Friend Making Monday

Today's Friend Making Monday topic is....what are your favorite candles/scents?

Naturally, I'm a big fan of the smell of baked goods...especially...

Cookies

I've yet to really find a candle that recreates the smell of freshly baked cookies, but the one that's come the closest is...Christmas Cookie!

I must say, though, that there's nothing like the smell of chocolate cake baking in your oven, especially the chocolate cake I made this weekend...

Don't forget, if you want to join in on the blog hopping Friend Makin' Monday fun, visit aefilkins to learn more. It's a great way to meet other great bloggers!

Friend Making Monday

Woo hoo, it's Monday, and therefore it's time for another edition of Friend Makin' Monday - and I actually remembered this week, yay!!!

Did you have an awesome Halloween this weekend? Did you eat all your kids' Halloween candy? This is totally the first year that I didn't eat a bite of it, and not even for noble reasons like because I'm trying to watch my weight. I purposely didn't buy any candy because we were taking Baby to the mall to trick-or-treat (when you live in Florida and it's 85 degrees on Halloween, and your child is in a hot monkey costume, it's the best decision ever). He didn't wind up getting any candy that I had any interest in - mostly things like Tootsie Rolls and Double Bubble. Ick. Had there been something yummy in that little pumpkin of his, I probably would have snarfed it down.

What is your Halloween Kryptonite? What is the candy that just beckons to you at Halloween? For me, it's these little suckers....
And I must say, I'm intrigued - I searched for a photo online of a Kit Kat bar, and came across some very interesting variations sold in other countries, like a lemon cheesecake flavor, green tea, and various other oddities. Wonder why they haven't tried those here. Oh well.

Anyway, if you want to join in the blog hopping fun that is Friend Making Monday, go visit Aefilkins, and write a post about your favorite Halloween candy. And don't forget to tell me about it, too! Happy Monday!

Friend Making Monday: The Joy Edition

Good morning and happy Monday to you all. Aefilkins is hosting another Friend Making Monday (sorry to those of you who are regulars, I forgot it was Monday last week!), and this time she's curious about the small things in life that bring a smile to your face. Want to make some new bloggy friends? Friend Making Monday is a great way to do it - visit Aefilkins to learn more.

So...the small things in life that make me happy?

This morning, a good cup of hot cocoa (because it's 48 degrees outside! And this is Florida!)

Knowing that I will be baking something chocolate-y this afternoon - heck, baking of any kind makes me happy

Spending time with my friends - inevitably there is tons of laughter!

Hearing my munchkin laugh or say "love you"

Reading a good book

Need a fall pick-me-up? Check out my pumpkin muffin recipe, it's a sure-fire hit!

Friend Making Monday

Did you know that today is Friend Making Monday? aefilkins hosts this wonderful friend making opportunity, which I stumbled upon this morning while visiting a few SITSas. It's a great way to meet other bloggers, so I'm looking forward to getting involved...when I remember to participate, that is!

This week's question is a two parter:

1. What do you love to do?

I think this one's a no-brainer for me.

I love to bake...here's my favorite cupcake recipe

I love to cook...here's my favorite beef teriyaki recipe

I love to read...here's my favorite book I've read this year

2. What do you love to do but don't do enough of?

Write...though I do write a good bit on my blog these days...

Shop...because it's not very fun when the options are as limited as they are...and the funds being what they are...

3. What would you love to know how to do?

I wish I could sew...but I'm not entirely sure why...

I wish I was a better photographer...

So what about you? Want to make some new bloggy friends? Visit aefilkins to join in on the Friend Making fun!

My new obsession: Tastespotting

As you all know, I'm a glutton for recipes. Good ones, bad ones, I've got a three-inch three-ring binder full of recipes I've found that I want to try. I'm always on the lookout for new sources, and in the last few weeks I've come across what could very easily be described as food porn...a website called Tastespotting. I can't quite recall how I found it, but wow, I'm glad I did.

Basically, Tastespotting seems to be a collection of the best food-related photography on the web. That might sound ridiculously boring to you, but I love food photography. I'm trying (slowly) to improve my own snaps of the food I make, so Tastespotting is a good reference for me in that respect. It also seems to be laden with many, many desserts, which are of course my favorite kind of recipe. Some of the pictures link back to a blog that's kind enough to list the recipe they made, some just talk about what they made, but I've found several great new food blogs through Tastespotting, and over 50 recipes this week that I've printed to add to my infamous To Be Cooked binder. Seriously, I'm going to have to get another binder. Soon.

When you've got a few minutes to kill, I highly recommend you check out Tastespotting, just try to keep the drool off your keyboard.

P.S. - This was a totally unsolicited rave, I don't know who runs Tastespotting and they don't know me, I just wanted to share.

Really? Another award? Gee, thanks!!

It's been a hairy week in my household, between my A/C troubles and Husband being away, so it was really touching when I read in my comments this morning that I got an award! It comes from Gena at Serene Moments, who was also honored with this award, so make sure to visit her blog as well.
Gena honored me with the Kreativ Blogger award - which is so awesome, because I often doubt my creative abilities. So, thank you Gena! Now, down to the nitty gritty about this award. Must make sure to follow the rules and share the bloggy love!

The Rules:
1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award.
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3. Link to the person who nominated you for this award.
4. Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting.
5. Nominate 7 Kreativ Bloggers.
6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs, letting them know they have been nominated.

Let's see if I can think of seven things about me that might be considered interesting...
1. I can't seem to stop watching the old Michael Jackson videos on VH-1 Classic.
2. I used to have two dogs, but now only have one - the other dog was a little too overexcited once Baby came, and we were too nervous about her around Baby. We found her a wonderful home, where she is an only pet and is doted on ridiculously.
3. I am a spelling freak. I was in spelling bees when I was little (though never the big one), and am a total stickler for spelling.
4. I was a gymnast when I was a kid. I absolutely loved it and dreamed of going to the Olympics one day. (Obviously that didn't happen.)
5. My dad is the one who fostered my love of the public library. We would go together every Saturday afternoon, and he would hang out in the periodicals section and read the business and trade magazines while I scoured the library for a big pile of books to read.
6. I majored in television production in college. I've never really used my degree - I never realized how low entry-level TV job paid, and I ultimately couldn't afford to start out with such a low salary, with all the debts I had upon graduation.
7. I'm a planning kind of girl. I have to make to do lists every day so that I make sure to get all the stuff I want to accomplish done each day. If I don't write it down, inevitably I forget about it.

Phew, I wasn't sure I could come up with seven! Now, there are tons of bloggers who are totally deserving of this award. Here are seven of them, in no particular order:
1. A Book a Day
2. I've Changed My Name to Mommy
3. Infectious Chatter
4. Eat at Home
5. The Brownie Project
6. Love, Actually
7. Slow Like Honey

Happy Saturday to you all! :)

Woo hoo!

Oh my goodness, I officially have over 50 followers now! Oh, happy day!!! I feel like a speech is in order...

This is so exciting! I never thought when I started blogging that anyone would actually want to read the ramblings of my mind, but I'm so pleased that there are people who do. My followers and commenters make me smile, so I'm so happy to have each and every one of you here.

Woo hoo!!

My first comment contest winner: Modern Mom

After counting up all of the comments from the month of May (thank you everyone!!), I have found my comment winner!! It's Modern Mom!!! She writes one of my favorite blogs, How to Survive Life in the Suburbs, so I was very excited to get the chance to get to know her better.

Tell me a little about yourself. Who is Modern Mom?
I am a Mom to two gorgeous girls, and a wife to the true love of my life. I gave up a career I absolutely adored working with children with special needs and their families, to stay home with my family and embark on this crazy adventure of parenting in the Suburbs of Ontario Canada. This is the toughest and most rewarding job I have ever had and I would not change a thing.

What is your favorite thing to do and why?
My favorite thing in the world to do is to plan and go on little adventures with my family. Researching a trip to Disney World, a family vacation to Mexico, or even a week away at a cottage. Nothing better then making memories that I hope will last a life time.
Other favorites would have to be baking with the kids, movies with the hubby, oh Okay and let's throw in a really good manicure for me!

What is your all-time favorite book and why?
This is a tough one. I love love to read. I just finished the Book of Negros and could not put it down. Also loved The Secret Life of Bees, Eat Pray Love, but of course I also love those beach books. Have you read Sex, Murder and a Double Latte? You should!

Do you blog? If so, tell me about your blog.
I'm fairly new to the bloggy world and have to say I am an addict! I love all the wonderful writers out there and the glimpses into the real lives of other women. It's reassuring to know there are so many other women out there who are going through the same trials and tribulations that I am every single day. What a great place to come and relax, connect and have a laugh. Here's a link: How to Survive Life in the Suburbs

What is your favorite kind of sweet? Cookies? Cake? Fudge?
I have to pick just one? Cookies...cram as much chocolate into them as you can..maybe some bits of toffee...those are my faves!

I will be conducting the contest again this month, and I've added a new widget on the sidebar of my blog that is keeping track of the commenters, too. Thank you to everyone who comments here - every time I get an email that someone has put a comment up here, it makes me smile. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

Guest Post: Professional Mommy Blogging

Today I'm pleased to feature a guest post from my friend Margo, over at Writer Mom at Home. I've also written a guest post over at her blog, so I hope you'll swing by and check it out! Without any further adieu, here's Margo with some awesome blog advice!

I am a professional writer. I create website content for companies, and I have done some professional blogging for different websites. Part of my job is to understand how to write content that search engines, such as Google, can find and index for their search results. I am also a mommy blogger, and using the skills I have learned through my work has improved my blog. And, as many blog readers have blogs themselves, I thought that I would share some of these tips with you.

Having a blog that people can find through search engines is one of the best ways to build up your number of readers. Unless you have a protected blog, meaning that you don't want search engines to send you traffic, a little search engine optimization (SEO) is a good thing. And it's really easy to do. These simple tips can get you started.

The biggest secret to SEO is the use of keywords, and chances are, you're already doing this. If you head over to Google, and you want to find a recipe for chocolate chip cookies, your keyword, or phrase, is "chocolate chip cookie recipe" or "recipe for chocolate chip cookies". Keywords are what search engines use to figure out how to list your blog posts.

It is a really great idea to have a few keywords that you are using overall in your blog. For Type A Mommy, Elizabeth can use "Type A Mommy," "Stay-at-home mom," "best family recipes," or anything else that she feels really represents what her blog is about. Use these keywords often, in posts, pages, and other bits of writing around your blog. Use this same concept for your posts. Pick 2-4 keywords, and use them each 5+ times. Use them once or twice in your first paragraph, and then spread out through the rest of your post.

The reason that you are trying to use these keywords more often is because search engines look for repeated words when they are indexing your pages. So if you have "chocolate chip cookies" five or six times in your post, Google will realize that the post is about cookies, and not about something else. So, when someone else searches for chocolate chip cookies, your page will be listed, although probably towards the back of the list of sites. Unfortunately for many bloggers, the top search engine results go to the most popular pages. But there are ways to improve your chances there, too.

The first way, you are already doing as a blogger. Update often, using keywords in your posts. Search engines don't usually put old, outdated websites in their top search results. Also, keep blogging. Sites that are established will get a better ranking than brand new blogs. The truth is, thousands of new blogs are started every day. Most of them won't last more than a few months, and even fewer will still be regularly blogged on a year from now. If you keep blogging, you'll beat out a lot of other websites for better rank.

Use your tags and categories wisely. Search engines put a bigger emphasis on the words and phrases you use for these, which makes them a great way to use your keywords. If, like Elizabeth, you post a lot of recipes, a Recipe category is a good idea. Or you could even bring it up a notch, and use "easy recipes for busy moms" or "healthy recipes." If your blogging platform (Wordpress, Blogger, ect) allows you to use parent categories, you could have Recipes as a parent category, and then the more specific categories under it. Try to keep the tags you use on your blog to a reasonable number. I've visited blogs with over 50 tags. WAY too many. Settle for 10-15, and use them often. A post can have more than one tag, but it should only have one category.

Share the link love. If you are writing a post about child discipline techniques, for example, link to a couple websites for further explanation and examples. And when you post comments on other blogs, be sure to leave the URL for your own site, if it is asked for. If search engines see that your site has other blogs linked to it, they will boost your rankings. It improves your blog's credibility. This isn't always a sure thing, for various reasons, and it can be over done, but a link or two per post, to quality websites, is a good goal.

There are dozens of other ways to improve your search engine rankings, and a dozen reasons why it is a good idea. Especially if you run advertisements or affiliate programs on your blog. If more people visit your blog, your chances of someone clicking on an advertisement improves. More visitors also means more readers. Mommy bloggers are the new big thing, even if they aren't particularly new. Mommy bloggers are turning their large followings into book deals, speaking engagements, and more. It pays to build your number of readers, and search engine optimization can be a great way to do it.

When I first started blogging, I didn't know any of this. It took a few months of working as a writer, and being required to use keywords for my assignments, before I really got the hang of it. Give yourself some time to play around with these ideas. They definitely won't hurt your blog, and you might see a substantial increase in traffic to your blog if they are used consistently for a few months.

Anything I can clarify? Anything else you would like to know about using SEO in your blog? Please feel free to leave a comment below, and I'll answer any questions you might have!

I actually won something!

Can you believe it? I never win anything, but I recently won a contest hosted on Diary of a WAHM. I won a custom-designed MiniMe to use for Twitter and such! Pretty cool, right? April custom-designed the whole thing, and did an awesome job. What a neat thing to win!

I'm sure you're dying to see what my MiniMe looks like, right? Here goes! Isn't it cute?

My first blog award!!!

It is a very special day today, folks. I received my very first blog award! How exciting!

I, of course, have to thank Mrs. C of Next to Heaven, for bestowing this awesome honor upon me. I fully accept the award and will proudly post it on my blog's sidebar! The best part of this award is that you get to pass it on. Pay it forward, if you will. So much of blogging is about networking and sharing, so I think this is really cool.

The Rules:
1) Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link.
2) Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you’ve newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

Here are my award winners, in no particular order, and hopefully you'll find some new blogs to follow from my list:
Money Savings Methods * I Like It Frantic * Ann Again...and Again... * I've Changed My Name to Mommy * The Great Adventure * Momedy * Writer Mom at Home * How to Survive Life in the Suburbs * My Baking Adventures * A Psych Mommy * A Book a Day * JAM's Own Reality * Eat at Home * Tales from a Shopaholic Mommy * The Life and Times of a Bad Mommy

So, thank you again to Mrs. C at Next to Heaven for my very first blog award!!

Meet Writer Mom at Home

Happy Wednesday everyone!

Remember how I mentioned a new collaboration with Writer Mom at Home? Well, today, you get your first official introduction to Margo, Writer Mom at Home. We have done a mini five-question interview with each other and will be posting each other's interviews. Here are the questions Writer Mom at Home asked me:

1.What makes you a Type A Mommy?
2. What is the hardest part about being a mom? What is the best?
3. What one person in your life has had the most influence on you? Why?
4.What is the one kitchen product that you couldn't live without?
5. Where is the most amazing place you have ever visited?

To find out my answers, go visit Margo at Writer Mom at Home.Now, let's learn a little bit more about Writer Mom at Home, shall we...

1. Who is the Writer Mom at Home?
I am a work at home mom, with an 18 month old daughter and a wonderful husband. I am a professional writer, specializing in website content and (soon) copywriting. I love to cook, hate to clean, and spend most of my free time with my nose buried in a book. I am an aspiring novelist. I am the oldest of five children (which makes me kinda bossy), and I was raised in the country, near a small town in New York. I have worked on several farms, in a small convenience store, and as one of the top cooks in a local chain restaurant. It wasn't until after I had my daughter, though, that I was finally able to realize my dream of becoming a writer, working from home while raising my family.

2. What's your most embarrassing mommy moment thus far?
This one is tough, because I don't get easily embarrassed. The first day we took Becca out after we brought her home was to go to her three day checkup. She was jaundiced, and needed a lot of extra blood work. What was supposed to be a quick appointment ended up taking a few hours. About halfway through, she was hungry, and I hadn't thought ahead when picking out a shirt that morning. I had a tight-ish shirt that was not meant for breastfeeding. I think I flashed everyone in the waiting room while trying to get Becca settled down enough to nurse. It was my first time nursing in public, in a busy waiting room, and I just wanted to crawl under my seat and hide.

3. What are you most proud of?
There are a lot of things that I am proud of, but I think the number one thing right now is my career. I had originally decided to be a stay at home mom, and that lasted a year before the economy affected my husband's job. He started working half the hours he had been, and things got really tight. On top of that, the holidays were coming up. He was going to need to get a second job, or I was going to need to find a way to make money. I came across freelance writing information, and got started a few weeks later. I've only been writing for six or seven months, but I have made huge strides forward in my career. I never imagined that I could actually be bringing in a decent income while spending my days with my daughter, and I'm proud of myself for finding a way to bring money into the household without sacrificing the reason I left the work force to begin with.

4. What's the best part of your job?
The best part about my job, besides that it allows me to stay home with my daughter, is that I am constantly learning new things. I am very curious, and I like to know a little bit about everything. In the last week, I learned how to jump start a car, treat a sinus infection with a nasal rinse, and advertise a website. I also learned the best way to wash windows and how to become a monk. I've written about hundreds of things, and I have all sorts of weird little facts I can pull out at a moments notice. I spend all day learning about things that I wouldn't have thought to look up on my own.

5. What's the hardest part of motherhood in your opinion?
I think the hardest part of motherhood doing is anything that makes my daughter cry. I hate saying no, I hate disciplining. I do it, because it is part of the job, but I don't like it. Holding her down for shots just kills me. I hate seeing her unhappy and knowing that I can't do anything to fix it, whether it is because I have to say no to something or because she is sick and miserable. She is definitely a mommy's girl. She has me totally wrapped around her little finger.

Now, don't forget to go visit Writer Mom at Home to see Margo's interview with me, and make sure to take a look around while you're there. She's a pretty insightful blogger, there's a lot to enjoy.

P.S. - Stay tuned for the miserable details of yesterday's attempt to move Baby to a one nap schedule.

Drumroll please...

I wanted to let you all know that I have made a new bloggy friend, Margo, also known as Writer Mom at Home. I've been participating in ProBlogger's 31 Days to a Better Blog (which has been totally awesome so far!) and one of the tasks was to make a blogging buddy, and Margo is my blogging buddy. We'll be contributing to each other's blogs here and there, with guest posts and super fun collaborations, so you better go visit her blog and get to know her. So far, I've really enjoyed getting to know her.

Tomorrow will be your official introduction to Writer Mom at Home, so make sure to visit to learn more!

Java Cupcake Giveaway!

Hungry yet?

Have you ever visited Java Cupcake? I love her, her treats always look so beautiful. And her recipes are really easy to follow, which is so important in baking. She's hosting a big collaboration giveaway at the moment, with some pretty awesome, tasty treats up for grabs, including the two beautiful sweets above.

You must visit Java Cupcake to find out more...especially if you love chocolate!

Remember the 80's?

Do you remember the 80's? I do. I remember dancing on my big sister's bed to lots of Wham songs, and singing to her George Michael poster. I remember my sister's big hair, and her friends' neon clothes...oh, the insanity of those clothes.

Anyway, Jen Lancaster of Jennsylvania (arguably one of the funniest women writers I know of) is hosting a Show Me Your 80's contest. (Needless to share, I shared this info with my sister, too.) Even if you don't have funny 80's pictures to share, it's totally fun to look at the pictures people are sending in. Each day, Jen is selecting a theme (like drop-waist dresses, mall hair, New Kids obsessions, and so forth. They totally make me laugh.

I love Jen - she's written three books, and her fourth is coming soon (and is her life in the 80's, hence the contest). I highly recommend her, and her blog. Her blog is just as funny as her books!