Meet a Mom Blogger: Take 90 West

Personal blogs are kind of hit and miss for me.  I’ve heard them described as an exercise in vanity, and I suppose that could be true in some cases.  On the other hand, I tend to see them more as a way of reaching out to friends, both those you already have and those you’ve yet to make.  Still, there has to be something special about a personal blog in order to really get me to take notice.

Take 90 West has that something special.

There are a few things that really stand out on this slice-of-life blog.  First of all, Lisa is a good writer.  In today’s Internet culture, the rules of grammar seem to be thought of as “suggestions.”  This is fine, I suppose, but a well-written blog just makes me smile.

In this case, it’s not just a matter of spelling and punctuation, either.  Lisa has the ability to really convey her feelings in a way that allows you to identify.  When she talked about her daughter chipping a tooth, for example, I have to admit that I got all misty eyed; and I don’t even know her or her daughter!

In addition to getting her point across through writing, Lisa also does some really great photo posts.  With half a dozen photos and a few captions, she is somehow able to tell an entire story.  It’s actually really inspiring and makes me want to break out the digital camera.

Finally, one of the best parts of Take 90 West is Lisa’s sense of humor.  She is witty and funny, and it comes across as being very natural.  Basically, she seems like someone you would really want to have on your Bunco team or living on your cul-de-sac.

As you would expect on a personal blog, there are some memes and the perennial I-need-to-go-on-a-diet posts, too.  She even has the occasional epiphany, and some of them are the kind of thing a person could possibly take to heart.  (I also wish I was Martha Stewart and need to accept that I am not.)

Overall, Take 90 West is a really enjoyable read with quality content and a friendly approach.

This Mom Blogger Feature Written by Lorna Doone Brewer

Meet a Mom Blogger: A Mama’s Blog

Heather started A Mama’s Blog for the neatest reason.  She wanted to capture a bit of herself now so that her children could read it later.  As she describes it, “I realized that I know my parents now, as adults, but had no insight into their lives when they were my age, raising their family.“  What an interesting reason to start a personal blog.

A Mama’s Blog chronicles the day-to-day happenings of Heather’s family.  She talks about her boys Ryan and Cole and gives readers a little glimpse into their personalities and development.  The blog also allows her a platform to share information on a couple of her favorite mama topics.

Attachment Parenting is one of Heather’s favorite subjects.  She shares a little about the philosophy behind AP and goes on to talk about her family’s own experience.  She’s also an advocate of breastfeeding, and a number of her posts mention the bond she feels with her boys as a result of nursing them.  In addition to her own first-hand anecdotes, she also includes links and reprints of other articles and research on the benefits of breastfeeding.

Heather has experienced a successful VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) and really enjoys sharing with other women that this can be a viable option for them.  She imparts a lot of information about cesareans, including first-hand suggestions on how to recover from one, statistics for mothers considering one, and lots of support for those trying to avoid one.

For the last couple of months, A Mama’s Blog has been hosting contests and giveaways, too.  Many of the prizes have included environmentally-friendly products that can be used in your home.  Health is a major topic on the blog, and Heather sees these types of products as being another route to healthier living.

A Mama’s Blog takes a varied look at being a stay-at-home mom.  Heather has some pretty strong opinions about what are the right choices for her family, but she tries to share her ideas without being judgmental toward those who choose a different path.  Still, she makes the information available in an attempt to give readers every opportunity to educate themselves on some very important topics.

This Mom Blogger Feature Written by Lorna Doone Brewer

Meet a Mom Blogger: The Menu Mom

The Menu Mom is a blog written by Christine Steendahl who is pretty darn serious when it comes to feeding kids. Christine has a number of web sites, blogs, and products that are set up to help parents do just that. Some of them are specifically geared toward planning ahead to make shopping and preparation easier, while others are focused on how to make food that kids will actually like.

Of course, this blog is centered around food; but it looks at it from a parent’s perspective. She talks about her recent discovery of Community Supported Agriculture and how it’s allowing her to bring more organic produce into the house without paying grocery store prices.

In addition to articles like this (she calls them “Menu Mom Chit Chat”), Christine also uses the blog to share recipes that her readers can try out at home. While so many blogs are all about how to save time, she’s not afraid to include recipes that require you to beat something until it forms peaks or to chill it for several hours before serving. It’s actually pretty refreshing to see real recipes instead of “quick tips” or “short cuts” for a change.

The “Fun Places to Visit” category of The Menu Mom is full of posts with links to interesting sites off of the blog. It’s basically a resource for food-related thoughts and ideas around the web. On occasion, Christine will also review a product related to her blog’s topic.

While The Menu Mom isn’t updated as frequently as many other blogs, it’s the kind that you like to have in your feed reader so you don’t miss anything when a new article or recipe does pop up.

This Mom Blogger Feature Written by Lorna Doone Brewer