I’ve been writing all my life – be it poetry, songs, news articles, brochures, press releases, newletters, corporate magazine features or web content. You name it. Writing has always been a passion, a compulsion even.

So blogging was a very natural step. There were essays, naval grazings, rants, product reviews and stories shared. It has been a thrilling and incredible experience being a part of the mom blogging community.  In fact, this month marks my fifth anniversary even.

But alas, I’ve outgrown this domain, my tiny piece of the the blogosphere. I suspected as much a year ago. But I hate to quit things. However, if there’s one thing I’ve learned over the last few years, is that if you hold on to something too tightly, especially with eyes shut, you aren’t available to grasp at what may come your way.

So that’s what I’m doing. (Here I am universe. My eyes and hands are open.) I will continue to blog, just not in this capacity.

It has been incredibly rewarding to meet fellow bloggers and read their stories.  They are in my heart forevermore. Here’s seeing you on the flipside…

There’s an incredible blogger and mom in Atlanta named Anissa. If you haven’t read her before, you should puruse her archives. She’s sassy, funny, smart, and strong.

She began blogging about her daughter’s fight against cancer awhile back. But now she’s in the hospital. She’s suffered a massive stroke.

Please send prayers, positive vibes her way. If you’ve got a little extra jingle in your pockets to help the family offset medical expenses? That’s great too. They would greatly appreciate. For more info, click here.

We love you Anissa. We’re cheering you on girl!

I remember when The Wiggles first game onto the kids entertainment scene here in the United States. They caused quite the sensation amongst toddlers and preschoolers. And even now, years later, they are still a very big deal to little fans who love to dance.

Did you know that Sprout features The Wiggles and other notable preschool programming on-air, on demand, and online? Yup. Your child can get their daily dose of The Wiggles by turning into Sprout. And if you check  www.SproutOnline.com you’ll see the site is packed with games, videos, coloring pages and more. If you don’t have Sprout in your area, make some noise and sign this petition at www.wigglesplease.com.

To help Sprout and The Wiggles get the word out, we’re hosting a Wiggles prize pack giveaway. One lucky winner will receive Wiggles backpack, book (“Pop Goes the Wiggles!  Favorite Nursery Rhymes”), a hat, a sippy cup, a little stuffed animal, and a small Wiggles poster.

Want to see what its all about? Check out this site too!

Guidelines

Simply leave a comment on this post to enter. (US and Canada residents only)

Receive additional entries:

1. For blogging about the contest and let me know in a separate comment
2. Twitter this giveaway and let me know in a separate comment
3. Favorite me on Technorati and let me know in a separate comment
4. Stumble this post and let me know in a separate comment

Contest closes on November 5, 2009.

If winner does not claim prize by Nov. 9, 2009 they will forfeit their prize to alternate winner who will be drawn at random.

Good luck!

(I was not compensation to host this giveaway. Just thought it would be something cool for readers to win.)

By the end of the summer of 1991, at the tender age of 18, I had my life all mapped out.

I was going to marry the man who ended up becoming my college sweetheart. We’d get married in ‘95, after I graduated with a degree in Journalism. We’d live in the same small town in which I was raised. I’d either work for my town’s newspaper or a neighboring one. The planned husband would have a job where he’d be home by 6 p.m. each night. We’d have three children spaced two, maybe years apart. All girls. Life would be hectic but I would be that strict, yet loving mom. I would always be well dressed and my house, (probably a modest brick ranch) would be immaculate. And sure, while the girls would eventually want a pet, we’d probably get a cat when they were old enough to take care of it.

What’s that phrase? We plan. God laughs.

Time marched on. I realized I wouldn’t be able to move out of my parents house on a small town reporter’s salary. I kept my major but switched to an emphasis in public relations and secured a prestigious internship in St. Louis which lead to a really cool gig.

Then I took a long look at the relationship and realized neither one of us were very happy. So I broke it off. And then I decided to move to St. Louis, which was easily, an hour’s drive from my hometown where everything felt familiar and safe.

Fast forward to 2009. I am married to a man very different who rarely gets home before 6 p.m. He travels quite a bit too. I live in the suburbs. My house is not bricked, nor single-storied, nor immaculate. I don’t write for a newspaper. I don’t work in an office. I spend most of my time in track pants and t-shirts. And I don’t have three girls. I have one child - a son. There’s no way we could ever get a cat (I’m allergic). We have a dog. And as for the strict part of that whole mothering style? Well that’s open for debate.

I didn’t anticipate many of the trials of “real life” like miscarriages and migraines.  But then again I didn’t anticipate the excitement or joy of watching this little boy uncover his talents, grow, and make friends. 

Even though this life isn’t what I’d planned way back when, some of the more important points of the life I dreamed of did come to fruition. I fell in love. I became a mom. I write. My family and I have built a valuable support system here. This suburb of St. Louis is our HOME. And this life I hadn’t planned for? Is richer and far sweeter than the one that young woman could have ever imagined.

It started years ago…

I’d have my back turned to make dinner while my son was on the floor playing. Abbeydog would walk past him. I’d turn around and say something like, “Leave puppy alone.”  He was too young to talk. He’d look at me with a surprised expression as if to say, “How did you KNOW I was thinking of grabbing at the dog?”

As he grew older, he’d often ask, “How did you know?”. I told him all moms have eyes in the back of their heads so we can see even when we’re turned around. He believed me. (Because you know, why would moms ever lie?)

When he got to kindergarten, he started to question this. “So-and-so’s told me his mom doesn’t have eyes in the back of her head.”

I’d reply. “She might not but I do.”

Around first grade, he became a bit savvier. “If you have eyes in the back of your head then what am I doing right now?” He’d always make a funny face or do something goofy, so I’d say, ‘You’re goofing off.”  This worked. The boy was still “sold” on my special powers.

But this past summer, when my back would be turned, he’d ask,  “How many fingers am I holding up?” So I started guessing. Sometimes I’d get it right. When I didn’t, I’d say, “That’s cause one of my eyes are bothering me today. My hair keeps falling in it.”
 
Just a few days ago Seth asked, “If you have eyes in the back of your head, how many fingers am I holding up?” I finally came clean. He’s seven. I don’t want other kids to make fun of him for having this belief. So I told him that I don’t have eyes in the back of my head. I can often tell what he’s thinking just by watching him.  His response? He widely smiled and exclaimed, “I knew it!”

Another mystery of a seven-year-old’s universe is explained.

Have you checked out STLFamilyLife lately? If not, please do!

Like most little boys, my son has an unyielding obsession with space-related subjects. He knows how many moons Saturn has, what the planet Mercury is made of and isn’t shy about expressing his opinion on how Pluto should really be considered a planet instead of a star.

So when I asked him if he’d like to review The Zula Patrol’s dvds, “Animal Adventures” and “Moons Mayhem“, he was more than happy to oblige.

The Animal Adventures in Space dvd contains five sing-a-long Zula songs and is about how the gang restore life in the canyon, solve a mystery and tunnel through dirt to save an ecosystem. Of course along the way little viewers learn about the importance of the plants and animals in our environment.

The Moons Mayhem dvd includes episodes: The Probe Who Came to Dinner, Forget-Me-Naut, Moons Mayhem, and Three Ringed Gorga.

 The characters for the Zula series are fun and quirky. The story lines are outrageous yet entertaining. And I love the way the writers breakdown various science concepts into information that can be understood by youngsters in kindergarten to second grade. Plus? These are great dvds for long car trips, when kids are tired or when they aren’t feeling so good and you’re both waiting for the medicine to kick in. They are dvds that entertain yet don’t get kids all wound up. To me, that’s a wonderful thing. And right now we are giving away both dvd’s to one lucky winner! (A $25 value.)

Guidelines

Simply leave a comment on this post to enter. (US and Canada residents only)

Receive additional entries:

1. For blogging about the contest and let me know in a separate comment
2. Twitter this giveaway and let me know in a separate comment
3. Favorite me on Technorati and let me know in a separate comment
4. Stumble this post and let me know in a separate comment

Contest closes on September 30, 2009.

If winner does not claim prize by Oct. 6, 2009 they will forfeit their prize to alternate winner who will be drawn at random.

Good luck!

(And while I was provided the dvds to review, I wasn’t paid to post this…)

Sarah discovered she had Ovarian Cancer after a routine gynecological check up. She was shocked. She was an active woman in her early 30’s.  Fortunately, her cancer was at such an early stage, she required little more than surgery. She’s been fine ever since.

Amanada was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer after grappling with some stomach issues for more than a year. (She didn’t have insurance.) She was shocked when she received her diagnosis. She too was an active woman in her early 30’s. She soon learned the cancer had spread to other parts of her body. She fought a long, hard battle but eventually, her body succumbed.  

Two women at about the same age of diagnosis. Two completely different outcomes.

Now you can help support the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF). All it takes is a few seconds of your time. The Electrolux and Kelly Ripa are kicking off a unique “Text-a-Thon for a Cause”. Youcan donate $5 to the cause by texting “KELLY” to 85944 from their mobile phones (standard text messaging rates apply) – or by logging on to www.kelly-confidential.com. (Each day you log onto thissite, you are entered for a chance to win a luxury frontload washer and dryer from Electrolux in Turquoise Sky, the color of ovarian cancer awareness.) 

During September, visitors to Kelly Confidential can also help spread awareness for this important cause by sending a virtual T-shirt to a friend.  For every virtual T-shirt sent, Electrolux will donate $1 to the OCRF. You can also purchase a limited edition T-shirt designed by Ripa; 100% of the proceeds from the sale of the T-shirts will go to OCRF. 

(If you’re like me, and try to avoid anything Kelly Ripa-related because you find yourself wanting to slap the “perky” right out of her, please overlook this urge. Because dude, ITS FOR A GOOD CAUSE.)

And if you want a second chance at winning the same washer and dryer, go to Moms Central’s site too!

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Electrolux and received a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate.

I often take my son back to my little hometown of Breese in Illinois–  or rather the outskirts, to the home my parents have lived in for 30 years.

I live in the suburbs of St. Louis now. The trip to my parents’ house last a little more than an hour. And while the first 50 minutes of the drive usually drag on, I do love the last 20 minutes. As I see rows of corn and soybean fields, I often find myself taking a deep, relaxing breath. The expanse of green, especially paired with a beautiful blue sky or contrasted with the darkness of the damp tree bark after a rain, is calming, yet uplifting  And the amber wheat fields are especially striking when a wind whips through the land, causing a waving sensation.

In the spring, a pungent aroma sometimes wafts throughout the countryside. When my 7-year-old son complains of the smell? I can’t help but laugh.

“What is that disgusting smell, mom? YUCK.”

“Just cow poop. They fertilize the fields with it,” I say. “Take a big whiff. Its the smell your past.” I say this last part semi-joking. I remember as a kid complaining about the smell too.

Both sides of my family tree are filled with generations of German Catholic farmers who married and made babies with other German Catholic farmers. And at times it is difficult to know which of the qualities I posess have been bred into me and which ones are entirely my own. I love to garden, take care of animals and be outdoors. But so have many generations before me.  

In contemplating this, I often think about how spoiled my son and I are in comparison. Whether you were out in the fields or inside taking care of the home and a gaggle of kids, the work was back breaking. The summer heat was miserable, the hours were long, medical care was reserved only for emergencies, vacations were non-existant and the financial difficulties were overwhelming - especially without an education. Neither of my grandfathers made it past sixth grade. And I doubt the generations before them made it any further.  

I look in my rearview window, watching Seth stare out amongst the fields, listening to one of his favorite songs on my iPod. We live in a completely different world. Thanks to my hard-working hubbby, we live in a nice house and in a great neighborhood. We live in a world filled with playdates, disposable income, air-conditioning, satellite tv, wonderful schools, cell phones and opportunity. That boy has no idea how much better the quality of his life is compared to those who came before him. But I take him out here in hopes that someday he too will learn to appreciate the beauty as well as this piece of his heritage.

And I often wonder what my ancestors would think of mine and my son’s life in contrast to theirs. Hopefully, they’d feel I haven’t lost sight of what’s most important in this world. Hopefully they’d be happy. And proud.

KY Brand has been helping couples “get it on” since 1917. And now they’ve got a whole new product out there called KY Intense Arousal Gel For Her. The product is meant to increase sensation, resulting in a more intense and pleasurable sexual experience. In fact, according to the company’s testing, 90 percent of couples experienced increased sensitivity.  And now KY is giving away some of their Intense Arousal Gel for Her to one lucky MotherOfBun winner!

Guidelines

Simply leave a comment on this post to enter. (US and Canada residents only)

Receive additional entries:

1. For blogging about the contest and let me know in a separate comment
2. Twitter this giveaway and let me know in a separate comment
3. Favorite me on Technorati and let me know in a separate comment
4. Stumble this post and let me know in a separate comment

Contest closes on September 5, 2009.

If winner does not claim prize by Sept. 9, 2009 they will forfeit their prize to alternate winner who will be drawn at random.

Good luck!

(And no, I wasn’t paid to post this…)

Update: Congrats to Lucky Canuck, the winner of the giveaway!

“Mom. I can’t sleep”, my seven-year-old says. It is way past his bedtime. And we have a big day tomorrow. 

“Will you lay by me? He pleads.

How can I look into those sweet little eyes and say “no?”

Afterall, it is about the only time he wants to cuddle these days. So I take the opportunity. Besides, I know exactly how to put him to sleep in a matter of minutes - three minutes tops.

I take one of his hands, which ever is free, into both of mine. I tell him to concentrate on the warmth and the softness enveloping his hand.

It doesn’t take long. He starts snoring a light, little boy snore. And my job is done. What can I say? I’m really good at putting people to sleep.

This post is dedicated to two super awesome chicks Cindy and Ashley who are inspiring me to continue to write this blog. LOVE you both! And thank you for that gift.

Dear Seth,

You turn seven tomorrow. And every time I think about it I tear up. So much has changed over the years. And while you’re excited about growing older and all it entails, it is a bittersweet experience for your mama.

We used to snuggle up in a rocking chair to read a book. Now you only want to snuggle before your bedtime in an effort to stay up later. You used to lovingly call me ”Ma-eee”. Now you call me “Moooommm.” You usually say it in your most exaspirated voice. You used to love listening to “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”. Now you love to listen to Jason Mraz and air guitar to Muse.

Remember how you used to wish you could marry me. Now you make big plans to marry one of your best buds named Chloe. You used to rely on my body to provide you nutrients. Now you rely on my body to cook you nutritious meals.

We used to take walks together. You’d happily sit in your stroller, watching the world go by. We’d stop here or there so I could show you a flower, blade of grass or an insect. You’d sit there in awe, your eager eyes soaking up the experience. We still take our walks together but now you race ahead of me on your bike. These days it is you who points out the tiny frog hoping across the rocks or you who tries to tickle me with a blade of grass.

Some things haven’t changed all that much. Only I can still can comfort you when you have a bad dream, bad day or get hurt. And when you sleep, you still look a bit like the baby we brought home. You still love giving your mama hugs, although those hugs are much stronger now.

As you get older, I find we have lots in common. (Like we both drive your poor daddy crazy.) And you’re alot of fun to hang out with. I’m proud of you. I admire your spunk. You make you daddy’s and my life richer as well as fill the house with laughter and liveliness. We love you so much.

Happy Birthday Seth. I don’t care how big or old you get, you will always be my little bunny.

Kristie and I just launched (as in a few days ago) an online magazine devoting to parenting within the St. Louis area! StLFamilyLife.com touches base on childcare, products, friendships, romantic relationships, sex, education, fun stuff for you to do and a myriad of other topics. You don’t have to be a St. Louis area resident to read or enter giveaways. We hope you’ll poke around the site then stick around to see what we’ve got in store for you! Here’s a few links, so give us a try!

And don’t forget to check out the St. Louis/marriage section of the Examiner.com.

From now on, my product reviews will be posted to StLFamilyLife.com. The old reviews will remain at MotherOfBun Reviews…