Top 5 Fabulous Bloggers (According to Me)

Thanks to Trop 50 for sponsoring my writing about fabulous bloggers. This year Trop50 is granting 50 fabulous wishes. Click here to enter for a chance to win $1,000 to help grant a friend's wish!

I knew choosing 5 Fabulous Bloggers out of the many, many I visit wouldn’t be easy, but I didn’t think it would be nearly impossible to pick just 5.  Over the past few years I’ve had the pleasure of finding some amazing blogs and getting to know a ton of awesome blogger and I’m excited to let y’all know which 5 I chose!

First up is one of my favorite bloggers (Alexis AKA Mom) and her blog Running Away?  I’ll Help You Pack.  I met Alexis almost as soon as I started my blog and not only does she have an incredible blog, she’s also an incredibly awesome chick who I am fortunate enough to call my friend.  If you’ve never been to Alexis’ blog you must check it out; she features recipes (lots of them), product reviews and giveaways, and hilarious stories that all moms can relate to so go check her out and tell her I said hey!

I couldn’t mention my Top 5 Fab bloggers without mentioning this next lady…Dawn at Bee and Rose.  Though I don’t get over to Dawn’s blog as much as I used to (or as much as I’d like) I always feel at home when I’m there.  Dawn is an amazing writer (I swear this woman should write a book…she’s hilarious) and a pretty cool chick to boot!  If you’ve never visited Bee and Rose make sure you do…you will NOT be sorry that you did!

One of my absolute favorite bloggers ever is Cat from 3 Kids and Us.  I’ve followed Cat’s blog for a long time now and am always inspired when I visit it.  She always seems to be cooking up something that looks fabulous  (something I wish I could do) and I’m always tempted to try my hand at baking after I’ve visited her blog…I did say almost tempted, me+baking=not so good.  If you haven’t been to 3 Kids and Us (and that’s a big IF cause Cat’s blog is very popular) what are you waiting for?!!!?

Though I just recently started stalking I mean regularly visiting Following in My Shoes it’s already become one of my favorites.  Every single time I visit Rachel’s blog I experience blog envy, you know when you visit a blog that is utterly gorgeous and clean and everything your own blog is not, yeah that.  Seriously though between the amazing photos Rachel takes and her posting the absolute easiest to follow “Make Your Own Facebook Landing Page” post ever, Following in My Shoes has a little bit of everything and if you haven’t visit yet…you must! 

Last but not least is one of the funniest blogs/bloggers I know…Andie from The Creative Junkie.  Andie could make anything funny, seriously she is just a phenomenal writer who also shares my adoration for Anderson Cooper (don’t worry Andie I’m not trying to steal your man).  If you need/want/have to laugh The Creative Junkie is your blog, seriously you must visit just don’t blame me if your laptop ends up covered in soda (because you will laugh your ass off).

Y’all really have no clue how hard that was, I read so many fabulous blogs every day, but when it comes down to it these 5 are the ones I find myself going back to as often as possible.  So I wanna know what blogs do you read on a daily basis? 

Don't forget to enter the 50 Fabulous Wishes contest for a chance to win $1,000 to support a friend's wish. I was selected for this Tropicana Trop50 sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do. I received compensation to use and facilitate my post.

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Great Tips for Cooking with Kids…and my new button!

When I got the idea to do Cooking With My Misadventurous Kids it was a Godsend! My children have always been interested in cooking and have always loved being in the kitchen with me so it just seemed like a natural progression. Having them bring their unique personalities and perspectives to my blog has given Misadventures in Baby Raising something I feel it was missing! As my children get older and take on more tasks in the kitchen I’ve found many tips and tricks that I find helpful that I thought I’d pass on to all my readers! Not all tips are my own but I’ve tried to give credit where credit is due! Enjoy!

Tips for Cooking with your Misadventurous Kids

• Each Tuesday before I go to the grocery store I make a weekly menu,this helps save time at the grocery store and makes week night meal prep quick and easy. Getting your children involved in the menu planning and grocery shopping process does a number of things; it gets them interested in cooking and trying new things and it also helps them become a little more aware of how much things cost by having them help you comparison shop!
• Before we start an episode of Cooking with My Misadventurous Kids I always go over the recipe with them. I think giving them a clear plan for what they are doing helps avoid frustration on their part and saves us moms from becoming too stressed.
• Be sure to explain the need for safety in the kitchen with your children prior to cooking. If everything is spelled out in a clear and direct manner there is less of a chance that there will be an accident.
• Having an apron especially for your little chef will make your little one feel special and important and will no doubt help them take their “job” in the kitchen more seriously.
• Purchase a set of cooking essentials (mixing bowls and spoons, measuring cups, whisk) especially for little hands. (keep an eye out for a future episode of Cooking with My Misadventurous Kids where we get to review a great set of children’s cooking utensils!)
• Prep ingredients ahead of time. Taking the time to chop, dice, or julienne fruits and veggies before beginning to cook will allow your children to be more active in the cooking process…kids love to pour ingredients into the mixing bowl!
• Keep things simple (this is the reason we usually do deserts on CWMMK)!
• HAVE FUN! This is so important to remember when you’re elbow deep in a pot of chili with children at your feet begging, “Mom I wanna stir the pot!” Don’t freak out if your son is wearing more icing than the cupcakes, don’t lose your cool when your daughter gets part of the shell into the egg whites, and LET.THEM.LICK.THE.SPOON! Make cooking with your little ones a fun and rewarding experience for both of you!

Now on a separate, but related note some of you may have noticed that I recently acquired a new Cooking with My Misadventurous Kids button…go ahead and admire it I’ll wait…pretty cool huh? A great gal by the name of Kasandria of the blog Southern Bella’s Ways to Save was nice enough to make it for me! So go on over and check out her blog for awesome ways to save!

I’m feeling a little generous today, so if you grab my new button and put it up on your blog I’m going to give you 5 extra entries into ALL of my current giveaways! Just make sure you leave me a comment telling me that you have it on your blog!

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