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It’s my pleasure to introduce Joy to you. Joy is the former teacher, stay-at-home-mom, bibliophile and author of The Practical Mom Guide.
Tell me about the mission of your blog:
My mission when I first started my blog was to connect with other women, especially other moms. I wanted my blog to have a positive tone. I came up with “The Practical Mom Guide” because I think all moms do what they think is “practical” for their own families and that we should be proud of the choices we make. We all want the same things for our children. It’s just the road to how we raise them that differs between all of us and that’s okay because all families have different needs.
When I was pregnant I was “that mom” who read all the baby books because I was determined to do everything right. After experiencing motherhood first hand I learned quickly that there were a million different ways to do everything. It was all about trusting my own instincts and doing what was right for our family even if others didn’t agree with the choices we made. As moms we can be our own worst enemies. I know I was mine and sometimes still am even though I try not to be.
How was your blog “born” and how has it evolved?
My blog was “born” after my second daughter was born. My first post was written shortly after she turned one month old. While I was up late at night while I was pregnant I would visit blogs and read. I have always loved to write but like many things after I graduated from college and started teaching full-time writing creatively fell by the wayside.
In all honesty, starting a blog was a way to exercise my brain. I loved my daughters and I loved motherhood but I was feeling stifled. I needed to do something that was mine (even if it was focused on motherhood). Since becoming a SAHM I had tons of magazine articles and notes I wrote to myself about getting organized and everything else under the sun. My blog was a way to get organized and to help get myself back on track so to speak since after having a baby everything seemed to descend into chaos. I also promised my husband to get the bookmarked sites on our computer under control. I thought that if someone else could use the tips and shortcuts that I was really writing for myself, great!
At first I didn’t write any “personal” posts and then one day I had been at my wits end and out came Is My Nose Growing. I wrote it after I realized that for someone who values honesty that I lied to my daughter a lot (even though it was for her own good). Now it seems that I write more personal posts than article or tip style posts and my posts are sometimes just about life in general and not just “motherhood” posts. Of course, several of my latest posts deal with pregnancy since we are expecting baby number three.
I never realized how much I would enjoy blogging and how much I would love corresponding with other women online. Above all else, I still blog because I find it fun and I still write for myself. In many ways it has become a diary since I am horrible at actually writing in an actual journal (even though that was my New Year’s Resolution).
It looks like you have a section in your blog devoted to “savings”. What is one piece of practical advice you can give us about smart money management?
I think one of the biggest lessons I have learned since becoming a mom is to sit down with your spouse a few times a year (we try to do it once a quarter) and look at where your money is going. It doesn’t have to be painful or take a lot of time. We just look to see if there are any services or expenses that we can eliminate to save money or if there is anything we want to add and where the money is going to come from. We actually saved over a thousand dollars last year just switching our home and auto insurances when they came up for renewal even though our previous carrier had been the cheapest when we originally signed with them. It pays to shop around when dealing with service providers you deal with. Also, this is when we decide whether to put more into savings for future expenses that may crop up. For us, we’ve found that communicating this way helps us to avoid money arguments later on.
Favorite Posts:
Your Sister Is Not For Sale: Joy’s daughter thought the new baby was an exchange. For her sister.
Advice to a New Mom: Excellent advice from one mom to another.
Growing Up Without Noticing: A poignant and thought provoking post about the passage of time.
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Joy I love that photo of you by the stream! All moms could use practical advice, no matter what age the kids are!
Loved the one about the “advice for new moms” … so very right on!
Going over to check out the FB…happy Friday!
Super cute, love finding new bloggers I relate to even if I don’t have kiddies of my own yet. Love her header too! 🙂
I’m not a mom and yet I relate to her blog so much. Happy Friday! Spring Break for me!!
Sounds like another interesting read!
Happy Friday! Love the Practical Mom Guide! What a great title!
What a phenomenal sounding blog. She sounds like a fellow mother I would love to know.
Very cool! And she’s right about there being a million right ways to do things… Trusting our instincts is a great idea!
TGIF!
This mom’s blog is charming. I love her post about her daughter thinking her sister was an exchange!!
Have a lovely Friday, everyone 🙂
TGIF, ladies!
Happy SITS day and have a great weekend! 🙂
Very nice blog…
Happy SITS day…heading over to read some more!! Have a great weekend!
My heart goes out to all along the Pacific coast who are affected by natural disasters.
It’s been a while, but my latest post explaining my hiatus is here: http://www.jillofark.com/2011/03/crash.html. I also have a promotion for new followers underway until March 20.
Looking forward to catching up on here…
I wish blogging was around when I was a new mom. What a great way to reach out and connect to other moms.
Have a great Friday everyone!
She seems nice… though I’m not sure I approve of any advice that could be described as “practical.”
Happy Friday! Hope everyone is safe and sound in wake of the Earthquake and the Tsunami warnings.
Congrats on your SITS day! And on baby #3!
Sounds a lot like me. I’ll check it out.
The photo of those little toesies is ADORABLE!!!!!! Oh my word, if I wasn’t expecting my third, that there just may be some motivation to take back out the baby clothes!
Happy Friday, gals!
Practical can be fun, too! Love the pic of the this blogger.
Happy SITS day!!! Looking forward to readindg more
Happy Friday, folks!!
Off to check out her blog.
Happy Friday!!!!
So glad blogging has brought so many connections.
Our 3rd grandchild just arrived this week. I’m off to check out the blog.
Heading over to check out the FB. Happy Friday SITGIRLS!
Roll Call. Happy Friday!
I think it’s excellent to be reminded that practicality is pretty basic, but we complicate it. I really love your blog!
That’s great financial advice! My husband and I have just started discussing finances on a regular basis and it definitely helps keep us on the same page.
Roll-Call! Have a beautiful day!
Congrats on baby #3! That 3rd one will push right up to the edge, but he or she will also be super special!
Frugal!!! You’re speaking my language.
Sounds like a fun blog. Watching too much TV about the earthquake and the tsunami.
This sounds like a great blog and I look forward to checking it out!
Congratulations on your SITS day!
Just checked out the FB; I like her straight-forward, thoughtful style.
Happy weekend, SITS girls!
My inlaws are showing up today for an “extended stay”. Send out the posse if you don’t hear from me in a week.
Off to read the pist Growing Up w/o Noticing! Hsppy St.Patrick´s Day weekend!
I’ve been following Joy and her blog for quite some time and she’s truly one of the sweetest and supportive mommy bloggers out there. I always look forward reading her posts and even more I look forward her caring and sweet comments she leaves on my blogs.
Great choice for FB!
i had a breakthrough too at one point where i just started becoming honest. i love how you say that blogging “exercises” your brain. 🙂
Off to check out the FB. Happy Friday everyone! 🙂
She writes beautifully. And has a great perspective.
TGIF ladies!!!
Happy Friday everyone!
http://www.pampersandpinot.com
I’ve been reading her for a long time. I probably met her through SITS. YAY for her!!!
i like her! very cool.
Finally I am back to you Sits! How is everyone? I am so happy to blog from Canada. I can read as the sane time most of my readers :).
Nice feature. I off to say hello. Have a great Friday :)!
I am game for anything practical! Have a great Friday! Looking for some sunshine to head my way soon! (keeping fingers crossed!)
Bernice