Advice on blogging from an experienced blogger is as good as gold. Here are some golden tips; Lori sets goals for herself and always has a daily goal in mind, Christina says to be passionate about your blogging and to be consistent (if you blog once a week then always blog once a week) and Sheri said do not compare yourself to other bloggers or blogs and your words will mean something to someone someday. A beautiful quote from the evening was “better to write for yourself and have no public than write for the public and have no self“. Be yourself and the first post is always the hardest. Lastly if you want to start a blog, then start a blog!

Social Media is a HUGE part of blogging and it affects how people gravitate towards blogs. Suggested venues for connecting with people and broadcasting your blogging content are instagram, youtube, google+, forkly (for food blogs), pinterest, facebook and twitter. To save time as a mom you can auto post your blog content to facebook and twitter, if it’s really good content then you can share again later. Find the social media nitch that works best for your blog, Christina’s blog readership exploded from Pinterest because her DIY blog is a visual blog that perfectly suits Pinterst.

So how do they do it? How are they fabulous mamas and successful bloggers? Every blogger said that their phone is a BIG benefit; they could check pinterest, facebook, twitter, put a photo on instagram and even write a post to email to themselves to edit later while still being a mom. Lori wakes up 1 hour before her girls and uses the time to work. Nap time and bedtime are also when Christina and Sheri get work done without distractions. On average each blogger spends 2 hours a day working on their blog.

Blogging as a business is possible and these mama bloggers prove it. Brands/companies are starting to realize the value in blogs Lori said. Brands are looking for blog credibility and will usually start approaching you at your one year mark of blogging. As a business mama and blogger you need to think “what can I do for this brand?”. Christina gets most excited about the pitches she has to done to PR companies that represent brands she want to work with, like Fabric.com. The brand fabric. com fits Christina’s niche of blog while staying true to her personal voice and earning a living. A great way to make money is to host or co-host twitter parties with a brand like Lori has done. Read about twitter parties HERE. Bloggers can also earn money or product in lieu by reviewing a product; all bloggers expressed that when reviewing a product you need to stay true to your beliefs and be honest with your readers. Even if that results in a negative review of the product. Ads on your blog can also generate money; google ads and she blogs media are popular.

Thank you to Sheri, Lori, Christina and Nicola for an amazing evening! Below is a list of local mama bloggers who were in attendance, let’s start an Edmonton Mama Blogs Community! Follow and support these local mama’s.

• http://thediymommy.com/
• http://www.thisbirdsday.com/
• http://www.frugaledmontonmama.com/
• http://www.modernmama.com/
• http://www.entrepreneurmomnow.com/edmonton/
• http://blog.babyandbeyond.ca/
• http://soothingangels.ca/ (blog coming soon!)
• http://katies-contemplations.blogspot.ca/
• http://juicygreenmom.blogspot.ca/
• http://nestingsquared.wordpress.com/
• http://thismomsgotsomethingtosay.com/
• http://www.family101.ca/
• http://mamavillage.org/
• http://www.saveyourforktherespie.com/
• http://vvboutiquestyle.blogspot.ca/

Mama Blogs was Presented by Ron Hodgson!

Thank you to our Mama Blogs sponsors!

Allison Hopkins
allison@modernmama.com
On Twitter: @ModernMamaStA
On Facebook: www.facebook.com/ModernMamaEdmArea
(780) 913-7432

Well it seems the long weekend is upon us already… is it just me or is May flying by? I’m sure a lot of people are going camping for the long weekend and as much as we love camping we will not be among the lucky ones. As we all know the weather can change in and instant and [dare I say it] we are not “safe” from snow until after this weekend. Weather aside, it is my little man’s second birthday next weekend and I still have way too much to do!

So this is a round up of what to do around town this weekend…

• Go for a walk; enjoy the lovely weather, great walking trails and various playgrounds around Spruce Grove and Stony Plain.

• Check out the Stony Plain Girl Guides Annual Plant Sale at Rotary Park in Stony Plain. It is on Saturday May 18th from 9am-3pm and will have bedding plants, herbs, tomato’s, hanging basket and more…

• Take a walk through downtown Stony Plain; there are lots of great locally owned shops to explore!

• Go to the local Farmer’s Market; you have three to choose from! All of them are on Saturday morning (May 18th)

‘Stony Plain Farmers Market’ is at the Community Centre in Stony Plain (5008-51 Ave) and runs from 9am-1pm on Saturdays!

‘The Heritage Farmers Market’ is at the Heritage Park Pavillion in Stony Plain and also runs 9am-1pm on Saturdays!

‘Spruce Grove Indoor Farmers Market’ is at the Grain Elevator Site (120 Railway Ave) and runs from 9:30am-1:30pm on saturdays.

• Go for lunch at a local restaurants, there are quite a few newer ones in the Century Crossing Plaza (By Save On Foods)

Last night there was a fire that claimed an apartment building in Stony Plain; luckily no one was hurt but many families have been displaced from there homes. The entire building went up in smoke and many people lost everything. The Legion in Stony Plain and the Stony Plain Alliance Church have been accepting donations of bedding and clothing since last night.

I am writing this to ask all you wonderful Mama’s to donate to these families that have lost everything. You can make arrangements with me to drop off or have me pick up any clothing (for all ages), bedding, towels, toiletries, diapers, non perishable food items and toys and I will see that it gets to the victims of this horrific fire.

Thank you

Lindsay

Hello all!
I wanted to start by introducing myself, my name is Lindsay and I am a stay at home Mom. I have recently become the director of Modern Mama Spruce Grove and Stony Plain. I am very excited to continue to provide awesome events for local Moms in our community.

A little bit about me…
I grew up in Edmonton, well we moved to St. Albert when I was ten but we still spent a lot of time in the city. While I love all that Edmonton has to offer and was a self-proclaimed “city person” everything changed when I met my wonderful husband, Josh. He is not at all a city person and for a couple of years tried to convince me we should move to Spruce Grove; eventually I came around to the idea that moving out of Edmonton would not be the worst thing ever. So we moved to Spruce Grove and I actually liked it. Shortly after we moved we were blessed with our first baby, H, and I really enjoyed getting out of the house with him and just seeing what Spruce had to offer. With H growing like a weed we needed to move out of our apartment and into a house; Josh convinced me to give Stony Plain a chance (honestly I wasn’t so sure about it). Fast forward a little bit: we live in Stony; were blessed again with baby O and I love this town!

There are many free local events that go on in and around Spruce and Stony and I will try to keep you up to date on all of them! Spruce Grove and Stony Plain are both wonderful communities with a lot to offer and I will strive to showcase and support our local businesses. I will provide events for Moms to get out with and without the kids; we might even do a few things in and around Edmonton! I will keep you posted on upcoming events and you can join us on our Meetup page to stay in the know.

~ Lindsay

THE FULL PAMPERING EXPERIENCE!

SATURDAY MAY 11, 2013 – DELTA EDMONTON SOUTH – 10AM-MIDNIGHT

Are you looking for the Ultimate Girls Day (and night) Out? The Woman’s Retreat & Gala is where you need to be! Come spend a full day shopping and getting pampered at our trade show event, then spending an evening out with the ladies, ‘Sex in the City’ style!

Show & Spa (Day) Event Information

A portion of proceeds from ticket sales and 100% of proceeds from our Gentleman’s Auction will be in support of the WIN House.

Purchase your Tickets online here!

We look forward to seeing you there,

~Lindsay

Mama Blogs is going LIVE this week, CTV Morning Live that is!

First up is Lori Godin.  Our very own Frugal Edmonton Mama will be live on CTV Monday, April 15th at 8:45 am with her daughter Olivia as her assistant.  Together they will be demonstrating a craft, talking about her popular blog and giving #YEG moms tips on saving some cash.

Next up is Sheri Landry from This Birds Day.  Sheri will be on CTV Morning Live on Wednesday April 17th at 8:45 am.  She will be sharing with us the story of how she started her very popular blog and what inspires her to keep writing.

Finally, on April 19th at 845 am, Christina Dennis The DIY Mommy will be on CTV Morning Live demonstrating a craft that you’ll love to do at home with your child(ren)! It’s no wonder why The DIY Mommy has such a huge Pinterest following!

All 3 Bloggers will be panelists at this Spring’s Mama Blogs on April 23rd from 6-9 at The Century Grill. Join us! Come be inspired! Use code: CTV to save $5 off your ticket!

Join the Modern Mama Directors, along with our sponsors Ron Hodgson Chevrolet, Patient Man Productions, Terri-Lynne Reynolds from Economy Real Estate , Baby and Beyond Children’s Store and moderator, Nicola Doherty from Entreprenuer Mom Now Edmonton.

~Modern Mamas

Guest post by Allison from Modern Mama St. Albert:

Have you ever gathered inspiration from someone you have never met? I have. From bloggers, mama bloggers. Who specifically?

• Lori from Frugal Edmonton Mama
• Christina from The DIY Mommy
• Amanda from Natural Mommie

These inspirational, creative, accomplished and successful Edmonton & area mama bloggers will be speaking at Mama Blogs on Tuesday, April 23rd at Century Grill sponsored by Ron Hodgson.

How did they inspire me?

Frugal Edmonton Mama inspired me to explore Alberta’s beauty and reconnect with my family. After posting a Groupon travel deal and her own experience on a family friendly Jasper hotel it inspired me (and others) to pack up the family and go! My husband and I had not been to the mountains in 4 years and never with our children! Read about our trip here.

Christina of The DIY Mommy gave my confidence a super boost by posting a DIY project I had done for my daughter’s nursery! The queen of DIY liked my DIY! Christina’s redo of a nursery chair was far superior to mine but I still felt special. Last Christmas Christina committed to A Handmade Christmas for her girls, family and friends. Inspirational? Yes! This Christmas I will be committing to A Handmade Christmas for my children, family and friends. Which reminds me I should get started because it will take me while (amateur here).

Natural Mommieinstragram photos of letting her boys be boys aka playing outside with sticks inspired me to get outside more! I am surrounded by gorgeous walking paths and parks, so what if it’s winter. I packed up the kids and drove 10 minutes to Lois Hole Centennial Park with a baby carrier & a sled. Success!

Meet the above mama bloggers as they share how they got started, tips for writing a blog, blogging as a business and how to balance life! Details & Registration HERE.

MOMentum was created by a triathlete and new mom, Christine Kasturi, for women wanting to connect with each other and share a passion for fitness, goal setting, friendly competition, and raising a family. MOMentum connects women with the community of multisport!

Get involved this Spring and Summer:

Triathlon Training Camp: May 3-4

Get ready to race! This 2-day one-of-a-kind event features workshops, yoga, running, planning your race year, shopping and more! Each participant also receives a full fitness assessment and nutrition analysis. The $199 registration includes all sessions, food, and entry into the Dip, Ride, Run Chocolate Triathlon ($110 value).

Friday, May 3: 3-8pm – Fitness Assessment and Swim Workshop at the Terwillegar Rec Center
Saturday, May 4: 8am-4pm – Camp Workshops at United Cycle, Edmonton

For info and to register click here.

Your MOMent: June 2 – August 25

This FREE 12-week ‘virtual training plan’ is designed to take you across the finish line of the Dip, Ride, Run Chocolate Triathlon. With monthly emails, training plans, nutrition tips, and gear info, it’s everything you need to be ready for race day! It’s all online and accessible by you anytime. Are you ready to make 2013 your MOMent? Register here.

Dip, Ride, Run Chocolate Triathlon: August 25th

Love chocolate? This one-of-a-kind race is for those who love chocolate and love to race! The race is a Sprint Triathlon (750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run) and is open to women, men, and teams. The grand prize is a white gold chocolate diamond pendant!

Date: Sunday August 25, 2013
Location: Terwillegar Rec Center
Race Start Time: 8:30am
Entry Fees: $90 ATA members ($110 non-members), $160/team

Early bird registration is now open for 2013! For info and to register click here.

A portion of all race entry fees for 2013 will go to support the Zebra Child Protection Centre. Established in 2002, the Centre collaborates with multi-disciplinary team members to improve the lives of children who have suffered abuse. Did you know that the Zebra Centre sees over 600 cases of child abuse a year in Edmonton?

~Josline

Mom, Pop & Tots Fair April 12 & 13th!

The Mom, Pop & Tots Fair is one of my favorite shows in Edmonton! It has loads of entertainment, activities, and shopping to keep everyone busy, even dad! There’s always lots of resources for expectant parents as well.

The show is a great way to spend some quality time with the whole family! Thomas the Train is back with an all-new live stage show and Dora the Explorer^TM is coming to the Fair this year for a special Meet & Greet.

Show Details:

Who: Mom, Pop, & Tots Fair 2013

Where: Northlands, Edmonton EXPO Centre, Hall B (directions)

When: April 12 & 13 from 9am-5pm

What: Tickets are available at the door (cash is recommended) or can be ordered in advance! Prices at the Door:

General (17+) – $10
Youth (9-16) – $8
Child (3-9) – $1
2 & Under – FREE

With so much to do and see, you will want to leave yourself plenty of time to enjoy all that the fair has to offer!

Over-night dates mean you can look forward to sleeping in (!!!), quiet time, romance and intimacy.  But what about adventure?  If you can manage more than one night, Las Vegas is a great place to adventure for 2 or 3 nights.

Hoover Dam (45 minutes from the strip)

The Bellagio Fountains

Five Things …

1 | Rent a car for as little as $12/day and save on tours.  It’s more romantic to do a self-guided tour alone, without the bus filled with strangers.  Surprisingly, all the larger hotels offer free parking.

2 | Spend a few dollars more and stay right on the strip in a nicer hotel to avoid smelly casinos and outdated rooms.  (Both the Palazzo and Bellagio are beautiful.  The Palazzo’s rooms are all suites and the bathroom is total lux.)

3 | Don’t miss a Cirque du Soleil show.  With so many to chose from in Las Vegas, there are no excuses, book same-day discount tickets if you must, but don’t miss a Cirque show while in Las Vegas.  (The first time we went to Vegas, we did two of them in a space of 3 days, so good!)

4 | Get frisky and see an x-rated show.  Peepshow and X Burlesque are both sure to get you both in the mood.

The pool at the Bellagio

5 | Lounge by the pool and talk.  Yes, really talk.  I loved reviewing these questions with my hubby last week, as we hadn’t talked about our favourite word, biggest dream or favourite self-traits since last Winter when I wrote that post.

From Edmonton and Calgary, Westjet and Air Canada both offer packages;  if you’re venturing from the West Coast, I highly recommend flying from Bellingham on Allegiant or Alaska Airlines to get an amazing deal.

What’s your favourite over-night date night or weekend adventure with your mate?