Shannon, a.k.a. Arizona Mamma, Tickles Me Pink!

Holly over at 504 Main is a doll & graciously allows me to link up with her

every Friday to highlight bloggers I love, or that "Tickle Me Pink!"

Some of you may be familiar with Arizona Mamma over at Our Daze in the Desert, and if you're not that's alright! It won't hurt her feelings....much. Well, lately it seems she has been missing from the blogging scene quite a bit. That's because she has had a few other irons in the fire; one of which is her new venture, Shannon Marie Creations. Shannon & her designs TICKLE ME PINK!

Shannon Marie Creations is custom hand-stamped jewelry...and we all love that, right? All of her stuff is sterling silver (with the exception of one piece which is gold filled), and well made...not to mention adorable! It makes the perfect gift considering the holidays are nipping at our heels.

Guess what? Today, one of my lucky readers has the chance to win this piece...

She has named it "Go Green" in my honor. Isn't it perfect?! Here's how you can win:

Each of the following things will get you an entry:

1. Mandatory entry--head over to Shannon Marie Creations and have a look around. Come back and tell me what your favorite piece is here in the comments.

2. Tweet about the giveaway. Come back and provide a link to the tweet itself for an entry. You can tweet it once each day for the duration of the giveaway.

3. Blog about it with a link to this post. Come back and share the link to your post.

Please be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry. That's it!

The contest will start now, and end one week from today--Friday, October 8, 2010 at 8:00 a.m. CST.

Finally, if you see something you like, Shannon (Arizona Mamma) is offering 10% off to any of you who use the code "motherload10." The coupon code expires the last day of October, so head over now to get your goodies.**Please be sure to leave your email address or a way to contact you in your comment if you are not a blogger or registered!**






WINNER DRAWN ON FRIDAY MORNING = MISERY, entry # 28! Congrats, girl! We will be contacting you shortly!!!

I'm Tickled Pink to have Francis taking over my blog today!

Today I'm TICKLED PINK to let Francis take over my blog! I met her on Twitter (she's @hipcop) a while ago, and my life hasn't been the same since. She is consistently kind, generous, and full of compliments for everyone. She was in the navy for several years and is now a SAHM who loves running, nature, and John Grisham. Her blog, This Inspires Me, is a treat, and every time I stop by to read, it makes me feel good. So let's roll out the red carpet and give Francis the warm welcome she deserves!

Francis & her husband in Maui

Hi! My name is Francis Anderson and I am SO honored to be invading "The Mother Load." I am a proud and happy stay-at-home-mom to two gorgeous boys. My loving husband Rob puts up with me (I mean loves me) and encourages me in all I do! I live in Texas ;)

When did you start blogging and why?

I began blogging in March of this year. I was motivated to get my blog running to enter a Mabel Label's contest that I didn't win! My blog theme is inspiration and I blog about people and events that inspire me. I blog because I love people. I love hearing about personal journeys, successes, and amazing individual efforts. I love to learn.

What advice do you have for bloggers?

I learn from my mistakes. I am not a writer but I am having fun. Following a lot of different blogs has also taught me to not limit my content. Don't be afraid to try something new.

What has and hasn't worked for you?

What has worked for me is getting involved in the blogging community. I only use 'Twitter' and devote a lot of time promoting my blog there. I am always looking for blogs to read and comment on. I love leaving comments that spark conversation and get the bloggers to respond to me!

What hasn't worked for me is patience! I just assumed if I did a blog everyone would love it! ;) Not sure why I'm not super successful (kidding)! I'm too new and just learning as I go.

A funny story you would tell me if I met you.

I was in the Navy. I have always loved risk and adventure. I outdid myself one day by diving off the side of the ship during swim call. With 300 people watching I landed the worst belly flop ever that still hurts when I think about it! My belly is permanently red!

When you get writer's block how do you snap out of it?

I read. I visit the library, blogs, and I Google interesting words. I change the radio station in the car to see if a song will inspire me to write. I look up a calender in Google to see what events in history happened during this time.

What inspires you?

People. I love how we are all different and have our own stories. We can learn a lot from each other.

What is the BEST advice you ever received?

Life is what you make of it. I learned this in the Navy during a depressing day. I have never forgotten those words.

What crazy memory makes you laugh?

I was camping with my boyfriend (now husband) in Sedona when we heard footsteps in the dark and thought we were getting attacked by a bear. He valiantly looked me in the eyes and said "I love you" very "Brave Heart" style with a log in his hand ready to fight the bear. It turned out to be a cow! Still makes me laugh 11 years later!

I met Erin and fell in love with her blog. She has been supportive, encouraging, and very fun to follow! I am a huge fan of her and her blog. Thanks Erin!

Ways to follow me:

I blog here: http://thisinspires.me/

Follow me on Twitter here: http://twitter.com/hipcop

Nancy at Away We Go Tickles Me Pink!

Have you met Nancy from Away We Go? She Tickles Me Pink! I'm thrilled to be playing along again today with Holly over at 504 Main. She writes:

"The tickling pink concept is of enjoyment great enough to make the recipient glow with pleasure."
-The Phrase Finder

Well my friends, Nancy fits the bill. Her writing astounds me. She thrills me with her submissions to the Red Dress Club, which you can check out here, here, and here. A master of the short story and the written word, she also blogs often about her darling son Joel:

dontcha just wanna eat him up?

Anywhoo, I'm taking a bit of a bloggy break, so I thought I'd let Nancy https://twitter.com/AwayWeGoNancy on Twitter) take the wheel for a bit. She's wonderful and I'm so grateful our paths have crossed! Read on & be sure to stop by her place and follow along.
************

I'm Nancy, the proud proprietor of Away We Go. I have been blogging since October 2008. This makes me an authority on exactly nothing, but nevertheless, I feel a need to pound out my "blogging philosophy."

I am hardly an expert. I don't have a million followers, nor do I make a red cent off my ramblings. On most days, I'm okay with that.

Don't get me wrong. I do care. I care deeply. Every time I see the blinking green light on my phone, my pulse races a bit. Somebody read what I wrote! Somebody had a response! I am not talking to myself in a corner! Yay for staying on this side of sane!

I guess that's how I know that I am a writer---I am unapologetically needy. I need that response. I need that connection. Feed me! Love me!

So, besides my rampant narcissism, why do I blog?

Writing A Present

One of my favorite writers, Anne Lamott, talks about writing a present. She discusses writing stories for family members and dear friends, recording their truths, their struggles, and their moments of heartbreaking beauty.

I didn't write when my first-born was an infant, and those memories are murky. I will never be able to share my birth stories with perfect clarity. Those candles have burnt out, leaving only hazy smoke.
I don't want to forget my life. It's more than that. I want to relive those moments.

That is the gift of writing. I get to live my life, and then recreate it when I place it on paper.

It's the closest thing to magic that I know.

When I write about a morning at the playground, I experience that perfect joy once again. I pump my legs, feel the wind in my hair, and soar into the heavens. My keyboard is a time machine. I believe that.
And, best of all, it's all there for my kids to discover someday.

Digging out the Fossils

Stephen King, in his masterful book On Writing, compares writing fiction to digging out a fossil. Through time, revision, practice, and thinking, the character and plot reveal themselves. You don't see a dinosaur right away.

I often have a difficult time figuring out my feelings. I'll stew or fall into a funk or yell at my husband. I won't know why. Writing has helped me do this less often.
Writing is therapy, helping me dig through the dirt and debris to find my dinosaur. Sometimes, writer's block is a sign that I'm digging in the wrong spot, and the dinosaur is waiting elsewhere. I can't write anything until I dig the damn thing up.

This doesn't mean that I publish everything. Sometimes the writing in itself is enough. However, I do believe that there is beauty and truth in sharing struggles. Some of my best posts come from fossil hunting.

No Guilt

When it comes to blogging, I've made these choices. Other people may make different choices. They may very well have more success and more readers. This is what works for me as of now.

1. I only do memes when they inspire me. Meaning, I prefer the open-ended prompts as opposed to the Q&A formats. I do them when I like, and feel no guilt when I don't.

2. I comment and respond the best I can. I have a two hour writing window when my kids nap. I do what I can do during that window, and if I don't get to it, I feel no guilt.

3. I don't do following memes or join societies designed to gain new followers. I want people to read my blog because they like what I have to say.

4. I write every day because I need to write to clear my head. That doesn't mean I publish. I'm trying to create quality work, and therefore publish 3-4 times a week.

5. If I am thinking more about the world of blogging than my day-to-day life, it's a sign from the universe that it's time to step back a bit.

These words are just mine, and dashed off words at that. But these words---

It is necessary to write, if the days are not to slip emptily by. How else, indeed, to clap the net over the butterfly of the moment? For the moment passes, it is forgotten; the mood is gone; life itself is gone. That is where the writer scores over his fellows: he catches the changes of his mind on the hop.
~Vita Sackville-West
---Nothing truer has ever been written.

Blog boldly, friends.

It Would Tickle Me Pink if You'd Go Green With Me Today!

I love Holly over at 504 Main so much that with her permission, I'm integrating some of my favorite Go Green tips into today's Ticked Pink post. You can also visit Deb over at Menopausal New Mom for her Green post today, and Juney over at 3! A Charm is joining us with her eco-friendly ideas as well. We'd love it if you shared your favorite green ideas and linked up with us! Just grab our cute little button and post.

Now, onto the green tips that Tickle Me Pink:

1.) It would tickle me pink if you select "No" when the ATM machine asks if you want a receipt. Stop being so lazy Record your transaction right then and there or just use your online banking to play catch up later.

2.) Likewise when you're at the gas pump, opt out of a receipt. We can save so many trees this way! See? You can be green even in little, easy ways like this.

3.) Air dry as many of your clothes as possible. This will help your clothes last longer, reduce your energy bills, and help keep your home cooler in summer, too! I don't remember where I got mine from, but it tickles me pink:

Try looking at this one on Amazon, or this one at Bed, Bath, & Beyond.

4.) Keep your blinds and curtains drawn during the daylight hours in summer to help keep your home cooler.

5.) If you're going to eat beef, eat grass-fed beef. Better yet, be like me & Shelly Kramer and buy your own cow. Also consider doing Meatless Mondays. Even The Father Load is slowly becoming more comfortable with the occasional meatless meal and that tickles me pink!

6.) It tickles me pink to buy local and organic whenever possible. Check out your farmer's market. I got some beautiful heirloom tomatoes from ours last weekend which we paired with fresh mozzarella and our own homegrown basil. Delish! I have enough to make some homemade pesto, too.

7.) Get off catalog & junk mail lists using http://www.catalogchoice.org/.

8.) For special occasions, give family and friends the gift that keeps on giving---donate to their favorite environmental group, charity, or other organization. Do away with all the gift wrap, tissue paper, and ribbons. If you can't, then at least recycle/reuse what you can.

9.) I am going to start doing this myself: I just read that you should stop rinsing your dishes before loading them into the dishwasher. You will save time and 15 gallons of water per load! (but let's see if my dishes still come out as clean!) Skip the heated dry cycle. Select the speed cycle if possible, too.

10.) Don't take baths, take showers. And shorten your showers--turn off the water while you lather up.

11.) Bank and pay your bills on-line. It tickles me pink to save stamps!

12.) BYOB & BYOM. Bring Your Own Bag & Bring Your Own Mug. Seriously, the bags should be habit by now. And as Tracie from Stir-Fry Awesomeness recently pointed out, I hope you are washing those reusables! They get grimy just like anything else. I air-dry mine and I wash my produce bags in a lingerie bag to protect them. While I am guilty of using my reusables for all of my shopping needs, it would be smarter to designate some for just grocery shopping due to germs and the potential for contamination. Bring your own mug to Starbucks or the coffee joint of your choice.

13.) I loathe Styrofoam peanuts. I save them all in my garage and recycle them by using them in packages I send out. In fact, you may catch me on the next episode of Hoarders due to all the Styrofoam peanuts I've collected....

Speaking of Styrofoam, I just stumbled across this gem. I know I don't live in NYC and my children aren't even in the public school system yet, but once they are I'll be doing everything I can to help a project like this. Does your child's school use Styrofoam and Styrofoam lunch trays? If so, check out this link here. The statistics are staggering. But at least for now they are doign "Trayless Tuesdays!"

14.) Reuse cardboard shipping boxes and any supplies/packaging. Don't just put them in your recycling bin.

15.) Buy the Sunchips in the compostable bag.

16.) Try the Three Sisters cereal without the box. Have you ever thought about all the trees used to make cereal boxes and how unnecessary they are? Three Sisters cereals are delicious and are sold exclusively at Whole Foods.

17.) Composting tickles me pink. I have been composting for a while now and let me tell you about some of the things going into my bin daily:

egg shells

apple cores

banana peels

coffee filters

coffee grinds

mushy grapes and blueberries my kids won't eat

potato peelings

melon rinds

lint from my dryer (which isn't being used much lately)

shredded paper and newspaper

grass clippings

leaves

weeds

onion skins

paper towel and toilet paper cardboard rolls

I have put soooo much in there and it's getting heavier/fuller. Here's a shot of what it looks like inside. See, you can tell things are breaking down slowly. I promise it doesn't stink. It's awesome to see the progress. Yes, I need to add some paper as it's kinda wet in there:

18.) Last but not least, Jenny Mac of Let's Have a Cocktail told me about Eco Tools' Look Gorgeous, Love Green Campaign. This project allows you to swap your used cosmetic supplies out for an Eco Tools Alternative. Check it out and ship some of your old makeup brushes in for an eco-friendly exchange!

Now go forth and be GREEN! I am unplugging this weekend as I willl be hanging out with Lee The Hotflash Queen and Tracie of Stir-Fry Awesomeness, so I may be slow returning comments. Perhaps you will see a vlog appear somewhere soon!

Tickled Pink Today With Holly of 504 Main

I'm Tickled Pink with Holly over at 504 Main because she's the genius behind this whole idea and it's a good way to help me appreciate the little things and take special note of everything around me. It's also a great way to meet new bloggers, share ideas, and have fun! Holly was one of my first few followers and has remained loyal despite her incredibly busy schedule, her new book deal, and her popular blog.

Today I am telling you about bloggers who have me Tickled Pink. It's about everyone else today, readers. It's about highlighting those who have made me pause, think, cry, swoon, and tweet from the mountaintops.

I am Tickled Pink with Mindy over at The Inquisitive Mom, who featured a touching and very real series about her father's battle with cancer. I'm linking to her post on it, but her sisters and her mom posted their memories as well. It was interesting to read the different perspectives, and my heart aches for their loss. I thought it was very brave of Mindy to share their stories in this type of forum and I hope you'll take the time to go and read them.
I am Tickled Pink with Cathy over at Antsy Pants who wrote this incredible post about Real Beauty. And she won Salt's Hootie giveaway this week, but I guess I can forgive her...

I am Tickled Pink with Tracie over at From Tracie, who wrote a very honest, important post about sexual abuse. It's also about parenting and protecting your children by teaching them what they need to know. Read it here.


I'm Tickled Pink with Tami of Hearts Make Family and Lee of Headaches, Hormones, & Hotflashes for starting up their amazing new gig, Raising Awareness Thursdays. These wonderful women are taking the time to bring us out of the Blogosphere and educate us. They're reminding us to think about things going on outside of our little blog bubble. Particularly poignant was last week's post on Multiple Sclerosis, which affects another bloggy friend of ours, MiMi over at Living in France. MiMi graciously shared her personal thoughts on the disease and I really learned a lot. Read her perspective here.

I'm Tickled Pink with Sunday over at Adventures in Extreme Parenthood. Not only did she bare her boobs and deal with that scare very well, but she wrote a lovely tribute to her best friend that made me cry. Because I wish I had a friend nearby like that...Sunday, I'm Tickled Pink for you!

I'm Tickled Pink with Naomi over at Organic Motherhood with Cool Whip. She wrote a phenomenal post this week entitled, "How To Train Your Dragon, which you can read here. It's all about parenthood and the frustrations that go along with it. Being worrried you're not doing it right, setting limits, setting boundaries....go visit Naomi NOW. Also, she's scraping together her Mom Prom Post today, so stay tuned!

Speaking of Mom Prom, I'm Tickled Pink with The Mommyologist for finding her niche and initiating this whole Bringing Mom Sexy Back thing. My Mom Prom was such a fun experience and I'm looking forward to whatever else Mary has up her sleeve. She's helping us prove that we are more than "just moms" and perhaps we've let our "selves" slip away gradually. But we can shimmy into a dress and some heels and instantly feel better. Be sure to watch her audition & vote for her video on the Oprah site!

I'm Tickled Pink with Traci over at 38 and Growing. She's an avid supporter of Heifer International, an organization devoted to fighting hunger and poverty. But it's not as simple as handing out food. Traci is accepting donations and matching many of them herself to buy a cow for Heifer International. Read about her plan here and make sure to leave a comment, because she'll donate $1 for every comment you leave. But hurry, because we only have a few days left!

I'm Tickled Pink with Stephanie over at The Blue Zoo. She's an amazing mom to her FOUR boys and in this groundbreaking and brutally honest post she was brave enough to show her mommy tummy. Stephanie had a tummy tuck last week and is recovering well. I'm thrilled for her, and I'm so impressed that she had the courage to show everyone how a woman's body changes during pregnancy. Get well soon, Stephanie!

Finally, I am Tickled Pink with my new owlette necklace on its way from Heidi. Make sure to visit her darling Etsy shop, Lizziboo Felt Creations. Heidi is so nice, works really fast, and sells darling things. I love animals, critters, and creatures of all kinds, so this is right up my alley, especially since I didn't win Hootie from Salt. But I'm not bitter because I've got my own Hootie coming! Isn't he sweet? So go check out Heidi's shop!

What are you Tickled Pink about? Write your own post and go link up at Holly's place!

Tickled Pink Today With Holly of 504 Main

I am Tickled Pink about so many things I don't even know where to begin! I absolutely adore this Friday tradition that Holly over at 504 Main started a few months ago. Her recent post "Raw, Green, and Feeling Fab" inspired me on so many levels. In addition to being polished and published, Holly is a Green Gal who's really thinking about what she's eating lately. You should check her out, especially that particular post.

Anypink, on with my list!

First, I am Tickled Pink that I won Project Mommyhood's Top Mommy Blogger of the Year Contest! Thank you all so much for your votes, tweets, and support last week. Lesley emailed me to let me know, but she's been a little busy, what with her baby due in 5 weeks and the fact that her hubby just returned from his recent deployment to the Middle East. So stay tuned for further details and a more formal announcement.

I am also Tickled Pink to declare with great pride that since Earth Day in April, I have gone vegetarian. With the exception of eating fish a few times, I have had no meat at all. I'm considering eliminating fish as well. It all started when I watched Food, Inc. (please watch it, if even to just educate yourself). I am also reading Jonathan Safran Foer's Eating Animals. I am really thinking about what I buy, eat, and feed my family. Because of Holly, I am going to try adding greens (spinach, kale, etc) to my morning fruit/protein smoothie. As of this morning, I'm down to 139.4 pounds, the lowest I've been in a loooooong time. I'm not sure if it's due to the new vegetarianism, doing Jillian's 30-Day Shred & Jazzercise, or eating healthier/greener. Probably a combination of all of it, but I'm thrilled!

I'm Tickled Pink that my compost tumbler is already half full and that my little herb garden is thriving. I also started one of those upside down tomato plant growers. If that works out, we will move on to bigger and better things! I also shipped out my Get Your Green On gift pack to the winner from Duck Fest. It was chock full of Envirosax, Beecology products, a reusable coffee cup, Yes To Carrots lip balm, some Twist dish scrubbies, and a few other GREEN things. So of course I had to use the cute lil button Deb and I have. Speaking of Deb, she's got a GREEN post up today too, so please visit Menopausal New Mom now!

I am Tickled Pink about the bloggers I've recently started following over the last several days/weeks. Please check them out and leave 'em some love:

Andie at Sweet, Southern, Spirited. ---she is sweet & Southern, takes amazing photos!

Bumpkin on a Swing --Gulf Coast Gal giving it to us straight about the oil spill.

The Grasshoppa Triplets Plus Two Momma --Smart Car stalker & Starbucks/Chapstick addict.

Francis over at This Inspires.Me I first knew her as @hipcop on Twitter. A total sweetheart.

Life Without Pink --Tina, a SAHM of two boys with lots of testosterone.

From Tracie --- Another Gulf Coast Girl, very passionate about the oil spill.

Nucking Futs Mama --hilarious mother of twins.First knew her as @nuckingfutsmama on Twitter.

I am also Tickled Pink to attend The Mommyologist's Prom on Monday, June 21, 2010. If you'd like to learn more about it or be my date (wink, wink), please read all about it here.  This prom is about those dresses that are smooshed and wrinkled up in the back of your closet. It's about proving that even though we're exhausted moms oft covered in snot, poop, and puke, we're still women underneath, and we're HAWT attractive. We don't value ourselves enough and we certainly don't consider ourselves sexy. But on Prom Night, I'm going to don that slinky dress from the dark recesses of my closet instead of hiding behind huge t-shirts, dirty jeans, and stained sweats. This will be my chance to show everyone that I clean up real good. And guess what? I'm not afraid to go stag. I don't need a date to this prom, I'm strong enough to stand alone Spanx and all. I'd be Tickled Pink if you'd join me and RSVP to Mary Mommyologist!

What are you Tickled Pink about?

Tickled Pink Today! And More Shameless Self Promotion.

(Full details are at the bottom of the post, but will you please click over ----->
there where it says "Vote For Me?" It will take you to Project Mommyhood's
place where you can vote for me for Mommy Blogger of the Year! You can vote
once daily until 6/6/10! Thank you so much!!!)

Today I am Tickled Pink even though hostess Holly over at 504 Main is probably buried under "dust, bondo, dry wall, faucets, granite, tile, caulk, and wires." Holly is brave and creative, and she's all about DIY projects. She is so courageous, in fact, that she's currently tackling her own kitchen and master bathroom! She's smart, crafty, and savvy, and was one of my first followers. Go tell her hello and leave her some love.

Anypink, I'm here to tell you about all the things that have made me super happy lately.

I am tickled pink to have daughters who randomly decide to play dress up in Daddy's dirty shirts from the floor of our closet coupled with my shoes:

(Abby is on the left & Izzy's on the right)

I was tickled pink that I got to meet Polly, The 5th Sister. She was in town visiting her family and we were able to coordinate an afternoon to hang out. Polly is a wonderful poet and writer (check out her award-winning haikus!), and she was so friendly and forgiving despite the fact that I almost drove us to Chicago.

(I'm the Amazon on the left and tiny Polly is on the right!)

Next, I was tickled pink to get to meet Laura, The Purse Blogger, for lunch (thankfully she is the same height as moi). Be sure to check out the darling purses she makes here. She is moving to Arizona soon, so we had to take advantage of the fact that we both live in The Land of Oz for now. We had a delicious lunch at Ingredient in Lawrence (halfway between our respective homes), where a handsome gracious employee agreed to take our photo:

I am also tickled pink about the darling corsage t-shirts we're sporting in this pic. No, we aren't twins, we just both fell in love with these tops made by Heather over at Gerber Days and we wanted to pimp her shiz. Don't you want one now? You need to go visit Heather and order one!

I am also tickled pink about being nominated for Mommy Blogger of the Year by Lesley over at Project Mommywood. Pretty please with PINK on top go vote for me! You don't have to be a blogger, you don't have to fork over your life savings, and you don't even have to be a follower...just please go over to her place and cast your vote. You may do so once daily between now and June 5th! There's a button on the top right side of my blog that says "Vote for Me." Click it and it will take you to Lesley's blog. Look on the top right side of her page and you'll see a list of a few blog titles. Click for The Mother Load!




Last but certainly not least, I am tickled pink about my new compost tumbler that is officially up and running. I bought it at Costco, assembled it myself took me two days and gave me lots of blisters, tools are not my friends and am just sad I didn't do it sooner:

I am also tickled pink about my day lillies that are blooming, along with our rose bushes! Yay!

What are you tickled pink about? Write a post and link up with Holly today!