Hello. I love your Comments. Won't You Tell Me Your Name?

A fabulous Blogger, Jen, recently helped her readers get on board with linking their email addresses to comments. I simply L-O-V-E that idea. I love it so much that I taught her how to do it and I've taught others. But, in case you don't have your email linked to your profile (and you'll know if you don't because you typically don't get responses from the comments you leave at other people's blogs), Jennifer tells you how to do it in this nifty post of hers:

Momma Made It Look Easy: Comments are great, comments with an email address are even better

So hop on over there and jump on the wagon of comment-email-users! Leave that no-reply-comment crap behind! You'll make me so happy!!!!

It Happened On A Motorcycle

Boredom
Loneliness
Hunger
Curiosity
Desires
Trepidation
Chutzpah
Recklessness
Fear
Understanding
Courage
Adventure
Danger
Friendship

This poem (?) was inspired by the book "The Mouse and the Motorcycle" written by Beverly Cleary (the same author as the Ramona Quimby books). I have actually NEVER rode on a motorcycle, so Ralph has one up on me.

Gimme Some Advice!

Who loves to give advice? I know I do. You probably do too. It's weaved into our DNA as women to give help to people who need it.

I wanted to share with you a site that I really love called Mamapedia. (It used to be called Mamasource but they've expanded and changed their name.) Mamapedia is a forum for moms to ask questions about anything at all, and get advice from women who have been there, done that. I first joined Mamapedia about 4 years ago, when I lived in Illinois. I was able to find moms in my local area who could help me with everything from finding a good pediatrician or dentist, to the best way to get stains out of my carpet, to figuring out what to do with my kids during the summer months. Mamapedia has been my go-to source for advice for all things parent-related.

When we moved to the DFW Metroplex in 2008, I simply updated my Mamapedia settings to our new ZIP code and voila! Within a week of arriving here I had found a moms group in my neighborhood and the local splash park. The moms who are members of Mamapedia gave me (and will give you) the honest answers to your questions instead of wading through a sea of sponsored opinions or internet searches. Mamapedia offers advice for local moms to find services in their own towns, but it's also a forum for moms nationwide. Some topics don't have demographic boundaries, like what kind of carseat to use on an airplane or When is a kid old enough to enjoy DisneyWorld? When you ask a question, you might get answers from down the street or across the country.

I'm proud to tell you that Mamapedia showcases posts from its contributing bloggers over at Mamapedia Voices (hint, hint, I'm one of them!). You can also search the Mamapedia Lists about everything from what to do about a potty mouth to tips on surviving your first Mother's Day without your mom. The lists will give great ideas and you can contribute your 2 cents as well.

My husband is considering another job move for us, and I've already logged on to Mamapedia in our potential new city. I've gotten information about schools, kid-friendly activities, shopping, safety, real estate, and just general opinions of the area. Mamapedia is definitely a resource I wouldn't ever go without. So go check it out!

P.S. No disclaimer necessary here. I just wanted to spread the word about this site 'cause I love it and I want other women to benefit from Mamapedia like I have.