Favorites
This is a subjective list of my favorite websites/blogs.
All of the blogs listed are ones that I personally subscribe to.
NOTES:
- I don’t do “link exchanges” (i.e. “you put me on your blogroll, I’ll put you on my blogroll“) so this list is the “real deal.”
- The list changes from time-to-time based on my interests and my “season” of life.
- I hope you will celebrate if you’re on the list.
- I hope you won’t be disappointed if you unexpectedly “disappear” from the list.
- If your blog isn’t listed, that doesn’t mean I don’t read your blog. It just means that I haven’t subscribed…yet. This list will be updated frequently so don’t despair.
Enjoy perusing…and making new friends along the way!
Mom Blogs:
Susan & Janice are twin sisters from Canada. They are blogging mavens and superstars. If you want to see what mom blogging is all about, take a peek at their booming site.
Tammy brings you fashion advice, beauty product reviews, and sales alerts.
And she wears really great red high heels.
Stephanie Precourt writes beautiful prose – short posts full of meaning and poetry. She’s a lovely person and she marvels in the wonderment of mothering three little boys and a baby girl.
Keith Wilcox is a full-time stay-at-home dad who homeschools his two boys. His intelligent and thoughtful writing style won me over very quickly when I first stumbled upon his blog and he has since secured his status as my favorite dad blog.
Sweet Madeline. She lives in Mississippi and knows a thing or two about Southern Hospitality. She is a babywearing, breastfeeding mama of one little boy. She has a green thumb that I admire (you should see her garden!) and a parenting style that seems marvelously mellow.
New to blogging? Melanie Nelson will “show you the ropes.” She is the go-to girl for questions about increasing traffic, creating an effective blog, and making money in the blogosphere.
Want to meet someone sweet? Nell is down-to-earth, fun, and friendly. She has three little boys…and she leaves the best comments on blogs.
Colleen, an MBA and mom-of-two, talks a mile a minute and does a million things! She’s been featured on Fox News, Good Morning America, and The New York Times – and is often sought out as an expert on product reviewing (because she does a lot of it!).
If you are a scrapbooker, you have to check out this blog! Nicole, the author of the blog, is actually my real-life neighbor and friend so I’ve seen her scrapbooks – and they are A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. Needless to say, she totally knows her stuff. Subscribe to her feed to learn tricks of the trade and to win cool products.
Gabrielle Blair, a mom of five (soon to be six!), blogs from Colorado about all things pretty + new. She finds the coolest boutiques and products…and often hosts delightful giveaways.
Emily has two little girls and a squeezable newborn baby boy. She keeps it real about motherhood in a totally funny + down-to-earth way. She also is a part-time interior designer and a writer for Simple.
Three sisters post photos of themselves in their everyday outfits. They each have their own signature sense of style…and almost all of their items are thrifted, gifted, or super inexpensive.
Heather started her blog in October 2007 and it’s been on the up-and-up ever since! Her blog features free stuff, rebates, coupons, and giveaways. I’m proud to say I was the very first commenter on her blog.
Don’t you just want to jump up and down with childlike excitement when you discover a blog that you love to pieces? The Giver’s Log is like that. It’s a blog featuring “delightable gift ideas, gift etiquette, and stories of gracious gestures.” It inspires me to give – thoughtfully, creatively, and from the heart.
Looking for craft ideas, children’s book recommendations, birthday party tips, and fun ways to spend your days with your family? Vanessa, a mom of two girls, will stun you with her creativity.
Beth is a mom of two (with one on the way – due in April 2010). She writes about love, loss (she miscarried her twin boys – James & Jake – in February 2008) , and life in a relate-able and relevant way. She is also the founder of You Capture, a weekly photography challenge.
She looks lovely in lipstick. She writes beautiful posts of rambly wonderfulness. She is Erin and you are going to love her. I always smile when I see her posts pop up in my RSS feed.
If you haven’t met Nini from Santa Cruz, CA…well, you’re missing out. She’s sweet, thoughtful, crafty, and fun – and she has two super cute kids. Plus, she is one of the most encouraging people I “know.”
Dana makes stuff. Pot holders. Swimsuits. Baby Blankets. AND the cutest clothing for little girls. If I am ever a millionaire, I am going to hire her to be my family’s personal designer.
Make and Takes is a top rated crafting, parenting, and recipe blog – and rightly so! The posts are creative, colorful, and feature great photographs. If you want to find some fun craft ideas, recipes, and and home projects, check here.
I think Jenny and I would be great friends “in real life.” The only thing standing in our way is that she lives in frigid Minnesota and I live in sunny AZ. Not exactly a day trip. Jenny is a 20-something mama of a 3-year-old boy and a baby girl. She likes reading, writing, working out, and…looking absolutely gorgeous within 5 minutes of giving birth (okay, I added that last one, but it’s true!).
Leigh is an artist, an NYC resident, a babywearer, a breastfeeder, and a home birth advocate. She finds the coolest shops and pics. And she takes pretty amazing photographs herself too.
MomtrendsNicole is a New York City mama who knows a thing or two about fashion, travel, and taking time for herself. She’ll keep you up-to-date with product reviews, giveaways, and info about NYC events.
Jo-Lynne is laugh-out loud funny. She’s a PA mom of three who tells it like it is about fashion, whole foods, blogging, and whatever else comes to her mind.
Genny – a mom of two from California- has a knack for crafting compelling stories from everyday moments. It’s no surprise that her writing has been featured in magazines and around the web. She’s also currently working on a book. If she doesn’t already have a publisher, I bet she’ll get one in no time. After all, she has an online platform, an aptitude for the written word, and a pleasant persona.
The tagline of this website says, “NYC mom of two (and fanatic online shopper) finds cute & clever stuff for moms & tots.” That’s exactly how I would describe it!
Stephanie Nielsen, mother of four, survived a plane crash in 2008…and is now writing about her journey of recovery. Her honest and eloquent posts inspire me…and make me laugh/cry, depending on the day.
Our Family AdventuresBelieve it or not, Kristen and I met when we were 14 years old. Now, she’s a mom, a missionary, a cloth diaper expert, and an ERGO wearer. She has a super cute almost-1-year-old son named Sam…and another babe on the way.
Caryn is a nurse, a southern CA girl, and the mom of a curly-haired toddler boy and a beautiful newborn girl. She’s lively, energetic, and a genuinely nice person (I met her at BlogHer ‘08). And she does lots of product reviews…
She’s tall. She’s pretty. She’s prolific. And she writes insightful posts about cooking, blogging, movies, and more.
Sensibly StyledThis blog’s motto is “all modest clothes, all in one place.” Three friends share their latest fashion finds – and, lately, they’ve been showcasing a bunch of reader-submitted family photos that are fun, fun, fun.
Darcie is friendly, fun, funny, and family-oriented. I know this because…she’s my neighbor and real-life friend! She is a well-connected person, an exceptional writer, a Disney expert, and a skilled baker…not to mention she’s gorgeous!
Brittany Birnel, an Oregon mom of two little girls. She writes short, artsy posts that feature mom-owned shops and fun product finds.
the MotherLoadI like a lot of things about the MotherLoad, but I especially love Amy’s “notebook” column, where she highlights crafty things and yummy recipes from around the web.
Short posts. Lots of photos. Fun finds.
I had the privilege of meeting Lisa at BlogHer ‘o8. She is pretty and lean and sweet…and she was wearing a baseball cap when we first met. You’re going to love her encouraging (yet kick-in-the-bottom) posts that are sure to inspire you to get fit.
Corporate Blogs
Affordable Luxuries/Work It Mom
Powered by Work It, Mom!, this blog features product ideas for working moms (which is, of course, all moms…).
Powered by Parents Magazine, this is my favorite “corporate blog.” It’s colorful, full of visuals, and jam-packed with helpful info and fun links. And GoodyBlog has the BEST giveaways.
The Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog
Motherwear sells tops, tanks, dresses, swimwear, sleepwear, and bras specifically for nursing moms. The company also operates a super useful blog. Written and moderated by Tanya, it includes news about the latest research on breastfeeding, tips about pumping and breastfeeding in public, and breastfeeding stories from around the world.
Parenting Websites:
Gotta love the Sears family. They’re doctors, yet they’re not afraid to question the medical establishment or the status quo. This is my #1 go-to site for questions about pregnancy, breastfeeding, vaccines, baby care, etc.
Contest Websites:
A sister site to 5 Minutes for Mom, you’ll find reviews, giveaways, and more giveaways at 5M4G.
Prizey is a highly efficient site that lists blog giveaways in an easily digestible format. Take one look and you’ll want to subscribe…
Other Cool Sites:
The one and only social networking site specifically for mom bloggers (as far as I know). This is a great way to “meet up” with other mom bloggers, to find blogging gigs, and to learn about the mom blogging phenomenon. P.S. MBC has a useful weekly e-newsletter too.
Founded by Stacy DeBroff, Mom Central is a company full of good people and great ideas.