My favorite part of blogging is the connection with different people from different perspectives. I love when y'all comment and share with me what's going on in your lives, it's always a true blessing! As I anticipate a lot of time sitting in the chair above, I thought I would turn to y'all, my sweet blogging friends! I know I'll be spending a lot of time feeding sweet baby Strader, and I'd love to hear from y'all on some reading material to keep me occupied during this time.
I'd love if you'd leave a comment below (or email me, if you prefer) with the following:
Your name:
Your Location (can be vague):
A few blogs you'd recommend:
A few books you'd recommend:
Thank you in advance- I'm so looking forward to connecting with y'all! Don't be shy, even if you're a first time commenter you matter and I'd love to hear from you! XO
ps I don't mean specifically books or blogs about parenting or mom stuff, just in general I wanted some recommendations :)
ps I don't mean specifically books or blogs about parenting or mom stuff, just in general I wanted some recommendations :)
Kelly
ReplyDeleteKnoxville, Tn
Since I'm not a mom myself, I can only say what I enjoy reading, so therefor I'd recommend Em for Marvelous's blog. I'm sure you already read, but I just love how sincere she is. And when I was researching materials for mom, I referenced kellymom.com a lot. Most of the information is backed by the Academy of Pediatrics and is a reliable source. Other than that all my information is from academics, what I've learned being in WIC, and my experience in working with sweet babes and moms in the NICU at two different hospitals. But always feel free to call! As I'm now helping my best friend with nursing and pumping I've been getting some good hands on experience and just love being with moms. :)
name: Sara
ReplyDeleteLocation: Dallas
Blogs: helloerin.com, Katieelizabethblog.com, Hand Luggage Only
Books: Hope in the Unseen, The Little Prince, Lilly Pulitzer's entertaining books
Veronica
ReplyDeleteOklahoma
I just LOVED Jen Hatmaker's For the Love, if you haven't read it yet. GET IT! It is such a freeing, easy-to-read book. A good one to just pick up and read whenever.
Love anything Jane Austen, for some classic fiction. All of her books are gems! :)
Emily Ley's new book coming out?! haha it's on my list!
Your name: Autumn
ReplyDeleteYour Location (can be vague): metro in Atlanta, GA
A few blogs you'd recommend: joylynnlifestyle.com , thebergerbungalow.com, theurbanacres.com
A few books you'd recommend: Edenbrooke, Quest for a Maid, and Blackmoore. They're all very family friendly and romances :)
Ah, this is fun!
ReplyDeleteMy name is Amanda!
I am from Ashburn, VA; right outside of Washington DC!
Some of the more popular blogs I really like are Gal Meets Glam Lonestar Southern, Prep Avenue, & World of Wanderlust. I also really like History in High Heels, www.historyinhighheels.blogspot.com, her blog is a good mixture of fashion and travel tips and her style is super fun and colorful and Practically Imperfect is another blog I have been enjoying recently, www.practically-imperfect.com, Hannah is super cute!
As far as books go The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is probably my favorite book ever, All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr is a good read too. For lighter reads I really like Sophie Kinsella's books, her characters are always funny and quirky. Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson is a really cute YA summer read and Morgan Matson just released a new book called The Unexpected Everything that I am excited to read this summer! Also, Lunch in Paris: a Love Story with Recipes by Elizabeth Bard is also a really fun read!
Hope this was helpful and not too long!!
-Amanda
www.wanderlustandwardrobes.blogspot.com
This is not helpful to you at all (I'm Kelsey - Raleigh, NC), but I just noticed that your 2 Pooh prints are 2 of the 4 that we're also putting in our little boy's nursery! What a funny coincidence. Mine were my grandmothers who passes away in 99 and I love being able to have a piece of her in the nursery.
ReplyDeleteSarah
ReplyDeletePocatello, ID
While I'm not a mom, I did spend three years working for the parenting team at Focus on the Family and have some sweet recommendations from my time there. For your husband, I would recommend First Time Dad by John Fuller. For you, or both of you, I recommend Crazy Little Thing Called Marriage by Dr. Greg and Erin Smalley, The Whole Hearted Wife by Erin Smalley, Be the Mom by Tracey Eyster, Expectant Parents by Suzanne Gosselin and Expectant Blessings by Susanna Aughtmon.
For non parent/marriage reading, I have really enjoyed Franklin and Winston: An Intimate Portrait of an Epic Friendship, Still Alice, anything by Erik Larsen, anything by Philippa Gregory, anything by Ken Follett and I'm currently reading War Brides which is very sweet so far.
On my reading list for summer: The Invention of Wings, The Gilly Salt Sisters, The Boys in the Boat, The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris and Bring Up Bebe.
Hopefully something on this list sounds like something to keep you and Baby Strader company in those quiet moments!
Kenzie
ReplyDeleteAda, OK
I've been a follower for awhile and love keeping up with you. :) My blog is about to get a re-design but I blog at farmgirlblogs.com and own farmgirlboutique.com
The best book I have read in a LONG time and one you need to read when you have younger kids and a family is The Best Yes!
I'm Leah from Wisconsin. :) We've connected a couple times, but here are some of my fave books. :)
ReplyDeleteThe Coincidence of Coconut Cake (fluffy, romantic, easy to read, hilarious, great story)
Night Circus (magical, intriguing, beautifully written, incredible unique)
Why Not Me? (because, duh, Mindy Kaling)
Under Magnolia (a Southern memoir, beautifully written, great voice)
Also AUDIOBOOKS. I've totally fallen in love with them over the last year. I'm not a mama, but I'm guessing that the hands free "reading" would be helpful! I listen while I wash dishes, while I'm in the car, while I'm folding laundry, working out, etc.
Astleigh
ReplyDeleteVirginia
www.hillcollectionblog.com
I loved "The Antelope in the Living Room" and I think any of Melanie's books would be fantastic reads. I've been wanting to read her book, "sparkly Green Earrings". Jen Hatmaker's "For the Love" has been good so far too. One suggestion I have for reading while nursing is to read from your phone or Kindle. I've learned it's nearly impossible to read from a book with your babe in your arms feeding! Turning book pages has never been quite so difficult :)
You're going to love this precious time with your bitty boy! Prayers for you all as you transition out of this season and into a sweet new season!
Hi, I'm Natalie!
ReplyDeleteBased in Cornwall, UK.
Blogs I love; yours! SkunkBoy, Bleubird, my best friends The Giblets (YouTube channel)and smile and wave. I am terrible pinterest addict and will literally find anything on there to read. Your Envelope post brought me here originally!
Books wise, I am a mum of two with a shift worker husband so when I read I am escaping into romantic trashy Mills and Boon I am afraid!!!!!
Just wanted to wish you the absolute best labour - I personally believe you can do amazing in labour, just remember the pain is for a reason and will end with your son in your arms.
Best wishes
Natalie xxx
Helloooo, friend! You already know who I am and where I'm from :) I'm pretty sure you're probably familiar with most of the blogs I read, but one you may not have heard of is Erin's (https://erinandben.co/journal/). She's the gal behind the new HGTV show Home Town (I'm pretty sure you watched the pilot, too!). She posts every single day about the best thing that happened that day, and I love following along with their small town life (and it's especially fun right now, hearing all about how the show is coming together!). As for books - here are a few of my all-time favorites (not including classics!): All the Light We Cannot See, For the Love, The Story of Land and Sea, The Road to Character, All Joy and No Fun, The Light Between Oceans, and The Glass Castle. A few more that have been heartily recommended to me and are on my list, but that I haven't read yet: The Night Circus, The Meaning of Marriage by Tim Keller, My Name is Lucy Barton, My Brilliant Friend, Tiny Beautiful Things, Station Eleven, and The Magician's Land. xo!
ReplyDeleteAbbi Hearne
ReplyDeleteBased in The Woodlands, Texas but my husband and I (and our dog Charlie) spend a huge percentage of our year traveling/camping/hiking/rock climbing around the western US in our subaru!
A few blogs you'd recommend: www.abbihearne.com/blog (mine! :)), www.talesofmeandthehusband.com, www.camppatton.com, www.northcarolinacharm.com, www.helloerin.com, www.oliveandtate.com, www.willowwayblog.blogspot.com
A few books you'd recommend: Unafraid by Susie Davis (SO GOOD, and definitely great for a new mom), Life of Pi (classic and amazing), Love Does by Bob Goff, Learning to Fly by Steph Davis (this one is a little out there and honestly might not interest you at all, but it has changed my life so I have to mention it!)
I am so excited for you friend!! I'm so glad I found your blog, and I will be praying for your sweet little family this month (and beyond).
Ohhh also! I know you don't listen to music much, but you seriously need to listen to Jamie Ivey's podcast "The Happy Hour" if you don't already!! She interviews different friends each week (Jen Hatmaker, Jennie Allen, Korey Robertson, so many awesome people!) and they just talk about life/God/everything for a hour. I love it so much. I subscribed a few weeks ago and have been listening to old episodes while I clean, drive, cook, or just chill! It's so fun and definitely great for mommas spending a lot of time at home. It makes me feel like I'm hanging out with girlfriends all day!
ReplyDeleteHi, I'm Jessica!
ReplyDeleteBaltimore, MD
Blogs: House Tweaking- love her decorating style! Jones Design Co- her family is currently on a US road trip! Cup of Jo - I always love the insightful comments on their posts!
Books: The Kitchen House (hoping to read the sequel, Glory over Everything, next!), that is the only thing I've read recently, hopefully that will change soon! Can't wait to see the nursery and find out his name! :)
Best of luck with the birth of your baby boy! This is my first time commenting, but I absolutely love your blog and know you will be the sweetest mama!
Hi! I'm Kate from Boston. I've loved following your blog for the last few months :)
ReplyDeleteOther blogs I like that aren't already on here are: http://www.valeriekeinsley.com/ and http://thebloggerella.com/ but I second the podcast suggestion! Jess Lively has some AMAZING guests on her show that I have loved learning from! http://jesslively.com/
Books: The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah is my most recent fav, but I'm getting ready to start Boys on The Boat which has been recommended to me by 2485930 people :)
I'm excited for your family's next journey and grateful that you've let us all follow along so far! Sending you thoughts/prayers/good vibes for your sweet boy's delivery!
Hey there! I'm Grace Anne, from the Southern U.S.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a mom, I'm actually just a teenage girl, so I'm not exactly sure what blogs you might like. I'm a huge fan of The Freckled Fox, though, so you might like that one!
As far as books go, I'm an avid reader so I can definitely help you out here. One of my current favorites is All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. I also love classics- Jane Eyre is my all time favorite book. It's the best. Jane Austen is always a good option, too. :)
Hey Victoria!
ReplyDeleteI'm Madison, from Houston.. Weirdly enough I think we "know" some of the same people.. Probably through my friends reading your blog and then y'all becoming friends that way, or maybe through insta--but my brother went to A&M so maybe it was through that that I found you?? I probably sound like a weirdo but I swear I'm normal :)
Anyways, I have three boys (!) and they are just the sweetest things ever. Nothing better than a baby boy loving on his mama! I feel like we have similar styles so you probably read all of the same blogs I do. My youngest is 7 months and so I've done a ton of reading in my glider- tried to read more books rather than scroll through FB or Instagram but sometimes you just need to mindlessly scroll! Some good reads are: Looking For Lovely-Annie downs, Where the light gets in- Kimberley Williams-Paisley, When Breath Becomes Air- Paul Kalanithi, Firefly Lane- Kristin Hannah (this has been a favorite since college!)
So excited for you and your cute family! Just remember, YOU were chosen for sweet baby strader and no one could ever be a better mommy to him than YOU!!! Praying for you sweet (blog) friend!
I'm Amy from Sydney, Australia and have been reading your blog since before you were married! I don't have any blogs to add to the list (although I am thinking of starting a blog myself!) BUT I have a good list of books you can read. Anything by the Eldredge's is amazing; participating Captivating and Becoming Myself (for women) and Fathered by God and Wild at Heart (aimed at men, but so good to read to understand and better encourage our husbands!). Also on developing your identity in Christ, Thom Gardener is great (Healing the Wounded Heart and The Healing Journey are legit life changes).
ReplyDeleteAlso Francine Rivers "Redeeming Love" for fiction :)
I'm so excited for you! x
I'm Meghan from Denver and I want to second the Camp Patton blog! Since having my son last fall I haven't read much at all sadly. I actually downloaded the Yahtzee app to pass the time during late night feeding sessions. I found it was mindless enough to keep me awake but not so enthralling that I couldn't go back to sleep easily after ;)
ReplyDeleteDonna, East Coast of Canada
ReplyDeleteBlogs: 71 Toes, 34 Magnolia Street, Live A Charmed Life, The Other Juliette
Books: The Princess Bride, Call the Midwife (Trilogy), The Poisonwood Bible
Hi I'm Tucker from D.C.! I found your blog through Theta's regram of your t shirt quilt and have loved it ever since!
ReplyDeleteBlogs: http://victoriaelizabethbarnes.com covers a woman who loves bargain antiques and remolding her home! http://thepioneerwoman.com I enjoy the variety of recipes and descriptions of farm life! Also https://www.dailyworth.com , while it's a website and not a blog, it has great articles on financial advice and planning that are geared towards women!
Books: 100 Summers or anything else by Beatriz Williams; she writes sweet love stories that take place around WWI and WWII! I haven't read it yet, but I've heard You Before Me by Thea Sharrock is really good! And for reading to Sweet Baby Strader Guess How Much I Love You is a favorite of mine from childhood! I'm not sure if you go to the library, but something I've found that is really nice for books, magazines, and audiobooks is using my library's eLibrary! It's an easy way for me to get a bunch of books for free and not worry about returning them on time or finding time to go to the library!!
I've just graduated and love reading about the stage you are in life and all of your organizing and home improvement tips! Best wishes for all the exciting things coming up this month and this season for you!!
Teri Breaux - I've been reading your blog I think for the last two-three years. I discovered it through the envelope system post!! I'm due with a little boy (3rd baby) on May 15th! It's been so exciting following you and Ben's journey together the past few years! Plus I love all the gorgeous pictures you take of your adventures and home.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I'm from Louisiana! I'd definitely recommend Melanie Shankle's http://thebigmamablog.com/ and Sophie Hudson's http://boomama.net/ blog and books. They're hilarious and relateable.
I also love wearethatfamily.com and lisajobaker.com
Hi I'm Tucker from D.C. I found your blog through a re-gram of your t shirt quilt to Theta's instagram and have enjoyed it ever since!
ReplyDeleteBlogs: http://victoriaelizabethbarnes.com she enjoys bargain antiques and remolding her home! http://thepioneerwoman.com for discovering new recipes and how sweet farm life is! Also while not a blog https://www.dailyworth.com has great financial articles and advice geared towards women!
Books 100 Summers or anything else by Beatriz Williams, she writes wonderful love stories set during WWI and WWII. I haven't read it yet, but I've hear You Before Me by Thea Sharrock is awesome! And for Sweet Baby Strader Guess How Much I Love You is a childhood favorite of mine! I don't know if you have a local library, but if you do check to see if they have an eLibrary program. It's all the wonderful parts of a library on your kindle/ ereader free and without the stress of going to the library or returning books!
I've just graduated undergrad and so enjoy reading about someone in the next season of life! Wishing you all the best during this next season!
Hi Victoria!
ReplyDeleteI'm Jessica from Dana Point, California. I've been reading your blog since before you graduated college.
Blogs: Most of the blogs I read are already in your network, but recently I've been loving the Around the Table Podcast, which is co-hosted by http://www.jaceyverdicchio.com/. Her blog has a lot of encouragement on it.
Books: One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp! I seem to go back to this every two years and learn something new every time. The first couple chapters are kinda rough, but the whole book is marvelous. Anything by Elizabeth Bard. She writes about her experiences married to a Frenchman and living as a New York expat in Paris and Provence, with plenty of recipes scattered through.
I'm graduating in December and getting married in March, so I love going back to your early posts on your home and your wedding.
Prayers for your family and your sweet babe :)
I'm Olivia and I live in San Marcos, TX. I'm in grad school currently at Texas State, but I've been reading your blog since 2013. I found you from another blog and what I love most about your blog is your positive attitude about so many things (good and bad) and your Godly guidance. I really look up to you, and reading your blogs always brightens my day! No book suggestions, but just wanted to stop in and say hi! God bless you and your sweet family!
ReplyDeleteThis is such a good idea :)
ReplyDeleteI'm Sydni and I'm in Blacksburg VA getting my master's in ag/applied economics from VT. My favorite mom-bloggers are Camp Patton and Tales of Me and the Husband. I also love Cup of Jo (if you're looking for reading - go down the rabbit trails that are her comment archives!! so fun) and Life with Truth. As for books, To Kill a Mockingbird has been on my mind a lot lately, not sure why. If I can't shake it I'll have to read it again! Have you ever read the Giver series? There are actually four books, all are really fun reads. Alas Babylon and Wish You Well are also classics. My summer reads this year will probably be My life in France (Julia Child) and Something Borrowed (like the movie), for two more. Happy first mother's day!
Hello! I'm Shelby and I'm from Nashville. I've been following your blog since before you got married, and I'm so excited to keep on following through your next season of life. So exciting!
ReplyDeleteA few of my favorite blogs (I'm sure you already follow some of them, but just in case!)
- Confessions of a Northern Belle (http://www.confessionsofanorthernbelle.com/)
- Love, Fun, and Football (http://www.lovefunandfootball.com/)
- Keep Calm and Carry On (http://www.mykeepcalmandcarryon.com/)
- Carolina Charm (http://www.northcarolinacharm.com/)
- Hanging With The Hirsts (http://hangingwiththehirsts.blogspot.com/)
- The Chronicles of Ruthie Hart (http://www.ruthiehart.com/)
Books:
- Love and Respect (http://www.amazon.com/Love-Respect-Workbook-Desires-Desperately/dp/1591453488/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1462812843&sr=8-2&keywords=love+and+respect)
- You and Me Forever (http://www.amazon.com/You-Me-Forever-Marriage-Eternity/dp/0990351408/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1462812921&sr=8-1&keywords=you+and+me+forever+francis+chan)
Those are just a couple of good ones that I have read recently. Prayers for you and your baby boy! :)
Hi! I'm Stephanie, from Lubbock! (although originally from north of dallas-I know Collin ;))
ReplyDeleteI had a baby 9 months ago (already?! what?!) and spent ALOT of time reading anything and everything to embrace nursing sessions/feel like I wasn't alone in those hormonal changes ;)
best books:
Bringing up bebe -pamela drunkerman
for the love -jen haymaker
give them grace -elyse fitzpatrick (awesome book about discipling your children)
blogs:
breastfeeding/new mom:
the alpha parent-timeline of a breastfed baby
coffeeandcrumbs.net
lifestyle:
lovetaza.com
thevanillatulip
thesoutherntrunk.com
happy baby days!
Name: Kelsey Cothern
ReplyDeleteLocation: Senatobia, MS
Blogs: beautiefull things, grace while we wait, Nicole Coles blog.
Books: Wild and Free, For the Love, The Last Girl, a year of biblical womanhood.
I just found your blog about a week ago and it's quickly becoming on of my favorites!!!