (or with Clamp Lids)

2) New Wave Berrier Water Filter Pitcher

(ARV approx $40) 

On Hand

1) 8GB Flashdrive Wristband

2) iPhone 5 Card Case

(ARV $48.98)

Comp and Save 

$25 worth of ink supplies

PB Crave

PB Crave Variety Pack 

(ARV $17.97)

31 Rays of Hope

A Month of Daily Devotionals by Hollie Marie

(ARV $10.99)

ChristyBBags 

Where's My Stache pencil pouch

(with pencils, pens and erasers included!)

Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments TI-30X IIS

2nd Runner Up Winner Prizes 

$25 Old Navy E-Gift card

It Works! with Courtenay

It Works Facial Applicator, Greens sample and information pack

(ARV $30)

Geekify, Inc.

Auryn Pendant

(ARV $18)

WJS Technologies

CP Docks 

Cell phone docking station

(ARV $14.95)

Skip N' Whistle

Kraken Raglan

(ARV $29)

Order Out of Chaos

2013-14 Academic Planner

(ARV $19)

Mighty Bright

PocketFlex LED Book Light

Black, ARP $14.99)

New Wave Enviro

Litter Free Lunch Bags (Kits)

(ARV approx $25)

Maidservant of Encouragement

Printable Poster (of winners choice)

(ARV $9)

Logitech

t400 Zone Touch Mouse Windows 8/RT

(ARV $24.99)

Comp and Save

$25 worth of ink supplies

PB Crave

PB Crave Variety Pack 

(ARV $17.97)

31 Rays of Hope

A Month of Daily Devotionals by Hollie Marie

(ARV $10.99)

How to win? 

Simply enter to win on the Giveaway Tools form below. Remember the more entries, the better your chances to win! Be sure to give major love to our sponsors and love to our cohosts!! 

Good Luck!! 

Entry-Form

Please refer to the full terms and conditions in the Giveaway Tools.

Please note: None of the entries on the entry form are required. The entry participants acknowledge that they are entering a giveaway, at their own will and discretion, and may exercise their right to refuse to enter the contest by not participating in the contest or entering the form. Each entry is merely to increase the chances of winning, said above prize, and are not mandatory.

Disclosure: This blog is not responsible for sponsor prize fulfillment. Love from Elle received the product above for their honest review and received no other form of compensation. This contest is not affiliated with Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google or Etsy their affiliates, sponsors, entities or subsidiaries. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed, or administered by or associated with Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google or Etsy their affiliates, sponsors, entities or subsidiaries.

Want even MORE amazing chances to win Back to School prizes  Enter at our fellow bloggers sites on the Linky below!! 

Vote for Us! And Win a Tablet...? What?!

The Mamas feel so blessed. We've been nominated for the Top 25 Southern Mommy Blogs from Circle of Moms. Voting ends September 5, and we need your help to reach our goal of being in the top 5 (or heck, even being #1). So how do you help? Super quick vote as often as possible (up to once per day). Go to Circle of Moms and scroll down until you find us, then click vote. Easy peasy right? We appreciate you!

Now here comes the "win a tablet" part. We're working with BlogSetupGuide.com to bring you an awesome opportunity to win a Google Nexus 7 (the same tablet Liz has). We're really excited for this opportunity, and hope that everyone enters (you can't win if you don't enter, right?). Click here to enter.

Once you've voted and entered, comment at the bottom "done" so we know who to thank!

We Want YOU

This is new.

This is exciting.

The Mamas are getting all techy-techified on you. (Not really...well for us maybe)

You see that link down below this? Click on it. It will take you to a page where you can sign up for our mailing list. How cool is that? No more pressing F5 to refresh your page all day to see if there's a new post. You'll get it in your email. Sa-weet!

Mama Around the House email list

Click it.

You know you want to.

Why should you? Well, that's an awesome question. Because we have plans. Big ones. (Stop thinking about boobs). And we want you to be invited. But only email subscribers may be invited to some of these smokin' hot parties. Parties with prizes.

I like parties, you think. I like prizes.

Well click it. 

Things We Learned This Week (August 4th Edition)

Our first group post! We're excited!

So the prompt is, "What did you learn this week?"

Liz:
1)  I learned I hate car shopping. It makes me anxious. My husband somehow has a 0 credit score. How is this possible? We've bought two houses before. I don't get it. But we are now the proud er...not owners...drivers...payers...of a 2013 Honda Pilot. And it rocks my socks. And Silas decided this week that he likes it too (at first he wanted to "Take ih back and geh our car"). Driving an SUV is way different than driving the Prius. This will take some getting used to.

2)  Sage has slept through the night twice. I'm not sure what's going on. Before he was waking up and going right back to sleep if I changed his diaper. Now...he wakes up, mehs a few times, and puts himself back to sleep. I like it. Become the new norm please. Of course now I can't sleep though.

3)  Coordinating the blog with two lovely mamas is interesting to start off with. I'm a control freak and I'm handing over some to two friends...if anyone sees me freak out, understand why. Love my girls!

4)  Quitting smoking (in May) has made it so much easier to run. I ran for 10 minutes straight (2x in one session) twice this week. And I wasn't dying when I finished. Soaked in sweat, yes, but not cardio dying. Go me.

Lisa:
1) I learned that "see you laters" are just as hard as "goodbyes". Banshee has graduated from her preschool at Kennedy Krieger and during the party, after showing much improvement in behavior and social skills, she shut down on me. No talking, no smiling, just hiding behind me. It was sad. Banshee was not happy that she was done with school and even more unhappy that she wasn't going to see her teachers everyday, just for visits here and there. It was a very hard concept to prepare for and with all the change going on in our lives, I felt horrible that I couldn't shield her from something like this. We will keep muddling through together though. She is much better today!

2) Finding the time to continue jotting down "simple joys" in my Simple Joy journal. Let's face it, the day fills up like crazy for Mamas and the last thing you want to do is pick up a pencil to write down the most enjoyable moment of the day "What do you mean? NOW! When I am in bed!" But, taking the 5 minutes to really think about what made you smile and write down a couple of sentences, is fast becoming an enjoyable experience.

3)Breaking the news of our pregnancy and the sex of the baby. This floored some people, mainly because I am 5 months along and no one knew. We had to keep it secret for a bit, due to some early complications, but Mr.Cubby is determined to stay in there and meet everyone in December. I am panicking a little too...I have no boy gear. Sigh!

4) Being unplugged every once in a while, is not a bad thing. I found the time I had been messing around on Facebook, I used it for other tasks around the house. Mainly, helping to get things ready for our move and ::gasp:: read uninterrupted! Woohoo!

Robyn:
1) For all the BF moms, there has been some controversy over why babies get 'that drunk look' on their faces after BF'ing. You know, the glazed over and half open eyes while their body is as limp as a dishrag while trying to burp? Well, get this! It has been linked to the THC receptors in a baby's brain. (Seriously?!) That's right, breast milk will inadvertently get your baby high! I almost spit out my drink (and hopefully didn't cause you do to the same) while reading this BOGUS article. Hmmm..that must be why my other kiddos are so smart. Because I got them "high" for 10 months. Sheesh!

2) Having a postpartum (gyno) appointment is apparently not the time to multi-task. After being put in a room and being told "It will be a while, there are 3 more ahead of you", I cringed. Not only is this appointment not a favorite, but parking is charged by the half hour. So, I decided to do what any busy mommy would do with our precious time: Multi-task. While breastfeeding, I was on the phone with a cruise line (my kids Christmas present this year. I know, genius idea!). I hear a knock at the door, and in walks the doc. Pretty sure I had the deer in headlights look as my doc asks "So, YOU'RE not ready yet?" Clearly not, doc! Pants still on, drape sitting nicely folded in a square on the exam table, and a baby on the boobie. Here I was, trying to explain to two men (with completely different occupations) what was going on. Let me say that it felt very uncomfortable knowing one wanted to get in my pants, and one wanted to take my money. Good thing I know which one was which!

3) For those with teenagers: There is a new game called Oreo (as explained by my 14 year old). While sitting with a group of friends (guys and girls), one teenager will ask another one "out". Out meaning being to have the BF/GF title at school only. The purpose is to see who really likes who. Yep. That's it. Simple. Hey, no complaints from this parent! This is the only time I'm thankful for my children growing up to be technology geeks. At the age of 14, I was thinking about more than just "going out" with boys. Heck, my mind was in the gutter! I was thinking about doing ______ (Feel free to fill in the blank with comments).

What did you learn about yourself or others this week? We'd love to hear about it in the comments.

Be sure to see all of our posts by following us by email - put your email address into the box on the right to receive updates whenever a new post comes about! 

Meet Lisa

As I've shared this week, the blog is expanding. We're adding Mamas and they're amazing ladies. Today I'll introduce you to Lisa in her own words.

Lisa and the wolf

Hey! I'm Lisa. I'm a mama to Pixy, Banshee, and incubator to Cubby, and pack leader to two naughty wolves. I'm an avid reader of books, lover of music, bird watching and nature, great singer....and a bit crazy. How crazy? I married a musician (he plays trumpet). We love life, food, and lots of noise. That's "normal" for us....if there is such a thing as normal...Ha!  

Please help me welcome this amazing mama to the Around the House crew. What questions do you have for her?

Meet Robyn

As I've shared this week, the blog is expanding. We're adding Mamas and they're amazing ladies. Today I'll introduce you to Robyn in her own words.

Mama Robyn!

Mommy of 4 (a nursing newborn girl, and 3 boys: a kindergartener, a special needs 2nd grader, and a freshman step-son), chocolate loving, wine drinking, life saving medic, who was raised in the sticks, isn't afraid to speak the ugly truth and doesn't take crap from anybody.

Please help me welcome this amazing mama to the Around the House crew. What questions do you have for her?

I'm So Excited!

Since I'm a parent of small children, I read that title in Mike Myers playing The Cat In The Hat's voice.

What am I excited for? Two things. The first one's awe-some! Starting today, I'm working with two of my best girls on the blog - it's no longer about one Mama around here. Enter Mama(s) Robyn and Lisa. Beginners, eyes on Robyn...oh sorry, I was channeling Jillian Michaels for a minute there. I can't wait for you to meet them. Tomorrow's and Saturday's posts will be devoted to introducing the Mama(s) to the Around the House community. I'm so excited!

Second, the Mama(s) are participating in a 30-day blogging challenge starting today. We will be rocking out the entire month of August.

So it's the start of a brand spankin' new month - what are you looking forward to in August?

Exciting Things to Come

30 days...30 posts...just for fun and maybe prizes? Read some new blogs and get some Internet exposure? Sign me up!

Here's the funny part. I saw this (paid) advertisement on Facebook about the Simple Blogging Network 30 Day Challenge and so I clicked on it just to see what's up. Well. One thing I really liked about the idea was that you posted your daily link in a group on FB - there's some accountability for you. Plus there are prizes available. But you had to pay to sign up. Boo. But then I saw how much I had to pay. I paid $2.09. No joke. The price goes up though so it's better to get in early.

What do you get? Possible prizes, exposure, comments on your posts (and not just "good job"), and best of all, you get practice in writing every day. All of the "big" bloggers and people who write about blogging well will tell you this is important. There are also weekly seminars (that are recorded in case you're, you know, working) about blogging topics.

So I'm in. Are you? Learn more here.

The Phoenix

It's Time.

After a few months away of trying to right myself with the world, I'm back. And in case you can't tell, the blog's had a face lift. A "Face Off" or a...hold on...(Me: Honey, what's that movie with the guy in Mexico who pays some other guy to take his face, it's William Dafoe..." Daddy: "Once Upon A Time in Mexico?" Me: Uh...is it really? *Googles it* Me: Oh, yeah. Thanks.). Or like "Once Upon a Time In Mexico." Except I didn't pay anybody. And nobody died. And John Travolta and William Dafoe don't read my blog (that I know of).

Rambling aside, it's time for a rebranding of sorts. I think I divert from the blogaplan every once in a while because I get interested in something that just doesn't seem to fit with the theme here. But I forget that I make the freakin' theme, so yeah.

If you're a reader, what can you expect from me? Well, nothing I hope honestly. I mean come on, I disappear off the grid like your crazy uncle every once in a while and show up months later with a new wife and two adopted kids...wait what? Sorry. Moral of the story, keep expectations low and you won't be upset.

So you have been warned. Things will be different around here so help me...oh wait, that's what I told Daddy a few months ago. No worries, he's still here, he's still alive, it's all good. But things will be different. Some different topics to fill your noodle, and hopefully some shorter posts because MAN can that chick ramble, you know?

And there's Instagram - MamaAroundTheHouse if you play on IG. Don't forget the Twitter and the Facebook. Because we all know how important The Social Media is. But really, sometimes I can be funny. So it may entertain you. Note the "may."

Onward! *Neiiiiigghhhhh says the horse*