Blizzard Bloghop Tour: Second Hops

The Blissdom Blizzard Bloghop was SO much fun. This is the second time I will play tourguide on a whirlwind trip through the Blissdom Blizzard folks who got snowed in and Bloghopped instead. I reacquainted myself with some great friends I already knew and hopefully made some new friends along the way. I’ll post about 10 tourspots a day in no particular order until we get through the list.

Okay — I had to skip a few blogs, though. I have committed to keeping my blog child safe and family friendly, so if a linked blog was too “edgy” then I couldn’t make it a tour spot. Rest assured I probably enjoyed visiting — depending on the edginess factor — appreciate your efforts, think of you fondly, and please don’t take it personally.

That said, help yourself to coffee or hot chocolate. Grab some warm (but still stylish) shoes, and your purse of course, and since it’s a blizzard maybe a matching scarf and gloves, and let’s go hopping.

Let’s kick off today’s tour with another neighbor, this one to the south in Tennessee. When I first met Erin at Closing Time, I decided that any lady blogger with separate blog categories for recipes and coffee was probably someone I could sit down and dish with … over coffee. Erin and Phil are married for 10 years and parents to two lovely girls aged 6 and 4. I look forward to surfing her blog for insights into her spiritual journey, reminiscing about what it is like to raise little girls now that Kaylee is a tween, and tackling some of her recipes.

Next, let’s hop over to Robyn’s nest. My first thought was “OH COOL! Another FOODIE!” Robyn has been wed to Taylor for 18 years. I can’t WAIT to say I have enjoyed a state of holy matrimony with my beloved husband for 18 years! They also have a son, also Taylor, 3 cats, and 2 guinea pigs. I am glad to have hopped over and discovered her love of contests and giveaways. I am definitely going back to check out some of her recipes. Do meatballs and pitas really go together? Pure Genuis!

Rachel Boreing at frugal and simple living describes herself as a wife, soon-to-be mom & follower of Christ. She has been married to the love of her life, John David, for going on 3 years and she is only 22. Her blog centers on her family, frugality, sewing, cooking, and all things related to living a simple life. I am certainly going to keep up with Rachel and David as they welcome their first born into the world. Her link to “Praying for our Husbands” was broken, but I managed to outsmart it! (Okay, I searched!) Don’t read it unless you are prepared to feel some conviction.

Next we have Dee from Start Dreaming. Dee is still madly in love with her husband of 10 years and is mommy to Punk, Bug, Sweet Pea, and the new baby who is giving her fits. Since I don’t have good pregnancies ever, and she is now further along than 7 of my 8 pregnancies were (at 36 weeks) she has all of my sympathies in feeling wrung out. Dee, like me, loves cooking and gardening, and has joined in with other amazing ladies in the Read the Bible in 90 Days Challenge. Congratulations, Dee, on the impending baby. I can’t wait to read about your birth experience!

I am pleased to have met Patricia, a clever and crafty Catholic lady who is married to her best buddy. They are in the process of adopting, and keeping friends and family informed about the adoption process was the original inspiration for the blog. There is some real depth to her blog that is worth investigating and I am definitely stealing her candy-cane popsicle idea.

Let’s hop over to meet Nadine, Kevin, Micheal, Neil, and Daniel, who make up the Brecht Squad. Nadine, a former soldier, married her own soldier, and now is an Army wife and mother to three young boys. In a paraphrase of Joshua 24:15, her blog motto proudly proclaims “As for me and and my family, we will serve our Lord and our Country.” I’m just going to say this. I love this blog. I read this post and I just want to share with Nadine a word that will comfort her when the world labels her a “Stay-At-Home-Mom” and accuses her of not “maximizing her full potential” and that word is “Homemaker.” God Bless you, sister, and if you get stationed at Knox or Campbell, let’s get together at the Commissary one afternoon and maximize our potentials.

This tour is half over. Let’s keep hopping.

Melinda, her husband of 20 years, and her five children homestead in the hills of southern Iowa where they dress casually. I love big families. Melinda blogs about life, faith, and family. I am absolutely going to read about her adventures in gardening to seek inspiration for my gardening efforts this season.

Three stops to go. Anyone need a refill?

At Wife of a Sailor’s Blog — who apparently goes by Wifey — I got cracked completely up when I read, “I’m in my mid-20s (okay, a bit closer to 30 than 25, but whatever!) and I married my active duty Sailor last March. Since then, we’ve lived together for only 7 1/2 weeks.” Ah, the joys of living in a constant state of separation from the man you love. Wifey is also a Navy Reservist, and I so admire her for that, but will be checking back often to see if there is any moral support I can offer until Sailor Hubby is back home with Sailor Wifey.

Meet Tracey, in a state of holy matrimony for 18 years, mother to two girls aged 9 and 7 years old. They reside in the southeastern US and Tracey says the point of this blog is to parent God’s way. She has a desire to teach her girls Godly principles and instill in them a lifelong love for the Lord and a desire to serve Him. Browsing her site, I had a feeling of such inspiration. Tracy claims she wants to inspire her visitors to clean out a closet, save money dining out, or cook up some Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Speaking of oatmeal, Army wife Allison caught me off guard and I found myself snort laughing as I read her Girlscout Cookie Oatmeal recipe. Don’t worry. It isn’t made with real girl scouts. Allison is a homemaker who mothers the enormously cute 8 month old, Isaac, while being Army wife to soldier hubby, Paul. Here is my observation. You have to have a sense of humor to read Allison’s blog. Be warned that Allison’s sense of humor edges toward poopy diapers on occasion . Me? I have a sense of humor. I am going to read and laugh a lot.

Okay, everyone! That concludes today’s tour. I hope you enjoyed it and I encourage you to visit these awesome, inspiring, funny, and interesting blogs. If you like what these ladies do, don’t be shy about leaving them a comment. Comments are the currency that rewards the blogger’s soul. Happy hopping everyone!