MommyQ Dishes Mom Blogging Tips on KXAN News

MommyQ Blogging Tips

It was so much fun to meet anchor, Sally Hernandez, and be a guest on the KXAN News at Noon show today. Sally is a smart and sweet and funny gal. It was a great interview and I owe a lot of that her. She’s the mom of a youngster herself, so I think she really understands and appreciates the power of mom blogs.

I talked to Sally about my blog and then gave a few tips for moms who would like to start a blog. I mentioned getting your feet wet on large blogging communities like Blogher and Yahoo!Shine. These are my two favorites online communities and I actually post on both of them. The larger blogs I write for, Babble and BettyConfidential, also use Yahoo!Shine to promote their blog posts. It has a tremendous reach due to the sheer amount of readers.

As I mentioned in the interview, there are many Do’s and Don’ts when it comes to blogging. Here are my top three:

DO

1 – Identify the goals of your blog. Take some time to think about what you want your blog to accomplish. Are you writing it so family members who don’t live nearby can keep up? Are you going to use your blog as a stepping stone into a writing career? Are you wanting to make money with it? There are lots of great reasons, and figuring out what they are will help you create your blog in a way that best fits your goals.

2 – Share! Share! Share! When you do start blogging, share your posts on social media sites. That’s exactly why they exist. Use Facebook, Twitter, StumbleUpon, LinkedIn or any of your favorites to share your posts. This is what you need to do to engage with your readers and start conversations. My friends & family are my biggest fans, so I encourage you to bombard them constantly. 😉

3 – Write about stuff you like. Yeah, that seems pretty obvious, but it’s true. If your write about topics you like, in additional to your fabulous kiddos, you’re more likely to keep writing. Let’s face it, you can only write about picky eaters and colds and diaper fiascoes to a degree. Pepper in the things you love and your passion will shine through in your writing.

DON’T

1 – Too much information! Be careful about the amount of info your share in your blog. As mom bloggers, we’re always chatting about our kids. That doesn’t mean you should list their full names, where they attend school or daycare, etc. It’s possible to tell compelling and true stories without giving every little detail. Protect yourself and your children.

2 – Never blog angry. The rush of having your own slice of the Internet can be intoxicating, but don’t abandon all of your manners as a result. (And speaking of intoxicating, don’t blog drunk either.) If you have a bad experience somewhere or buy a product you don’t like, don’t go off about it in your blog. That stuff will come back to haunt you. If you read a post and your gut instinct tells you not to publish it, listen to your gut. Better safe than sorry.

3 – Embrace negative feedback. – Don’t spend time worrying about how your posts will be received. You WILL GET negative feedback and some of it won’t be pretty. Take it for what’s it worth and don’t get discouraged. If you have the freedom to voice your option, other people are entitled to do the same thing. That’s the beauty of this highly interactive world we live in!

Plus, learn more about BlogathonATX: Part Deux and find out why you should’ve already bought your ticket. Shame on you!

A Crib In Every Color Imaginable


If you’re shopping for baby cribs, take notice of this one! I remember having minimal options when it came to crib colors. There was white, black or brown. A few expensive ones came in bright, fun colors, but I wasn’t spending $3k on a crib. No way.

Here is a beautiful crib, the “Built to Grow” panel crib from Stanley Furniture’s Young America collection. This crib comes in so many wonderful colors, how will you decide? It is crafted in the USA and GreenGuard certified.  It is a convertible crib, so it goes from infancy to childhood. Find it at BabyEarth for $1080.

Sensational MK Shoes on Sale

Get your shopaholic behinds on over to Nordstrom.com to find the coolest shoes on sale. That’s right, ladies! Nordstrom is having a huge shoe sale right this instant.

You can find these Michael Kors “Niki” Gladiator Sandals for $99. Not to shabby. They have a logo plate on the heel, an adjustable ankle strap and have a 5 1/4″ platform. Thanks to the platform, they only feel like 3 1/2″ high. Cake walk.

You can also snag free shipping on all orders over $200. Go ahead, get your shop on. www.nordstrom.com

Shoe Shopping: Baby Feet Deserve Pediped

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We bought our first pair of Pediped shoes last week and now I know what all of the fuss is about. These shoes are awesome! We opted for the ‘Conner’ style featuring a canvas upper and rubber toe caps. He can certainly tear up the playground in these.

Pediped is approved by the American Pediatric Medical Association  for contributing healthy foot development in children.  The Flex Fit System is really helpful and the price is right – $34. We chose Navy and Olive and they go with everything. Great for warm weather too – if we ever get it. 😉  Happy running, jumping & playing!

Think Pink on Valentine’s Day: Five Fab Gifts for Mom

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. Have you found something smashing for your sweet? If not, here are a few sensational gift ideas for every mom – from fashionista to functional. (All but one are under $100.) Moms, if you see something you like on this list, just send the link to your hubby. Happy shopping!

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PUMA Fitness Bag – Give her a sweet gift she can use. It’s big enough to tote gear, but not too bulky. One a few left at Zappos. Retails for $51.

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Sephora Train Case – It’s gleaming, metallic pink with silver locks. Inner compartments to keep your gal’s primping favorites safe and organized. Find it at Sephora for $68.

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Victoria’s Secret Terry Robe – It’s soft, comfy and even a little blingy. Pinky pink with fron pockets. Not sure why a robe needs pockets, but whatever! It retails for $50 at Victoria’s Secret.

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Michael Kors Perfume Ring – Get your girlie a little slice of Kors heaven with this Very Hollywood Eau de Parfum Ring.  Totally red carpet-worthy for only $40 at Michael Kors.

betsey-johnson

Betsey Johnson Calandra – If your wife has a bit of a shoe fetish, treat her to a pair of frilly Mary Janes. She can wear these with party dresses or jeans – perfect for any occasion. Find them in every size at Zappos for $154.

Hot Rollers: Are You Still Using Them?

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I was watching the Real Housewives of the OC reunion show last week, and evidently Gretchen Rossi’s hair is a big deal. I think she always looks pretty (and she is my favorite housewife!), but I never really noticed her hair. During the show they talk about how many viewers are in luuuv with her hairdo. (Scroll down to the comments to see what I mean.)

She says she doesn’t wear extensions and she achieves her look with big hot rollers. Hot rollers! Wow, I haven’t thought about those in forever. In fact, I haven’t owned hot rollers in about 10 years.

I certainly used them back in the day, but we all did. My friends with long hair would even sleep in foam rollers for the big, bouncy head of curls the next day. Out of curiosity, I checked out the hot rollers at CVS and chuckled. They haven’t changed much. This week, I’m going to check out what Target has and if they have the really big rollers, I might even indulge.

What about you? Are hot rollers still part of your beauty secret?

Golden Globe Swag: What’s In The Bag?

swag-bag
As you probably know, Sunday is the Golden Globe awards. I’m sure the Red Carpet coverage will last for six hours before the event, so everyone can see the stars strut their stuff and answer silly questions in a spontaneous manner. On to the good stuff…

Wanna know what’s in the Golden Globe goody bag this year? Well, the bag is worth $500. (Doesn’t that seem low? Maybe Hollywood isn’t recession-proof after all.)

Hers:
– A large Dooney & Bourke satchel
– Euphoria perfume by Calvin Klein
– L’Oreal cosmetics
– InStyle’s book, “The New Secrets of Style”

His:
– Tumi duffle bag
– Euphoria for men
– A custom shirt by designer Alexander West
– A style book for guys

The Presenters Lounge backstage is an entirely different story. The artwork alone is worth $3 million. Yes, $3 mil in a room for stars to apply more lip gloss. Or Botox – whatever.  Read more at People.

Image: People.com