This weekend I’m attending my very first blogging conference. Bloggy Boot Camp, for the win!!!

Yea, I’m just a little bit excited.

I know a few bloggy friends who are going, and I can not wait to meet them. It’s the first opportunity I’ve had to meet any of my blogging friends in person. I’m excited, nervous and totally freaking out about what to wear.

Actually, no, I’m not. I’ll be wearing a four week old baby. That’s about the best accessory you can get. As long as I don’t get puked or pooped on.

I do my best to write in my voice on this blog. To be true to who I am. But, really, you are reading it and interpreting who I am. Who knows who you think I really am! Scary thought, I know.

So, just to clear the air, here are a few things that you may not know about me. Things that might come in handy if we are meeting this weekend at Bloggy Boot Camp. Or things that you may find interesting, even if we aren’t meeting. Or perhaps you aren’t interested in me at all, and just want another sweet recipe to drool over. If that’s the case, well, there will be a new recipe tomorrow.

Geting to Know Me

I’m shy. Really, super shy. And when I meet people for the first time my brain turns to mud and I can’t think of a single thing to say. So if I seem kind of quiet at first, that’s just because I have mud for brains.

I’ve been blogging for two years. Actually, I think my blogging anniversary was last week, but I’m too sleep deprived to remember. Or look up the actual date. Maybe next week we can celebrate? If you bring gifts, I’ll make a cake. Deal?

I’m not funny. Even if you think that I may be funny from my blog, I’m really not. It takes a lot of brain power to be funny in my writing. I’m not funny on the spot.

I just had a baby. Less than four weeks ago. Yes, he will be with me. If you happen to be sitting near me please forgive any flashes of boob that you may see, I’m breastfeeding. Also, please forgive any crying during the most ground-breaking part of the conference. And please look the other way when I’m changing a diaper, probably poopy, on the table right next to you. I can’t be bothered to leave the room to change the diaper, I can’t miss a single moment of the conference. Seriously.

Also, I’m still carrying some of the baby weight. I only have a few pairs of jeans that fit me, and all of them were purchased years ago and are totally not in style anymore. Be forgiving.

I look like this:

And this:

And this:

However, my hair color changes often, and most likely will change again before the conference.

I was, once upon a time, a graphic designer. Which means I’m a little artsy. But I’m more the quiet artsy type than the-in-your-face artsy type.

I’ll be carrying my baby and a diaper bag, there’s no room for a laptop. Which means I’ll be taking notes the old fashioned way, pen and paper. And yes, I will be taking notes. Don’t laugh.

I’m planning on wearing heals on Saturday. I haven’t worn heals in…errr…years? Please catch me if you see me falling.

Okay, I think that’s everything. All of the important things that you need to know about me. So, will we be meeting in Chicago? What should I know about you? If we aren’t meeting, pretend that we are anyway. Let’s get to know each other better.

Getting to Know Me is a post from: Alli 'n Son

“Hey Kiddo,” I say, “what do you want to do today?”

“Ahhhhh, play?”

“Oh yea? Play with what?”

“Just toys.”

I’m good at crafts and play-dough. Puzzles and baking. Bubbles and walks to the park. I’m good at structured play, where there’s a purpose.

Imaginative play, that’s not my strong suit. Most of the time it just never occurs to me.

But Hubs, he’s good at it. He’s down on the ground, wrestling. Rough housing. Tackling. He’s building forts and castles. He’s marching across the room, robot-style. He’s zombie eating the kiddo’s brains. He’s teaching him dance moves.

He fills in the missing pieces in my parenting skills. He completes our family. He grounds us and lifts us up, all at the same time. To me that is what it means to be a successful, loving and fan-freaking-tastic father.

Happy Father’s Day to Hubs, to the most creative dad that I know.

And for all of the father’s, grandfathers and father-like figures in our lives, you are all awesome too. Our lives wouldn’t be complete without you.

Seriously.

What it Means to Be a Father is a post from: Alli 'n Son

I find myself, more and more often, feeling overwhelmed by life. The baby is coming. Our house is growing smaller every day. Summer activities are threatening to take over. My blog is growing and I’m writing for more places. I’m dreaming of opening an Etsy shop. I’m helping friends, family and my church.

My life is full to the brim. Overflowing into the tiny cracks usually empty. Which is making me feeling stuffed. Overwhelmed. Twitchy.

I can feel it in my body, especially now that there is little room left for me in my body. I’ve been taken over by the little boy growing inside, pushing my organs all around. Pushing my needs to the side. I feel it in the way my body jumps awake mere moments before I fall asleep at night.

I’m exhausted yet can’t seem to settle.

I can feel it in my mind. The laundry list of to-dos churning over and over. Never seeming to get smaller, no matter how much time I have. I check one thing off, only to find that it’s been replaced by more. Many more. Small things that have a way of looking much, much bigger. Things that take up space which should be occupied by silence.

I’m wiped out, yet I can’t seem to quiet my mind.

I recently began a yoga class. It’s a practice I jumped back into a few weeks ago, hoping that it would silence the aches and pains of pregnancy. Hoping that it would bring peace to my mind. And it has. Even if it’s only for a moment.

I always leave feeling refreshed and renewed. The hour to myself, surrounded by a group of women concentrating only on themselves, and what their bodies can do at that moment, in that place, is empowering. Even though the temptation is there to compare yourself to what the others are doing, there’s a general sense of just doing what is best of you. We all do different variations on different poses, listening and paying attention to our bodies. Letting them guide us through the moves. Breathing in and out of movements and holds. Using our breath to help us through.

Listening. Pausing. Breathing. Resting as we need to.

As I walk away from the class, having connected to the women in ways that words can not explain, I promise to myself that I will hold onto the feelings for as long as possible. As I encounter a train blocking my path on the way to pick up the kiddo, I’m reminded that this may not be what I planned, but it is an opportunity to hold onto the quiet just a little bit longer. It’s a chance to just be for an extra second or two.

By the time I’ve returned home, gone through the bedtime routines and eaten dinner, the world is crowding around me again. Deadlines, those I’ve imposed on myself or coming from others, threaten to fill in the quiet spaces in my mind. My body, as it drifts off to what promises to be a peaceful sleep, is awakened at the last second. Slowly, life comes back to me.

I love that yoga is called a practice. It’s not expected that each session we attend will be an improvement over the last. It’s not a race. It’s about going where our bodies and minds will allow us to go. In that moment. It’s about clearing our minds and just being. In the moment.

I need to work on carrying this practice over into every day life. The feelings that yoga inspires tend to be short lived. But even that, those few hours I have with my mind cleared and open, is amazing. It gives me the focus that I need to reorganize my mind, sorting out the small things from the large things, tackling what can be done now and letting things that can wait, wait.

Yoga reminds me that life takes practice. I can’t expect to do things right every time. I don’t always react to my son the way that I should. I can’t always give my husband the attention that he deserves. I’m not connected with friends and family like I need to be. I’m not always able to clear from my mind the clutter. The unimportant stuff that takes over and threatens to drown me. Yet, I’m learning, through yoga, with the reminder to be in the moment, to let go, to clear my mind.

Slowly, as I continue my practice, I will be able to bring it into my every day life. It won’t be perfect. But learning, growing, listening, loving, those are some of the most important things in life. Those are the things worth practicing.

This post is proudly linked up with Imperfect Prose.

The Practice is a post from: Alli 'n Son

If you really knew me, you’d know that…

…I’m completely and utterly addicted to chocolate. It seems to get worse with age. I simply can not go an entire day without eating some. Or lots. Or entire bags of it.

…I dread bed time. Oh wait, you already know that.

…I secretly like it when my son is sick. Not the sick part, but the comforting part. I was born to do this.

…I snap too quickly, I lose my patience too easily, I jump to conclusions to often.

…I never in my life thought I would put my career on hold when I had kids. And yet, here I am.

…I judge. Try as I might, I judge. I also feel endlessly guilty for it.

…If I feel that I’m being judged, I’ll judge you right back. Twice as hard.

…I hold petty grudges.

…I keep score.

…I secretly like the first few days when Hubs travels for work.

…I barely have the strength to make it through the rest of the days when he is gone.

…I treasure my family, both near and far, for helping when I have nothing left to give.

…I’m wondering how I’ll ever manage to leave the house once I have two kids. Two boys. It’s entirely possibly that I’ll turn into a hermit. Which doesn’t that bad some days.

…I love photography and have visions of opening an Etsy store. Yea, I’ve mentioned this before. It’s so close to happening. So. Close.

…I annoy the crap out of my husband by asking him questions, waiting for his answer, then saying, or we could do this.

…I also annoy him by never, ever deciding where we should eat when we go out. But, in my defense, he never ever decides because he always asks me first, then refuses to pick any place.

…I can only do imaginative play with my son for like 15 minutes before I get bored. I’d much rather bake or create something. You know, something constructive. He’d much rather play.

…I currently have pink and purple highlights in my hair. Rock star style. Because I needed something creative and very un-mom.

…If I could, I would make my living baking. And blogging. But mostly baking.

…I’m feeling gigantically pregnant and I still have 3.5 months to go.

…I promised myself that once I got pregnant after infertility, that I would enjoy every second of it and not worry. I worry all the time. And some days struggle to enjoy it.

…I’m still undecided about going for a third child. Maybe we should just get through birthing the second.

…I’m not a kid person. I like mine, and my families, and close friends. But others, well, it’s hit or miss.

…I’ve been blogging over at Blogger Body Calendar this week. I gave them one heck of an interview.

…I also crafted it up at Blissfully Domestic. Telescope-style.

…I was just selected as one of 5 bloggers to be a Mega Blok Mom. It’s my first, consistent paying gig as a blogger. This calls for some chocolate.

If I really knew you, what would I know?

This post is proudly linked up with Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop and Imperfect Prose.

If You Really Knew Me… is a post from: Alli 'n Son

I always, always forget about this. Actually, this is only the second year that I’ve participated. And this year I forgot. Thank goodness for email or the party would have flown right by me.

I’m Allison, also known as Alli in the blogging world. I’m a slightly OCD momma {yes, you do have to eat M&Ms in pairs of matching colors}. and the mother of one spunky, energetic and often hilarious three-year-old boy, with another boy on the way {due this July}.

Most of my free hours are spent sharing life, recipes and photos here at Alli ‘n Son. What began as my story of going from a working mom to a stay at home mom has morphed into something much more delicious. Breads. Pizza. Cookies. I love to get down and dirty in my kitchen, bake, cook and share. Most of all I love to share, because really I can’t eat all of this food. Well, I could, but I may just explode after, and who would be left to clean it up?

Each Friday I host a weekly link up for sweet-inspired foods, Sweet Tooth Friday. Bloggers are invited to share their latest creations, as long as it’s sweet it’s welcome! Don’t forget to bring a napkin when you visit or you’ll be drooling over your keyboard. If you have a sweet recipe to share, stop by this week’s linky and recipe for Toffee Snickerdoodle cookies.

Not only do I cook and bake, I also create. As a “retired” graphic designer I’m constantly searching for ways to stay creative through helping friends and family and through the lens of my camera and often through my iPhone camera. Life as a stay-at-home mom can get boring if you aren’t constantly looking for ways to be creative.

You can also find me chatting on Twitter, sharing on Facebook and snapping away on Flickr. In the few minutes that I have left in the day which aren’t dedicated to eating cookies, I spend as the Content Manager for Blogger Body Calendar.

Yes, life is busy. And it’s awesome.

A Few of my Favorite Things:

• Spicy Chocolate Chip Cookies {Recently featured on Shine from Yahoo!}
• Rosemary Foccacia
• Quick and Easy Chicken Skewers
• Possibly the World’s Best Mac and Cheese
• Baked Chocolate Donuts and Baked Vanilla Donuts
• You Get What You Get
• Calm Within
• Weighing Heavily on My Heart
• At Our House Pants Are Always Optional

That’s a bit about myself, but I’d love to know more about you. If you are a long-time reader or if you just found me through UBP, leave a comment introducing yourself.

Ultimate Blog Party 2011 is a post from: Alli 'n Son

Hey lovely readers, today I’m bringing you a guest post all about encouraging your kids to read. Enjoy!

Edward S., a sonogram tech has taken online courses on parenting and enjoys sharing his learnings with the world.

Reading is essential to the intellectual growth of a child. Study upon study has linked early reading habits with admittance to college and future success, and not only that, but reading is fun. A good story transports the reader to other times and places and stimulates thought and the creation of new perspectives. But it can be hard to instill a similar love of reading in your child for various reasons. Reading is hard at first, and it requires more work than watching TV or playing video games. Plus, it does not offer the instant gratification of time in front of a screen and is not always viewed as “cool” by your child or their peers.

As such, sometimes a parent has to go the extra mile to get children to buy in to the fact that reading is fun and is an amazing thing. Here are some easy tips for getting your reluctant reader hooked on reading. It may require a little more effort or involvement on your part, but it will certainly pay off vast dividends in the long run — and allow you two to spend some quality time together.

• Encourage reading of any kind: The first books I ever read, much to the chagrin of my beloved 1st grade teacher, were R.L. Stein’s Goosebumps books. My teacher considered them trashy, but my mother did not care: she was just glad to see me reading. Young readers often get turned off from reading because parents and teachers feed them texts that do not interest them or are just way over their heads. Let your child pick something out that interests them, or ask other parents what their kids are reading. It’s perfectly fine to start out with Calvin and Hobbes or other “un-literary” books as well. Reading is reading, and will only stimulate a curiosity and a desire to tackle other texts.
• Bring stories to life: The more a child can connect with a book on a real-world level the more they will see the value — and enjoyment — in reading. Read before doing a special activity, or let an outing inspire your next reading choice. Have a child who has always dreamed of having a pony? Read Black Beauty or another book together before heading out to horseback riding lessons or just visiting a horse stable. Have a child who is obsessed with their Little League sport? Choose a book to compliment that, such as the biography of a favorite player, or even just read the sports page together in the morning to keep up on favorite teams.
• Let books inspire creativity: The best part of reading for many a young reader is the chance to let their imaginations go wild. Reading doesn’t dictate how a character or a setting should look beyond a few key details; it’s all up to the reader to stage the happenings of a text in their minds. Let your little reader go wild. Act out scenes from books after you’ve read them, or have drawing time after reading sessions to let them draw out their favorite scenes — or better yet, create new ones predicting what will happen next.
• Read the book before seeing the movie: I like this more than the other way around. Make it a rule that you have to read the book first before seeing the movie — it will give the child an incentive to keep reading, and allow for great discussion after seeing the movie. Talk about all the parts the movie “got wrong” and how your child envisioned it from reading the text.
• Lead by example: Believe it or not, what you do as a parent is what your child sees as cool (well, at least until they’re teenagers). If you read often, they in all likelihood will as well. Read in the living or a communal area of the house, especially one usually reserved for TV, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised when your child grabs a book of their own and curls up next to you.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post, and I was compensated.

The Reluctant Reader: Simple Ways to Make Reading Fun for Your Child is a post from: Alli 'n Son

We all have stories of our kids coloring on the walls with markers. Or the sofa. Or the rug, the sofa, the wall, his clothes and his hands.

Or perhaps your daughter got into your make-up while you were innocently letting her play in the bathroom while you took a shower. That will teach you to take a shower. The nerve.

But I have a story that trumps them all. If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll probably recognize this. I admit that I did originally publish this a while back, but it’s totally worth repeating. It’s that hilarious.

And yes, I’m now able to laugh about it. It’s kind of a pain-filled chuckle, with a smile that never reaches my eyes. But still. It counts as laughter. Kind of.

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And then 1 day after we steam cleaned everything, this:

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The second you turn your back. Gah!

This post is proudly link to Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop.

Awww Crap, Now What is He Into? is a post from: Alli 'n Son

It seems that this time of the year is for reflecting. Looking back at the year and searching for those happy moments. The ones that define who you are. Thinking about those challenging moments. The ones that brought you to your knees and made you question everything.

The end of the year is a time for closure. For promises for the new year. Hopes. Dreams. Untapped potential.

But, before we wave goodbye to 2010 {me dressed as a movie star to be determined}, here’s a final look at my favorite posts from the last year.

January

Once upon a time a stranger asked me to watch his children while he went to the bathroom. A Scary Story

February

What helps keep me centered during those overwhelming moments. A New View

March

I could never be a father. I’m just not good at it. Top 10 Reasons My Husband is a Better Dad Than I Could Be

April

Have you ever accomplished something you thought impossible? The Biggest Climb

May

I finally broke down and opened up my heart, revealing my fertility struggles. Permission Granted

June

Any parent can relate to losing yourself after having kids: Second Guessing, Identity and Self Reflection

July

What could you accomplish if no one was pushing you to do it? Life without Limits

August

Ever have pee-soaked undies thrown around your house? Yea, you wouldn’t laugh either. One Day I’ll Laugh

September

My attempt to be honest and open about who I really am: Let’s Be Real

October

Yes, I have an opinion too: Marie Claire Has Ruffled My Feathers

November

I’m Burned Out from feeling like I’m not enough

December

You know that thing called mom-guilt? It really works. The Time I Shamed My Son Into Pooping

Do you have a favorite post from the last year? Or did you write a year in review post? Leave the link below and I’ll stop over to visit.

This post is proudly linked up to Mondays: Mouthwatering Mondays, Made By You Monday, Mingle Monday, The Girl Creative Tuesdays: Tuesdays and the Table, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, It's a Blog Party, Tip Junkie, Get Your Craft On Wednesdays: Show and Tell, Works for Me Wednesday, This Chick Cooks Thursdays: It's a Keeper Thursdays, Strut Your Stuff, Full Plate Thursdays, Chic & Crafty Party, Transformation Thursday Fridays: I'm Loving It, Foodie Friday, Simply Designing, Show and Tell Friday Saturdays: Sweets for a Saturday, Positively Splendid, Saturday Nite Special Sundays: Nifty Thrifty Sunday, Sundae Scoop Party

A Year in 12 Posts is a post from: Alli 'n Son

It’s my birthday. Today. The 19th. Every year on the same day. No matter what I do to try and stop it.

I used to want to be 25 forever. It seemed like the best age possible. Expendable money {i.e. no kids}. No responsibilities. Just me and hubs. I was working a job that I loved and through had career-long possibilities {man, was I wrong about that one}. It just seemed like the ideal age.

Now, thinking back, there’s no way that I would want to be 25 again. You don’t know anything. You spend money on crap that you don’t need, when you should be saving it. You drink more than you should. You watch way too much TV and spend way too much seeing movies in the theater. It’s kind of a wasteful age.

I’m not really sure that the perfect age is anymore. I’m pretty darn happy at 32. Even if writing that out makes me cringe a little. My needs are met, and many of my wants are fulfilled. I’m raising the best son in the world with the help of a supportive and hands-on husband. I’m closer to my sisters now than I have ever been before. I have a wonderful network of friends who have my back.

Life is pretty darn good.

So, you know what, instead of wishing that I could stay one age forever, I’m just going to enjoy the age that I’m at. It’s just a number, it doesn’t define who I am. So. There.

I have to say that having a December birthday gets a pretty bad rap. People claim that birthday presents are smaller because it’s so close to Christmas. Or that birthday parties aren’t as extravagant. You know what? I think that’s crap. December birthday’s are pretty freaking awesome. What better way to prove it than with a good old top ten list.

Top Ten Reasons December Birthday’s Are Awesome

1. I get presents all month long. While everyone else just gets presents once or twice.
2. December is pretty much one long party month. And it feels like they are all for me {except for the big one, Christmas. Obviously.}
3. Even Mother Nature gets in the act, decorating with layers of fluffy, sparkling snow. Way better than lame streamers.
4. I get Christmas cards sent just to me. OK, they are really birthday cards, but whatever. They’re still just for me.
5. Like a million people wish me happy birthday on Facebook. Wait, that happens year round? Whatever.
6. Gifts all the time. You can’t underestimate the power of days upon days of presents.
7. Twitter flocks to me with birthday wishes. Even if I do have to announce that it’s my birthday first. Don’t you dare tell me that doesn’t happen only in December.
8. All of the stores and restaurants are decked out. Just for my birthday.
9. Screw the birthday cake, I’m surrounded by cookies and COOKIE CAKES, month long.
10. Many, many days of gifts. For example: I received a gift on Friday fr my b-day. Gifts on Saturday for my b-day. Then gifts on Saturday for Christmas. Gifts today, Sunday, for my b-day. I’m sure I’ll receive random gifts throughout the week. I mean really, it’s my birthday people! Gifts on Friday for Christmas. Gifts on Saturday for Christmas. And even into January I’ll be receiving gifts.

So there it is. December is probably the best month ever to have a birthday. I think I actually feel sorry for anyone who doesn’t have a birthday in December. Maybe I’ll pass along some of my extra cookies, just to make you feel better. Nah.

This post is proudly linked up to Mondays: Mouthwatering Mondays, Made By You Monday, Mingle Monday, The Girl Creative Tuesdays: Tuesdays and the Table, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, It's a Blog Party, Tip Junkie, Get Your Craft On Wednesdays: Show and Tell, Works for Me Wednesday, This Chick Cooks Thursdays: It's a Keeper Thursdays, Strut Your Stuff, Full Plate Thursdays, Chic & Crafty Party, Transformation Thursday Fridays: I'm Loving It, Foodie Friday, Simply Designing, Show and Tell Friday Saturdays: Sweets for a Saturday, Positively Splendid, Saturday Nite Special Sundays: Nifty Thrifty Sunday, Sundae Scoop Party

Why December Birthdays are Awesome is a post from: Alli 'n Son

As you can imagine, I’m doing a little happy dance* over here. I’m this week’s Theta Mom Community Blogger! It goes without saying what a huge honor it is to be featured by Heather, because she’s amazing. Seriously.

Enough about Heather, and on to me! If this is your first time visiting, I’m absolutely thrilled that you are here. I’m the mother of one speedy going-on-three big boy. Seriously, I’ve never seen a toddler move this fast. He’s the main source of my frustration and brings more happiness to my life than even an afternoon alone at Starbucks {peppermint mocha please}.

I’ve been a stay at home mom for over a year now. The decision to leave my job wasn’t an easy one, but it did help relieve some the tremendous guilt I felt as a working mom. I can’t say that the guilt is totally gone. Oh no, it’s just moved into other areas of parenting. Like the time I shamed my son into pooping on the potty.

We’re hoping to grow our little family but it’s been a long journey. We’re struggling through infertility {PCOS to be exact}. Even though this is by far one of the most difficult things I’ve gone through, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Thanks to Clomid {which turns me into “the mom that yells”} and the support of wonderful doctors, family and friends.

Being a stay at home mom comes with perks, too many to list, but it also came with a loss of identity, something that honestly derailed me for a long time. But over the course of the last year I’ve regained me, the part of me that isn’t a mother.  I’ve rekindled my love photography and have dreams of opening a note card store. Some day. When I work up the courage to do it.

Oh, I can’t forget! I love to cook. Each week I share one of my favorite, family-friendly recipes, like beer-battered pizza crust, pumpkin pie muffins, and cookies, cookies, cookies. I may have a cookie addiction. I can admit it though, so really, it isn’t a problem.

I love blogging. I’m not a veteran but I’m not a newbie either. I’m in that period where I’m comfortable with my voice and developing a wonderful community.  Blogging has opened the door to so many friendships and opportunities that I didn’t even know existed before I joined the blogosphere. Did you know that I’m social media guru for the Blogger Body Calendar? You can find me tweeting and Facebooking each and every day. It’s a good cause, helping to raise money for women and men with eating disorders.

I hope that you will stick around for a while. Grab a cup of coffee and get to know me. Connect with me on Twitter or even become my BFF on Facebook. I’ll pop on over and get to know you too. I like new friends.

*In case you are wondering, the happy dance looks a little something liked this: lots of wiggles, a few huge jumps in the air and lots of high fives to anyone who happens to be near.

This post is proudly linked up to Mondays: Mouthwatering Mondays, Made By You Monday, Mingle Monday, The Girl Creative Tuesdays: Tuesdays and the Table, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, It's a Blog Party, Tip Junkie, Get Your Craft On Wednesdays: Show and Tell, Works for Me Wednesday, This Chick Cooks Thursdays: It's a Keeper Thursdays, Strut Your Stuff, Full Plate Thursdays, Chic & Crafty Party, Transformation Thursday Fridays: I'm Loving It, Foodie Friday, Simply Designing, Show and Tell Friday Saturdays: Sweets for a Saturday, Positively Splendid, Saturday Nite Special Sundays: Nifty Thrifty Sunday, Sundae Scoop Party

TMC Featured Blogger is a post from: Alli 'n Son