I ♥ Faces Wedding Bells Challenge

I have not done this for awhile but I decided to give it a try again. The I ♥ Faces is doing a Wedding Bells challenge this week and since I've decided to become serious about including wedding to my photography service, I thought this was good timing.

I really had a hard time choosing from my latest wedding I did, but I thought this one would be different then alot of entries. This is at the reception obviously, and I thought the groom looked so cute "shaking his booty" and I didn't notice until later that the bride is in the distance smiling at him-how cute!

So, go visit them today at:

http://www.iheartfaces.blogspot.com/

A late night Friday

Friday night, when it was time to get ready for bed, my youngest was told to go brush her teeth. She seemed to want to do anything but brush her teeth. She slowly walked down the hall and instantly became distracted by a toy in the hallway and started playing with it. I asked her again to please go brush her teeth. Once again, she started towards the bathroom and then stopped at the door which has a mirror on it and decided to pretend she was "acting" out a princess scene to the mirror.

I patiently waited and then asked her again to please go brush her teeth. She finally made it into the bathroom this time and got her stool out and stood on it. She turned on the water and there must of been something stuck in the drain because the water got stopped up and quickly filled the sink. She giggled and started splashing her hands in the sink. I sighed and asked her to not play in the sink because she would have slippery hands and might fall off the stool. She continued to ignore me until I finally raised my voice and told her that she needs to stop doing that because it was dangerous to play on the stool and please brush her teeth.

She finally stopped and said, "FINE!" and slammed her wet hands down on the sink. With that, the stool went backwards and of course her wet hands could not stop her and neither could I because I wasn't close enough to do so.

Down she went, face first on the counter and then backwards onto the floor. I swooped her up and then saw the blood come from her mouth. After handing her to my husband because I freak out over any blood coming from any part of my children, we discovered she had bit her cheek and left a big gash on her face with a fat lip also. Of course I was out of first aid supplies and after we decided that she probably didn't need stitches, we ran over to Walmart and picked up a box of those butterfly band aid things. We bandaged her up and her dad called her Rocky and sent her to bed.

The next day, this is what she looked like.

The photos make it look better than it was. She still has a fat lip and the gash is right on the crease of her mouth which may be a good thing, I don't know. I just hope it doesn't scar.

I forgot to mention that right after her mishap, I told her, See? If you would've listened to me you wouldn't of got hurt.

The rest of the weekend, whenever she was misbehaving or doing something that could potentially get her hurt, I would bring up how I was right and she should listen to me. This worked like a charm and I didn't have to yell a million times, "Don't do that, you might get hurt!" Nope. I only had to say it once and give her a look and she would stop. I plan on using this to my advantage for as long as it works. It's my right as a mom to do so-it's in the mom manual you know.

Saturday Shopping-The Momnificent Life

Being a mom and owner of several businesses, I can clearly label myself as busy. Alot of times, I find myself searching for a better way to balance everything so that everyone is happy and everything gets done right. The pressures bring guilt, exhaustion, confusion and even anger. I know I'm doing the best that I can, but I still feel that there has to be a better way to balance life.

After reading The Momnificent! Life, by coach, speaker and author Lori Radun, I now can find that happy medium. The Momnificent! Life shows you a way of balance that involves your inner and outer lives to help you be the best you can be. This book is all about self-discovery and it covers eight aspects of your inner life:

-Personal Development

-Spirituality

-Fun and Enjoyment

-Relationships

-Health and Aging

-Personal Finance

-Career and Profession

-Home and Family

Lori has fantastic advice for all moms attempting to do it all! At the end of each segment, readers are invited to do assignments that help exercise what was learned I suggest that you do these assignments shortly after reading the segment so it is fresh in your mind. This is not just another self help book in my opinion, but a manual of how to keep your life in mental order. I recommend this to any mom that needs help with balancing her life!

Lori has a main website, Momnificent! and a personal blog, The Momnificent Blog. Visit her today and get your life in order!

Charlies Angels and Thriller

I don't usually post about the latest news, but I just had to today. You see, two "symbols" of my child/teen years died yesterday. The same day. Both of them. I'm sure you probably know who I'm talking about- Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson. When I first checked Yahoo in the morning, I kept seeing Farrah's face as their main story. At first I didn't even read the article and just went about my business- Yes, I can be oblivious of things right in front of my face like that. Finally, I happened to glance over at the title of the story and about freaked. FARRAH IS DEAD. What?? I knew that she was sick but I had watched her documentary and cheered her on that she would get better. After all, she was Farrah Fawcett. I loved her on Charlie's Angels. I had her hair cut (still do kind of) and even had one of those doll heads that you can do up their hair and put makeup on their face. Now, she is gone and it makes me sad. A piece of my childhood has gone with her.
THEN, if that wasn't enough, Micheal Jackson dies too?? What is up here, people? Not that I agreed with his actions the last ten or so years, but memories of his Thriller video bring me back to my teens and going to the mall arcade. We didn't have cable out where we lived and they had this projector looking machine where you could put in some quarters and it would play MTV videos. Thriller was my favorite. I would play that one all the time.
Earlier this week, Ed Mcmahon had died too. They say that celebrities go in threes and this time it was quick. I hope that buys Patrick Swayze a little time-another actor that brings memories of growing up too.
You two will be missed.

Country dreams

My neighbors flowers are blooming again and I love to stare at them because they remind me of being in a meadow full of beautiful wild flowers.

They are much better to look at then my plastic flowers I have planted in my yard.

Conversations

Conversation between a mom and her four year old:

Me: "No, Emily. You CANNOT have a Popsicle before dinner."

Emily: "But, Mom. These are special Popsicles and they need to be eaten BEFORE dinner."

Me: "I think not. You can eat one before your bath."

Emily: "But, Mom. It won't be special before bath."

Me: "I think it will-trust me. Then, after you get all messy from it, you can take a bubble bath and get all nice again."

Emily: "But, Mom..."

Me: "No "buts" Missy!"

Emily: "MOM. THEY ARE SPECIAL POPSICLES THAT NEED TO BE EATEN BEFORE SUPPER!"

Me: "I said NO, LITTLE MISSY!"

Emily: "I can't wait until I can grow up and move out and get my own house so I can buy my own food and eat what I want!"

Me: "Are you sure you're only four???"

MUUUUUUFFFFAAA, what?

I wanted to start this post by saying thanks to all of you that wished me a happy 1st year!

Now, I've been thinking about a comment that a reader left the other day, asking about me about the Flat Belly Diet that I mentioned in a comment on her blog and I decided to do a post on it.

I'm not one to "diet". I like to think of any programs that I go on are just a way for me to eat more healthy. I don't need a major weight loss- I would like to loose about ten pounds or so- my family would say I was nuts to think I'm even fat at all. I basically don't like what my tummy has become and I just would like to get back into my tiny clothes that I used to wear before my last little one was born. The only thing with me is, that I HATE to have to count calories, do sit-ups, or live on rabbit food. I have to like what I'm eating or I'm going to cheat! That's where this diet is awesome. It's real food that even includes smoothies and you don't have to exercise if you don't want to!

I had the Flat Belly Diet book for some time now and kept saying that I was going to try it out. I even half started it at one time but wasn't very serious about it. So when summer was approaching, I decided to be serious and try it out. I got out my book and blew off the dust and started reading it. You see, this diet relies on the MUFA foods to help you loose weight. What are MUFAS? Well, it's short for monounsaturated fat and there are five different kinds:

1. Oils
2. Nuts & Seeds
3. Avocado
4. Olives
5. Chocolate- YES! CHOCOLATE!

I can handle all of them except the avocados and tend to use the chocolate MUFS source alot. The trick is to keep your meals at 400 calories. You are thinking, Isn't that counting? Yes, but you don't have to do the counting. Just go by their menus and they have alot of choices.

Ok, so I've been doing this for two weeks or so now and I've lost 2 inches around my tummy! I do some exercising because they say that though you don't HAVE to exercise, it will speed up things. I still don't do sit-ups. No person alive will make me do sit-ups. I follow my girl, Denise Austin's morning workouts on cable. But, I don't do the sit-ups.

Will I show photos? No. I'm too shy but you have to trust me, this works. I'm not even getting paid to tell you about this. Nope. This is not a paid review. I even will let you in on a little secret-

I go off the meals on Sundays and go out to eat and eat what I want. One thing is though, this last Sunday I had a chicken burrito from Taco Bell and I was in the bathroom shortly after. I think my body is getting so used to all the healthy food that it rejected crap-Oops, no pun intended!

So, do I have you wanting to do this diet? I do? Cool! Now, how would you like a book for free?

You would? I don't blame ya. Well, you know the routine. Comment on this post. Want more entries? Follow me. Twitter about this-show the link. Write a post about it-show the link. Come on, do this "healthier eating" with me and let's show off our bellies at the pool!

Blogiversary

Wow. I cant believe it. I've been boring everyone for one whole year-have you been around for the whole year? I think I love you.

I actually didn't even realize that June marked my first year for this blog and I was all like, "Hey everyone! It's my blogversary!" Unfortunately, the only ones around were the dogs. Mia (the chihuahua) crapped her pants and Bella (the big one) looked to see if I had a juicy steak in my hands and when she noticed I didn't, she just laid her head back down and went back to sleep.

So, I celebrated quietly by myself and I went through my old posts; laughing at the funny ones, crying at the badly written ones and then I was curious as to what the first post was that I started this out with. I can't count the "About me" post which is actually the very post listed since I just wrote that to explain the blog. I realized that the first one was about the flood we had here last year. Do you remember it? Well, here it is if you care. Now, a year later, the rain is back again but not so bad so far.

I hope that in this year's time, I've gained some loyal readers and I definitely made some great bloggy friends. You may not realize it, but if you see me on your blog alot, that means we're friends-really. I love reading all the great blogs I found out there and I even found old friends because of my blog.

Will I do a make over to celebrate? Probably not. I like my header and it explains my blog title because I've scared a few people when they see that title and I have to show them the six cute little feet so they know this is a nice little blog and not some blog about how to put people six feet under.

So, I hope all you wonderful people out there in Internet land will continue to come visit because, well, comments make me feel warm inside and when I don't get a daily comment, I go into withdraws like someone who didn't get their coffee fix in the morning. Then, I get all green and huge and my clothes explode off me-wait, that's the Incredible Hulk. Never mind.

Blackberry catastrophe

These berries fill our backyard and no matter how many times I cut them down, they grow back. I wouldn't mind a few of these in a smoothie, but they tend to make it onto my youngest's newly-purchased-don't-get-stained-or-I'm-going-to-kill-you shirt instead.

Campfire in our backyard

We had the strangest storm the other day. It lasted for about 7 minutes, but it caused a great deal of tree damage around town. This was only half of the twigs and branches that we gathered up from our backyard.

Looks like we'll be roasting alot of marshmallows this summer.

Body Snatching

I've decided that we've had an Invasion of the Body Snatchers episode in our house. My son is the victim and his body has been stolen and replaced by one that

WANTS TO EAT MY ENTIRE HOUSE.

Ever since school got out, my thirteen year old is constantly eating.

Eating all morning.

Eating all afternoon.

Eating all evening.

On grocery shopping day, I want to throw myself in front of our newly stocked up fridge and yell at him, "Stay away, you beast!"

He's even been trying to eat my health food "diet" stash-that's pretty bad. Yesterday, after his fourth trip to the kitchen, I considered tripping him as he walked past my desk. Just kidding. Really.

It was bad enough when the first time that I realized that my little boy was growing up when I called home and this "twenty-something" sounding voice answered on the other end.

I was all like, WHO ARE YOU??

Crap. My boy is growing up too fast. Now, his body wants to catch up with his voice. (sigh)

I seriously wonder if we have to take out a second mortgage to feed this kid. I'm thinking about making one of those signs that you see people on the highway holding that say,

WILL WORK FOR FOOD-SERIOUSLY.

Words with a Blogger Wednesday

Words with a Blogger Wednesday

Today's blogger is a blogger friend of mine and faithful reader:

Cheryl from Too Many Hats

Please tell us about you and your blog:
Too Many Hats is just my musings. Sometimes it is funny things the kids have done, sometimes it is about what drives me crazy, sometimes it is bragging on my family, you never know what you will find there. I am a wife and a SAHM of three (Rebecca-16, David-13, and Andrew-12). I home schooled all three until Rebecca left the home school nest three years ago to go to a school of the arts for opera. Her brother, David, will join her at that school this coming fall and I will only have Andrew in my little school. I am a Christian, a LOST fanatic, and of course I wear many hats in our household - accountant, cook, maid, scouter, lover of all things Dr. Seuss, chauffeur, teacher, girlfriend to my husband, and the list goes on.


When did you start blogging?
September 20, 2008 - not even a year yet. I was on Twitter @TooManyHats and everyone kept asking me if I had a blog, which I didn't. I started visiting my Twitter friends' blogs and seeing what this whole blog thing was about - okay I was a little behind the times then. I made some really helpful friends on Twitter and they encouraged, guided, and got me started with my blog.


Do you make money from your blog?
Nope, not a cent. I have no plans to monetize it anytime in the future.

How frequently do you post?
Whenever the bug bites. I would say at least 3 times a week, but often more. I have done NaBloPoMo a couple of times which means posting everyday for a month. That is fun, but by the end of the month I am ready for a break.


Do you have a favorite blogger(s) that you just can't live without reading?
Besides, your blog, I have an eclectic mix of favorites - keeps life interesting. Journey2Learn - she is one of those Twitter pals that was such an encouragement to me in the beginning, and still. Not Your Average Soccer Mom - she is blunt and funny. Becoming Me - she is a a wonderful writer and all her posts relate to her Christian beliefs. Get Lost with JOpinionated - she blogs about my favorite show LOST - she has great insights, crazy theories, and NO spoilers. Havoc and Mayhem - we may not share the same beliefs or hobbies, but I enjoy her blog about her life, kids, and interests. I could go on and on. I read through the blog roll on my blog almost everyday - well at least the new posts. Check them all out!


Have your readers influenced you in any way?
Hmmm...when I started I thought, who is going to want to read about boring ole me. Every comment is like my fix. I don't get tons, but each one is so appreciated and it encourages me to keep posting. I learned that being a SAHM is a pretty cool thing. I love visiting my readers' blogs and learning about their daily lives. While the blogosphere is really huge, individual blogs are very intimate.


Has blogging changed your life in any way?
I'm not sure, sometimes it is that much needed outlet which is good. It has connected me to people I would never have met in real life, which is awesome. It is the first thing I log onto in the morning - the way I start my day. Now that I think about it, it has not changed my life, but it has certainly enhanced it.


What do you do when you get writer's block?
Well, if it is a NaBloPoMo that I am participating in, you will find much shorter posts that day or even a blog quiz. On regular months, I just don't post that day. I am not a writer and don't even play one on my blog, so skipping a couple of days here and there is okay withe me.



Any other advice you might have for newbie bloggers?
Your voice matters. Let me know who you are, so I can visit you. If blog design is not your thing, visit The Cutest Blog on The Block for free, easy to install backgrounds.

Thanks!

A trip to the zoo

We decided to take our summer trip to our local zoo. The kids had a good time and we were glad that they updated the zoo last year. They added more animals and stuff to do which it really needed for I had been going to this zoo since I was little and I probably could go through it with my eyes blindfolded and tell you every stop.

A much anticipated animal that I had been waiting YEARS for them to adopt was the giraffe. I love giraffes and I could just stare at them for hours. When we got there, they were feeding these beautiful beasts and it was awesome because we were just inches from them.

I got some cool shots of them.

How about another one?

One more?

Ok, enough of them.

Emily wanted to go to the monkey cage next.

They used to have way more monkeys but for some reason they got rid of alot of them. I'm not sure what these were called but she thought it was so cool that there was some mamas and they were holding their babies.

Zachary just thought all the animals were cool-just like him.

Jordon was a good sport about going even though he probably didn't think it was cool to go to the zoo with his mom.

I think his favorite was watching the parrots fight in the bird cage area-

Boys will be boys.

They have this one area where you can buy fish food and feed it to these enormous fish in their pond.

There were also geese and ducks and turtles looking to eat too.

I forgot to remind Emily that you don't stick your hand out with food in it to the geese because they will bite you and they did just that. She just fed the fish after that.

We ended up taking the train ride last and by then it was nice to just sit and relax.

I wanted to go back and take more giraffe photos but the kids protested and held my camera for ransom until I took them to McDonalds for a cheeseburger and fries.

Father's Day is when??

As I looked through the Sunday paper this weekend, I noticed that everything was 'guy stuff' this and 'guy stuff' that and realized that Father's Day must be coming. This is the worse holiday for me to shop for besides my hubby's birthday. It's not one that you need to spend a whole lot which makes it worse for me. As I looked through the ads, I laughed as I saw the different sales for Polo shirts, (what guy wants a shirt for a present?) hand tools, (my hubby pick up a tool and actually want to fix something?) camping equipment, (Camping? Enough said) and more clothes. What a waste of ad space. They should be putting drink mixes on sale so all the wives of picky husbands can get drunk after shopping for a Father's Day gift.

I slammed the paper down on the kitchen table and got on the Internet. I found alot of stuff that he would love, but of course they cost a small fortune and it's not Christmas and I don't believe in going overboard for a holiday that Hallmark invented to sell more cards. Apparently, he thought the same thing on Mother's Day because I didn't wake up to getting a full day at the spa.


So, I'm still looking for that perfect "little" gift that won't get me a usual, "Umm thanks, Honey" in return. Maybe I'll get him a gift card for McDonalds so he can get all the Big Macs his heart desires. I'm just all thoughtful like that.

A recent conversation in the car with my husband

Jesse: "I will be SO glad when you won't be able to listen to the television on the radio when everything switches over to digital."

Me: "What's the big deal about listening to a television channel?"

Jesse: "Because it's so stupid. You can't SEE television on the radio!"

Me: "Well, you LISTEN to music on the television-you know I hate that!"

Jesse: "So, let me get this straight. You hate me listening to music on the television and I hate you listening to television on the radio."

Me: "Listening to you point that out made me realize something."

Jesse: "What's that?"

Me: "We're SO made for each other."

Words with a Blogger Wednesday

This week's Words with a Blogger Wednesday will be set up a bit differently.

I won't actually be "talking" to any bloggers, but "talking" about one. Well, it's actually not a blog but has to do with blogs. This site's name is:

The Cutest Blog on the Block

I kept seeing this tag on blogs and kept wondering what the heck it was but never thought to click on it. I'm just funny like that. Finally, I decided to click on it and it brought me to their site. I then found out that it was a place where bloggers can download free templates and backgrounds and banners and well, did I mention it was frrrreeeeeeeeee??

They have adorable designs and I'm all into the 'cutie' look and the 'scrapbook' look. If you are wanting a cool looking blog and don't know where to turn, then by golly, go visit them.

If that wasn't enough already, they also have lots of articles on the secret to blogging success and even a blogging community.

So, you really need to check them out-btw, this site is ran by two moms, Becky and Ashley and they actually have a blog too called, Two Moms Talk.

http://2momstalk.blogspot.com/

So, go check them out and grab some cool designs and tell them I sent ya!

Take a bow

If you read Friday's post then you know that we were nervous about Emily's first dance recital. My dad brought his camera for us since mine broke so we could videotape it. It's blurry but hopefully you can view it. She's the vain one-ok, she's the one in the middle.

When it was over and she got her flowers, (yes, we didn't forget them) she was so excited by all the attention that she yelled to me, "Mom! This is way better then a card signing!'

First time dance recital

I can't believe we are finally to the end of Emily's dance class session and tomorrow will be her first recital ever. I'm so nervous to see how she will react to a zillion eyeballs watching her and I hope that she won't decide to do one of her "faint spells"- hand to forehead and all- and go flying off the stage. Do I have a drama queen? If you've read my blog for even a week you know the answer to that.

A big ham? I think so.

Tonight is the rehearsal, so the parents will get a taste as to how their kid will react to the big day. I will use tonight to see if I need to wear a wig and dark sunglasses tomorrow. I'm just kidding. I think she will do fine and if anything, this will make her head grow fatter than her vain daddy's. Then, we'll have to get bigger doors so they can fit through them.

One thing that I keep worrying about is that they want parents to bring flowers for the girls for after the recital. I keep having this reoccurring nightmare that we forget to bring the flowers and everyone has them but her. I wake up in a cold sweat at the thought of making Emily angry. She scares me when she's mad. Hallmark was so scared they even put her mad look on a card. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Major life changes

I'm drowning! Help! I'm drowning! Not really, but I feel like it. If you haven't noticed me on your blogs as much that's because I've been very busy working on editing photos from that wedding I did a couple of weeks ago. But, please don't abandon me because I haven't been around!
You see, I have a tendency to take about 400 photos when I do a wedding and I also have a tendency to want to go through ALL of them and edit ALL of them. I know that you don't have to use all and you are supposed to just go through and pick out your favorites and the couple will never know that you took a picture of Uncle Ralph kissing cousin Betty, or that Aunt Suzy was picking her nose during the ceremony.

I'm very anal though about my photos because they are all my babies and I just can't bare to just "toss" any out without playing them up and cropping them and well, that's just the creative side of me itching to play.

I'm surprised that the couple haven't emailed me, wondering how things are going and if they might just get their freakin' album anytime soon? I'm almost done though and then I will work on the album part which is the most fun. After that, I'm all on pins and needles until they give me the "thumbs up" to send it to print. It's almost the worse part of the whole "shooting a wedding" to wait for that approval email. Will they like it? Do they hate it? Am I going to have to move to Alaska so they won't find me?

Now, I have to tell you the silly part of all this. You know how I said that I will never shoot another wedding because I can't handle the stress? Well, I've made a big decision last week. I'm going full time with the weddings. Hello? Are you there? Wait. There's someone at the door. Why hello, Internet! What are you doing standing there with a frying pan in your hand????

Wearing out her welcome

This gal and I had a talk the other day about her "temporary" visit with us. Her fur is everywhere. She smells like a wet dog no matter how many baths she gets. She gets into the garbage when she gets mad at us. She left a big present twice in the recroom and she takes up half the bed at night.

I told her, "Look. If I know my daughter, this is probably your new home. So, please start cleaning up after yourself or you're grounded."

Words With a Blogger Wednesday

Hey, I didn't let you down this week!

I have a Words with a Blogger Wednesday guest!

Her name is Angela and she's from

The Coupon Project

She's dedicated her blog to helping people save money through coupons.

I love blogs like this. I'm addicted to blogs like this. You will become addicted to this blog-trust me.

So, I'm going to shut up now and let Angela tell you her story.

Take it away, Angela!

My name is Angela and I'm a stay-at-home mom of two and a freelance writer. A few months ago, I discovered the wonderful world of couponing. I couldn't get over how much I was saving and I began sharing deals I was finding with friends and family. A few people suggested I started a blog. Although I didn't know how to do that, I quickly found out how. I spent a couple months reading up and planning my blog before launching it.

There are many "coupon blogs" out there, and I don't just want to be one of the pack. So after some serious brainstorming and planning, I came up with a few elements which I believe makes my blog different:

1) I'm a newbie. I don't have all the answers, nor do I pretend to. I'll share with you what I learn as I learn it. I'll share my mistakes as well as my successes. I'm not an "old pro" by any stretch of the imagination.
2) I avoid coupon lingo. This sort of goes with #1, but you won't find acronyms or what I like to call "Couponese" on my blog. I work hard to put my deals in layman's terms, giving you blow-by-blow instructions on how to use coupons. I really want to make my blog accessible and readable to folks who are new at this, too.
3) I work to be gender-neutral. I've deliberately chosen a gender-neutral name (The Coupon Project) and design. There are many "coupon mom" blogs out there. Don't get me wrong, many of these have wonderful content and are reaching a very specific (and large!) audience. However, there are many guys out there that do the shopping for their families. I want my blog to be a place that both men and women can come to find deals.
4) I work to share my knowledge of writing and math. As a freelance writer, I want to provide in-depth and "meaty" posts on all things couponing in addition to sharing the deals. And as someone who worked in the banking industry for several years, I know a thing or two about running the numbers. I always encourage my readers to see the bigger picture and make sure they're making a difference in their total bottom line.


When did you start blogging?

I started my blog in February of this year. However, I've been a freelance copywriter (http://www.angelarussellwrites.com/) for the past three years. I started my writing career as a means to earn income from home while raising my kids.

Do you make money from your blog?

I sure hope to! I just obtained my business license and am in the process of monetizing my blog. I decided from the get-go that I wanted to focus first on building quality content and just getting the hang of blogging. Now that I've been doing that for a few months, I've begun to look at the money-making opportunities available to me. I recently signed on with Google AdSense and Coupons.com. I am also trying to think outside the box as to how I might profit from my blogging venture.

How frequently do you post?

I try to post at least once daily and usually post more than that.

Do you have a favorite blogger(s) that you just can't live without reading?

I'd have to say the top two blogs I follow are Money Saving Mom and Hip 2 Save! Both provide quality content and post frequently.

Have your readers influenced you in any way?

Absolutely! I always encourage reader feedback! I often post deals readers share with me, I have made enhancements to my blog based on reader feedback (such as the Feedburner option I added yesterday), and I make sure to respond to comments left on my blog.

Has blogging changed your life in any way?

Just last night, I went to my SiteMeter tab and viewed the locations of my most recent readers. I had a reader in New York, another in New Orleans, a couple in Kansas, California, Texas, and Florida. It is a wonderful feeling knowing that I am connecting with readers all over the country. (Not to mention, I've connected with some pretty wonderful bloggers, too!) Whenever I get a reader that thanks me for my work, I know that the time I spend on this blog is worth it.

I have also learned that I am more capable of accomplishing things than I realize. A few short months ago, I had not a clue about how to start or run a blog. I also have another business and don't forget - two little ones here at home with me all day, every day. But guess what? I'm making it happen! My confidence has definitely grown since becoming a blogger.

And I have to add, as a writer, it is an exhilarating feeling to be able to write what I want, how I want, and publish it when I want. Now that's power!

What do you do when you get writer's block?

Good question! First I think to the day of the week it is. Having certain days set aside for certain posting topics is helpful. On Saturdays, I work on my drugstore scenarios. On Wednesdays, I tackle the grocery stores. On Thursdays, I'm looking for coupon previews. Another thing that has been helpful is to come up with a big topic that you can break out in a series of posts. I am currently finishing one entitled "Coupon Myths and Misconceptions." When I started this series a couple months ago, I brainstormed about 10 different myths I could talk about. Then, tackle one a week for 10 weeks! Another idea - I read other blogs and forums and see if I can find deals there or other posts worth linking to. As a final idea, think of some personal experience you could share - take a photo of your current stockpile, share how you did at a recent sale, or ask a friend who's having success if you could share one of their stories.

Any other advice you might have for newbie bloggers?

I have lots of advice, but in the interest of time, here are my top three suggestions for newbie bloggers:

1. Do not apologize for being new. I physically cringe when I see bloggers do this. Don't say, "I'm new...I don't really know if anyone's reading this, but here goes nothing." I don't even think you need to say you're new...folks can check out your archive if they really want. Whatever you do, don't discount yourself and what you have to offer! Be confident! Pretend you have a readership in the thousands RIGHT NOW and get going. Remember, people that are reading your blog are already assuming you have something worthwhile to say - so say it with authority. Be confident. And if you aren't confident, fake it.
2. Determine how you will be different. Please, please do something different! Don't just repeat everyone else. Offer something different, unique. In order to do this, you'll have to be a reader of other people's blogs of course. See what they might be missing and jump a the opportunity! Then let other bloggers know about your blog and how it's different. They might feel your content compliments theirs in some way and they could link to you or feature you in a post from time to time.
3. Let folks know you exist. Don't expect to just start blogging and have people find you. Introduce yourself to other bloggers. Offer to write a guest post. Share a deal you find. Leave meaningful comments on their site. Add your deal scenarios if you find a Mr. Linky. I also like to put updates on Facebook or emails. I have submitted my blog to web crawlers and blog aggregators. I'm always looking for new ways to get found.

Finally, if you are thinking about starting a blog, do your planning ahead of time. Don't just launch it at random. Remember that your first post IS important, so be thoughtful about how you proceed.

If you have additional questions about my blog or about starting your own, please contact me at thecouponproject at hotmail dot com. Thank you!

And thank YOU, Angela!

Living up to the title of my blog

Being the mom of a teenager has awakened my respect of my mom who raised three girls who were teens about all the same time. My first time experience with a teen that tested every breaking point in me over the years has conditioned me for my other daughter. I tell her that someday she will call her older sister and tell her "thanks alot" for getting in fights at school, totalling the car after getting her license, lying about where she was all the time and having a son at an early age, because I will be doing things WAY different the second time around. My youngest will NOT get a car at sixteen, sleepovers will be at our house and if I can figure out how to install a GPS system in her rear, I will.

All those perfect parents will gasp in horror after reading about my oldest child's actions and call me a horrible parent and send me terrible comments- oh yeah, I already did have a little troll tell me I was terrible awhile back when I first started this blog. Luckily, they were given the Nobel Peace Award and no longer have time to stalk me. No parent is handed a manual for raising kids and all we can do is try to teach them to do good and hope that some day it will kick in.

With that, I'm still paying for my mistakes made with the first one. The other day she gave me a scare when I called her in the morning to wake her up to get ready for the day (mental note: teach other children how to use an alarm clock). She had to get up to take finals and it was getting near the time she needed to be there. I called her and did not get an answer. I called back and still no answer. Ok, now I was beginning to worry. Crap-I could feel another grey hair growing. After about twenty calls-yes, I'm a crazy mom like that-I called the hubby, frantic and yelled at him to go find her. I'm sorry, but you can't not answer your phone if you are the child of a mom with a vivid imagination. I mean, I write suspense stories. All sorts of crazy thoughts went through my head. Surely, her and the baby were kidnapped and held for ransom. Maybe, they went for a drive in the woods late in the night and the car broke down, leaving them no choice but to stop at the creapy dark house that happens to be right in the middle of nowhere. Now, they are being chased by some guy in a mask with a chainsaw. You see, you better have that phone glued to your ear if you are my child.

As I was freaking out on the phone to my husband at his work, he quietly tried her from his cell phone. She finally answered. I heard him calmly ask her where she's at and why she didn't answer the phone. Then I hear him tell her, "Call your mom-now."

I was relieved that she was ok but then I was instantly angry. I hung up from my husband and waited for her call.

Rinnnng....

"You better be in the hospital!"

"Mom, I didn't hear the phone."

"After twenty calls?!"

"Yes. Sorry."

"Do you know what you do to me when you don't answer?"

"I know, Mom."

"If you don't stop doing this, I'm going to never talk to you again."

"I know, Mom."

"Well, you better get ready so you aren't late."

"Ok."

There was a lecture thrown in there too and maybe some swear words but, I think you get the picture.

I always tell my son that when I have a heart attack before I'm fifty that he can blame his sister and to make sure that my gravestone states:
HERE LIES A WOMAN WHO HAD CHILDREN-ENOUGH SAID.