Most of you know that I also write a review blog, Mummy's Product Reviews. Initially, I didn't set out to write product reviews. It all started right here back in 2006 when as a weekly feature I did 'The Product of the Week'. People were always asking me about places to go, brands, beauty items, I could go on. As a self-admitted "product whore" and advice columnist wannabe, it seemed a likely fit. 'The Product of the Week' was simply my take on a product I tried, loved and wanted to share. That's all. Nothing was sent to me, no one pitched me. Nada. Zilch. Zip. Just items from my house. Review bloggers didn't hold much world wide web space if any back then. Over time things have obviously evolved. An Arbonne consultant sent me a slew of stuff and I joined the Parent Bloggers … [Read more...]
Blogher 2010, I’m Talking to You!
Blogher 2009 had the theme of "Blogher09 is People". Every time I heard that phrase all I could think of was a quote from the Muppets Take Manhattan, "is frogs, is pigs, is chickens and stuff... is New York!" Oddly, Blogher 2010 is New York. Now that I am home, sticky with teething biscuit crumbs and out of the bubble that is every Blogher conference (I swear the world could implode on itself and the only way we would know is if it was on Twitter.) I can see beyond "BlogHer is going to hell in a swag bag..." and the bad and the ugly that happened. I see the mistakes that were made and all I want to do now is to fix them. I want to help in any way that I can. I want to make Blogher 2010 even better than it has been in year previous. If all I contribute is the much-needed start to this … [Read more...]
There is No Holy Grail.
Ahem... is this thing on? Right then. Listen up, Internets! It seems we have a few issues to address here at Blogher09. It's come to my attention through my own personal experience, plain viewing and accounts from other blogging friends and blog-strangers that there is a different sort of vibe in the air here at the conference this year. It's not a good one either.1. The Swag Grab- Yes, free loot is fun. I'm not going to say that I don't like to get free stuff. I do. But I'm not about to go elbowing a few babies, stealing swag bags off of carts or run into a party just to pick up a free key chain, phone or what have you. It is not why we are here. We're here to talk shop, learn a few things, network and see our friends. The purpose of Blogher is people. Got it? It's not getting … [Read more...]
It’s Like I Don’t Know My Own Blog Anymore
My brain is a bit fuzzy today. Probably from all the buzzing it has been doing this morning as I try and get a grasp on what this blog is really all about. See, I'm going to be on a little radio show this afternoon (2pm EST) called, Role Mommy and Friends. I just know that the big question will be what this blog is all about and quite frankly I'm still trying to figure that one out. MPR has the reviews. And sure, I have issues that I hold near and dear and write about from time to time but it's not like I have some sort of niche. Not unless you count the daily tightrope act that I do where I try not to be a diabolical cross between Bree van de Kamp and Mommie Dearest. I'm having a bit of an identity crises lately. How do you see this blog? Why do you read it? Help me Internets, you … [Read more...]
Meeting Jen Lancaster
Last Friday I took a trip two years in the making. I boarded a metro train bound for the city and met up with a friend. After a delightful dinner of tapas and sangria and a quick stop for cupcakes we made our way to the Jen Lancaster, Pretty in Plaid, book signing. Awww... look at the cute crazy stalker fangirrrl.I know you are already like, "Uh, what is the big deal? She's just some author. What are you some crazy stalker fan or something?" Well, I could be. I did after all wear lime green pants, a pink polo and pearls. And the above mentioned cupcakes. Divine, by the way. So while I could be construed as crazy stalker fangirl (hmm.. despite the lime green pants and pearls I'm really more of a fangirrrl, anyways...) it is more that Lancaster's first book came to me at just the right … [Read more...]
Hershey Lockdown
One of the great things about blogging isn't just the free stuff that sometimes arrives on my front door step but it is the opportunities it offers me to connect with other bloggers and get to know some of them on a more personal level (and you know, quit stalking them and such.) Most of all though it is the times that I get to bond with my family in some truly memorable ways. Hershey's, while having always been a fan of their candy, stole my heart this weekend when they invited TD and I to 'A Night at the Museum'.As part of this special event they treated nine bloggers (Classy Mommy, MomDot, MomGenerations, Mom101, Sundry Mourning, Cutie Booty Cakes, Blissfully Domestic, Suburban Bliss, And Twins Makes 5) to a taste of their grand prize "Win a Night at the Museum" promotion. Hershey in … [Read more...]
Got Cancer? Hopefully, No.
Two weeks ago I got off a plane at Logan Airport in Boston, went into the women's room and as I washed my hands I noticed a red bump under my left eye. A sty? Drat! Mainly annoying and sometimes itchy I assumed it would clear up in a few days.A week later and no longer itchy the bump was still there. This time with new scaly action. My friend suggested applying hydro-cortisone cream to it and dutifully I did. The scaly bump stayed put. It just shed itself like a snake and resumed squatting on my face. I took matters into my own hands and tried anti-fungal cream. Gross, but maybe it would help. The evil scaly red spot would not budge. When I touched down into DC earlier this week after a trip to the desert the first thing I did was call my trusty, if not "Is it Safe" … [Read more...]
It’s a Good Morning All Around
You know what's a great way to start a day? First, take a baby that has been blissfully sleeping through the night for the past week and allow them to wake you up every two hours. Said baby is not content at just seeing you enter her room but instead glares at you, flails her arms about and screams as if to say, "Hey, Feedbag! Hustle! Feedbag, Hustle!" Second, add in a Tiny Dictator who awakens at 4:45 a.m. to wet the bed. More screaming and hot tears ensue and just as H, who thankfully got up to take care of that hot mess of problems, crashes back into bed the dog throws up rather loudly into her crate right next to you. The smell permeates the room in about 2.5 seconds and you realize you have no choice but to start the day.The laundry monster you spent all day slaying the day … [Read more...]
You Know You Are a Blogger If…
1. You have your "real life" friends and your online friends who you might not have ever met. You can have close relationships with both.2. You are dying to attend CES each year. In your previous life you didn't know what CES even is or that you "needed" all its lovely gadgets.3. You have been paid half in real cash money and half in product.4. Your family thinks you speak a foreign language because you speak of such things as Twitter, tweeting, vlogs, wordpress and can conduct business on Facebook.5. You start sentences with, "I'm so blogging this..."6. Your friends and family start stories with, "Please don't blog this..."7. You get to know PR people really well.8. Your kids make computer keyboard replicas out of their Lego's.9. If you know how many people read your blog on Monday, what … [Read more...]
Calling Webster’s Dictionary
I'm tweeting, I'm IM'ing, and um... yeah, not really posting or doing anything worky right now. Oh wait. That is my job.In the midst of it all I think I made up a new word today- blogfrence. I think it's pretty self explanatory. I'm totally calling it and when the NYTimes uses it in the next few months for one of their articles about bloggers and how we seem to all be superstars or what have you they are going to have to refer back to me. The same goes for Newsweek. Mine!Not satisfied with my meager blog post today? Check out some of these fine ladies. … [Read more...]