You know me: I just never promote or recommend a product on any of my blogs. But fellow Mommy-Bloggers, I have discovered a website that absolutely rocks, and it's great for homeschoolers and parents as well as your child's teachers.

I am just so EXCITED over this discovery!

Steve Spangler Science takes the experiments into your kitchen or back yard, and encourages your kids to get down and dirty with them. With Steve's advice, freebies, and budget-conscious kits and products, your child will learn that good science doesn't exist within the pages of a dry textbook or even within the four walls of a classroom. Good science is all around us, and when a child is allowed - nay, ENCOURAGED - to make loud noises and blow things up and walk on water and make geysers and create glow-in-the-dark alien goo and lava lamps and potato-shooters (NOT guns!), our children will become enthusiastic and excited and eager to learn more.

I have always believed that a good lesson not only teaches our children something important: it also encourages our children to try and discover MORE and MORE, and to make connections.

I can't begin to tell you how much I am enjoying my discoveries on Steve Spangler Science. And, you can even sign up for a free "Experiment of the Week!" FREE!

Right now, Steve Spangler is running a contest on his blog, and if you enter, you might win TEN DOLLARS' worth of science coolness for your children! It's easy to enter; all you have to do is look at the bees and make a guess.

Bees? Well, you'll just have to go there and check it out. I think it's FANTASTIC.

As parents, we want to help our children think "out of the box," and the kind of science Steve Spangler encourages is perfection plus. Steve's experiments also involve ordinary household things, such as baking soda or cornstarch, that are in the pantry anyway. There isn't much expense with Spangler experiments. It's also good for our children when they see the adults in their lives participating and enjoying.

I've seen Steve Spangler on "Ellen," and he's all over You-Tube. Remember that awesome Mentos/Diet Coke geyser experiment? That's Steve Spangler!

My kids are in their twenties, and my neighbor's children are seven and eleven, and I'm in my, um, anonymous middle years, and I'm not sure who had the most fun doing that in my back yard!

Steve Spangler Science is having a contest! Go enter it right now; maybe you'll win it.

Posted by Mamacita at 6:09 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

This week on Mommybloggers we are featuring the always fun and very adored Marsha of Sweatpants Mom. We have been fans of hers for a very long time and are thrilled to be able to feature her. With a mixture of humor, snark and always honest with her opinions, Sweatpants Mom has become a favored blogger by many in not only the mom blogging community, but in the blogging world in general. It did not take us long to realize that this is one woman we admire and want to share her greatness with you. Though we could gush with our personal opinions of her, we would rather let you hear from her readers and fans. They are the ones that rock her blog with comments and adoration.

.

Jamie of Blonde Mom had no hesitation in letting us know how hilarious she thinks Marsha is and how much she admires her writing.

Marsha is one of the funniest bloggers out there. As a mom to two daughters, I can relate to so much of what she writes about. She always makes me laugh!

Jodi of Jodi's World was quick to point out her reasons for loving Marsha. (And we know there are many!)

Why do I love Marsha from Sweatpants Mom? Well, that's easy. She rocks. And she almost always makes me laugh. And I really love to laugh. Her writing style is never preachy, she is a Mom, a very funny Mom, who is muddling through early morning wake up calls and school lunches like the rest of us. Blog on Sweatpants Mom! :)

Contrary of the blog (aptly named) Contrary spills the beans on how, though they may be night and day in some areas, that does not stop her from singing the praises of one of her favorite bloggers.

The thing I like best about SPM ( aka Marsha, Marsha, Marsha!) is that even though I suspect she and I are complete opposites in all the most important matters, I know I would still be perfectly happy spending several hours sipping alcoholic beverages and talking about absolutely everything with her. She's hilarious, irreverent, goofy, kinda weird, a tad snarky, and she doesn't bore me half to death talking about her latest shoe purchase. Which makes her worth her weight in donuts. With sprinkles, even.

Early in her mommyblogging addiction, Mary Tsao realized that she found a funny and adorable blogger in Marsha. She tells us all about her admiration and her reasons that Marsha is a go-to blog when Mary needs a giggle in her day.

I found sweatspants mom and her blog Sweatpants Mom very early on in my mommyblogging addiction. That sweatpants mom is one funny lady! Whenever she posts (which isn't often enough... hint hint!) I get a smile on my face. When I'm having a really rough day, I dig through her archives just for a chuckle. Because c'mon, who can't relate to a mom wearing sweatpants?! Thank goodness I now can read sweatpants mom on Babble's FameCrawler blog. Daily, snarky sweatpants mom! Hurray!

Be sure to stay tuned later today for our fun interview with Marsha aka: Sweatpants Mom. You won't want to miss the fun chat we had with her. In the meantime, if you need your fix of her writing, feel free to visit her blog, but definitely come back later today for her interview. You will enjoy it!

Posted by Jenn Satterwhite at 8:47 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

She had us at "Chardonnay" and kept us with her humor. Today we are delighted to introduce to you the hilarious woman behind the blog Baby On Bored and the very entertaining author of Sippy Cups Are Not for Chardonnay: And Other Things I Had to Learn as a New Mom. Stefanie Wilder-Taylor is always always entertaining and very charming with just enough snark to keep you on your toes. After one conversation with her, you feel as if you are BFFs. Always willing to share her advice, wisdom and humor with friends and strangers alike, she has a way of making everyone around her feel at ease and laugh with her. With Stefanie, what you see is what you get. Trust me, she is that friend who will tell you what you need to hear even if you don't want to hear it and you will love her for it! From the massively complimentary things her readers have to say about her, they obviously love what they are getting when they get to know her. She used to be a TV writer but now she entertains us with her blog, her books and her live show in LA called Nobody Likes A Yappy Skirt. We here at Mommybloggers have come to adore her, but we wanted to give her readers a chance to sing her praises as well.

Marsha of Sweatpants Mom couldn't wait to dish about her immediate adoration of Stefanie.

Baby On Bored was one of the first blogs I’d read. I liked Stefanie immediately because she came across as funny and spontaneous and you could tell she was always going to say what was on her mind, dammit. She also reminded me of that one girlfriend you have that will always be honest with you, that won’t hesitate to tell you that you’ve got bean dip on your chin or that those jeans make your hips look like they could fill the Grand Canyon.

Also, she was just bossy enough to make me a little bit afraid of her. In fact, I remember getting an email from her asking why she wasn’t on my blogroll, and I think I stopped what I was doing and rushed to my computer to put her on there because I was seriously afraid she was going to trace my ISP, come over and kick my ass.

(You know, I just realized that I’m not on her blogroll. Stef, you’d better put me on there after you read this.)

JUST KIDDING, STEF! Really! Okay? Stef? Stef?

When Erin of Queen of Spain decided to share with us her feelings about Stefanie, she had no trouble summing it up with more than one all caps words. (That is passion, people!) Here is what she told us about her experience being around Stefanie.

Stefanie ROCKS! Why? For starters, every single time I've been in a room with her SHE has EVERYONE's attention. I love her for it. AND she puts on this super cool, totally hip show in LA and I sat in the audience and watch her and was STARstruck. Stefanie RULES!!!

Joy of Gingajoy would've made us crush on Stefanie simply from her praise had we not already been in the crushing stage. With her "GO Stefanie" battle cry, this is what she enthusiastically shared with us.

First, I want it to be said that Stephanie is breathtakingly gorgeous, and surely must have some kind of eating disorder in order to be that thin. Either that or it's the liquid diet and the brazenly irresponsible but glamorous life she must surely lead.

Now that I have got that important stuff out of the way, let me say this. Thank Christ for Stephanie. Writers like her are the reason I think the mommyblogosphere is something to be reckoned with. As I watched her go the rounds the second time with Meredith and Dr. Moral Majority, I was struck by how gracefully she held her ground in the face of all this nonsense and reminded us that not everything needs to be turned into a moral issue.

We need voices like this to insightfully and humorously cut-through-the-bullshit. Her blog achieves this, and Sippy Cups Are Not for Chardonnay should be the first thing you buy for any mom-to-be. Parenting has become such an ideological battleground these days. We're surrounded by books. As we delve into the books to find The Answer on how to raise our kids without maiming them for life, what we often end up with is a major guilt trip and more confusion. Someone like Stephanie brings a voice of reason to those new and freaked out mothers surrounded by parenting manuals, "You're doing just fine. Join the gang. Cocktail?" Because we are all doing our best—whether you carry your baby in a sling all day or let your child C.I.O.--we're all doing our best. Sometimes we need reminding of that, and we need to laugh our asses of in the process.

I absolutely remember discovering Baby on Bored and knowing right away that Stefanie was someone I wanted to get to know better. She’s funny, smart, accomplished, and opinionated as all hell – my kind of woman. And she kicked ass on the Today Show like nobody’s business. The fact that she’s so completely likable is pretty much the only thing keeping me from being too envious to read her.

Be sure to visit Stefanie's blog Baby on Bored if you need your fix before this afternoon when we feature the fun and very entertaining interview we had with Stefanie. She took on the serious and the funny with the grace of a pro. You won't want to miss this terrific chat with one hilarious woman!

Posted by Jenn Satterwhite at 8:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Mommybloggers.com is thrilled to introduce a new feature of our site today. We're known for featuring outstanding individual bloggers, which we adore. Yet, there is a whole community of wonderful collaborative sites written by and for blogging parents that deserve kudos. We're kicking off our first collaborative blogging feature with the Silicon Valley Moms Blog.

Just over a year old, SV Moms Blog has already built an impressive readership and reputation as a go-to source for families in the Silicon Valley area. With over 40 fantastic contributors on board, founders Jill Asher, Tekla Nee, Pamela Miller-Hornik and Beth Blecherman have created an amazing site that has received enthusiastic press and attention, from the very first month.

We asked some of their many contributors to share why they love writing for SV Moms:

Thida, blogger at SVM and Water Owl's Movements finds it a safe haven:

I like blogging for Silicon Valley Moms Blog, because I feel any topic I want to blog about is okay. I can blog about American Idol, or my son's tumor. And yeah American Idol relates to my kids because my son is a big fan of Melinda. ;)

It also feels safe and nice to blog there. People read my posts and respond appropriately. Not always agreement but definitely on topic. I've been blogging for over five years. After my son was born and so sick, I had to stop blogging on Blogspot for months, because every time I'd post about my son's feeding issues, I'd get comment spam about dieting. So painful when your child is on a feeding tube.

Also if things get busy or rough and I stop writing posts, after a while, I get these sweet little email nudges from Jill. :) Are you still with us? Yes!

Stephanie fo Adventures In Babywearing, a new SVM contributor and soon to be Chicago Moms blog writer.

Everyone at SVM has been so welcoming and encouraging to us new soon-to-be Chicago Moms bloggers. We are excited to be part of the sister blog to SVMs.

Katie Roper loves the ease of participation:

Jill, Beth, Tekla, and Pamela make it so easy to contribute! They are a joy to work with - giving us just the right amount of both prodding and encouragement. I had always wondered about Blogging, and I'm so glad now I can do it, in a way that fits into my working & parenting schedule.

Jen at One Plus Two likes the local aspect:

I enjoy participating in the SVMoms blog because it offers a local perspective, well balanced in humor and honesty, reflecting personal challenges and rewards to parenting and living in the Silicon Valley. The diversity of voices makes it clear we are all not cut from the same cloth, but it's the fabric that binds us together as we all raise our kids in our community.

Glennia Campbell of The Silent I and Kimchi Mamas is NOT a sucker:

When Jill and Pamela asked if I wanted to write for the SV Moms Blog, I had no idea exactly what that meant, or how a collaborative blog worked. If you haven't had the pleasure of meeting them, just let me say that it is impossible to "just say no" to either one of them and when they team up, they are an unstoppable force of nature.
Ultimately, I guess you could say that I succumbed to peer pressure Next thing you know, the two of them will be egging me on to try Twitter or Facebook some other Web 2.0 crack. I am such a sucker.

I think the appeal of the blog is that we try to show our commonality as women and mothers, as people who think and dream and create. There are times when the blog is controversial and other times when we hit on truths that transcend our differences. There are stories that you can relate to and some things you just can't imagine. To paraphrase Forrest Gump, "[The Silicon Valley Moms Blog] is like a box of chocolates. You just never know what your gonna get." It's been a privilege to be a part of this group.

"I'm so happy to have had the opportunity to blog with SV Moms. It's not only given me something to do with all my free time as a working mommy, I can now fill my days reading other blogs as well. Actually, I am unbelievably impressed with how quickly this has taken off, thanks to the skills of Jill, Pam, Tekla and Beth, and I feel lucky to be part of all these hot mommy bloggers."

Check back with us this afternoon, as we sit down with the founders for a little Q&A! You won't want to miss this one!

Posted by Jenny Lauck at 11:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Mommybloggers is proud to feature the lovely and hilarious Jennster, of Jennster.com. We first met this free-wheeling mommyblogger at BlogHer in 2006, and were instantly drawn in by her infectious laugh and outrageous sense of humor. Okay, well, we were a little scared first, but THEN we were ready to commit to matching tattoos, so great was our admiration. In searching for a photo to run with this entry, we struggled to find one of Jennster alone - this girl knows how to have a good time, and is apparently surrounded with laughter and friends at all time.

With her forthright writing style and irreverent take on everything from wedding plans to parenting, Jennster is a authentic individual. Never mundane, Jennster keeps her readers coming back with hilarious entries and great photographs. We just adore her. And we knew her readers would have plenty to add to our praise -

Mieke thinks Jennster rocks -

What can I say about Jennster? She is one of the very first bloggers I found, and was instantly "hooked". I love her no-nonsense and the way she just puts her feelings out there. I can really relate to a lot of the things she talks about. She is also incredibly hilarious and when she posts pictures you will see what I mean! I love reading her posts! Jennster Rocks!

Jennster is the kind of blogger where you just don't know what you're going to get, but whatever it is, it's awful tasty. She can go from crazy pics of herself at a work party, to thoughtful posts about mothering. She's definitely the queen of the unexpected. And she doesn't use caps. If that's not cool, then I don't know what is.

Mary Tsao of Mom Writes sees Mieke's "rocks" and raises -

Jennster is one of the funniest and most honest bloggers I know. She's just a fun and a nice person and her posts clearly reflect those facts. For some reason, I'm bummed that I never got the chance to live with her in the dorms, even though she's probably ten years younger than I am and I have no idea where she went to school. I just think she would be a really fun roommate. I'm so glad I got the chance to meet her at last year's BlogHer conference. She rocks!

Marsha, the very enthusiastic blogger behind sweatpantsmom gets all up in the spirit with her praise -

How can you NOT like someone who has the balls to put an exclamation point (!) at the end of their name? In fact, before I started reading Jennster!'s blog I was definitely more of a period (.) person, or even a question mark (?)

But her enthusiasm is catching! Her love for her son and her fiancé is apparant in every post she writes!! Even when she writes about having unanatural feelings about her wedding cake, it's with an underlying spirit that just makes you want to hit that exclamation point key!!!!!!!

Love you Jennster!

Beth's praise arrived after we published, but we're adding it in now -

I enjoy reading her blog because of the humor, obviously, about everyday things. something could happen to her that could be really horrible, but she'll put a crazy spin on it and get a laugh out of it. Like recently, she was talking about how she doesn't fit in with the other moms at her kid's school....and I feel the same way! It's nice to know that you're not the only crazy person feeling this way, ya know?

I think she's great.

Be sure to check back later this afternoon as we post our interview with the fantastic Jennster!

Posted by mommybloggers at 11:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0)

This week, we're excited to introduce you to Erin, author of the hilarious and razor-sharp blog Queen of Spain. Not exactly a shrinking violet, Erin pulls no punches as she takes on everything from child-rearing to sex to politics with her quick wit and insight. A former award-winning journalist in Los Angeles, Erin can also be found at BlogHer, DotMoms and at The Huffington Post.

We love Erin's bold take on her universe. And we're not the only ones. We asked a few of her readers to share why Erin is so special:

Dana Tuszke loves her fearless approach:

Erin is spectacular. I adore her brutal honesty, her fearless approach to motherhood and her devotion to not only her husband and children, but to her friends. She will go to bat for any person she feels has been treated unfairly. Erin isn't afraid to say what she thinks which makes her an excellent writer and journalist. She has taught me to stand up for myself and for what I believe in, regardless of our differences, because our convictions are something that can't be taken from us. Erin truly deserves the title of Queen.

Sarah, Goon Squad Sarah speaks from personal experience:

I've known Erin for about 10 years now and her personality is reflected in her blog. She is completely open to anything and she'll be right there to help you out if you need her. When I have something really hilarious happen to me in the bedroom (you know, the kind of story you can't just tell anybody) she is the one I call first.

Janet from Dancing Through just adores Erin:

Erin just cracks me up with her humor and her honesty about life. I enjoy reading her posts and I really feel like she gets it! She gets life. (Mommyhood, love and humor...etc. all those things we go through on a daily basis) I adore her and her blog.

I love Erin because I found her by "accident" and then couldn't stop reading because she is so talented and funny and real. I don't really believe in accidents, so I feel like I was meant to meet her. I love that she's such a great person, and I love that I was able to help her through her thyroid surgery. I wish there had been more I could do, but I am glad that what little I did was helpful. I love that she tells the truth about how she is feeling, and is open about things some other people might not tell. I love that she makes me feel like I am not alone with things.

Seeing as Erin knows way more about me than practically anyone, it is in my best interests to ensure a positive spin on her personality:

- she shows her boobs, a lot;
- she probably is the World's Hottest Mommyblogger, right after me;
- she is a highly driven Mom, Wife, Friend and Confidante;
- her ability to write in any capacity makes me want to lure her husband away so I can marry her myself;
- she paid me $400 to write this.

What I really love about Erin are her big brass balls when it comes to not censoring her blog. Her in-your-face, honest truths make me applaud her for being so brave. I adore so much about Erin, there's not enough bandwidth to handle it all. She really is one of my best friends.

Posted by mommybloggers at 8:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

This week, Mommybloggers.com is thrilled to be featuring the lovely Jessica of Kerflop. Jessica is the busy mom of three adorable kids, and somehow manages to stay on top of two online businesses - VeryBaby.com and One Stop Diaper Shop, in addition to writing her hilarious entries on Kerflop.

We love Jessica's honest, tongue-in-cheek take on the daily chaos that accompanies life with three kids. From the saga of her hair, to trying to prepare for a home appraisal on super-short notice - Jessica never fails to make us smile.

We're not alone in our admiration for Jessica, either. We asked some of Jessica's many fans to share some thoughts with us...take a look at this glowing praise!

Sunny is inspired by Jessica:

Jessica's not afraid to try something new or challenging, and she's completely honest about being a real person with real faults. It's so inspiring to have a blog like hers to read that is full of interesting stories and great ideas, written with such humor and openness. I love Kerflop!

OMSH loves how Jessica's personality shines through in her writing:

Jessica is a close friend. Many late night phone calls ranting, raving, asking advice, sharing stories, and best yet, laughing our butts off, have cemented my love for her and her blog. When I read her, I can hear her voice - and because it is honest and makes no excuses, it makes me want to read more. And yes, she is JUST that funny, creative, precious, beautiful and bizarre. Don't ya just love a girl with layers?

Jessica is one of the most thoughtful, intelligent and entertaining bloggers I read. I love her ability to tackle tough issues in a fresh way, taking the time and brain power to write quality posts and then respectfully going back and forth in discussion with her readers. If there’s some drama going on in the world, you can count on Jessica to write about it in a way that’s smart, fair and completely original.

Loralee Choate recently spent some time with Jessica, and has authority on the cuteness that is Kerfloppy:

I heart "Kerfloppy".

I first went to Jessica's site on a recommendation from a friend who told me, "There is some mom in Idaho who wrote the funniest post about having to wear a satin teal prom dress with permed hair. You have to try reading her!"

So, I did.

Between seeing her children's Flickr photos labeled as "Spawn" and reading about her horrific realization her newly-cut bangs made her look disturbingly like Jennifer Love Hewitt in "The Ghost Whisperer", I knew Jessica was going to be a "Must read blog". I was right! Since then, I've enjoyed her blog daily and have loved every single morsel she's tossed at us clamoring pigeons of groupie-worship.

It is unfathomable that Jessica could be even funnier, wittier and cuter in person than she is on the Internet, but she is. You can't even get the satisfaction of being petty and hating her guts for it because she's so darn "Likable". She even charmed my geek husband with her vast knowledge of all things "Technical". This is no small feat considering she is a Mac user.

She has the cutest giggle in the Rocky Mountains and can make one mean flow chart. However, Kerfloppy's best attributes are that she is "Real", kind, and generous with her time and talents. It doesn't hurt that she has great hair and is stinking hilarious, either.

All the best, Jessica!

MWAH!

Posted by mommybloggers at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

This Valentine's Day, Mommybloggers is thrilled to feature our dear friend Amanda. Amanda first came to our attention at BlogHer 2005. We'll admit, it was her gorgeous smile and glorious hair that drew us toward her. Once we were caught in her tractor beam, we were delighted to find that she is a mommyblogger after our own hearts. Her writing is open, eloquent and full of love for her husband and children - even on the bad days.

Her wit and poignant stories about raising her two beautiful kiddos can be found at MandaJuice. Amanda also finds time to share her financial know-how and the trials and tribulations of trying to stick to a budget at her ClubMom blog - The Naked Ledger. We adore Amanda's honest, hilarious, and often touching portrayals of her family life.

We put a call out to some of her fans, and they flooded our inbox with praise for Amanda -

Elizabeth Table for Five, who knows a thing or two about good blogging herself, has this to say:

What I like best about Amanda's blog is the way she writes about her children. She celebrates every milestone, no matter how small, and you can feel the depth of her love for them in every post. And she posts lots of photos of them, and they are outrageously adorable! I met Amanda at BlogHer '06, and in person she is just as sweet and cool as she is on her blog.

It was love at first read for Jenijen of Not Calm (dot com):

I met Amanda at BlogHer in 2005, and have been reading her ever since. Not only is she a master of the enjoyable-to-read conversational style that I really like in a blog, she takes gorgeous photos. (Course, given her subject matter, you could say she's cheating a little.)

At last summer's BlogHer, I got to talk with her a little bit and discovered that she is very much the way she seems in print: funny, quick-witted, and down-to-earth.

And she's right; you can never talk too much about boobs.

Mary Tsao of Mom Writes appreciates Amanda's honest and affectionate take on motherhood:

I love Amanda because she's so down to earth and honest. She loves her kids and she loves being a mom; that shows clearly in her writing. It shows in real life, too, and I've had the pleasure of meeting Amanda through our participation in BlogHer and other mommyblogging events. I also appreciate the fact that Amanda isn't afraid to reveal the downside of motherhood in her posts when the situation warrants it, and yet she's generally an upbeat person. As a fellow mommyblogger, I can relate to about 99.9% of her posts with the exception of her history with gastric bypass surgery. And that's another thing! She isn't afraid to talk about the fact she's had surgery and how it's changed her life. In so many ways, she's an inspiration to many women bloggers. I hope she knows that! Thanks for featuring Amanda.

JenB of Jenandtonic sums it up perfectly:

Amanda is one of the loveliest people I have ever met. For serious. Before the first BlogHer (’05), we had spoken a bit in chat and email and we both decided to go to the conference. Amanda immediately offered her home and a pick up and delivery to the airport. I ended up staying at the hotel, but she chauffeured me around San Jose and it was like we had known each other forever. We lamented we weren’t neighbours. She let me touch her glorious hair as much as I wanted. She took me shopping! She is smart and witty and friendly and funny and fabulous. I really do wish we were neighbours, somewhere where I could avoid snow.

Check back later this afternoon as we share our recent chat with the lovely Amanda!

Posted by mommybloggers at 11:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

This week we have a fun loving and completely adorable Sarah of Sarah and the Goon Squad. We met Sarah at BlogHer this past summer and have developed our crush in the months that have followed. Sarah lives in the Washington D.C. Metro area with her husband and 2 1/2 year old twins. She used to consider herself a SAHM, but writing for her personal blog Sarah and the Goon Squad, BlogHer, her sports blog Draft Day Suit, Best Bucs Blog, and now Strollerderby she now sees herself as a more of a WAHM. (Though good luck getting her to call herself a writer. She still stumbles on the word. But this woman is an incredible writer! ) She spends way too much time thinking about football, food, and wine.

We here at Mommybloggers are big fans of Sarah's. But, when we told people we were featuring her, there certainly were no shortages of fans eager to praise one of their favorite bloggers. We'll hand the blog over to them now.

Karen Rani of Troll Baby jumped to the front of the line elbowing out other bloggers to sing the praises of Sarah:

Sarah and I met at BlogHer, but I loved her long before that. I read every single post of hers - she's always fun and upbeat. She was so amazingly warm and friendly at BlogHer, and offered to bring me up to Erin (Queen of Spain's') hotel room despite the fact Erin was showering. Sarah is one of those people you automatically feel comfortable and at ease with. I'm sure she was frightened over me spilling my entire PPD story on her, but if she was, she didn't show it. I adore Sarah to pieces, and I can't say enough good things about her.

And since I wrote this while intoxicated, the following is completely warranted: "I LOVE YOU MAN!"

Julie of mothergooosemouse couldn't wait to tell us of her adoration of Sarah with an eager "Heck yeah, I'll tell you about Sarah!":

What I love most about Sarah is that she is just SO. MUCH. FUN. She's exactly who she seems to be: outgoing and friendly, with plenty of snark to make you laugh your arse off. I look forward to causing trouble with her at BlogHer '07.

Not to be left out of the love-fest for one of our beloved bloggers, Cathy of Mayberry Mom jumped right in with her eagerness to talk about Sarah, she exclaimed:

I checked out SATGS after I met Sarah at BlogHer last year, and I've been hooked ever since. Visiting her blog is like dropping by a friend's house, unannounced, and getting both a warm welcome and a cold beer. She's real, funny, and opinionated without being obnoxious--what more could you want in a blogger?

Beth of So the fish said was very excited to bring on her enthusiasm for this amazing blogger when she gave us her heartfelt praise for one of her daily reads:

Sarah has incredibly sexy armpits and the best dual-naked-baby-bottom pictures you have ever seen. She also somehow has the super-human ability to deal with dueling toddler meltdowns with a smile on her face and have both kids happy and eating cheerios in ten seconds flat while carrying on an actual adult conversation the entire time. Oh, wait. Was I supposed to talk about her blog? Sarah is one of my daily must-reads because she is a fabulous writer, viciously funny and just all-around entertaining. Go. Read. You will be glad that you did.

We could go on and on with praise from her fans because there was no shortage of people wanting to tell us of their adoration for her.

Be sure to stay tuned later today for our fun interview with Sarah of Sarah and the Goon Squad. You won't want to miss the fun chat we had with her. In the meantime, if you need your fix of her writing, feel free to visit her blog, but be sure to come back later today for her interview.

Posted by Jenn Satterwhite at 8:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (0)

This week we are thrilled to bring you the always entertaining and very charming Julie of Mothergoosemouse. We adored her at BlogHer and have stalked followed her writing and projects since then. Julie is one of those amazing women where what you see is what you get. There are no false pretenses or phoniness when it comes to this blogger. She is genuinely as nice and as sweet as she appears on her blog. Julie has been blogging for a couple of years now and yet she still continues to amaze us with her stories as we learn more and more about her. Julie is the mother of two girls, living and writing in the wild, wild West. She's the modern reincarnation of a 1950's mom, advocating a return to the lost arts of embroidery, baking, handwritten thank you notes, and turning the cell phone off during dinner. She also likes rap music.

In addition to her own blog, Julie writes for Cool Mom Picks (and was able to go review cars at the Detroit Auto Show!) and contributes to The Soccer Mom Vote. She recently launched Parent Bloggers with Kristen Chase.

We could go on, but we know you would rather hear from her fans and friends.

Izzymom was more than happy to jump in with her praise for Julie:

I always enjoyed Julie's blog but I got to know her better at BlogHer '06. Yes, she's really nice and a great writer. Those are a given. What you may not know about Julie is that she is totally real and honest and loyal and fun and so very cool. LOVE HER!

Amy Davis from The Lovely Mrs. Davis Tells You What to Think couldn't wait to share with us her adoration of Julie:

I love that Julie writes so openly and boldly about some really weighty topics. She's so thoughtful and intelligent in the way she approaches politics and religion, and she stimluates such interesting discussions on these issues. Julie's military background has always intrigued me -- that is what first struck me about her when I first read her blog last spring. But I've kept on reading her because I love her style and her courage, and I admire how comfortable and confident she is in her role as a mother.

Kristin of Motherhood Uncensored took time out of her now very, very busy life with 2 kids to gush to us about her admiration for Julie:

I'm quite certain it was Julie who reached out and commented on my blog first, and ever since then I've been hooked on hers. Sure, it helps that both our daughters have the same nickname (Goose), but really, it's her honest smart writing and unique voice (with just a little bit of sass mixed in) that sold me. Now that we've collaborated on several projects (Her Bad Auction & Parentbloggers), I can truly say she's more than my blogpal. She's my friend.

And of course we have Mrs. Chicky of Chicky Chicky Baby who was thrilled to give us the scoop on how much she adores Julie as she jumped in with immediate praise for her:

I just can't say enough about Julie! She's one of those bloggers that never ceases to amaze me with her intelligence and humor. I know that whatever she writes will be interesting and thought provoking - or grab-your-sides funny - and her posts routinely make me think and oftentimes force me to see an issue from another point of view. Julie forces me out of my comfort zone with a gentle shove, but she's always there in the end with a smile, a kind word or two and a (virtual) nice cold beer.

Now don't forget to check back with us later today when we feature our always fun interview portion with Julie of Mothergoosemouse. If you simply cannot wait that long, go check out her blog now. But, be sure to come hear what she has to say when we put her in the hot seat with our burning questions!

Posted by Jenn Satterwhite at 8:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBacks (0)

This week,we are thrilled to introduce you to the very funny Mel of Stirrup Queens and Sperm Palace Jesters. Mel has only been blogging for a few months, but already she has won a loyal audience. Stirrup Queens is more than a personal blog. Mel is working hard to create a sense of community among infertility bloggers, and to raise the conciousness of the general public towards fertility issues. She has created a one-stop resource for information, personal support from peers and a wealth of source materials. Her warmth and open discussions about her own struggle with infertility, raising her twins and commentary on everything from celebrity adoption to infertility discussed in the pages of Playboy Magazine have her readers enthralled.

When she contacted us about helping to promote National Infertility Awareness Week, we were eager to help out.

According to RESOLVE:

Hidden No More: What Everyone Should Know About Infertility

Infertility affects approximately 10% of the population. Since infertility strikes diverse groups-affecting people from all socioeconomic levels and cutting across all racial, ethnic and religious lines- chances are great that a friend, relative, neighbor or perhaps you are attempting to cope with the medical and emotional aspects of infertility.

Your best friend. Your sister. Your mother. Your neighbor. You. Here at Mommybloggers, we've all been touched by infertility, either directly or indirectly. We want to help the conversation grow, so that no one ever has to feel alone with their frustration and pain.

Mel is also at the head of an effort to help women who have experienced infertility to find one another by wearing Pomegranate Bracelets. We'll get the lowdown on this low-tech movement, and share ways that we all can participate.

These are only a few of the many reasons we admire what Stirrup Queens is all about. We asked some of Mel's readers to share what Stirrup Queens means to them, and we were once again blown away by the praise:

Manuela of Thin Pink Line appreciates Mel's passion, and personal support:

Anyone who takes on the gargantuan task of attempting to raise awareness of issues related to infertility gets a standing ovation from me.... complete with shouts of Brava! and clapping until my hands hurt.

When you add the fact, that in the middle of this effort... Melissa still took the time to reach out to me and offer her support when I lost my baby girl after years of infertility... well... how can I not simply adore her.

Kel appreciates the sense of community:

Mel is fantastic! Her blog has become a place where those of us in the Infertile World can connect and find support. It connects those who have just begun the struggle and those of us who have been on this path for years. Her support and guidance have made this struggle a little bit easier to handle.

Melissa's site has become THE go-to place for anyone suffering from infertility. It's part support group, part place to find great new blogs to read, and part (BIG part) most informative site on infertility issues on the internet.

TeamWinks is in awe of Mel's ability to touch the lives of her readers:

I'm not sure how she manages to find the time to make meaningful connections with so many of us. She has truly been our common thread. She brings big issues to light with humanity and the respect that they deserve. Simply put, she's the kind of woman, we all would love to sit down and have a cup of coffee with!

Tara sums it up beautifully:

I've been reading Melissa's blog since she started it several months ago. She initially drew me in with her questions to the infertility community at large--her way of doing some research for a book she's writing with her husband. But I have remained a faithful reader because she is doing something that, according to the Mommybloggers "About" page, is what blogging is all about. Your about page says "Mommybloggers are making a real difference in this world" and that's exactly what Mel is doing. Mel has written about some very difficult and heartwrenching topics concerning infertility and loss, as well as parenthood after infertility and loss. She has made it her mission to not only educate through her blog, but to also make it a safe place where everyone, no matter where you are on your journey to parenthood, can find advice or a listening ear--an occasionally some funny tales about parenting twins!

Please check back with us later today as we sit down with Mel of Stirrup Queens and Sperm Palace Jesters!

Posted by mommybloggers at 7:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

This week, we're delighted to introduce you to Krisco, the blogger behind Crib Ceiling. From our first read, we've been hooked on Krisco's irreverent look at motherhood. As a recent entry proves - she is a born storyteller, who can take something as humdrum as being STABBED NEAR THE EYE WITH A BALL POINT PEN AT A RESTAURANT and turn it into a charming tale of acceptance, love and tattoos. We love her obvious affection for her family, her willingness to share the sometimes difficult parts of being a mother, and the surprising stories that she effortlessly weaves.

Then again, who wouldn't love her? This is a woman who eschews an "about me" page, but created an "about cribs" page for those mistaken googlers who can't help but stumble onto her blog. That is comic genius, people. And also, another example of Krisco's kindness and generous spirit. We just adore her.

We asked a few of her many fans to share a few thoughts with us on why they love Krisco, and what keeps them coming back to Crib Ceiling:

Renee had this to say:

Krisco's blog was one of the first I started reading back a little over a year ago, when I started blogging myself. I forgot exactly what led me to her blog, but it appealed to me from the beginning. She has two girls like me (although I've recently added a boy to my bunch) and I could identify with many of her stories. Her girls are a bit younger than mine so her stories brought back great memories for me.

Kris' appreciation and deep love of her girls shines through in every post that she writes about them. I feel that she has a special friendship with them that is reflected in her writing. She honestly seems to enjoy her children and her time with them. She recognizes that this time never seems to be quite long enough, especially when work
and volunteering (which she does lots of) is thrown into the mix.

Kris makes me laugh too, which is always a big plus in my book. Oh . . and she helped me loads with a book report my daughter had to do on New Mexico. What beats that?!

Crib Ceiling was one of my favorites from the beginning and remains so. Keep it up, Kris!

Anne of Anne's Asylum loves the fun content that Krisco offers:

I have loved reading Krisco the past year or so…she has great working mom advice, fun weekly stuff (like WFDW), is very fun and always interesting to read.

Plus, she has a great, colorful design which always makes a big difference in wanting to come back to a site!

Mary Tsao of Mom Writes just adores Krisco - and here's why:
Mom Writes ()

I love reading Krisco's blog Crib Ceiling. First, I think the name is the most brilliant thing I've ever come across. Crib Ceiling . I get it! Second, Krisco is just the most honest and caring person and her personality comes across 100% in her writing. She's the kind of blogger whom I really believe I would spend lots of IRL time with, if only she lived closer to me... (hint, hint, Kris! -- the Bay Area is calling!)

Even though I supported Krisco's efforts to return to work earlier this year, I secretly was bummed. Fortunately for me, even though she's now a work-outside-the-home mom, Krisco still finds time to blog. The mommy blogosphere rejoices in her never-ending supply of energy; Krisco is amazing and funny and smart and thoughtful, and I'm happy to have the opportunity to tell you that.

Posted by mommybloggers at 10:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

At long last, we were able to catch up with the fabulous Catherine of Her Bad Mother! We love her style - with her intelligent voice and her quick wit, Catherine captures her readers and keeps them coming back for more. We could go on and on about her community building projects, her explorations of motherhood and feminism, her gorgeous photography and her sincere, yet hilarious take on her world. We just adore Her Bad Mother... and so do her fans!

We put out a call to a few of her readers, and we weren't surprised by the admiration that Catherine inspires. Take a look at what some of her many fans had to say:

Sandra at the Sunshine Scribe appreciates both the writer and the woman:

Catherine is not only a very special blogger and gifted writer but she is also a pretty incredible woman. Her distinct writing voice has an interesting combination of startling intellect and raw emotion ... and who cannot resist a gratuitous Wonderbaby photo! What I love most about her is that she is the queen of all things love-in. From her mother's day mommy blogger tribute project to her recent call to action to write about a cause; she builds community and inspires like no one else I know. And that translates beyond her blog as she became the catalyst enabling so many of the Toronto mommy bloggers to meet in person. I am both a fan of her blog and her writing, but also proud to call her a friend. Congrats HBM. Bad most certainly is the new Good.

Jennster loves Her Bad Mother's ability to provoke a reaction:

her bad mother is one bad SOB! :) i love her because she is like super glue. the super glue that brings and holds the blogging world together. she puts out a call to action and she gets people to respond to her like no one else! she is unlike any other blogger out there, and she's one sexy bitch! i heart her bad mother and you should too!

I don't know that there's anyone better than Catherine to smash the myth that mommybloggers are nothing but fluff writers. Catherine is incapable of writing fluff. She thinks through every angle of every topic that she takes on, always giving her readers new insights. I sincerely admire her intellect and respect her views.

Metro Mama also admires Catherine's ability to rally the troops:

Her Bad Mother is the biggest champion of the blogging community. She likes nothing better than to promote and celebrate the supportive environment that is the blogosphere. She really knows how to rally the troops—from babies and eros, to the politics of blogging, she always lights a fire under her readers. Check out her blog—she’s funny, smart and oh, so articulate. An added bonus—lots of gratuitous WonderBaby photos—you can’t have too many of those.

L of Slackermom appreciates the variety in Catherine's work:

What I really like about reading Catherine is that her differnent dimensions come through on her blog. She has informed academic posts but also hilarious muppet-sational posts. I also admire they way she is interested in making the most of this medium. Initiatives that promote women's voices and build community are just two examples of areas in which she is involved.

-Pierre of MetroDad is in awe:

I’ll never forget the day when Liz (Mom-101) passed me a note in gym class that said, “Dude, u should totally go out with Catherine.” Ok...so that’s not actually true. What really happened was I grabbed a few beers with Liz after BlogHer and she was telling me how one of the great highlights of her trip was meeting and becoming friends with Catherine. I’d stumbled across HBM once or twice before but I went back to read some more. And needless to say, I was blown away by her. She’s an amazing writer, an introspective thinker, a professor in Political Philosophy, an adoring mother, and a wonderful wife. Yeah, she’s from the land of maple syrup and plaid flannel but I still love her. You know those times where you have a thought but just aren’t able to express it intelligently? Well, Catherine manages to do that for me every single time. If you’re not already reading her, you really should be. Go now!

CrankMama loves her for her big brain:

Catherine’s website is new to me but I’m a huge fan. I guess it all starts with the “Bad is the New Good” tagline. With that she communicates her appeal in one quick blurb. HBM gives us all permission to be ourselves as mothers and as women… to be sassy, angry, tired, and still concerned about Machievelli and political theory. The fact that she has a huge brain and is a deep thinker only amplifies her appeal.

Plus, she has a dark and sordid past (according to a comment she made on my site) which I think makes her the fabulously interesting character she is….

Sarah, Goon Squad Sarah loves the high quality of Catherine's writing:

What I love so much about Catherine is that she never dumbs it down for us. She is a brilliant woman and she is perfectly content to let us read her posts with dictionary.com pulled up in another window. Catherine writes long and flowery posts that force the reader up to her level, yet she is down to Earth. She never makes you feel like she is too good to write about about poop, just that she has more important things to say at the time.

The lovely Tracey of Sweetney sums it up brilliantly:

Catherine kept me company during an excruciatingly long wait for a flight out of San Jose after BlogHer this year. During our time together she was, in case you were wondering, a complete gentlewoman, and didn't try anything funny.

Well, *at first.* Heh.

Anyway, what I realized at BlogHer and have had confirmed for me again and again as I read HBM, is that the woman is smart, and funny, and the kind of chick I can totally hang with. She's that rare woman I meet while traveling and thereafter pine for moodily, anguished that she doesn't live more geographically near to me [shakes angry fist at Canada]. Catherine is honest, no-nonsense, thoughtful, and still manages to crack my shit up every time I read HBM.

She is, simply put, awesometastic.

Check back this afternoon for our interview with the awesometasticness that is Catherine of Her Bad Mother.

Posted by mommybloggers at 8:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (15) | TrackBacks (0)

This week we are proud to introduce you to two amazing women who rock the blogosphere. Cooper Munroe and Emily McKhann created their popular blog Been There in November, 2004, and haven't looked back. With insightful entries on everything from parenting to politics, Been There is a treasure trove of fantastic writing.

Cooper is currently a contributing writer for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Dot Moms as well as a contributing blogger at MomsRising.org.

In addition to her blogging at Been There and the Been There Clearinghouse, Emily's last book, Living With the End in Mind was featured on numerous television programs, including 20/20 and Oprah.

When Hurricane Katrina struck, Cooper and Emily watched in horror with the rest of the country. Determined to help, they turned their blog into a grassroots clearinghouse for needed goods. News of this effort spread like wildfire, and overnight, their site received a huge flood of traffic. With volunteer help and gumption to spare, Cooper and Emily moved the clearinghouse to a new domain, and kept the flow of goods moving.

With six children and several hundred miles between them, Cooper and Emily are shining examples of how Mommybloggers not only rock the cradle, but can affect real change in the world, right from their own kitchen tables.

We adore their down-to-earth writing styles and sharp, fresh takes on what it means to be a mother in this day and age. We're not the only ones... we put out a call to a few of Been There's fans. Here's what they had to say about this week's guests:

Cynthia Samuels of Don’t Gel Too Soon remarks on Cooper and Emily's knack for capturing the little things:

Emily and Cooper are great writers and observers of life. But they don’t just observe – they have set an example for all of us by acting --- changing and enhancing the lives of so very many people who fell into the path of Hurricane Katrina. Having met Cooper, I can attest to the sincerity and lack of grandiosity behind what they’ve done. Probably their open, caring and pragmatic outreach accounts for their success. Creative, loving, enthusiastic and resourceful, they have proven once and for all that blogs can be so much more than what Guy Kawasaki calls (jokingly) “Someone with nothing to say writing for someone with nothing to do.” I love sharing their thoughts and experiences and have come to love them, too.

Becki Fadel King of Cooking with Whine gets right to the heart of Cooper and Emily's appeal:

I would have responded sooner, but I was having trouble quantifying just what I love about Cooper and Emily. I guess what it boils down to is this: they're women you'd pick for next-door neighbors, the kind that you'd have over for coffee anytime, because you know they wouldn't say anything about your house being a mess. They're smart without being smug, fun without being frivolous, and they don't take their blessings for granted. They seem to have the radical attitude that if anyone is suffering or struggling, we've got to do what we can to help, just because we can. And they somehow manage this without being preachy or self-congratulatory. Part of what makes them so fabulous is that they genuinely don't think they're being fabulous. They're just being themselves.

Oh, and they're damn fine writers, too. Can't forget about that part.

Many of you know Emily and Cooper from the Been There Clearing House, their amazing volunteer project aimed at helping the victims of Hurricane Katrina. What they have accomplished out of the goodness of their hearts is a great testament to the faith and charity of the human spirit. Through no small effort, they mobilized the blogging community and empowered us to not only help people during a time of need but also to make personal connections with some of the victims. I continue to be amazed (and humbled) by their enormous generosity and commitment.

However, anybody who knows Cooper or Emily should not be surprised. I’ve been fans of their blog since the very first day they started. And as anyone who has ever read their site knows, the one thing that immediately strikes you is the fact that they are such good people. I absolutely adore both of them because they’re completely genuine and SO DAMN NICE! Seriously. Cooper and I often e-mail back and forth and I’m always struck by how sincere she is. She even makes an urban cynic like me want to be a better person. We’ve been trying to meet up when she comes up to NYC. I’d love to sit down with her over some coffee and figure out how she manages a career, her volunteer work, and a minivan full of kids! If you’re not reading the writings of these two cool and talented women, you absolutely should be!

Check back later this afternoon as we chat with Cooper and Emily! You won't want to miss this one!

Posted by mommybloggers at 10:45 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Today we are so excited to feature our good friend, Kelly also known among the Internet as Mocha Momma. When we first started reading Kelly's blog, her strength of character and her humor caused us to immediately develop little blog crushes. After meeting her in July, we realized that the level of blog crush was inadequate when it comes to this incredible woman. She is not only smart and funny, she is a woman of strength, character and hilarious stories of life and motherhood. As much as we love her, we would rather you read praise from her fans. They are the ones who want to tell you more about Kelly.

Karen Rani of Troll-Baby sent us praise for Kelly the moment we casually mentioned the amazing Mocha Momma was going to be featured. This fan couldn't even wait to be contacted! When it comes to Kelly, she gushed (and proposed):

Kelly is always interesting, always fun, and can often make me laugh out loud, or tear up. Her daughter's recent move had me crying. Kelly has this way of taking my cold, black heart and twisting it into a pink puffy one. I was lucky enough to meet Kelly at BlogHer and party in her very cool hotel room. She has a way of making the people around her feel important and loved. If anything ever happens to Daren, I am SO MARRYING KELLY. Congrats on your Mommybloggers interview Kelly! Love Karen xo

Heather B. of No Pasa Nada had an amazing gem of praise for our fantastic Kelly as she pontificated on Kelly's awesomeness:

The first time I met the lovely Kelly, we were poolside in San Jose when she called me a 'zygote' in reference to my age. Most people would be put off by such a thing. I smiled and the next day attempted to read as much of her archives as possible. Not only is she absolutely stunning on the outside but as I've learned, she's a beautiful and thoughtful person on the inside as well. Now I want to wrap my arms around her and hug her every time I read something she's written. She's just that freaking awesome.

Sarah of the great blog Sarah and the Goon Squad kept it simple and sweet as to why she adores Kelly when she shared this with us:

Kelly is as cool in real life as she is online. She is such a real person. I aspire to have the same kind of relationship with my daughter that she has with Mallory.

Belinda of Ninja Poodles was more than eager to express her love and support of Kelly with prasie that was unabashed and sincere with honesty that makes you understand why Kelly is so adored:

While I love and support Kelly's blog and its overt fabulosity, even from way back when I was cussing MySpace every time I tried to leave a comment, the things I admire most about her are things that may not be immediately evident from reading MochaMomma. Kelly is real, and she cares, maybe to a fault, about everyone whose life touches hers, and very very many who she will never even meet. She is charming and outgoing, and pours on the schmooze and the flirt, but get her in a one-on-one situation just once, and your wwill quickly learn that Kelly is living proof that it's not ONLY "still" waters that run deep. That's Kelly to me: a deep, powerful, fast-moving, noise-making, life-affirming river. Give her enough time, and she'll carve a Grand Canyon of compassion...with or without anyone's help.

Izzymom gave her adoration of Kelly straight up and honestly. Simply put:

Kelly is a very warm and beautiful lady, inside and out. She deserves to be recognized an outstanding member of the blogworld!

Liz of Mom-101 had the funniest praise we have received for an interviewee before and must be included:

Kelly is smart, she is soulful, she is funny, she is kind, she is wise. The only thing I don't adore about her are her eyes, because they're just the kind of eyes that your college boyfriend lay in bed dreaming about instead of your own. The bastard.

We could keep these praises going for a while seeing as our inbox is still getting the praises for our good friend, Kelly. However, we would rather save the space for you to be able to read the incredible interview we have coming up with her later today.

So, be sure to come back later on this afternoon to grab a cup of mocha java mocha and enjoy a fantastic interview with a wonderful woman, Kelly of Mocha Momma.

Posted by Jenn Satterwhite at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

Mommybloggers: Hi, Stefania! Thanks for joining us!

Stefania: Thank you for having me! I've admired the work you all do for The Mommy Bloggers and all your other 4,562 blogs for a long time now. You are amazing women and such talented writers. Thank you for all the work you do to support and promote women who blog.

Mommybloggers: You amaze us with your prolific blogging – has writing always been a passion for you?

Stefania: I've always loved writing but blogging definitely awakened a new passion in me. I love the immediacy of blogging and the fact that you don't have to be a writing expert in order to blog. I'm not a writer, I'm a blogger, and I say with pride.

Mommybloggers: You've lived around the globe, and have a culturally diverse family – tell us a little bit about your background.

Stefania: I was born in Honolulu, Hawaii to a Korean-American mother and an Italian father. When I was younger we lived in Rome (where my dad still lives today) until I was 4. Then my parents divorced, and my mother and brother I moved back to Hawaii. When I was 11 my family moved to the San Francisco Bay Area where I've pretty much been ever since (though I went to college in Los Angeles and recently did a 16 month stint in Portland, Oregon).

I've worked since I was 14 years old. I didn't have to, but I've always been fiercely independent. I liked the autonomy of working (and still do). Looking back it was probably a good thing. It kept me out of trouble. I've done everything from busing tables to teaching third grade in an inner city school. I was an Art History major (You were right, Mom, I'm not doing anything with it...), but my background is in Marcom, specifically co-marketing/co-branding. I bounced around Silicon Valley doing various marketing jobs for most of the 90's.

Teaching was the hardest job I ever did, but it prepared me for parenting. Marketing is something I never thought I'd have the opportunity to go back to (I was a stay-at-home-mom for three years before I started working again and that's an eternity to be away from the corporate world), but my experience helps me tremendously not only in my blogging but in other projects I am working on. I've learned that every job prepares you for something (hopefully) better down the line.

I live in San Francisco with my daughters (ages 4 and 2) and my husband (our 12 year anniversary is next week!). My husband and I lived in San Francisco for many years before kids and also when our older daughter was born. We moved back to San Francisco from Portland 8 months ago. Our second daughter was born while we were in Portland. We are now experiencing the fun and frustration of trying to raise two girls in an urban environment. (Mostly, it's fun!)

Mommybloggers: We're impressed with your pop-culture savvy and ability to extemporize on everything from breaking news and world events to the latest episode of Rockstar: Supernova. How do you stay so in touch with it all?

Stefania: I am a media junkie and always have been. I read the paper, listen to NPR, subscribe to all kinds of magazines...I cannot get enough information. News headlines flash across my monitor multiple times a day, I've loaded up my Bloglines blogroll with everyone from Arianna Huffington to Perez Hilton. I read BBC news, the Korea Times, CNN World News and other international news sites for a world view. Thank goodness for feed readers like Bloglines! Without Bloglines I couldn't possibly stay as in touch as I try to do. There are always more feeds to add to the blogroll and y'all know that just creates more blog fodder!

Mommybloggers: CityMama is a delightful mash-up of urban parenting, lifestyle commentary, entertainment and food. We particularly love the cheeky attitude you infuse all your entries with. How much of yourself do you bring to your blogs?

Stefania: I bring *most* of myself to my blogs. I am much more reserved in person than I am on my blog which is why I love blogging so much. When I blog I can be the person that most of my close friends and family already know. I can jump right in without wasting time on polite, "getting to know you" formalities. It takes me a little while to warm up to people I don't know well and I've been told that I can be a tough nut to crack. I am definitely more guarded in person. I think this surprises people when they meet me for the first time. Sure, I'm not as "sassy" when I first meet people and I certainly don't swear as much (!!!), but underneath it all, CityMama is me. My blog lets me cut through the B.S. and get to the heart of what I'm thinking and feeling.

Mommybloggers: Is there anything you consider off-limits for blogging?

Stefania: I don't blog about anything that my family or friends might find hurtful. My intention is certainly not to do that. That's a personal choice that I make.

Now that my daughters are getting older, I'm also careful about what I'm sharing about them. While I do view my blog as a sort of baby book at times, I like to keep most of our family experiences private.

Mommybloggers: You've been a professional blogger for a long time. How do you stay motivated?

Stefania: I love blogging. It's so fun! That is my biggest motivation. I have so many interests that I can always find something to write about. I am very thankful that I have the opportunity to write about different topics for different sites and get paid to do it. That helps to keep me motivated as well.

Mommybloggers: We have to ask – what do you think of the term "mommybloggers?" Do you consider yourself a mommyblogger?

Stefania: I don't mind the term "mommybloggers" at all. I definitely consider myself a mommyblogger, but I am also a cultural blogger, a food blogger, an entertainment blogger, a beauty and style blogger, a parenting blogger...Mommyblogger is just one of the hats I wear, and I wear it proudly.

Mommybloggers: You're also a gifted photographer – we love the "Bunny" and "Wallie" photos, as well as your other gorgeous work. How do you capture such wonderful images?

Stefania: Now, I'm laughing. Gifted? Me? You must have me confused with someone else. I definitely love taking pictures, but I think my photography professor would be very irritated with me (she hated photos of children). I haven't touched my "real camera" in years. Hooray for digital cameras! Let's just leave it there.

Mommybloggers: Alright – let's talk about Kimchi Mamas. We're fascinated every time we click over…what inspired you to start this collaboration?

Stefania: I actually didn't start the collaboration. It was Nina of Charlie and Nina's brilliant idea. She approached me and then together we approached all the other Korean (or married to Korean ) mom bloggers that we had reading. It all came together rather quickly. Since I'm experienced with the logistical side of blogging I handled that. I think Nina saw a blog need that was screaming to be filled, and I am so happy that she did.

Being raised Korean and then raising Korean children and talking about it is a concept that is not only new to most Koreans (who, if I many generalize, tend to be private), but also an experience that has been underrepresented in all forms of media. Kimchi Mamas came together in a matter of weeks and the content just started to flow. This is why I love blogging. We couldn't have put together a magazine or newsletter or book in this amount of time. With blogging, if you see a niche—any kind of niche—you can fill it immediately. (AggroQueen anyone?)

I know I'm biased but I think the writing on Kimchi Mamas is so compelling. We represent all aspects of Korean family experience: being raised Korean both in the US and in France, being hapa (half Asian) and those particular cultural experiences, being married to Koreans and adjusting to family life, and what it means to be a Korean adoptee. I feel so honored to be blogging along side such talented women.

Mommybloggers: What do you hope to accomplish with Kimchi Mamas?

Stefania: We've never talked about a mission statement or anything like that. I think we just want to shed light on our particular experiences and make connections with others who might be able to relate. I know that feedback has been extremely positive. I love that I can read through the comments on our posts and see so many similar experiences. If any of the Kimchi Mamas are reading this, perhaps they can comment and add their own particular thoughts on the matter.

Mommybloggers: Tell us about FamilyFood – it is obvious that you love to cook. Where did you get your passion for food? Can we come over for dinner?

Stefania: My passion for food definitely came from my mother. She's an expert Korean cook, an expert Italian cook...just an excellent cook in general. Growing up she made pasta from scratch, canned her own jams, made her own fruit leather and candies, planted amazing gardens and cooked right from them. She was into "slow food" before it became a trendy food movement. She even bakes, which I don't like to do. She taught me everything I know about food and cooking. I remember standing on a stool watching her roll out pie dough or sauteeing duxelles...now my children do the same and nothing makes me prouder.

You can come over for dinner anytime! I love having dinner parties!

Mommybloggers: We admit it. We just can't get enough of you, Stefania! Where else can we find your writing?

Stefania: You are too kind. Really. In addition to blogging CityMama, Family Food and Kimchi Mamas, I'm a Contributing Editor (Books & Entertainment) for BlogHer. You can go there and read my film reviews and movie commentaries which pale in comparison to all the other great writers featured there.

Mommybloggers: We've heard that you've got other, even more ambitious projects in the works. Care to tell us about them?

Stefania: I've just helped to (beta) launch a new website called ParentsConnect. ParentsConnect is a new online community where parents, prospective parents and other caregivers can quickly find and easily share advice, ideas and opinions-- even laughs. At ParentsConnect, parents - who have 'been there, done that' -- are the real experts. The site's key features include personalized home pages that update dynamically, Host Parents (like me!) who help keep discussions lively and blog on the site, and local advice and kid-friendly listings powered by GoCityKids.

What I like about ParentsConnect is that it's for all for ALL parents – as well as grandparents and caregivers – not just moms, and not just those who share one particular philosophy or experience. Along with that, ParentsConnect is for parents of ALL kids. You won't feel ignored on the site if your kids are over 6 – or over 16. And, best of all, there's no walled-off premium content on ParentsConnect. Sign-up is free and members have access to all the content.

ParentsConnect's 20 Host Parents were hired through a nationwide search based on their background, parenting experience, writing ability and enthusiasm for helping other parents get connected to information and to each other. I'm proud to be part of that group and I hope that people enjoy the site! (But keep in mind, this is a beta launch. There is much more to come!)

Mommybloggers: We're thinking the world needs a Stefania podcast or videoblog. Have you thought about branching out to include more media?

Stefania: Oh, no no no. Dear God, no. The world definitely doesn't need that. I haven't seriously thought about branching out. I like the idea of podcasts and am interested in learning more about how to do them, but other than that, no. I'm happy doing what I'm doing. I don't want to write a book or anything like that. I just want to blog. To me, there's nothing better.

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? Daughter
2. What is your least favorite parent related word? Nanny (I just hate the way it sounds. I use one myself, but I cannot bring myself to call her that.)
3. What is your favorite creative censored curse word used around children? Shiznit
4. What is your favorite hiding place within your home when you need to get away from it all? Smack in the middle of my bed with my laptop in my lap and the tv on in the background.
5. What hiding place have you been found in too often and can no longer use? My office. It's the most enticing room in the entire house. We may as well call it the playroom now.
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? It's a tie between: "I didn't know mybestfriendGayle went to your high school!" (She did!) and "I want to apologize for letting Dr. Phil loose into the world. If I'da known he was such a numbnuts, I never would have given him his own show. I'm terribly sorry."

Posted by Jenny Lauck at 1:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)