Mommybloggers: Well, hello there, lovely Elaine! Thanks for participating!

Elaine: Always a pleasure to blabber.

Mommybloggers: We adore your clear, detail-rich writing style. Have you always been a writer?

Elaine:My mom is an amazing writer who always encouraged an imaginative life, supplying us with paints and pallets and clay and anything else we could afford to get our hands on. In high school, I started writing for the school newspaper and quickly made my way to editor-in-chief, enjoying the concise descriptive world five column inches allowed. I have a BA in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing (and a minor in Women's Studies) but college kinda sucked the creative urges out of me for a long time. Seriously, I only read magazines and fluff novels for a couple of years out, I was so burned up by the intensity of that experience. Blogging is finally getting me back to writing.

Mommybloggers: How did you get into blogging? Is it a platform to share your thoughts with others, or a more personal exploration?

Elaine: When my first daughter was born a good friend came to stay with us for a month. She talked about finding the journal her mother kept during her first year of parenting and was so delighted to read about that transition into motherhood. Even when the pages held nothing more than, "You cried all day, you little shit" it made her laugh and feel so much closer to her mom. I wanted that for my kids. I actually started out writing every post directly to my daughter, but found that to be a bit limiting. I also use blogging as a way to process all the emotional crap involved in parenting. So many people seem to think that parenting should be one thing, when your personal experience can be so incredibly different. I end up writing a lot of sappy stuff, but when I'm lucky those girls of mine give me some brilliantly funny material! I guess I do this for my girls and for myself. It's allowed me to return to writing in a really supported way.

Mommybloggers: You chronicled the home birth of your second daughter on your blog, as well as many other family events, both joyous and heartbreaking. How has your family reacted to your blog?

Elaine: Anya's birth was so freaking liberating and fantastic, I kind of felt obligated to preach the brilliance of homebirthing. But then, I'm obnoxious that way and will openly talk about cloth diapers, cosleeping, vaccine choices, breastfeeding and the like. My family is aware of those views and is very supportive. Honestly though, my husband doesn't even read Wannabe Hippie. I think he feels that it's an outlet I need and doesn't want to get in the way. My mom does reads and that has caused a little tension over the years. Mostly though, it's allowed us to have really important conversations and to forgive each other a lot of crap from my less than stunning teen years when I was evil. She has never once asked me to stop writing and for the most part is very proud of what I write there.

Mommybloggers: Talk to us about the name: Wannabe Hippie conjures up different impressions for different people. What does it mean to you?

Elaine: I'm one of the fortunate few reared by half hippies. My mom was into very natural choices in parenting but didn't do any of the irresponsible stuff usually associated with hippies. I take a lot of my cues in parenting from her, breastfeeding, cloth diapering, questioning doctors, creative expression, etc. But I'm a total geek at heart, loving the way technology intertwines with our lives and a little too fond of my TV. I'd love to be someone who gives up her modern vices and lives off the land, but it's so not gonna happen.

Mommybloggers: Creativity and good humor seems to be a central fixture in your home. How do you honor your own creativity?

Elaine: I get really cranky if I don't have some sort of creative outlet. Writing really mellows me out, as does photography. I'm learning to knit and occasionally paint something random. I'm also starting to get into the whole cooking thing, you know, now that I have all these hungry people hanging around my house for which I am somehow responsible. I love creating stuff with my toddler, even if it's just a pile of broken chips she declares is a house she built.

Mommybloggers: You're a founding member of the wonderful group blog Mama Says Om. Tell us how it came about.

Elaine: Krystyn and I were blabbering on about some random thing on the phone one day when we started talking about the idea of a collaborative blog. There was another mama who had brought up the idea to Krystyn and so when I mentioned it, we decided to make it happen. That other mama didn't ultimately chose to be part of Mama Says Om but we pulled in two amazing artists, Christina of My Topography and Kelly of Glimpse from a Bubble . We have a blast together and love looking at the different explorations of a common theme each week. Our contributors are so creative and expressive and share such beautiful and funny moments from their lives; I love going there every day to click through.

Mommybloggers: Your weekly explorations of themes are so inspirational for your readers…what's next for Mama Says Om?

Elaine: The site just went through a major overhaul courtesy of our very own web vixen, Krystyn. She's a stunning web artist and every time she messes with the site, does something that makes all of us go, "ooohhhh! Ahhhhh!" Seriously, she kicks ass. As far as content goes, we're loving the weekly themes and enjoy working on these assignments together. Every time we sit down (virtually) to come up with the next series of ideas, we really have a blast laying in the themes we're excited about and sometimes linking them up to the special events in our own lives. For instance, I'm looking forward to tackling "juicy" on my Anniversary! Overall, we're very much married to the concept of Mama Says Om as a collaborative site and will flow with whatever that means for it's future.

Mommybloggers: You ran an experimental theater group in Southern California before the girls were born. How has your experience with drama prepared you for motherhood? Any plans to return to the theater?

Elaine: I was the Managing Director for an established alternative theatre with a small budget and a huge reputation. When I came on board the Artistic Director had been running the whole show on her own for a while and was just so thankful to have anyone in the office with her! I learned so much from her and from the two years I spent there, I feel really lucky to have had the opportunity. Multitasking, creative money management, artistic exploration, the care and handling of very odd creatures, manipulating politicians… you name it, I learned how to do it. Now that I'm a mom, that think-on-your-feet, improvise-and-adapt mentality has saved my ass on more than one occasion. I'll always be involved in theatre on one level or another, but for now I'm loving the SAHM gig.

Mommybloggers: Your family is very active, and you enjoy traveling with your kids. Balancing the needs of toddlers, babies, dogs and parents is a challenge under the best of circumstances. What's your secret?

Elaine: I'm a Virgo, so I'm a planner. I arm myself with maps, distractions for the kids, lots of plastic bags, over pack a bit and then hope to hell the whole world can keep it together. We also only travel to places we know will be accepting and supportive of who we drag along. We have a book for traveling with your dog that details every hotel, park and restaurant in California known for their dog friendly ways. We stop a lot, plan driving around naps and just hope for the best. Despite the fact that I plan things out, we do like to build in wiggle room so we can let the conditions dictate our path. Seriously, it's an exercise in letting go!

Mommybloggers: We read that you are encouraging your playgroup to join you on family hikes. We love it! Have you got any words of wisdom for moms who are hesitant to take the kids on a trail?

Elaine: The trails we pick are pretty easy going. I usually strap the baby to me in a sling and then let my toddler pick the path. We think of hiking as an opportunity to learn and will stop and watch a caterpillar cross the road for ten minutes or see how rocks, when thrown in a stream, will create ripples. Always bring a snack for the end of the hike. Always.

Mommybloggers: We hope you'll give us a call when you're ready to launch the commune. We'll bring finger-foods and dip!

Elaine: Thanks for having me!

Mommybloggers: And here are the questions we subject all of our featured bloggers to (With apologies to Bernard Pivot and Inside the Actors Studio):

1. What is your favorite parent related word? HEY!

2. What is your least favorite parent related word? Poop

3. What is your favorite creative censored curse word used around children? Crap… although it's starting to catch on, so I'm going to have to loose it.

4. What is your favorite hiding place within your home when you need to get away from it all? The shower.

5. What hiding place have you been found in too often and can no longer use? Oh god, you mean that can happen? I'm locking the door to the bathroom from now on.

6. If Oprah exists, what would you like to hear her say when you arrive at the Oprah Winfrey show when she features the Mommybloggers? Don't worry honey, you didn't screw those kids up too badly.

Come visit us tomorrow as we feature a wonderful essay from Elaine of Wannabe Hippie.