HELLOOOOO! (And, yes, please hear that in my best Seinfeld voice.)
Welcome to my lovely visitors from the Ultimate Blog Party at 5 Minutes for Mom. (And regular readers, you are – of course – always welcome here. Don’t click away too quickly today. There’s a big ol’ giveaway coming up!)
My name is Mary, and I am a Christian, a wife, a mother to a three-year-old, a writer and a recovering perfectionist. I believe that a life lived fully and well is infinitely better than one spent chasing perfection. And it’s WAY less stressful!
That’s not to say I don’t struggle with the many (and I mean MANY) areas of my life that fall so very short of perfect. But I’m working on it.
Sometimes I take funny pictures of myself. And then post them for your entertainment. (But I’ll be honest: I lean more toward the hiding-behind-the-camera and only-show-cute-pics-of-my-kid strategy.) Anyway.
Here’s the lowdown on me and this here blog:
- Monday Morning Mmmm is my almost-every-week recipe post. I keep things simple and sometimes, well, things don’t go according to plan.
- I quit my job last fall to stay home with my daughter and it’s been quite a learning experience. Check out Top 10 Surprises About Becoming a SAHM, More Surprises About Becoming a SAHM and (believe it or not, there’s more!) Another Surprise About Being a SAHM.
- Born and raised in Missouri, I still consider myself a Southern gal.
- Even though I know better (I do, I really do), I love a good romance novel.
- One of the most traumatic and amazing experiences of my life to date has been planting a church – and then leaving it.
- I write for (in)courage, a blog for women published by DaySpring, a division of Hallmark. And I LOVE it. A lot.
- Last, but {sadly} not least, I really, really love to watch TV.
Oh, there’s one more thing you should know! I’m writing an e-book about how to plan great parties without losing your mind. Sound like something you’d be interested in? Sign up for my newsletter, and I’ll let you know when it’s available (should be late April…or so…)!
Now, one more thing before you click away to the other fabulous blogs linked up at the Ultimate Blog Party: We’ve got PRIZES!!!
Um, well, actually . . . I don’t do a great Oprah impression, and it’s more like prize. Singular. But wait! It’s an awesome one!
I have a great group of blogging friends (we call ourselves the #sisterchicks, if you can stomach that), and we’ve worked together to put together a little scavenger hunt for you.
Each of us has a photo of a word(s) in our Ultimate Blog Party post, and it adds up to one sentence. Follow the trail to get the sentence, then e-mail sisterchickies@gmail.com and be entered to win a $100 Target gift card!
Fun, right? (Come on, now. It’s a hundred bucks! Surely you can check out ten of the most awesome blogs I know for that?!) Okay, I thought so.
Now, go visit Jessie at Vanderbilt Wife for the next clue!
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Nice to meet you! I’m a fellow church planting wife with a less-than-wonderful church planting story. Sounds like we’d have alot to talk about! Come visit my blog this week…I’m giving away several books each day of the UBP11!
It is very nice to meet you. I am a Christian homeschooling mommy to one girl and married 11 years to a minister whom I love abundantly. I am happy to find your site and look forward to reading more. I LOVE a good romantic novel too :) Shhhh…
Stop by and say hi anytime at
Long Wait For Isabella
Nice to meet you! I love the pics of yourself. I try to hide behind pics of my tot too! I look forward to reading more from you – and love your hop a long giveaway! Cute idea.
Emily
Family and Life in Las Vegas
Hello, Mary! I already know you, but I love your pictures–so cute! Have fun hopping this weekend!
Stopping by from the UBP11! Love your funny faces.. we love to do those too in our home .. .probably too much! LOL I also have a recipe linky called Tasty Tuesday, so maybe we can share recipes! :) Nice to meet you, and thanks for the great contest too! Drop by when you can and visit!
LOVE IT! I was hoping to get a post up this year. Not sure I’m going to make it!
Now, I need to find time to go on the scavenger hunt, since I’m a #sisterchick groupie and all.
LOVE YOU!
Stopping by from UBP! Thanks for participating in the scavenger hunt! Love it and the sentence it creates. Have a fabulous weekend!
semi regular reader here… just don’t comment much! Hurray for your bravery to post pictures of yourself… I hate doing that! :)
looking forward to meeting more of the #sisterchicks … I like that! :)
Love your pics, I am not that brave!
Stopping by from the Ultimate Blog Party 2011!
Hope you’ll visit my party: http://momandmore.com/2011/04/2011-ultimate-blog-party-welcome-to-mom-and-more.html
Happy to see you joined the party this year! Nice to meet you. This is my third UBP. I am looking forward to reading your blog and getting to know you better. I hope you drop by my blogs and leave me a comment.
Cascia Talbert
The Healthy Moms Magazine
http://www.thehealthymoms.net/2011/03/ultimate-blog-party-2011.html
The Zoo
http://talbertzoo.blogspot.com/2011/03/ultimate-blog-party-2011.html
I LOVE your blog domain name and about you!! I too am a Christian woman who is far from perfect (although I would like to Be!) LOL
I was raised in Missouri too (mid-MO)… and still consider myself a midwest girl (even though I now reside in California {the state – not the city}).
Happy partying! :)
Nice to meet you! I read several other sister chicks but have never done the scavenger hunts… UBP seems like the perfect time to do one!
It’s good to learn more about you. I’ve been reading your blog for awhile now. Thanks for all ot the work you put into it.
What a great blog, and fabulous scavenger hunt idea! I love it! About to leave for the next clue ;-) Enjoy the rest of UBP11, and come on over to http://addaspoonfulofsugar.com to check out my great giveaway!
Stopping by from UPB11. Great to meet you!
There are so many fun blogs to visit! If you have time, I hope you’ll stop by:
http://atticgirl.blogspot.com/2011/04/welcome-to-ultimate-blog-party-2011.html
You can enter to win a $25 Gift cert to my eBay store to spruce up your spring/summer wardrobe (details on post)
Have a great weekend!
Hi! I see you feature Reviews and/or Giveaways. I would like to invite you to add your blog to my “Review and Giveaway Blog Directory” if you haven’t already . Hope you’re having a Sweet Week!
April
A Mommy’s Sweet Blog Design
Custom Blog Design, Free Blog Tutorials, Buttons, & Template
Dang it, that refrigerator magnet thing is haunting me! I will come back and start it from here tonight!!!
You have quickly become one of my favorite blogs in my feed. Someday, I will post about my party planning skills and then you can add a “how NOT to do it” chapter to your book!! Yep, I’m THAT bad!!!
Stopping in to do the #ubp11 party dance on your blog!!! I’m new hear and can’t wait to look around at your recipes! If you have anything bacon I have BACON Monday’s on my blog!
I’m going to go do the party dance on twitter & FB too! I love your letter idea and thought it was funny that you have the 3rd set of the same letters. lol
Have fun! Susie
Ok, that sister chicks scavanger hunt was so much fun! I don’t care if I win the GC (ok, I do — please!), because I have discovered some fun new bloggies. :) Have a great weekend, Mary!
FUN! I love the scavenger hunt idea! I have 2 kiddos, I’m a homeschooling mom, a pro athlete that hates to workout LOL.. I also write a fitness blog, but I LOVE fried fatty foods. You can read more about us in my party post
http://www.fitmomsfitkidsclub.com/2011/03/time-to-party-the-ultimate-blog-party-2011-is-here/
Come Visit Me!
Ah yeah, learning to let go of perfection. I think it’s only been in the last year or so that I even realized I had a problem with it… now to do something about it…
Love your blog name! :)
I know what you mean about becoming a SAHM is a learning experience! I just became one at the end of last year. Also, love the funny faces – I love sticking my tongue out in pictures too :)
Hi! Just stopping by on the UBP11 Tour! Nice to meet you and I love your site.
I have signed up to follow you and hope you’ll do the same for me!
I own an online COOKING STORE FOR KIDS called BITE SIZE CHEF and would love for you to stop by! http://www.BiteSizeChef.com.
We also have a blog called Little Bites http://www.BiteSizeChef.blogspot.com.
And, of course you can find us on FACEBOOK http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bite-Size-Chef/106994182690726 AND TWITTER @BiteSizeChef.
So nice to meet you and hope to chat with you soon!
Chris
Stopping by from the UBP. Love the funny faces… I tend to post cute pics of my kids more often than myself also, lol.
Lol, I think we all prefer cute pics of our kids to posting anything of ourselves. Kids just make it too easy. Stopping by for the party.
Great blog…love what I have read tonight… so happy to find your blog…what a fun party
Hope you will stop by…I have some extra giveaways that require nothing but a comment…no jumping through hoops.
Teresa
http://teresa-grammygirlfriend.blogspot.com/
http://grammyababychangeseverything.blogspot.com/
I love the name of your blog…seeing as I’m a recovering perfectionist as well!
Have fun partying it up this year at the UBP 2011! I know I am!
Glad to have stopped past your blog! Being a SAHM isn’t what people say it is, right? Very shocking some days. Lol. Love your word hunt. Very clever!
Hello! Stopping by for the UBP! I too am a SAHM, I have three boys! Hope you can stop by my blog sometime. :)
I like the title of your blog and that you enjoy watching TV :-)
cute blog!
I think I got the sentence! lol
You sound like a really fun and authentic gal! Who doesn’t like a good romance novel? Thanks for the puzzle! New follower from UBP!
I love (in)courage! I’ve never been accused of perfectionism, in fact probably the complete opposite, unfortunately. How wonderful that you’re able to stay home. I was a SAHM for 15 yrs. I love Christian romance novels…hello Julie Lessman, am I right? I hate photos of myself so I’m always behind the camera! You’re adorable tho!
~Mimi #115
http://wovenbywords.blogspot.com/2011/03/2011-ultimate-blog-party.html
I love your scavenger hunt idea and am running off to the next blog in search of my clue :) Thanks for stopping by A Hen’s Nest earlier! Happy UBP11!
I LOVE “giving up on perfect.” that’s sort of my theory with my being one with my averageness. :) and you’re right, we do have a lot in common!! thanks for stopping by and a WHAT A COOL IDEA with the scavenger hunt!!! Off to go figure it out!!
WAIT A MINUTE. Did you guys do this last year? Or something similar? Hmmm??? because i remember something similar from last year.
I”m on it! I’m going to be visiting blogs anyway.
Blog hopping.
Stopping by from the UBP ’11. I hope you stop by A Little of This and a Little of That and follow me via GFC. Have a great weekend.
http://alittleofhteother.com
Hi, I hopping from UPB11. I enjoyed your posting and would love to get to know you. I hope you have a super weekend.
http://richjmylife.blogspot.com
Hi there! I’m Dar, comin’ to you via the UBP 2011. Love the pics of you and your site. The scavenger hunt sounds fun…I’m in!
So happy I stopped by to meet you.
Off to the next clue : )
Love this scavenger hunt idea!!!! And you are refreshingly honest. I like you already. :)
Hope you’ll check out my site. I’m doing a little giveaway as well.
I also love TV in the evenings but we go sans TV every summer-fall …and I share you photography strategy since I had my 15 month old :)
cheers!
Stopping by from the UBP11! And Im having a blast! Hope you will stop by to visit and say hello :) We also have some awesome giveaways going on right now, Safety 1st Complete Air 65 Convertible Carseat, HD FLIP Video Camera, $50 Apothica Gift Card and TONS more with our Eco Friendly Welcome Spring event we are having this whole month! http://www.Midgetmomma.com
Hi! I’m seriously procrastinating on my UBP post… But I’m checking out blogs anyways. :) you seem very open & honest. We’ll get along great ;) haha
I love the photos! I will have to try that! It is brave and daring! I stayed up REALLY late reading blogs and going on this awesome scavenger hunt! So fun! And now, because of you, I am going to link up to the UBP’11! Thanks my-new-friend-Mary-who-I-will-learn-more-about-through-my-newly-set-up-google-reader-cuz-i-am-reading-you! :)
I have a few photos of me on my blog but more of my kids!! LOL
Hey! I am visiting from the Ultimate Blog Party! Please head over to either or both of my blogs (and become a follower if you aren’t one already):
So Stylilized is where I am currently offering FREE Custom Blog Designs at http://sostylilized.blogspot.com
Jessicas Lil Corner is where I blog about family and life at http://jessicaslilcorner.blogspot.com
Have a very blessed week! :0)
I’m stopping by from the UBP’11. I’m your newest follower. Please drop by A Little of This and a Little of That and follow back. Have a super week!
http://alittleoftheother.com
Hi! I love your blog. I’m new to blogging and UBP. I LOVE it! Please take a minute to visit my blog. When I hit 100 followers, I will be giving away 1 Lavender Essential Oil to 1 lucky winner!
http://frankandcandice.blogspot.com
Stopping via UBP and following you via twitter and liking you via facebook as well. Hoep you will follow me too @ http://masalabowl.blogspot.com/2011/04/day-298-ultimate-blog-party.html
Just dropping in from the UBP11! Nice to “meet you.” Stop by my blog when you have a chance Making Our Family Complete. I blog about my family’s journey to adopt an infant domestically.
Those photos of you are so fun!
Lois
P.S. We are giving away a Dunkin Donut GC as added incentive to visit :)
Hi there!
I’m visiting from the UBP11 and love everything you have to offer here! I look forward to reading more.
I blog over at http://ahappygirl.com about my life with my miracle baby who is 1 of about 5 in the world. I write about how being a momma with a chronic disease can be rough, but despite my challenges how I practice gratitude and celebrate the impossible every day!
Have a fabulous day!
xoxo.
Stopping by to say ‘Hi’ from my 5 Minutes for Mom Ultimate Blog Party 2011 link-up! What a great blog you have and I will be following! Stop by and say ‘Hi’ back! I have blog parties on Tuesday and Wednesday’s that may interest you. Tuesday is Tutorial & Thrifty Treasures Tuesday. Wednesday is What’s Cookin’ Wednesday. I am also looking for guest posts on home décor and crafts if you are interested.
Denise
Extreme Personal Measures
Hi! Heading over from the UBP. It’s nice to meet you! I’m a new facebook follower : )
I have two blogs I’d love for you to visit when you have the time:
http://giveawaycorner.blogspot.com/ (Daily Giveaways)
http://anne-somekindofwonderful.blogspot.com/ (Family Blog)
Its great to meet you! I’ve subscribed for your email so I look forward to reading more from you!
I hope you’ll join me at my party at : http://www.flipflopmama.com/2011/03/ultimate-blog-party-2011.html
Very nice to meet you!! I’m stopping by from the blog party. :) I love your photos. So cute!!
Hello!
Visiting you thanks to the UBP and your fellow bloggers since I linked through all of you in an effort to win the Target card – LOVE Target!
I too watch tv entirely too much and since really getting on my blogging kick I spend too much time on this here computer! Following you on Twitter and FB. :-) Oh and I love a good book as well, some romance some not – if you haven’t read Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah go get it! It is TERRIFIC! Best book I have read in a long time and it is a romance novel in that it is all about best friends from childhood and their up and down relationship. Fab book! :-)
Anyway come visit me too! http://www.beourguestvacations.net and http://www.facebook.com/beourguestvacations
~Teresa
Hi! I’m stopping by from the UBP11!
I followed you via Twitter & Facebook,
I hope you have time to stop by my blog and follow me back!
Have a great night!
-Samantha
http://www.kreativekaring.blogspot.com
Oh, I love that photo collage. A great idea to keep in mind for my post next year :)
Swinging in to say hello from the UBP. It’s been a whirlwind, it’s amazing to see how many blogs there are out there and how many people you have something in common with :) Feel free to swing by my UBP for an Amazon giveaway (worldwide) or if dresses are your thing, the Shabby Apple Giveaway (RV $92) (US only) is pretty awesome!
Hey! Visiting fashionably late from the ubp. Love your blog! I’m your newest follower!
Happy Friday! I’m your newest follower from Ultimate Blog Party 2011! Looking forward to reading your blog. Hope you will come follow me too: http://dinosaurs-and-dandelions.com
Stopping by via UBP11. It’s so nice to “meet” you. I enjoyed reading your party post and getting to know you. I love your beautiful smile. Very pretty eyes, too :). The scavenger hunt is such a cool idea! Fun.
http://bornagainandblessed.blogspot.com/
http://wondersbeyondwords.blogspot.com/
http://fivesavedbygrace.blogspot.com/
Hi, I got to you indirectly from the UBP — I landed on one of the other sites in your giveaway contest and came here through that. Good idea!
Looks like we have some things in common. I’m a SAHM from MO, and I’ve been involved in church work of various kinds, as both my dad and husband work with the church. Some experiences are better than others, whether it’s church planting or something else. Churches are made up of imperfect people, so of course things don’t always go ideally. You’re right that if we focus on God and follow Him, things will be much improved.
Great blog! I look forward to following!
Stopping by from UPB11. Great to meet you! There are so many fun blogs to visit! Your blog is great and I can’t wait to read more! I am a new follower. Visit my blog and enter for your chance to win the giveaway for Food Should Taste Good happening right now :)
Amber
http://www.twitter.com/kahluaii
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wellness-With-Diabetes/185799878130399
http://wellnesswithdiabetes.blogspot.com/
http://networkedblogs.com/blog/wellness_with_diabetes/?ahash=8c808c4d61d59549703294c7727fd6ad