20May
It’s been a while since I did a Reader of the Month post, but it’s been worth the wait when you meet Jen of Caved In: When Parenthood Collapses Around You. Jen has been reading my blog for a long time and I feel like I’ve gotten to know her through her daily comments. In a nutshell, here is what you need to know about Jen:
Jen is a gem.
She’s a new mom who takes life as it comes to her. And she’s funny. Really funny. She makes me giggle. I hope she makes you giggle, too.
What is your name? Jen
Who lives in your house? Mac (29) and Sullivan (4 months)
How long have you been married? 4 years
How did your husband propose?
It was Valentine’s Day weekend. We went out to dinner but he didn’t get me a card or flowers or anything. I thought this was the worst Valentine’s Day ever. Then he gave me a treasure map he made that took me all around our tiny apartment. He dyed it with tea and burned the edges to make it look as authentic as possible. At each X I found a letter and on the back of the map was a puzzle that, when the letters were put in, had a sweet personal message. I came out of the bedroom and he had candles lit and dropped to one knee. I have no idea what he said, my brain went to white noise. Interestingly enough, he has no idea what he said either. Of course I said yes!
What is your favorite part about being married to your husband?
Oh Lord, that man can make me laugh. Every day with him is an adventure. He’s my partner in crime in life and can make even a trip to the grocery store entertaining. He loves me for who I am, quirks and all.
What is the hardest part about being married?
Not getting into a rut. You have to keep finding new things to keep your marriage interesting. Boredom is a relationship killer.
What do you think is the “key” to your success in marriage?
As trite as it might sound, good communication is key. Also having respect and appreciation for your spouse. Don’t take them for granted.
Did having children change your marriage? If yes, then how?
Oh it definitely changed our marriage. Not necessarily in a bad way but different. Obviously the lack of sleep puts strain on any relationship. Tempers get riled up, especially if you’re a redhead like me. Also just the time we spend together has changed. Before Sullivan was born, we could go out all day and not worry about anything other than the dog. Now, we try to plan our outings around his naps. But this has given us a lot more time at home to hang out as a family and play with the baby. I also feel it’s important to nurture my marriage as well as my role as a mama. Date night is extremely important for our sanity now. We need that time to turn off baby talk and remember why we are together. Becoming a mother is just another facet to who I am, not the only thing that defines me.
When did you start blogging?
About two days before I had Sullivan. I was home on somewhat of a modified bed rest due to horrible sciatica and just started writing down whatever was in my head.
How often do you blog and how do you make time for it?
I really suck at consistency for blogging. I really try to do three or four posts per week but it’s sometimes more, sometimes less. I try to do it after Sullivan goes to bed at night. Mike is teaching me photoshop so I’m learning to edit my own pictures.
Why do you blog?
I started blogging to keep my family up to speed on what’s going on with Sullivan and our family. My parents live two hours away and my sister is across the darn country in Denver. I also have a terrible memory. There are so many things that happen with Sullivan, he changes constantly. I love the idea of having a journal of him. There are so many things I go back to read about because they’ve escaped my mind already.
What are your top three favorite blogs?
1. The Bloggess: There have been times I’ve almost had water come shooting of my nose thanks to Jenny. Love her honesty, her sarcasm, and her randomness. Who else do you know that has a boar’s head on their wall? Has this boar’s head performed a Christmas miracle? James Garfield has.
(I would just like to interject here that The Bloggess is one of my favorite blogs, too. It’s not for the faint of heart, but it is HYSTERICAL. Good choice, Jen!)
2. Hyperbole and a Half: Another blog that makes me snort with laughter. You have to read her posts “The God of Cake” and “How a Fish Almost Destroyed My Childhood”.
3. Whoopee: If you like British humor, which I do, you will enjoy Antonia. If you don’t, well then pass on by to the last question. Antonia lives in London with her mustachioed lover Ian and two kids. She drops the F bomb sometimes and draws inappropriate things and she’s hysterical. If you want to realize how good you had it delivering your baby, read her post about delivering her baby Oscar.
What’s in your purse right now?
And now, I shall dive into the black hole of my purse! Ok….overstuffed wallet (it doesn’t even close), iPhone (an extension of my being), about 6 different lip glosses or stains (I’m obsessed), three packs of Trident Tropical Twist gum (addiction), many receipts from things that happened months ago, a small measuring tape (this thing has come in handy so many times), an eye glass kit with a screwdriver so I won’t lose that tiny super important screw again, a burp cloth (a necessity with a baby who has reflux), and a Tide stain remover pen (I’m pretty clumsy).
Be sure to check out Jen’s blog, Caved In: When Parenthood Collapses Around You. Thanks to Jen for being such a good sport!
It seems only appropriate that to start a new year, we should profile a new Reader of the Month, doesn’t it? I’m so happy to introduce you all to the first Reader of the Month for 2011, Kat King.
Kat has been a long-time reader of my blog and I have come to love reading her comments on my posts. When people comment regularly, I get to know them a little bit just like they get to know me and I love that. But I really got to know more about Kat on Twitter. And her Twitter comments peaked my interest and had me checking out her blog, Living Like the Kings, on a regular basis. Like other past Reader of the Months, Kat just seems like my kind of girl. Like someone I’d want to hang out with. And when she sent me her answers to my ROTM questions, it just confirmed that we are long-lost friends. Check out her engagement story – hysterical!
Okay, here we go…
What is your name?
Kat King
Who lives in your house?
Oldest to youngest:
Jon – aka the Hubs; the old man will be 28 in just over a month
Kat – aka me; a very young 27
Travis – aka Bubba; our 5-year old Yorkshire Terrier
Cailey – aka the Gremlin, our 3-year old Schnauzer Pug, or Snug
Addison – aka Peanut, P-nutty, P-nizzle; still in the womb
How long have you been married?
3.5 years
How did your husband propose?
I used to travel quite a bit and on the night in question was coming home from a business trip around midnight.  As usual, Jon and I were on the phone while I was driving home from the airport, chit chatting away. When I pulled in the driveway, I cheerfully told Jon that I was home and that he should promptly come outside and help me get my luggage. This was our routine. Except that night Jon said “no.â€Â Actually, he whined that he was already in his PJ’s and didn’t want to get out of bed. Fuming, I hung up the phone and dragged my heavy bag to the front door. Once inside, I noticed that the whole place had the lights dimmed, candles displayed around the room, roses on the table, the whole 9 yards.
Now here you’d think a light bulb would go off that my boyfriend of 8 months was going to propose…but we were 23 and it had only been 8 months! So, instead I thought he was being romantic and bolted upstairs. There I found more cutesy stuff along with a note for me to blind fold myself and proceed to the bedroom. Now we were talking! Assuming I was about to get lucky, I stripped down to my birthday suit, put on the blind fold and knocked on the bedroom door. There I found Jon in a suit, kneeling, with a ring. He mumbled something about spending our life together while my entire world spun in place and I temporarily went deaf. I ran and hid in the couch pillows, then finally came to, reached out for the ring, and said “Yes.â€Â All the while wearing my birthday suit.
What is your favorite part about being married to your husband?
I love always having my partner in crime by my side. He was my best friend before we started dating and that part of our relationship never changed. I love growing and navigating through life with him by my side and knowing that there is always someone there to lean on. It’s also great to have someone else pick up the slack, like taking care of the dishes or cleaning the house when you just don’t have the energy or time to take it on.
What is the hardest part about being married?
I think the hardest part is letting your significant other be themselves.  I like to get things done quickly when they come up while he likes to take the time and think through every little detail. I need constant action and attention while he enjoys parking his bottom on the couch for hours. I’m what you would call a “worrier†while my husband thinks that everything will just work out. There are times that it’s hard to remember that he’s there to balance you and your personality so that together you make sound decisions and that those crappy jokes once made you laugh and fall in love with him. After all, I married him because he is his own person and, although I often forget, I really like that about him.
What do you think is the “key” to your success in marriage?
Honestly, I have no idea. I think if I had to put my finger on it, it’d be trust and respect. Trust that your partner has your best intentions in mind when they’re making the decisions they make and respect them for who they are.  Oh, and share the remote. That’s a very important one in our household.
Did having children change your marriage? Â If yes, then how?
We’re actually expecting our first one any day now.  Being pregnant has brought us closer together. We’re way more tolerant toward one another and there is this shared coy smile when we both think that there’s something growing inside of me that we made. All by ourselves!
When is your baby due? Â And do you know if it’s a girl or boy yet?
Our baby girl is due January 15th. Which means that I’m ready to pop.
When did you start blogging?
February 2010. It’s almost my 1 year blog-aversary!
How often do you blog and how do you make time for it?
I try to blog at least 4-5 times a week. It’s become part of my routine. Work, cook dinner, eat dinner, plop on the couch and grab the laptop while hubs turns on the TV. I’m sure everything will change once the baby comes, but I hope I can still make time for what’s become one of my favorite hobbies and, quite frankly, an outlet.
Why do you blog?
I love to write, take pictures, and I’m a technology geek. I’ve kept a diary or a livejournal (does anyone remember those?) since I was a teenager so I could always go back and reflect on the past. Once I started blogging I learned that there is a whole community that’s supportive and caring. Now I can’t imagine what I would do without my blogger friends.
What are your top three favorite blogs (Please don’t include MC)
Pioneer Woman- Â Â I love all the recipes and photography advice.
How Sweet It is – she is hilarious! And again, the recipes are to die for.
Hyperbole and a half – If you haven’t seen this, you absolutely must. SO freakin’ funny, I have had to stop reading to catch my breath and make sure I don’t pee my pants.
What’s in your purse right now?
Oh boy. Can I start by saying that I swear I’ve been meaning to clean it? I’m just a little behind.
Tissues, some hair clips and a hair tie, a popcorn kernel, a clothes pin, a leaky pen, a Baby Depot coupon, a pocket knife, a target receipt, 2 wallets (a small one I bring places and a bigger one with coupons and receipts), mints, some cough drops, a mirror, eye drops, a Tide pen, matches (I have no idea why), make up, liquid bandage, Big Y coins, change, some loose dog treats, dog poop bags, lip gloss, gum and, of course, my iPhone.
Thanks for playing along and entertaining me with your answers, Kat!
Follow Kat on Twitter:Â MrsLLTKings
Check out Kat’s blog:Â Living With the Kings
********
Today I am grateful for Chris’ sister, Annie.
There are a few blogs that I read every single day. Erin’s is one of them. Meet the Blue Eyed Bride.
Whether she’s running errands with her adorable little boy, Hudson, or cheering for the South Carolina Gamecocks (who FSU is playing in the bowl games in the next couple weeks, by the way…), or volunteering at her church or for the Junior League (which I so desperately want to join!), Erin’s day-to-day life and her viewpoints and outlooks are like crack to me. Oh, and did I mention that we are both pregnant again at the same time? I just can’t get enough! And I’m sure after learning more about her, you’ll feel the same way…
What is your name?
Erin Carroll
Who lives in your house?
Erin (28), TC, (30), Hudson (18 months), Boudreaux (Golden Retriever, 5), and Fiona (Brussels Griffon, 4)
How long have you been married?
2.5 years- will be 3 years in May
How did your husband propose?
He took me on a walk around the Historic Horse Shoe on the University of South Carolina campus. He talked about the time we’d spent together and talked some more about things I can’t even remember. But I know he ended up on one knee in that gorgeous venue. I said “yes”, of course and we went to dinner. When I walked into the restaurant, I was surprised to see my mom, dad, and brother who had all traveled from Dallas to be there. TC’s parents and grandmother were there, too to celebrate with us. It was a perfect day!
What is your favorite part about being married to your husband?
I love being able to share the best days, the good days, and the bad days with my best friend. I love that if I want someone to talk to, he’s there. And I love that if we want to go to some fun activity, he’s the one I want to go with. And I love that he is the perfect person to witness this crazy life with me and our family!
What is the hardest part about being married?
Keeping things fresh and not getting so comfortable with each other that we lose respect for one another. It’s so easy to just go through the motions some days and forget to be affectionate and forget to speak kindly when we’re having a hard day. We are always toughest with the ones we love most, and reminding myself to think before I speak is a big challenge.
What do you think is the “key” to your success in marriage?
Remembering to laugh. We have lots of inside jokes and stories from the early days when we were flirting and talking and not yet dating. And those little anecdotes come out about once a week. Those anecdotes aren’t the key to success in marriage, of course, but they keep us smiling and remind us of how we got to where we are. It’s going to sound cliche, but communication is the key for us. I could talk and talk and talk until I’m blue in the face and it’s harder for TC to open up. But we make time for it and make it a point to talk through things that are really bothering us before they go too far.
Did having children change your marriage?
It’s hard to say. We had only been married almost five months when we found out we were pregnant. We were shocked and thrilled, but we haven’t had a lot of time just being married without a pregnancy or a baby. Having a child definitely made us focus and buckle down with our finances and our big goals. And those are heavy conversations for newlyweds, but we didn’t have a choice. We have kept things fun by planning nights out and nights away when we can. And we have a very easy child who loves to sleep, so we get lots of time together after 8 p.m.!
When is your baby due? And do you know if it’s a girl or boy yet?
We are due with our second boy around May 15.
When did you start blogging?
I began blogging in the fall of 2007. We were in the middle of our engagement and I wanted a way to kind of document the process and maybe blog about some wedding ideas. I didn’t blog too many wedding ideas because my mom was afraid of all of the wedding guests seeing the details before the big day and she wanted me to keep them off the blog. But I made some great friends in the first year of blogging and after the wedding, the blog evolved into a newlywed blog.
How often do you blog and how do you make time for it?
I don’t blog nearly as often as I used to or as often as I’d like to. I used to blog once a day and sometimes more often than that. Now I’m lucky if I blog four times per week. I jot down ideas as I think of them, so when Hudson naps, I’m able to hop on the computer and take 10-20 minutes to write a post. If the idea is already in my head, the words flow easily.
Why do you blog?
I blog to document our lives and I blog for the amazing community. Blogging has opened some doors for some very special friendships in my life and I’m not sure where I’d be as a SAHM without so many of those friendships.
What are your top three favorite blogs?
Fly Through Our Window, Tales of the Trees, and Chapters
What’s in your purse right now?
Three little zippy pouches and a wallet. The zippy pouches include 1.) lipstick and powder 2.) pens and a teeny notepad 3.) hand sanitizer and lotion
For more of Erin, visit her website or follow her on Twitter!
03Aug
I first got to know this month’s Reader of the Month because for some reason every single one of her comments on my blog gets filtered to my spam folder. I have no idea why. And she comments A LOT. So every day I cruise through my spam folder and save Megan’s comments from the pits of pornography and diet pill advertisements. She just doesn’t belong in there.
Then, Megan got on Twitter and I started to get to know her a little better through her Tweets. And it was through her tweeting that I found her sweet blog, Red Dirt and Crazy. The first thing that I noticed was that Megan had been through a moving funk very similar to mine when she and her family moved and I loved how determined she was to pull herself out of it with her 52 Week Happiness Project. And the next thing I noticed was her adorable daughter that she calls Q-Tip.
I hope you’ll have fun getting to know Megan and her family, just like I have…
Blog:Â Red Dirt and Crazy
Twitter:Â RedDirtandCrazy
What is your name?
My name is Megan Elizabeth. Most of my friends and family call me Meg.
Who lives in your house? (Names and ages, please!)
Me – I’m 25 + 5 (I don’t say the 3-0 word yet in regards to me. It sounds so grown up and responsible and I try not to be as often as possible.)
Farm Boy – He’s 30 (apparently he’s at peace with grown up and responsible)
Q-Tip – 21 months. Yes the month thing. Weird I know. Do you say 1? Cause she seems so much older than she did when she was 1. But she’s not 2…so I can’t say she’s 2 making her older than she is. I’m tired of the month thing and people look at me funny like they are doing math in their head when I say…21 months. But what do you say?
Dolly – She is 4, she is a dog. We have to remind her of that often.
How long have you been married?
Farm Boy and I have been married for 5 years. We just celebrated our anniversary on June 25th. There are moments when I am absolutely stunned that it has been that long. The time has flown. But on the other hand…it seems like there was nothing before I knew him.
How did your husband propose?
Being the Farmer Boy that he is…he took me out into an alfalfa field on a cold and rainy day in November. He was home visiting from North Carolina. I missed him so badly that I would have gone to hell with him to stay by his side while he was home so a muddy alfalfa field was nothing. He said he just wanted to check out the field…nothing unusual for him. Once we got out there he sort of hem hawed around a little…and then said…Megan, I need to ask you a question…will you marry me? He pulled a little tiny gold (I wear silver) ring out of his pocket. It had two small red stones and one small blue one in a straight line. It sort of resembled something that would come out of a cracker jack box. But hey…I would have worn a band-aid at that point. We had been apart for 6 months at the time. He kept asking if I liked it…of course I was crying…I kept saying yes, yes, yes. He said great…so I can take this one back then? And then he pulled the real thing out which was much more my style. And then the flood gates really opened. It was amazing, very surprising and…so us.
What is your favorite part about being married to your husband?
I could go on and on and on with this subject. But if I have to pick one…it is probably knowing that no matter what, he is here for me and wants to be with me. No matter how scary I look in the morning or how much bigger my hiney is…he loves me unconditionally. We are a team in everything that we do and there is nothing in the world like being able to depend on someone like that.
What is the hardest part about being married?
I would have to say the hardest part of being married to me is the responsibility of it. Sometimes the pressure of having a marriage, a child, and a home to take care of is insurmountable for me. Every now and then I have to step back and say…I am not alone…we’re a team and we can do this together. It’s tough sometimes though.
What do you think is the “key” to your success in marriage?
I think there are three keys to the success in our marriage. Well there are probably several but I think the three most important things to us is our faith, steady communication and lost of….hmmm mmm…â€action†in the bedroom.
It’s sometimes hard for me to feel like my former non-mom, more sexy self but I try to remind myself of his unconditional love and get over my insecurities. I feel it gives us a connection we can’t get any other way.
We also realize that neither of us can read the other’s mind. As much as I would like for him to sometimes…it ain’t gonna happen and I know this. I have to tell him how I feel and what I need. By not telling him and trying to make him guess I am doing nothing but setting him up for failure and vice versa. Although it’s not always easy…we talk everything out. We know have to.
Did having children change your marriage? If yes, then how?
Yes it did. In many ways it made us a stronger team. But it also made things a little more challenging for us. We never really had to work much at our relationship until we had Q-Tip. It came very natural for us. But after we each had more responsibility and less time with just the two of us. And having some issues with PPD and quite a lot of anxiety didn’t help matters. But, we work through it because she has made us three…and we feel forever blessed that we have her.
When did you start your blog?
I started my blog, Red Dirt & Crazy, in January of this year. It seems like it was a long time ago in a far away land.
How often do you blog and how do you make time for it?
My goal is to blog Monday through Friday. I take off on the weekends so that it doesn’t interfere with family time. I wish I could be better and write posts during the week for Saturday and Sunday but I tend to do better when I write spur of the moment. For some reason I have more of a block if I try to plan ahead.
My blogging time is during Q-Tip’s nap time in the afternoon. I’m not sure what in the world I’m going to do when she quits napping. I pray to the good Lord she continues on until Kindergarten! Because most generally if I don’t get to blog during naptime…I don’t get to blog at all. And if I don’t get to blog…I start twitching nervously.
Why do you blog?
Initially…I started blogging as a way to hold myself accountable to my friends. I was deep in the throws of a Moving Funk and I knew I had to get out of it. I wasn’t sure how I was going to be able to when all my friends were so far away from me. And I have learned that asking Farm Boy to hold me accountable for some things doesn’t work out so well. I thought if I started blogging about what I was doing to get myself out of it I would be more motivated to do it. The more I thought about blogging though my motives started changing. I started feeling like I could use it to channel my creativity as well. And then I started thinking that maybe I could help other people that were in some kind of funk. Help them by making them laugh. Help them by letting them know they weren’t the only one in a funk. Help them to know by reminding myself that perfection in motherhood, in marriage, and life in general isn’t possible. This really is a loaded question for me. I could probably go on and on with reason after reason. It’s simply amazing though how putting feelings or situations you’re in into words can help ease your mind. It’s been very liberating for me and I hope it has helped someone else along the way.
What are your top three favorite blogs?
Now Katie…I’m gonna have to get a little unruly on ya for this one. There is no way on this green earth I can pick just 3. I hope you don’t fail me on my questionnaire but it is what it is. And it’s probably a good thing that my computer time is limited or there would be no way I could narrow it down to the 8 that I did! And honestly…I’m scared to death that narrowing down to the 8 that I did is going to hurt someone’s feelings. But…for time purposes and because I’m already breaking rules and praying not to get an F…I’ll spare you the 20 or so that I think are great!
So here we go…in no certain order…
Confessions of a Young Married Couple…of course!
The Pioneer Woman – www.thepioneerwoman.com
I’m Gonna Kill Him – http://imgonnakillhim.com/
Best of Fates – http://bestoffates.com/
Big Mama – http://thebigmamablog.com/
Redneck Mommy – http://www.theredneckmommy.com/
Mama’s Losin It – http://www.mamakatslosinit.com/
Mommy Wants Vodka – http://www.mommywantsvodka.com/
What’s in your purse right now?
I have a purse that I rarely use. It’s too much for me to carry a diaper bag and a purse. I have a flap on the front of the diaper bag though…it’s my little pocket of stuff I probably don’t need. But I like to be prepared see. Prepared for such things as dry lips and germy hands. So…in my effort to be prepared the contents of my pocket are as follows…
1 coin purse
1 tube of Burt’s Bees chapstick
1 package of Orbit gum
1 roll of dental floss – dental hygiene is of the utmost importance
1 Washington DC pop out map
2 pair of sunglasses for Q-Tip – I have no idea how 2 pair ended up in there
1 ink pen
2 double A batteries – for the camera I always forget
2 outdated coupons for Victoria’s Secret
1 old grocery list
1 small bottle of germ x
1 small bottle of lotion – to battle the dry skin from the repeated use of the germ x
3 crayons
1 pony tail holder
1 bobby pin
1 toothpick holder
Oh…and a couple of unmentionable girly things.
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