• how to start a blog
• how to get people to read (and comment on) your blog
• how to decide between all of the crazy blogging conferences out there (and if they’re worthwhile)

Well, you’ll be in good company this weekend here at Metropolitan Mama.

I’ll be rolling out a bunch of posts on topics related to blogging and social media. Of course, there will also be a few giveaways thrown in as well…including one particularly big contest that will help you blog (or read blogs, whatever the case may be). Stay tuned.

To kick things off, feel free to leave any blogging/social media-related questions you have on this post and I’ll see if I can “slide” the answers into my series.

P.S. If you work for a PR agency or a corporate brand that is hoping to reach mom bloggers, I’ll have some posts specifically geared to you too. I hope you’ll join in the conversation.

* The above photo was taken in March 2008 (My daughter was 18 months old in that photo…she’s now 2 1/2 and has been joined by a sweet baby sister…time flies right by).

I, for example, can hold a baby, cook dinner, play the train game with my 2-year-old, and send a text message to somebody all at the same time.

It might be nice to be able to focus intently on concocting a 5-course meal or to be able to just hold the baby with nary a care in the world, but that’s not always practical.

Because of this reality, I appreciate products that multitask.

The Hoover FloorMate ($99) is one such product. It vacuums, mops, AND dries. One product with multiple functions. Gotta love that.

As I mentioned before, it does a fantastic job. Whenever my husband uses it, the floors end up looking quite sparkly (Yes, I did say: my husband. He’s the resident mopper ’round these parts. And, yes, he does sometimes mop with our 2-year-old on his back. What a guy, right?).

That said, we have a rather expansive great room and it takes FOREVER to vacuum, mop, and dry the whole area. That’s a downside because time is of the essence. A traditional mop would be much faster.

Of course, if time is our biggest consideration, we should probably just hire a maid (we are considering that, by the way).

Overall, though, this product is a great multi-tasking machine.

YOUR TURN: (A) Who does the mopping in your house? (B) Do you utilize maid service?

WIN IT! One winner will receive a Hoover FloorMate ($99). To enter, leave any topic-related comment on this post prior to Tuesday, July 21 at midnight (Don’t forget to follow the rules…all generic comments like “Enter me!,” “Love it,” and “Cool stuff!” will be disqualified.).

I’m fascinated by how other moms “do” motherhood. Not because I want to judge them, but because I want to learn from them and because I am – plain and simple – intrigued. Motherhood is a tough business and I’m curious how other moms manage the intricacies of day-to-day living.

For example, I would watch to see:

• Does she let her child watch TV when she needs to get things done? Or does she set up a craft station? Or does she involve the child in making dinner and vacuuming and writing thank you notes?
• Does she pick up toys as her kids finish playing with them or just at nap time or does she have a chore chart for her kids…or are toys just all over the place?
• Does she pre-plan dinners for the week or scramble at 5 o’clock? Or does her husband make dinner?
• Does she have a “schedule” (play time, rest time, craft time, snack, etc.) or does she fly by the seat of her pants?

Oh, and how does she do her laundry?…

How do YOU do your laundry?

1. Do you have a Laundry Day…or do you do laundry all stinkin’ week long (like I do)?
2. Do you separate the darks, whites, and colors…or just toss everything in together (like I do)?
3. Do you buy the cheapest detergent…or do you have a “favorite” (like I do)?
4. Do you wash your clothes in cold or hot…or warm/cold (like I do)?

These things are small things, but somehow I am totally interested in them.

And since we’re on the topic of laundry, here are a few products that I have recently tried/discovered, that I use regularly, and/or that I like a lot:

Tide (Original Scent) : Our favorite detergent. Unscented stuff isn’t our thing. I like that strong original tide scent. I realize it may not be all pure and non-chemical-y and such…but that smell is the “smell of clean” to me.

Purex Complete 3-in-1 Laundry Sheets (enter to win below): Have you seen these? They’re downright cool. And so easy to use. You just toss a sheet in with your wash and then throw it in to the dryer too. No need to measure, pour, or buy dryer sheets! I have to say I’m sold on the convenience factor and it smells pretty good too.

Tide High Performance Wash Bag (approximately $5.99) : I bought this little bag for cheap at Walmart and think it’s great. I wash all my bras and delicate clothing items in there. How do you was your “intimates”?

HamperTote by ORE Originals ($40.00, enter to win below) : Great design, don’t you think? It’s modern, cheerful, bold, and fun. The canvas is sturdy and the “dividers” are handy if you’re the kind of person who sorts clothes into categories. It’s a little smaller than I would have expected from looking at the pictures online, but it comes with a useful handle so that you can tote it from room to room with ease. I actually prefer just one big cylinder tote, but this would be great for someone who “separates” their laundry.

lovely artwork for my laundry room : I want this gorgeous “Laundry Day” framed piece by Sascalia {$35, found on etsy}. It’s so whimsical and sweet and I love the addition of the baby buggy. You have to click on the link to see all the details. This mini square isn’t doing the piece justice.

vinyl wall decals : My laundry room walls really need a little cuteness, a little inspiration. Maybe a fun quote. This one would explain my “relationship” with laundry quite well: “Laundry. the never ending story…” {found on etsy, $15, by Leen the Graphics Queen}. But I also like the optimism of this phrase: “Laundry Room. Loads of Fun.” {found on etsy, $17, by Janey Mac}.

WIN IT! One winner will receive a Purex Complete 3-in-1 Laundry Sheets Starter Kit (1 dispenser + 20 sheets) and Refill Pouch (24 sheets), plus a HamperTote by Ore Originals ($40, pictured above). To enter, leave any topic-related comment on this post prior to Monday, July 20 at midnight (Don’t forget to follow the rules…all generic comments like “Enter me!,” “Love it,” and “Cool stuff!” will be disqualified.).

“She’s eating it,” I said calmly, non-chalantly.

He grimaced.

“Can’t she eat at the table?”

“Yes, she can. But I’m nursing the baby right here and I don’t want her to snack all by herself.”

This is a little dilemma we’ve been faced with lately – how to keep the floors clean when we have two kids, two and under.

My husband would prefer that all food be eaten at the table all the time. I might prefer that too, but I don’t think it’s particularly practical.

I enforce the “no eating in the bedrooms” rule diligently, but I definitely let things slide in our great room (we have one large room that is our living room, kitchen, and dining room) because it’s all tile and because I don’t always eat at the table (in large part because I have a nursing baby).

Needless to say, our floors are not perfectly spotless and crumb-free.

Currently, we use three different products to clean the tile floors in our house:

(1) Swiffer WetJet : This is super easy and quick to use, but I don’t like it – mostly because of the strong chemical odor that the cleaner exudes. It is overwhelming (in a bad way). I always feel like I’m suffocating whenever the product is used. That can’t be good.

We could use a plain old bucket and mop instead, but it seems so tedious and time-consuming. And I hate having icky mop heads in my house.

What I really want to try is a Steam Mop because I’d love to be able to clean without chemicals.

(2) Hoover FloorMate ($99) : According to Hoover’s website, this product is the “first vac-wash-dry cleaning system specially designed to clean most hard-floor surfaces.” My husband is the one who uses this and I have to say that it does excellent work. It really does wash pretty well…and it dries in no time. That said, it takes a looonnnggg time to clean our entire great room because you have to glide ever so slowly across the room in order to get the floors nice and sparkly. Time is something we don’t have so I give this product a B-/C+.

(3) Hoover Cordless Stick Vacuum from the Platinum Collection ($179.99) : I previously had the Dirt Devil KRUZ ($69.99) and – in case you’re trying to decide between  the two – I want to warn you to not be enticed by Dirt Devil’s attractive price tag. In this case, you totally get what you pay for. The KRUZ may be “pretty,” but it’s also powerless.

Hoover’s Cordless Stick Vacuum, on the other hand, is a mom’s dream-come-true. It’s lightweight, easy to maneuver, and completely cord-free! I use this appliance almost every single day, often with a baby in my arms. Even my 2-year-old can push it around (she often volunteers for the task). The stick vacuum is extremely handy to have around and it’s powerful enough to pick up everything from Cheerios to dirt to little bits of rolls in the living room (ahem…). My only advice to Hoover’s engineers would be (a) to work on increasing the battery life (it’s not horrible, but it’s also not exceptional), and (b) to turn up the power a notch (it does a great job “as is,” but another boost in power would make it even better). In sum? This is a fantastic product and I recommend it to all moms who occasionally have to vacuum one-handed…or who need to be able to vacuum frequently without pulling out a monster vacuum with long cords to unwind and tug around the furniture.

YOUR TURN: If you have tile, hardwood, or laminate flooring, how do you clean your floors? What products do you use…and would you recommend them?

P.S. Just because I’m curious: will you take a quick “poll” for me? It’s only 2 questions. I’d love to know how you handle snacking at your house.

In the morning, that is.

On most days, I sink into bed at around 1 a.m.

Such is the life of a work-at-home mom.

Fortunately, I pretty much fall asleep the minute I hit the pillow.

There are some nights when I stay awake, pondering various ideas and mentally checking things off my to-do list. But, on most nights, I close my eyes and I’m immediately asleep.

Seriously. I can crawl into bed and be asleep in about 1 minute.

The weird thing is I’m not a particularly deep sleeper. I sleep well and I awake rested, but I am constantly checking on my 3-month-old (who is sleeping beside me) throughout the night and I wake up instantly if I hear our 2-year-old stirring through the monitor.

In case you’re curious about our “sleeping arrangements,” my husband and I have a king size bed – where our infant cuddles up with us. Our 2-year-old sleeps in her own room on a full size mattress on the floor. Believe it or not, she has nicer sheets than we do because we found a fabulous Lands’ End set for 75% off at Sears about 6 months ago.

That said, my husband and I have some pretty awesome pillowcases, thanks to DreamSacks, Inc., a company that specializes in natural fiber clothing, nightwear, and bedding sets. The company sent me two Charmeuse Silk Pillowcases ($58 for a set of two) to review. They are positively luxurious – so soft and silky and cool. And supposedly sleeping on a silk pillowcase slows the onset of wrinkles. I’m not sure if that is fact or fiction, but I love the pillowcases either way. They are lovely to lay on.

In fact, my girls and I were laying on our bed today – and my 2-year-old said, “I want these pillows in my room.” My answer was “no.” I do want her to have nice things, don’t get me wrong, but she already trumps us in the sheets department.

DreamSacks, Inc. also carries some cute and comfortable looking clothing/sleepwear options.

Check out this cool “Circle Top” ($49). I like the high neckline and the forgiving, graceful cut – it looks perfect for postpartum mamas.

I also like this modern, slouchy Clara Circle Tunic ($55). Tunics aren’t really my style, but this one would look super cute on the right person. And I totally love that it has pockets.

And let’s not forget this cute and summery Cleo Pajama Set ($89). So, so pretty.

YOUR TURN: What time do you typically go to bed? Do you have a “nightly routine” for yourself? How long does it take for you to fall asleep?

BUY IT: Want to make a purchase from DreamSacks? Use discount code METRO15 for 15% off your order, now through July 25.

WIN IT! One winner will receive a Charmeuse Silk Pillowcase Set ($58 or $64, winner’s choice of color). To enter, leave any topic-related comment on this post prior to Monday, July 20 at midnight (Don’t forget to follow the rules…all generic comments like “Enter me!,” “Love it,” and “Cool stuff!” will be disqualified.).

Pre-kids, I was more apt to be out and about the town, exploring and wondering, meeting new people and going new places.

And there is definitely a part of me that still craves that. I like knowing everyone and being in the know. I will introduce myself to others readily and I actually really enjoy attending parties and functions (even if I don’t know anyone). I love public speaking and experiencing new things and sitting smack dab in the center of a table at the restaurant.

That said, I also take great pleasure in “solitary” activities – reading, writing, blogging, walking, running, etc. I appreciate silence and thoughtfulness.

I’m one of those rare people that scores 50% extrovert and 50% introvert on almost all personality tests (and I have taken almost all of them, thanks to my Masters degree in Educational Counseling…).

All that said, I feel that my extroverted qualities have dampened a little since having kids. I can genuinely say that I truly appreciate being home. On any given day, you’ll likely find me here with my two girls – not at Target or the mall or a park or the zoo. But in my living room or in the office doing arts & crafts or in my 2-year-old’s room, watching her jump on the bed. I like swinging on the porch swing and baking muffins and singing the ABCs and racing across the backyard and going on walks right at sunset.

I actually don’t get “stir-crazy” much. I like sitting on my brown leather couch to nurse the baby. I like running through the sprinklers with my 2-year-old and pretending to be the Tickle Monster so that she squeals with delight. I like laying on the bed with a pile of books and my 2 girls and reading aloud, with all the “voices” (”And I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house down…”).  Those are the kind of things you can’t do when you’re racing around town.

Perhaps, as my kids get older, we’ll go out more.

But, right now, I enjoy being “in.”

It may not be perfect, but…

I like my home. I like my family. I like my life.

And did I mention how much I LOVE these two little girls?

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This weekend is all about “home” – how to organize it, clean it, and love living in it. I may not be the most qualified person to talk about housekeeping, but I’ll be sure to enlist the help of my “OCD-I-have-to-have-a-clean-house-or-I-turn-into-Mr.-Grumperpants” husband if I need help reviewing the latest cleaning products. Stay tuned for tips, product reviews, and giveaways.

We’ve been praying about all three.

The topic weighs heavy on my mind throughout the day and as I drift off to sleep at night.

There is much to consider.

On the one hand, I think about how refreshing and exciting and powerful it would feel to be physically done having babies. It would be wonderful to never have to be pregnant again, to never have to go through morning sickness again. I know some women enjoy pregnancy – the burgeoning belly and the opportunity to be pampered.

But I don’t. For starters, I get terribly sick, “all-day-and-throwing-up-and-I-can’t-take-care-of-my-family” sick (this is a HUGE deterrent – it really was miserable for me and my whole family). Secondarily, I like to be strong and fit…I like to be able to bend over, to have energy, and to do things myself.

It would be invigorating to move on to a new stage and say farewell to the baby gear. We could start to travel, to pursue other ambitions, to change the world. I might actually go for that PhD and I could focus my efforts on all of the big dreams that are stored up in my heart.

But then…I have these fleeting moments when I look at my two sweet girls and I am overwhelmed by the wonder of it all, by the magic and the miracle of creating life. There really is nothing like it. I gaze into their precious faces and think, “This is what love has wrought. Out of our love, we created this beauty and magnificence and splendor.”

There’s nothing quite like that terrifying and inexplicable moment of childbirth – the intense pain, the glorious triumph, the wholehearted trust in a God who is much bigger than me. And then to experience “love at first sight,” to revel in the baby’s countenance, to sustain life through my body. And then to watch that little life grow up, to have a personality of her own. That is beyond amazing.

From there…my mind wonders to adoption – to the orphaned, the neglected, all of the children who would give anything for somebody to love. I’m strangely drawn to that. How inspiring and beautiful to welcome a child into your life. Of course, the thought also terrifies me. How scary to bring a new member into the family – one that I did not carry in my body or nurture from the very beginning. All kinds of worries cross my mind – What if the mother drank or did drugs or cursed her pregnancy? What if the baby was forsaken and left alone for many months at the beginning of his life? How will that affect his future…our future?

Fortunately, we don’t have to make the decision today.

I’m still young. Although I am in my late twenties, I feel somehow old and ancient. I have an urgency about me. There are so many things I want to do, so many places I want to go, so many people I want to help.

I’m sure I am forgetting a million other considerations, other thoughts that roll through my mind and tug at my heart.

I hope that you will forgive my generalizations and my ramblings. I almost didn’t write this post because I thought: “It’s so personal. So subjective. Such a difficult decision. I’ll forget to mention a hundred different points.”

Finally, I feel a bit selfish, knowing that I can get pregnant, knowing that I have this choice…when many women are faced with infertility and miscarriage.

But I am deciding to hit “publish” because this is a huge part of who I am; these thoughts are continuously on my mind.

So, for now, we’re undecided.

For now, I am just grateful. I am wholeheartedly content with the two incredibly smart, beautiful, and world-changing girls in my life:

For those of you who don’t know, I started Jillian Michaels’ 30-Day Shred yesterday (It’s on-sale for $6.99 at amazon.com right now if you want to order it and join me in this crazy adventure…).

GOALS:

• Complete all 30 days (Last Day: August 5).
• Lose 15 pounds.
• Tone up.
• Increase cardiovascular strength.

DESCRIPTION OF WORKOUT IN 1 WORD: OW!

QUESTIONS FOR OTHER SHRED USERS:

1. Do you use 3, 5, or 10 pound weights? I use 5 (but I think I need 3). Ha!
2. Do you do “regular” push-ups or “girl-style” push-ups? I do girl-style push-ups (as evidenced in embarrassing photo above…please disregard my bad form).
3. What “day” are you on and does it get easier? Please say “yes.”