Bower Power Survey
I’m baaaack….and so is the Bower Power survey! It’s just like the 2010 census that has been taking over the commercials on televisions everywhere. I wanna know who you are. what you do. things you love. Why? Well, cause I am a people pleaser (false…I’m actually not…just ask my mother…but in this case, I love you guys so much that I could dabble in the people pleasing arena). Actually I wanna know who is reading so that I can better provide you with blog posts that you actually care about…you know…so that we can keep this virtual friendship alive. I’d do anything for a friend. Well almost. I won’t braid your armpit hair. I don’t know what you heard but that was a one time thing.
Anyhoo…last year, we took this survey and I loved the results. Loved. More than celebrities loved boob jobs…if that’s possible. This year, I know that it’s gonna blow that one outta the water….but it depends on you. If you would, pretty please take the time to comment. So here we go:
1. Personal details – WHO ARE YOU? What is your name? Age? Job? Location? Kids? Marital Status? Pets?
2. Preference details – WHAT IS YOUR CUP OF TEA? Favorite hobby? Maybe your favorite ABP posts? Favorite blogs (maybe yours)?
3. Random details - Biggest Fear? Most embarrassing moment? Favorite bacon dish? Favorite Tv show? Favorite tool? TELL ME SOMETHING OUTTA THE BLUE!
4. Question – WHAT THE HECK DO YOU WANNA SEE ON ABP? Like, do you want links to Jerseylicious episodes? More craft ideas? More Before/Afters? More baby related stuff?
And because I can’t help it…here’s a photo of the cutest baby ever to come out of my uterus:
1. Vica – 27 – Boring Desk Job, Atlanta(Decatur), Pregnant, Married, One awesome dog.
2. I love shopping thrift stores, I love do it yourself posts, I am trying to start building some stuff now from Knock off Wood. I love to bake & cook. I also workout a lot, so I am constantly balancing my love for baking and my want to eat healthy. SmittenKitchen.com is a bad influence but I love her! Weird cool fact, I can do 100 pullups, well since I am heavier now with the pregnancy I probably can’t do quite as many but still cool.
3. Right now my fear is giving birth. But I am deathly afraid of spiders. I love honey bacon right now from sun in my belly and brown sugar bacon. I watch too much tv to list. My drill is my favorite tool right now but I am aching for more tools. I am constantly finding things to organizing in my house and I have a fear of losing stuff.
4. Since I am a new mom I would love some baby related stuff, craft ideas are awesome as always. And since reading blogs is essentially web stalking I like funny anecdotes about life. Your birth story was awesome. I was especially interested since I will be birthing a baby in the next 6-8 weeks.
1. Personal details – HI! I’m Caroline, 23, army brat, married to my college sweetheart, and currently living in Virginia. No pets – I grew up with 6 dachshunds! I just had a little baby boy this past Easter. I’m taking time off from being a high school history teacher to be a stay at home mommy and look after my little man.
2. Preference details – I’m partial to Earl Grey & mint
. I love renovating my 120+ year old home with my husband (I can’t resist power tools). I love playing at being a photographer. Love your sense of humor and home! My favorite blog is fivecamels.blogspot.com – lovely taste in decorating and great sense of humor.
3. Random details – Favorite bacon dish… Does bacon have to be put in a dish? Chicken Carbonara! Soooo good! My favorite TV show right now – probably Burn Notice or Psych. I enjoy the ridiculous in every day life. I’m afraid of bats getting into our house. They used to live in our attic and whenever they found a way into the house, I’d have to chase them around with a trash can and duck to avoid their random flight… *shudder*
4. Question – I really enjoy seeing your craft ideas and before/afters with commentary from little Will. I feel he has the right idea about the “girls.” I know my little guy would be happy if I never put my “girls” away!
1. I’m Jenny, I’m in my mid 20s (it was just birthday yesterday and I don’t think I’m ready to admit my new age yet!), I live in NJ with my Hubby. We don’t have kids yet, but have an adorable miniature schnauzer puppy. I work in advertising.
2. I love working on my blog ( http://www.diynewlyweds.com/ ) and reading other home design and craft blogs. This year I discovered that I am totally into gardening, so that is my latest passion.
3. I love TV to an embarrassing level and am addicted to reality shows. I also love the Golden Girls and watch them nightly. My other faves are the Real Housewives of NJ/NY, (Jon &) Kate Plus 8, and Jersey Shore (don’t judge I’m from Jersey too).
4. I love seeing pictures of your beautiful home, projects you do, and before/afters. That baby of yours is pretty darn cute too, so I wouldn’t mind some updates on him.
Hey Katie! LOVE the blog and your writing style. I often laugh out loud and then explain to my husband why I’m laughing.
1. I’m Mollie age 25 from Washington DC. I’m Married and teach 5th graders.
2. I love to run, design, craft, and read blogs
check out mine, its in the beginning stages…I have much more time to blog in the summer when school is out. http://www.highstyleonasmallbudget.blogspot.com
3. Random details – I was born without tear ducts so when I cry do not have tears. I supposedly have extremely dry eyes but don’t realize it because I’ve never known anything different. I’m suppose to put in drops 3 times a day but only do it at bedtime
4. I love craft and design ideas along with before and afters. I also enjoy reading baby related posts. I would love some photoshop advice. Like how to make a mood board, or place photos side by side (like your daily picture post of will). I’m just learning… Do you suggest regular photoshop with the expensive price tag or photoshop elements which is much cheaper.
1. Courtney, 30 years old, and I plan fundraising events for a domestic violence center in Fort Lauderdale, FL. No pets, as I tend to kill even un-killable plants.
2. Other than the typical, I love my family and couldn’t live without my friends, I love design, being creative, crafts, etc. My favorite blog right now is Centsational Girl.
3. I tend to meet celebs in bathrooms – so far it’s been Madeline Albright (when she was Secretary of State) and Megan Mullaley.
4. I’d love to see more crafts or design stuff! I’m hooked on your baby story, though I see no babies for me in the near future. I heart Will!
1. WHO ARE YOU? I’m Jessica, 26 years old, Retirement Plan Specialist, Houston, TX, married 4 years to college sweetheart, no kids yet (!), but I do have two fur children: a chocolate lab and a Cavalier King Charles.
2. WHAT IS YOUR CUP OF TEA? I love reading! Books, blogs, celeb gossip. You name it.
3. TELL ME SOMETHING OUTTA THE BLUE! I’m watching the Real Housewives of NYC Reunion on DVR right now and those ladies are insane! There are rumors that they are casting for the Real Housewives of Houston right now and I can’t wait! Texans represent!!
4. WHAT THE HECK DO YOU WANNA SEE ON ABP? Anything and everything. One of the things that I looove about your blog is that you just put everything out there. There’s really nothing off the table. I just love your sense of humor about life! Keep bringin it babe!
1. WHO ARE YOU? Amber, 24, full time at AT&T, South Florida..no kiddies, just kitties, married for almost 4 years
WHAT IS YOUR CUP OF TEA? My favorite hobby is blogging and home decor. I love to up-cycle things and make furniture once ugly, pretty… love it. Favorite blogs are yours, yhl.. and my own.
which hasn’t launched officially yet… shame on me.
3. Fear: spiders… embarrassing moment: I have so many… I’ll back to you on that one..well prolly not.. I LOVE my bacon crispy… especially with BLT’s . Favorite tool- hot glue gun. Just started experimenting with it… beside very burnt thumbs… I love it… and out of the blue… I hate okra..
4. Question – WHAT THE HECK DO YOU WANNA SEE ON ABP? Well I do love jerseylicious, but as far as what you post… it’s your blog! Put what makes you happy. Personally I don’t have children, so it doesn’t really fit my fancy, but i always checked my google reader for your birth story.
1. Personal details – WHO ARE YOU? Laura, 35 (am I the oldest reader here?!), SAHM (taught until I had kids), Seattle area, married, two children (daughter, almost three, son, two months), Mocha, our super cute puppy! (ok she’s four now, but she’ll always be a puppy to us!)
2. Preference details – WHAT IS YOUR CUP OF TEA? I love to read, design cards, host parties, run, but especially hike and backpack;
3. Random details – My claim to fame is that our son, Jonathan, was born just two days after Will!
So I’ll be identifying with all those developmental milestones . . .
4. Question – WHAT THE HECK DO YOU WANNA SEE ON ABP? I was seriously impressed with all those Christmas posts. Love your decorating skills/style. We bought our first house a year ago and we’ve done a lot, but have lots still to do. A baby break was nice. But my energy and motivation are returning so I’m ready to roll again!
1. Who am I – Cheri, 23, Kentucky, married to Chad. No kids, boo, but two black lab puppies, yay! Work full-time at a small publication company and am a full-time student getting my Masters in Elementary Education.
2. I enjoy photography – taking and viewing – the outdoors, sewing, crafts, spray paint. I have enjoyed reading your blog since the day I heard about you from my real life best friend Cait at theblessedlife – which also happens to be one of my favorite blogs. I can’t say my blog is my favorite because that’s a given but besides theblessedlife I like yours, YHL and lowercase letters. Those are my top four.
3. I am terribly afraid of heights – like woah!
My most embarrassing moment is from my college days. My class had been moved to another room and the teacher failed to send out an e-mail so I walk in the class and everyone is staring at me. The professor asks if I’m here for blahblahblah and I was like yes, and he said well this isn’t it and the whole class laughed…I was like geez, thanks! Uh! That was my worst fear in college – walking into the wrong classroom.
Favorite bacon dish – I mean I like it straight from the pan but my mom used to make this awesome – cream cheese stuffed, wrapped in bacon chicken – that made me realize I need to ask her for that recipe! Thanks!
With a full-time job and school full-time I don’t have a whole lot of time for television, but I did like watching Lost, and NCIS, CSI, & Bones
4. Girl, I like anything you write! I especially like the photos of your boy. But seriously anything is good for me!
1. Personal details – Kate – 28, live in Asheville, NC. My husband is John is 31…he’s ridiculous cute and I adore him. (And yes, upon meeting new people we often hear, ‘John and Kate plus 8′). As a bonus my man works for Chick-Fil-A which is scrum-diddly-umptous. We have no children, have been trying for quite some time, recently went through the devastation of a miscarriage, but are trusting in the Lord…He knows our desires and He’s got a plan. I work with the Student Ministry at a church in town…been in ministry for 10 years, at this church for 6.
2. Preference details – I love sewing and embroidery. I run a small business out of my home in which I make baby and children’s clothing…lots of applique, monograms, etc. I love it! Blogs that I am addicted to: yours, YHL, MADE, Fly Through Our Window. Also, we have an older home that we have remodeled every square inch of, we are in the process of finishing a double-bathroom reno. I love your decor…your house is gorgeous…and I think you’re abso-stankin-lutely hysterical!
3. Random details – My favorite show ever is no longer running, but I own all the DVDs and have them playing while I’m in my sewing room – Gilmore Girls. Really, what’s not to love?
Also, I secretly wish we were friends, but not in a creepy-stalker way, you’re a cool chick and we have a lot in common. Promise – not a stalker.
4. Question – I feel like we are in the same stage in our life as you and Jeremy, so I just love hearing about your life. I appreciate the way you share your faith on here, but also appreciate that you are so REAL. I’m a big fan of craft things…and love to hear about your journey through pregnancy and as a mom. Also, different design ideas and decorating tips.
My name is Ashley and I’m 29. I teach 2nd grade in VA and I am recently engaged! We plan on having children soon, but right now we just have a cute fluff ball of a bicheon. I love your blog and actually found it thanks to my other blog YHL. Both have inspired me to start my own blog http://www.houseonpender.blogspot.com. We bought a house last year and the projects seemed so overwhelming, but blogging about them helps. I love your before and afters they always inspire me for some great projects of my own.
1. My name is Joanne and I am a 30 year old SAHM to 2.5 year old triplets and a 1 year old. Needless to say, it’s harder than any full-time job I have ever had! I’ve been married to my best friend for 6 years and we just recently moved to Winston Salem, NC (from Jax, FL) for his job.
2. I love to work out (the only daily alone time this introvert gets!), read, get obsessively hooked on TV shows (so sad about Lost, but hello Glee!), travel, and bargain hunt for my family of six. I also love to work on my blog (http://cliffordpals.blogspot.com). I’d love to one day write a book about surviving life with higher order multiples.
3. I take sarcasm to an embarrassingly high level. Like sometime I have to watch myself because I forget that other people aren’t as sarcastic as me and may get hurt from some of my comments! It’s hard not to be too sarcastic when I blog, but I try! Some of my pet peeves are tufts of dog hair on the floor (should have considered that before getting a golden retriever and wood floors), cabinets and doors left open (coincidentally this is one of my husband’s habits … grrrr!), and people not using their turn signals (c’mon people, how hard is it?!?).
4. I like the randomness of the posts, but I especially like home renovations and easy DIY fixes. I have also enjoyed reading your birth story and think you should write more novella-type entries once you’re done with that one. You know, like a once a week “chapter” of a bigger story or something like that. It doesn’t have to be true, as long as it’s interesting to read!
Oh, and I love brussel sprouts with crumbled bacon sauteed in a pan with a little olive oil and some onions. I didn’t even like brussel sprouts but now I do with this dish. Bacon makes everything better, it’s true.
Hi Katie!
1. Em, 28, Publishing, MA, none…yet, married for 3 1/2 years, no pets
2. Right now my favorite hobby is building websites. I LOVE your blog and I’m also currently obsessed with the Pioneer Woman.
3. Biggest Fear: Letting someone down
Favorite bacon dish: bacon in a quiche
Favorite Tv show: 24
Favorite tool: I’m determined to master the drill…my husband has to help me hold it.
Um…something out of the blue…I love that you and your husband took the paint off of your brick…now that’s taking pride in your home!
4. I LOVE before/afters. I don’t need baby stuff at the moment. I love your pictures of the week though and all of Will’s outfits. I love craft ideas too. I just love when you tell us about your day but throw your personality all over it!
1. Personal details – Kat, 28, Married – workin on the baby
I run a design business and I work for a video game company in L.A.
2. Preference details – hmm, I love design/decorating/diy, TV, and rock climbing! Fave blogs include YHL, MIL, this one
Decor8, all things G& D (they just had a baby too!) and a handful of others. I’ve got my daily rss.
3. Random details – Just sold our first house and managed to make a profit due to penny pinching renovations!
4. Question – WHAT THE HECK DO YOU WANNA SEE ON ABP? More Before/Afters! More baby related stuff! yay!
i am 24 and live in south carolina. not married but my and the boyfriend are gonna grow up and get married one day soon!
i am a vegetarian so i don’t eat bacon.
i love your blog and the variety of things you post. the birth story…loved it. and baby will is just too dang cute. also obsessed with your design inspiration/decorating posts.
keep em coming…
1. My name is Mallory. I am 25. I work for a Governor. I live in Oregon. I am currently baking a little kidlet in this giant belly of mine (our first!). Just celebrated 3 years with my hubby, Joshua. Oh and I do have a dog, her name is Bella, but she is more like a child. She actually had a stint on Burger’s blog as one of his bachelorettes!
2. I LOVE design, renovating my 80 year old house, and blog stalking. I love all ABP posts FOR REAL.
3. Want to know something random? I totally had a crush on George Washington. Yeah, like the president. I don’t think I am comfortable with saying how old I was when that crush finally subsided…
4. I love all that you do on your blog. I love that your blog feels like there are no restrictions, you just blog what is on your mind. I, of course, love the baby posts, but that has to do with the fact that I am expecting myself. I love your photography and I love seeing your great finds and what you do with them in your home. Yep, I love it all.
1. WHO ARE YOU?
Hi Katie! My name is Lauren. I’m 25 and I live in New Jersey with my husband. We don’t have any kids yet, but we have two little miniature dachshunds (wiener dogs!). I am a nurse.
2. WHAT IS YOUR CUP OF TEA? I love hiking, running, cooking, shopping, the beach, home decor & renovations, gardening, and scrapbooking. I love the variety of things that you post on your blog–my favorite blogs are yours & Young House Love.
3. Random details – My biggest fears include spiders and clowns-yikes!!
4. WHAT THE HECK DO YOU WANNA SEE ON ABP? Keep doing what you do–I love the variety of your blog
1. I’m Corrie. I’m 27, work as an auditor (not the scary kind though), married for 5 months, no kids yet unless you count our puppy.
It’s weird but oh well. I love love love reading your blog. I pretend we’re real friends 
I also like reading YHL and my friend lindsay’s blog http://www.pearlsofwit.com you should check out her Carrie Underwood story–hilarious!
2. I love taking walks. And I hate to admit it but I love budgeting and am obsessed with checking our mint.com account to see where we are and how soon we can pay off our car, mortgage and new hardwood floors
3. I love watching trashy television–pretty much anything E has to offer. It’s like a train wreck and I can’t look away. Favorite bacon dish–bacon wrapped bacon…if only. Honey mustard hot bacon dressing at Rafferty’s restaurant is delicious. But just plain bacon is always a winner.
4. I love the different crafts. And just the posts about little ways to change up rooms. Also…I love the Will posts. We would love to start our family soon so I love hearing the stories.
Forgot to say I’m from Nashville! I loved the Nashville trip posts
1. I’m Christen, late 20-something teacher from Richmond, Virginia. I’ve been married to an absolutely incredible, hilarious man for four years now. No kids yet, but I think we might start trying soon!
2. I love blogging, decorating my house, entertaining, writing/ reading, running, and traveling. My husband and I finalllly went to Italy this past April after a year of saving; it was awesome! Oh, and my favorite posts of yours would have to be the 12 Days of Christmas: so crafty, cute, and clever!! I’m a sucker for anything seasonal.
3. TELL ME SOMETHING OUTTA THE BLUE! I got two random things: I tried Bikram (hot) yoga a few months ago. It was the most wretched experience of my life (but made for a funny blog post). Bacon-related random tidbit: There’s a chocolate bar in DC that has mac n’ cheese appetizer with a bit of chocolate-covered bacon. May have to try that place during my next trip to see my sister!
4. WHAT THE HECK DO YOU WANNA SEE ON ABP? Decorating, before and afters, entertaining party ideas, baby tips
Hi, there!
1) I’m Nicole, a 29 year old mom-to-be living in the Kansas City, MO area. I’ve been married to my Hubby for nearly 3 years and have worked at an elementary school for 8 years – 4 of those as a 1st grade teacher and the last 4 as an instructional coach. I have the summer off and am LOVING it!
2) My cup of tea…hmm…love reading many things – books, magazines, blogs. I could fill my days with it and am glad I have the summer off to take advantage. Lately, my favorite posts of yours have been baby posts, probably because I’m close to entering that stage myself and am looking for wisdom! A sampling of favorite blogs I check every day (besides yours) include Young House Love, All Things G&D, Simple Notebook, and Thrifty Decor Chic. And, there are several more. Like I said, love to read blogs!
3) Something I am embarrassed to admit – I’m hooked on the Real Housewives series on Bravo. It’s like a drug – I can’t get enough.
4) Love the baby posts but also like to see the things you and Jeremy do around your house. You always have such practical updates…just wish my Hubby and I were a little handier!
Fun survey!
1. My name is Jennifer, 27 years old, SAHW, living in Ohio, no kids (yet), and married to my high school sweetheart, who is in the Air Force. We have 2 pet rabbits, which we adopted 4 years ago. They’re 6 years old and completely adorable!
2. For the past few months, I’ve been studying photography (self-teaching with books from the library). We got a dSLR and I’ve been fascinated with learning everything I can. I’m loving that more bloggers are taking up the hobby and sharing their tips, tricks, and “lens lust.” My favorite ABP posts are both the ones about your home/DIY projects and the ones about Will/being a new mom. I’m trying to soak up knowledge about mommyhood too. My favorite blogs are yours, YoungHouseLove’s, and The Nester’s.
3. Something random — I LOVE avocados! I only recently discovered them via Chipotle’s guacamole (maybe a year ago now?) and now I’m hooked!
4. I love what you’re doing, but I would love to see more posts featuring photography. Keep up the good work!
1. Rachel. 26. Work in Operations for a Telecom company. Austin, TX. No kids yet, but you and Sherry are making me want to change my mind on the 5 year plan! Married. 2 cats.
2. My cup of tea would be sports (ultimate and floor hockey). And I love photography. Love reading your blog, YHL, dooce, centsational girl, and i paid less than you.
3. I am DEATHLY AFRAID of roaches. I will fearlessly play hockey, but show me a roach and I cry and go find my husband to kill it. Except I can’t leave the room (WHAT IF IT HIDES WHEN I’M NOT LOOKING???) so really I just yell for him to come running. Or call until he picks up his phone and then comes directly home (he’s mostly been good about coming directly home). I think this also counts as most embarrassing, huh? Oh, and for favorite TV show, I vote you should try watching How I Met your Mother.
4. House decorating ideas (working on prettifying our house), crafts, baby stuff.
1. I’m April, 29, I live in New Mexico and work in a cube with 4 other office monkeys for the local school district. I live with my sweet aussie mix Annie, and my other sweetie, who prefers to go by J. He’s a little more shy than the sweetie with four legs.
2. Hobbies, I used to enjoy lots of things before I entered the grown-up world of office monkeying and homeownership. But since buying my house a couple years ago, my new hobby has been working on the house when time and money allow. Sometimes I complain about it, but I actually enjoy it.
3. I absolutely adore YHL, that’s where I found your blog, and my other favorites; All Things G&D, Hooked on Houses, and The Lettered Cottage.
4. I enjoy all of your posts, but I especially love anything house related. I also like your posts about photography, and especially all things Will! He’s such a sweet looking baby!
1.) Emily(27). Pacific Northwest. Environmental Scientist. Married for almost five years and currently TTC. Two kitties.
2. My current hobby is couponing. It is rather sad how excited I can get about free shampoo and cereal.
3. Favorite bacon dish is bacon straight up, also yummy are the pioneer woman’s bacon wrapped club crackers. Current favorite TV shows are Greek (so unlike real college) and Tru Blood.
4. I would love to read some posts on how you manage your household – things like chores, budgeting, and meal planning.
~I wonder how long it is going to take for you to read all these replies (almost 300 so far)!!
1. Personal details – WHO ARE YOU? Allison, 29, Store Manager @ Starbucks (Ive been w/ the company almost 10 yrs) I live in Vancouver Washington (near portland oregon) Ive been engaged for 2 months!!!
We have a cat named squintz (because she squintz one eye all the time) and a big dog named cisco, the cat is mine and the dog is my boyfriends, its too bad that the dog thinks the cat is a toy so we have to keep them seperate, which is so fun..
2. Preference details – I love scrapbooking,decorating and redecorating, shopping discount stores like tjmaxx, homegoods, ross, goodwill. You actually got me going to the goodwill…I was very afraid of the store until you posted about it…Now I love it and can spend 2 hours there at a time! my favorite blogs are yours, YHL and fly through our window. I only found blogs by accident last christmas, I googled a pic of a chair they sell at target and hit images and saw the chair in a YHL pic and went to there blog and read it for like 3 hrs and found yours a couple weeks later and read it for hours too…I had to get caught up!
3. Random details – Im deathly afraid of giant hairy spiders (cant say or spell the word) well my boyfriend and I moved to Arkansas (for a year)were my boyfriend grew up and he said in 18 yrs he only saw one of the spiders and it was at a house construction site so he was sure I wouldnt see any….WRONG! I had only been there 2 weeks and was with my boss and colleges on a nature/bonding walk and I freaked because of course I was leading the trail and they couldnt understand why I was so scared.
4. Question – WHAT THE HECK DO YOU WANNA SEE ON ABP? I pretty much like anything…I dont have kids but all my friends are preggers so I can pass on that info. I love the before/after pics, the crafty things, the clothers you post about.
Keep up the great Job!!
1. Personal details – I’m Laura. I am 22. My husband, Trevor, and I have been married for going on 3 years. We have an 18-month-old daughter named Evelyn. We live in Virginia, but we are Okies. I currently work retail but am studying to become a nurse.
2. My favorite hobby is writing lists. I love putting my thoughts down on paper. Weird, I know, but it both relaxes and motivates me. I love reading blogs about life in general, and I am very interested in what makes other people tick.
3. I only drink room-temperature water. This comes from some unfortunate experiences I had while running track. Cold water gives killer stomach cramps.
4. Just keep doing what you are doing. I like how every post you write is about whatever you feel is important, funny, or interesting at the time. It keeps you from being repetitive, and it also adds a little bit of reality tv quality to your blog.
My name is Tracy and I am 30 years old and almost seven months pregnant! So I have loved to read all your baby posts and I am waiting to see your big nursery reveal. I am a teacher, but I will be taking at least a year off to raise our child.
As a hobby I am a rock climber, however that is becoming more and more nonexistent these days. So I have worked on home decorating. We recently bought our first house (which is 100 years old) and slowly we are renovating and decorating.
I love the appetizer with bacon wrapped dates filled with almonds and goat cheese. Yum! I really love reality tv, however I think we are going to cancel our tv to save money…less tv for me!
Please tell me more about the cloth diapering…that is what we are doing too. And I love the posts about what you find at goodwill.
1. Allison Wouters, 31 year old mother of three. Living in suburbia Ohio. Professional Domestic Engineer. Married for almost 13 years. Owner of one 88lb American Bulldog who is a powder puff.
2. I love to spend time with my husband, read, blog, craft when time allows. I like finding activities that will grow my children mentally and expend their physical energies.
3. Random Details: I have three tattoos, hate laundry with a passion, love love love being a homemaker.
4. I’d love to see more before/after pics. That might be hard with a new baby and all. I’d also love to see more craft ideas. I enjoy reading about your entertaining and party ideas.
Your blog is great! I’ve got you on my “cool blog” list!
Hi Katie! I love love love your blog!
1. My name is Jeannette, I’m 26 years old. I’m married and have a cute little white maltese mix dog named Lucky, but no kids yet (we’re working on that though), and I make websites for a living.
2. In my spare time I love tending to my house, cooking up diy projects, gardening, being greener, etc… I also hit up the gym a lot and watch lots of tv! I get like every pop culture reference you make, so that just goes to show ya how obsessed I am with it. My favorite blogs are very similar to your list on the right, but I do have a couple that you should check out. First, is Dear Baby: http://dearbabyblog.com/ After finding this blog, I literally went back and read every single entry. It is the sweetest blog ever, and I think as a new mom, you’d love it. Second is Samster Mommy: http://samstermommy.blogspot.com/ Her crafts are so freaking easy and smart! I don’t have a blog yet, but really want to start one, so if I ever do, I’ll let you know
3. Can’t think of any good randomness for ya.
4. I love all your entries! Especially the thrift store finds, I’ve learned a lot from that. Love hearing more about your bb too! Outside of the blog, I’d love to see you on Twitter, Facebook, maybe even Flickr too for pix of little Will. Would just be nice to have more avenues to hear more about one of my favorite bloggers and her shenanigans!
1. Personal details – WHO ARE YOU? What is your name? Age? Job? Location? Kids? Marital Status? Pets?
Belle – http://www.belle-epoquista.blogspot.com
28
Australia
Communications Samurai and Girl About Town (in reality: communications strategist and style lover)
2. Preference details – WHAT IS YOUR CUP OF TEA? Favorite hobby? Maybe your favorite ABP posts? Favorite blogs (maybe yours)?
Posts about organising spaces, how to clean things, how to holiday things…. how to anything really!
3. Random details – Biggest Fear? Most embarrassing moment? Favorite bacon dish? Favorite Tv show? Favorite tool? TELL ME SOMETHING OUTTA THE BLUE!
Umm…. i have a MAC addiction – Mac computers, Mac phone, Mac iPod, M*A*C make up… etc. But not mCdoNALDS!
4. Question – WHAT THE HECK DO YOU WANNA SEE ON ABP? Like, do you want links to Jerseylicious episodes? More craft ideas? More Before/Afters? More baby related stuff?
Craft, cleaning, organising, relationship stuff – for example cute things you do to celebrate milestones or random ideas that help you both to maintain that wonderful love-fest you have there!
1. Robin, 28, Creative Director for a Publishing Company, Michigan, No Kids, Newly married, and the cutest puppy in the entire world. Zoey.
2. I actually own a freelance business doing wedding invitations, the website needs some work but its at http://www.plumecreations.com – I love doing this, and would love to make it my full-time gig. I also read A LOT, and knit.
3. My biggest fear….there are just so many, but I’ll go with snakes. My favorite bacon dish are these sandwiches that my hubby makes – sharp cheddar, bacon and asparagus on sourdough and then toasted in the oven. YUM. My favorite TV shows are Glee, So You Think You Can Dance, Entourage and True Blood (I’m a TV addict, clearly). I have no favorite tools, I’m super klutzy, so I stay away from fixing anything.
4. Hmm…I love before/afters, and I’m also digging the baby stuff. Even though I don’t have kids of my own, they’re in the near future, and I like to be prepared for these things. But honestly, you’ve never written a post that I didn’t like.
1. My name is Teddi, and yes that is my given name, no its not short for anything, and yes that is how you spell it. 27 years old, but dangerously close to that 7 turning into an 8. SAHM chillin’ in North Texas, ok ‘Chillin’ probably isn’t the right word at this time of year, but I don’t think anyone wants to know that I am sitting here sweatin’. I have 6 males that live with me, 2 little men, 1 big man, and 3 males with four legs. Hutson, Wheeler and Jerry are all sporting 2 legs, and Willie, Waylon and Roosevelt have tails.
2. Oh hobbies… I have way too many, which means that projects rarely get finished. I love photography, letterpress, crafting, decorating, running, reading, posting on my own blog, and mostly stalking other peoples blogs… just to name a few.
3. Baked BACON wrapped dates… they are the bees knees. try them. you will love them. Fears… I am terrified of spiders and snakes… the other day I found a black widow, a tarantula and a snake in my backyard all in the same hour, I have since become a hermit only leaving the house to buy coffee, because I don’t know how people live without coffee. I love scrabble, I tend to be a little competitive so I can rarely get people to actually play with me, my favorite scrabble word is Gnome, well actually that is my favorite word period… my least favorite words are lush and fleshy. I wish I could say that I had better things to do than watch tv, but lets be honest, I don’t, and I love the boob tube… Shows I can’t live without… Gossip Girl and Vampire Diaries, there I said it aloud. Oh, and anything on HGTV.
4. I love your blog, I think you are hilarious and secretly want to be your bestie.. well I guess its not so secret anymore. I love every post about your house and crafting. Keep on truckin’.
1. Personal details – WHO ARE YOU? What is your name? Age? Job? Location? Kids? Marital Status? Pets?
I’m Shannon, 30 from South Jersey. I’m an assistant controller for an asphalt company. No kids, 2 yorkies, and a husband.
2. Preference details – WHAT IS YOUR CUP OF TEA? Favorite hobby? Maybe your favorite ABP posts? Favorite blogs (maybe yours)?
I enjoy running, reading and working on my house. Wish I could get into blogging, but I’m very expressive with words. Love the ABP post about the frames with states and cities – Cheers to you for being from Jersey!
3. Random details – Biggest Fear? Most embarrassing moment? Favorite bacon dish? Favorite Tv show? Favorite tool? TELL ME SOMETHING OUTTA THE BLUE!
I am terrified of Canadian Geese!!!
4. Question – WHAT THE HECK DO YOU WANNA SEE ON ABP? Like, do you want links to Jerseylicious episodes? More craft ideas? More Before/Afters? More baby related stuff? Love the Before/Afters and all the goodwill finds!
1. Hi! My name is Katie, I’m 30, have been married for almost 8 years, work at the University of Iowa doing accounting work, have two kids – 6 and 4, a boy and a girl.
2. Well, my cup of tea is tea! Love tea, and coffee. I also like to garden, sew, hike, sit around a campfire & roast marshmallows, I’m in a book club but we mostly drink wine and talk about our lives and not so much about the books, I’m excited about the next Twilight movie, I’m training for a 7 mile road race, I enjoy reading blogs, of course. I just started reading yours after Sherry & Jon posted something about you…maybe when Will was born or I may have seen a video of you and Sherry. So yeah, I like YoungHouseLove, and Dooce.com is a fav. I have a blog so that family and friends can read about our kids.
3. Right now my favorite tv shows are American Pickers and Pawn Stars and I just finished season 4 of Sex and the City and I LOVE it, can’t wait to start season 5. My random thought right now…does anyone call you Kate or do you ever wish you went by Kate? I sometimes think Katie is young & girly sounding, but it would be awkward to all of a sudden request that people call me Kate. Some people do and I really like it!
4. I like what you’re doing! Love before/afters and crafty, DIY stuff. Thank you so much for all that you share, you’re hilarious!
1. Brittany, 23, Atlanta, Accountant for a university in the city, married for a little over a year and bought a house late last year. No kids but a turtle and 2 hamsters (:
2. Hobbies – trying to convince my husband that we should paint the walls in our house, traveling, reading blogs, working out
3. Don’t eat pork anymore so no regular bacon but sure do love turkey bacon.
4. I love the house related posts especially the how to’s and the personal posts, you always crack me up with your jokes.
1. Hi! My name is Erin, I am 26 and live in East Lansing, MI. Home to MSU! My husband and I both work for MSU (and are so glad coach Izzo is staying here). I’ve been married for nearly 2 years and am pregnant
) Our baby girl is due in September- can’t wait!! We also have a German Shepherd and 2 kitties.
2. I recently realized a favorite hobby is baking! Now when I do it I feel so maternal… I made cupcakes last night. I read other decor/mommy/craft blogs like YHL, Making it Lovely, and Ruffles & Stuff. My fav APB post was the end of your birth stort- I cried and told my husband all about it!!
3. I love 30 Rock! And driving fast. I worked at a Humane Society and once a puppy pooped all over my backseat…. lovely.
4. I really like all of the baby stuff. I obviously loved your “post-baby must haves” and added a bunch to my registry. I think you are a great photographer and love your photography posts. Crafts for baby would be cool too.
Kelsi, 22. Newly unemployed, so just staying at home with my 3 1/2 year old son, Caydon. My boyfriend rocks and is helping me out since no one will hire me… I am a Special Ed major and student teach this coming Spring. I’m not very wanted (but I’m over it!). We have a ton of fish (Cay’s obsession) and a turtle. We want a pup (maybe it’ll convince me that one kiddo is enough. psh riiiiight) but we are waiting to buy a house before adding onto our family. Hopefully in the next 6 months we’ll be purchasing our first fixer-upper!! I loooove reading and have a slight obsession with the smell of library books. Dirty books are your bacon to me. I have a newbie blog but I’m doing a makeover on it, and it’s currently been delayed since my macbook is FINALLY on it’s way home from Geek City… and my hard drive was wiped. Sad day…. it’s at http://modernmomredefined.blogspot.com if you want to check it out and let me know what you think
. Ignore the pleasantconnotation stuff, I was struggling for a name and need to redo it. I love younghouselove, ABP, & thesimplemom.com. Check ‘em daily. They are the only ones I religiously read in addition to friend’s blogs. OH and I like weddingbee.com (it’s got a ton of different bloggers on there wedding planning… it’s pretty sweet). Biggest fear is losing my son in a custody battle with his abusive jerk of a biodad. He’s never been involved, never paid a dime, so I’m really not just bitter. It’s been a hard struggle but we finally have stability & a perfect man whose his daddy figure, so I would be beyond devastated if spermdonor even got visitation. Most embarrassing moment? UMMM getting my period while flirting with my crush in 7th grade. White pants, water balloons, need I say more!? Favorite bacon dish is BBQ blue cheese (and bacon) burger. We have this beautiful restaurant (joesfarmgrill.com if you want to peek!) that they put into an old home, has like the only full grown trees out here (SOOO beautiful) and tons of flowers, they have a farm and the restaurant’s food is from the farm. delish! by far my favorite bacon dish… i used to crave bacon like crazy when I was pregnant, so I totally understand your obsession. Design Star is my favorite show. I have a pink and black toolbox that has been my longterm boyfriend since day 1 of my son & I living on our own, so I couldn’t betray that baby with a different tool. It’s basic, but it’s what’s put together and fixed everything we own. Random? My son has this obsession with fish, so we play shark and he makes a little fin with his hands on his head, and chases me around the house trying to eat me. Something to look forward to!! 
I LOVE your craft ideas, and all of the info about thrift store finds. You totally inspire me because my house is a handme down home. You always get me into making things look good. OH and I want to see more baby stuff & nursery pics. Love your blog! Sorry this is super long and personal, but I figure if I’m reading your life, you can know a little about mine!
1. WHO ARE YOU? I’m Sarah, a 27 yr old in Atlanta with a husband and a cat. I work for a PR firm.
2. WHAT IS YOUR CUP OF TEA? I’m looking for a hobby — I’ve tried knitting, crochet, golf, etc. but nothing stuck. I read a ton of fashion, home decor and foodie blogs right now — especially ones that have ties to Atlanta or the Southeast.
3. TELL ME SOMETHING OUTTA THE BLUE! Reading your childbirth posts (along with hearing stories from friends who are new moms) may have scared me out of ever having kids.
4. WHAT THE HECK DO YOU WANNA SEE ON ABP? I love when you post info on steals and deals or how to use something ordinary in a new way.
Fun! I’m Jill, just turned 31, married for 6 years to my European husband (he’s not really European but I like to call him that because he has some trendy jeans that look very European/model to me and he looks quite attractive in them…yum). We have two beautiful children – our son will be 4 in a week and our daughter is 5.5 months. We live in Ann Arbor, MI in a little brick ranch with our two friendly felines, Gabelle (Belle) and Fuscous (Fussy). I love anything diy, lists (to-do, grocery, wish, packing, etc.), painting, basic sewing , biking, gardening, chocolate, baking (mostly eating what I bake), kissing my European husband, being frugal, music, telling/hearing an occasional dirty joke, kayaking, playing/reading/singing with our son and daughter. Oh, I love bacon and cheese! It’s been a running joke in my family since I was a kid — my grandma was worried I’d have high cholesterol. I come from a family of worriers. Let’s see…I like my job, I am afraid of spiders (not unique, I know), I enjoy preparing our taxes…I kinda look forward to it, actually. Whatever. Don’t judge. I write and eat left handed but I do everything else righty and my husband is the exact opposite.
I enjoy your humor so I like reading whatever you post. I like your diy and thrifty finds (I’m still jealous over the lamp you scored recently). The placemat turned throw pillow = genius.
You’re kinda like the the stylist who did my hair when I lived in IL. I told everyone at work, ” She’s my friend but she doesn’t know it.” Sounds a little creepy but all the women I know understand exactly what that means. Thank you for blogging and congratulations on your beautiful family!
1. Hi! I’m Ashley. I’m 27 and live outside of Chicago. I work in marketing and PR. I’m married – we’ll be celebrating our 3rd anniversary on 7/7, right along with John and Sherry, but we’ve been together for nearly 7 years. We found out about a year ago that we can’t conceive naturally, so we’re hoping to start the adoption process in the next year. Until then, we’re the happy parents of two rescued mutts.
2. I like decorating and fixing up our house, so I’m currently drawn to like-minded blogs.
3. I’m a pescatarian (like a vegetarian who eats seafood), so I don’t *have* a favorite bacon dish. But actually I do. I love bacon on everything, but especially cream cheese-stuffed jalapenos wrapped in bacon and thrown on the grill. Bacon was the hardest thing ever for me to give up!
4. I love the before and afters, anything decor-related, and I wouldn’t mind baby stuff. I also like photography posts and LOVED learning about the Pioneer Woman and her Photoshop actions. Love them!
1. Im Karen. Im 28. I have been married for 7 years to a wonderful man named Brian. We dont have any kids yet because we are both (finally) finishing our degrees. I am in nursing school and I work at a hospital (hopefully where I will work after I graduate too). We have a dog named Bella and a cat named Mallory and they are our kids for now! We live in a little house in east metro-atlanta.
2. No time for tea. Or hobbies. Nursing school is crazy. All I do is work, go to school and study! But before nursing school, I really enjoyed house projects, scrapbooking and just spending time with my hubby.
3. I love The Office and Friends. If I had to pick a bacon fav, it would probably just be straight up. But I like center cut cause there isn’t as much fat. Although last week at a party, I had some bacon jalapeno poppers. They were just jalapeno’s with cream cheese wrapped in bacon, not fried or breaded. They were delish!
4. All of the above! You crack me up so no matter what you are writing about, I enjoy it. I really love crafty projects especially when they are cheap! Befores and afters are great too. Tips on living on one income would be good. And keep the cutie baby pics coming! I have been reading your blog for over a year now and you havent lost me yet!
1. Natalie! 26. kindergarten teacher in Atlanta, Ga with no children and a live-in boyfriend. I have a lab mix named Stellar and a yellow lab named ChumChum.
2. I love love love the beach and the sun. I love summer (helllloooo teaching!) and I found your blog through my obsession with YHL,
3. I could watch nothing but King of Queens or Friends on tv the rest of my life and be perfectly happy. I have seen every episode 100x.
4. i love before and after, but i really like the stuff about you and your family the most!
1. Liz Cannon, 28, ICU Nurse, Denver, not yet, married for 4 years tomorrw, 1 dog- schnoozeberry mcschnauzerpants
2. I love crafts, furniture makeovers, sewing, knitting, copying peoples stuff. I loved hearing about the birth story, and when you do before/afters. My blog: lizcannon.blogspot.com, centsationalgirl.com, designsponge, yours!
3. Fear: well, i hate bugs, but i fear the most that my husband will die before me (even though he PROMISED not to). Most embarrassing moment: as a college grad, i went to NYC with my Grandpa, and don’t worry, almost pooped my pants in urban outfitters, making it just in time to the mcd’s where i had to pay to use the bathroom. Favorite bacon dish: I loveeeeee me some bacon. I think crispy almost burnt bacon plain. Favorite Tv show: it was Felicity while it was on, but I think I have a weakness for Greys? Favorite tool: Power drill I got for a graduation present? I am making my own clothes line tomorrow!
4. More crafts and before/afters/and of course baby stuff/ maybe more hippie stuff, like post on your fav cloth diapers….
5. I love filling out surveys!
visit my blog and fill out the same survey for mine
1. Personal details – My name is Charise, I’m 27, I live in Columbus, OH, work as an editor for chemistry research publications, got married in October, have no kids but major baby fever these days, and no pets because I have awful allergies, a soft spot for a clean house, and according to some friends am an evil person because I actually love people more than pets.
2. Preference details – I love to cook! And travel, read, write, decorate my home … the usual. I have a poorly neglected food blog, breadandcheeseplease.blogspot.com, and am addicted to too many cooking, home decor/style, and 20something lifestyle blogs to name (see: boring job as an editor).
3. Random details – I luurve bacon. In anything. Bacon-wrapped dates are a favorite easy-peasy appetizer around here. Also, Friday Night Lights is my fave show.
4. Question – I’m a fan of the before/afters, home projects (from mini decor changes to full-on renos), and baby posts (see: no kids but baby fever)
1. Personal details – My name is Catherine, I’m 27. I live in Melbourne Australia with my boyfriend. I’m a Social Worker supporting kids who aren’t able to live with their parents.
2. Preference details – I love reading house design/DIY/craft blogs. I love flipping through cookbooks, going out for dinners, singing, listening to music, traveling.
3. Random details – I’m a vegetarian so no bacon for me. I have a soft spot for vegetarian chicken nuggets though!
4. Question – Craft ideas, before and afters. Loved your thrift store tours and ribbon tying tutorial!
Personal details –I’m a little late to the party but, I’m Shelly, a 35 yo sahm in sunny AZ. I have 3 bambinos, one hubby-so really 4 bambinos and a crazy cat. I like long walks on the beach and umbrella drinks–oops, I digress…
2. Preference details – Coffee is my cup of tea! I like the world wide web, bloggity blogs in particular–mine is the
familyblt.blogspot.com
I’ve really enjoyed your projects, but I can’t tell ya how much I enjoyed each installment of the birth story!
3. Random details – Terrible embarrassing moment (though I think I have a lot) I used to work on movies and commercials–once I shut down the ENTIRE 911 system in a small town during a movie shoot–meep! No one called in the interim-phew!
4. Question – I like the mix of posts you have–your writing style is excellent and fun-nay! I’m so glad I read ya!
1. I’m Lauren, 31, and I live in a loft/condo in midtown Atlanta. I work in Finance and I’m single (know any great Christian guys my age Katie?). I also am a single girl cliche as I have a cat. He is Sam, and he is awesome.
2. I’m a reader, I go to the Goodwill in search of books and other treasures, but mostly books. To that end, I love all your stuff but really knew we could be kindred spirits when you started posting the Goodwill finds. I’m also recently into photography and dig those posts a lot too.
3. I like Bacon with maple syrup straight up. Also, just had this amazing smoked bacon baguette from the farmers market on Peachtree. It was just as amazing as you think it was. Random, I just got back from a mission trip to Cambodia where we helped build a school at an orphanage. It was the trip of a lifetime and I can’t wait to go back.
4. Before/Afters, crafts, sweet baby photos. Maybe a reader meetup? I’d love to meet you and the other Atlanta peeps.
Ok, so I know I’m a few days late but I thought I’d still take the time to reply. If I were you I’d want to know who my readers were and I’ve been reading for a little over a year now so I guess I owe it to you as one of my daily sources of entertainment! Here goes:
Personal: My name is Natalie, I’m 27 and currently live in Utah (although originally from Seattle). I’ve been married for 5.5 years to my amazing husband, I am a Wedding and Events Planner who quit my stable job to branch out to start my own business only to find out 1 month later that I’m pregnant! 15 weeks now to be exact and we’re super excited!
Preferences: I love reading home decor/wedding/mommy blogs (yours, YHL, Making It Lovely & All Things G&D are my favs). I love water sports, decorating my own house, cooking and traveling.
Random: My most embarrassing moment involves poop (and LOTS of it). It’s too long to tell here but trust me, it’s one only a certain personality can appreciate and you’d be dying of laughter! Let’s just say my bare bum is on surveillance video at the athletic club I worked at in college due to massive diarrhea that struck unannounced during my opening shift!! On another note, bacon has been one of my few cravings since being pregnant (yummm, how ’bout a BLTA for lunch?!) I just learned how to bake it in the oven instead of frying… sooo much cleaner & easier! (Lay on foil lined baking sheet, put in cold oven and bake on 400 for 17-20, longer if thick cut.) And this Jim Gaffigan clip made me think of you and your love for bacon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaK9bjLy3v4 His Waffle House, Hot Pocket, and Holiday Traditions bits are also hilarious!! (Did I just jump from poop to bacon w/out giving it a second thought…ugh, sorry!)
Question: I love your blog just the way it is. There isn’t one post that doesn’t intrigue me and I must say your thrift store finds are super inspiring! Of course the Before & Afters are always fun and currently I’m loving the baby tips since that’s where my brain is these days.
Thanks for sharing so much of your life with us Katie!
Hey Katie!
My name is Katie (great name, right!?) and I’m 23. I’m in my last year of Physical Therapy school in Augusta, GA (where both myself and my husband were born and raised). I just celebrated my first wedding anniversary! No kids of our own, but one nephew with a niece and nephew on the way! UGA graduate and Dawgs fan!
We currently rent so we can’t actually do anything to our house, but we help all of our friends work on their houses (just re-finished the hardwood floors and gutted the bathroom at our brother & sister-in-law’s house). So I really like reading about your DIY projects and I “star” the ideas I love in my Reader.
Random fact-Just did a sprint triathlon at Lake Lanier 2 weeks ago and I hate running.
I like everything you write about. I read your blog (and many others) when I’m bored in class and it really gets me through the day! I really look forward to it everyday. I have a huge desire to become a good photographer as a hobby, so I really enjoy yours posts about taking pictures. And I love seeing pictures of Will-he’s too cute!