I'm blown away by all your questions on the previous post! I'm diving in. I'm not known for short answers... but here we go!
This could get lengthy... .
Q: {Kate} I'm always interesting in why someone started blogging. Did you need a creative outlet? Did you know someone who had a blog and found it to be therapeutic? How long did you think about it before you signed up?
A: I started a family blog three {!} years ago, thinking it would be a great way to record the happenings of our daily life. I continued it for two years. By that point I had seen what others were doing in the blogging world, the creativity that was out there, and I wanted to write more. So almost a year ago I started this blog for myself as a creative outlet. It's been incredible!
Q: {Tammy Lee} I was wondering how you got to know all the ladies of Bigger Picture and how you all came up with the idea.
A: It all started with Hyacynth :) I can't even remember how we connected, but we did so way back when I had my family blog, and we've been friends since. Maegan was introduced to me through another long time blogging friend, and Sarah... I can't remember how we found each other :) It's funny how you make these connections and then in no time it's like you've been friends forever! Hy introduced us all to Melissa, and that's all of us!
Hyacynth came to me with the concept of growing community through blogging, and we started brainstorming on ways to make that happen. It sounds crazy, but the concept really happened quite organically through conversations between the group. Put a group of creative minded ladies together and magic is bound to happen ;)
Q: {Kimberly} I would love to hear about your childhood... favorite childhood memory.
A: I have so many wonderful childhood memories. But favorite childhood memory would have to be camping in Acadia National Park with my parents and brother. I loved waking up and smelling the remainders of the campfire that was extinguished the night before, feeling the dew and dawning sweaters for breakfast. We always camped in the fall, as I was homeschooled through 8th grade with my brother, so we could go any time of year, and it was less populated in the fall than the summer.
Q: {Cheryl} Okay, well, I'm wondering if you're concerned your kids will inherit addiction. I hope you don't my asking! I'm naturally nosy!
A: I don't mind your asking at all, Cheryl! Honestly, I am concerned. I think about it quite a bit, and all I can do is provide an open conversation about... everything... and hope that my kids will come to me when they're feeling pressures and stresses and signs of addiction - if that's the case. The talk about alcohol consumption will involve the fact that I can't drink. That it makes mommy sick, and it might make them a little sick as well... and that talk will probably start soon, as alcohol isn't totally gone from our lives. We have family members who drink social, and who enjoy a good bottle of wine. There's a case of beer in our fridge right now that was given to Lucas. When Fynn asks what it is, I tell him, and I slip in that it makes mommy a sick. Long winded, but yes, I am concerned!
Q: {Bacardi Mama} Are you very structured or are you more go with the flow? Do you plan your blogging time or just do it whenever the mood strikes?
A: I'm not structured at all when it comes to blogging... that being said most of the time I blog at the end of the day, during the hour or so that bedtime with Daddy takes :) But if I'm inspired and can find a few minutes during the day, you better believe I'll use that to my blogging advantage!
Q: {Kristin} I guess I will start with, if you had one day all to yourself, how would you spend it?
A: Yoga in the morning, followed by a trip to the beach with an iced chai latte by my side and pen and paper in my hands.
Q: {Katy} What do you believe in? Higher power, God, etc. I am just interested in the different beliefs of people! Did your beliefs change after you had children xxx
A: This is a really timely question! Lucas and I actually spent a good deal of time on this topic during our coffee date over the weekend. If you had asked me a few months ago, I would have said I believed in God. Totally and completely.
But now... I believe that God exists, just as much as any other spiritual leader. I don't believe in one divine being. Lucas put it really well in that he said that you need to believe in what comforts you. And what comforts me is bits and pieces from different religions and faiths. Right now my beliefs are lining up more with Buddhism and Taoism than just Christianity. I have so much respect for everyones different beliefs, and feel like we can learn so much from each one. I truly believe in the power of prayer and meditation. I'm being vague... It might sounds silly but part of me likes to think of God, Buddha, Mother Nature, all the Gods & Goddesses hanging out in the clouds, working together on this great planet of ours. Simplistic and a wee bit childish, perhaps, but it's what works for me right now.
Q: {Sarah} I want to know about BlogHer-- are you going?
A: Yes! I am :) And I'm terrified!! I think I heard somewhere that around 2400 bloggers are headed to BlogHer this year. Crazy! I think it'll be wonderful to meet so many people I've been reading for quite a while - in person! But it's overwhelming. Who else is going? Send me an email if you are and I'll make sure to give you my cell number so we can connect :)
Q: {Amy} I want to know what your dreams are... .not about your family or children, a house or vacation but your creative dreams. What would you LOVE to do... or be doing in the future creatively... where would you love to be (6 months? 3years? 10 years?) in the future?
A: Writing my novel :) In 6 months. In 3 years. In 10 years. Hopefully in 10 years I'll be on at least a second one... but you never know!
Q: {Aging Mommy} OK I have wanted to ask you this for a while - what camera do you have and have you taken classes in photography to get as good as you are or does it all just come naturally to you? I am loving my new camera but still feel I have yet to really get to grips with it.
A: I use a Nikon D3000. I took a photography class in high school... but that was it. My mother is a photographer, so I give a lot of credit to her! Growing up seeing how she stopped to take the time to frame a photo, to bring creativity into a snapshot, those things made a big impact on me. Otherwise... just practice practice practice! I still don't really know how to use my camera to the fullest ability, and only dabble in taking it off of it's automatic settings.
Q: {Brooke} What drew you to photography? When/how did it start? What do you enjoy more writing or photography?
A: I love capturing the little moments in my kids lives, and in my life. I love being able to hold photos and see what we did, how we change, what we do. The tiny moments that get lost in the shuffle of my brain :) I guess I'm drawn to photography for the same reasons as I'm drawn to writing. Being able to keep things. Thoughts and memories that are often fleeting {my memory is... not so good... } It depends on the day, but ultimately I would chose writing over photography. I think... . hmm...
Q: {Alisha} What's your big dream? The biggest one; the one that makes you get all juiced up and excited about life?
A: My big dream is that one day we'll be able to live in a cute little beach side home with a room where there's a white antique desk... just for writing. And it's full of good light and wispy curtains. And I write. For hours of the day. And sometimes my work would get published ;)
Q: {Alita} I'm all for coffee and chit chat. I'm also all for coffee, chit-chat and cards. Do you play? We play a lot of euchre & Spades here. Are you a risk taker or do sandbag at cards? Ok... My very favorite question to ask is always Where does your heart belong? Where is your home, not where you live, but where you belong? I've been pondering this lately as we try to sell our home and find a new home to live in.
A: I do play cards :) I grew up playing Popeye and Bull Shit and Gin Rummy. My Grammy {my dad's mom} and I would play cards sometimes when I was little. I loved sitting with a hand full of cards and hearing her laugh when I'd make up a new rule!
My heart belongs in that little place I mentioned in the last question... the beach.
Q: {Nell} What do you see your life looking like in 10 years?
A: In 10 years I'll probably be spending a lot of time running kids around! Volunteering in their schools, and spending time at home writing. Running the house with the help of my hubby, maybe we'll have a dog by that point... hopefully my trusty Volvo wagon will still be carting us to and from the grocery store ;)
Q: {Ashlee} I have one simple question for you. How do you handle when Fynn decides not to nap? I am going through that faze right now and I am ready to pull my hair out by the end of the day.
A: Mandatory quiet time. We're still working on that... Fynn doesn't really get the concept of being quiet during quiet time {which is when Paige takes a nap if we're home} so it's either reading books, watching some TV, playing in his room by himself, or snuggling with a reading mommy. Sometimes I do play with him, because it's the only time we get one on one time during the day, but most of the time I need that quite hour or two to catch up on whatever needs to get done. Have you thought about having him do some of the quiet activities he does during church? But the key is MANDATORY quiet :)
Q: {Madeline} How do you blog with two children? Blogging is such a wonderful outlet for so many reasons, but since getting pregnant with #2 that question has been on my mind. Well, really, the question of how a gal does anything at all with two, but we'll just keep it blogging.
A: I do it in any/all spare time I can come up with. I don't have any other hobbies, except reading and writing, so it all kind of ties in together. I don't have a lot of projects that need my attention... So I blog when the kids are busy playing, or during quiet time, but mostly at night. What does help is I have a little laptop that I keep on the counter that's in between the kitchen and living room :) I can pop on quickly during the day to read a few blogs while waiting for the water to boil for mac n' cheese and whatnot! Multitasking! Just be easy on yourself, if you're stressed out from blogging, somethings got to give, you know? Your kids are only little once, and those first few months of having two don't put any crazy expectations on yourself... because it IS wonderful being a mom of two, but it IS a little crazy :)
Q: {Allison} Now that you are no longer drinking, how do you escape from the stresses of life? Do you exercise? Eat chocolate? Listen to music? Something else?
A: I eat a lot of chocolate. A lot {I think you and I have had discussions about Trader Joe's pound of chocolate... we go through a lot of those in our house... } But when I'm having a really awful horrible no good day I do yoga. Either at home, or I take a class. Exercise really helps so much, and with yoga I find I can reconnect and be quiet and find that space in my brain where it's safe.
Q: {Liz} You are brave so here goes: why did you turn to alcohol?
A: It was available. I didn't start drinking until I got to college, and then when I started, I just didn't stop. It was always available, always helped with stress, always gave me something to do, always made me feel more myself and free. I believe I have one of those addictive personalities, and I'm so very thankful that I didn't get started on something worse than booze. As it is I know I like pain killers a little too much... so I have to be really careful about anything that can be addicting.
Q: {Laanykidsmom} Who is your favorite character ever from any book you have read? And why?
A: This is possibly the hardest question yet :) I really loved Clare in The Time Traveler's Wife. I think the way she embraced and came to terms with the chaos in her life, her love. And how even though she was dealt a crazy hand, she took it, and loved it even through the turmoil, because she felt so strongly for a man who happened to be a time traveler ;)
Q: {Rebekah} If we were sitting down for coffee and chatting one of my first questions for all my friends is, "How did you meet your sweetheart? What's your love story?" You may have already written this but maybe I've missed it.
A: Lucas and I worked at the same place, and we were introduced by a mutual friend at the company holiday party :) We had an incredible time at the party, I knew he was going to be my husband, but then he didn't talk to me for two weeks. I worked with a bunch of gossips, and I guess they scared him away... but then he came to his sense and asked me out. We've been together ever since :)
Q: {Laura} Here's my question, Corrine. What are you reading now? (Or what's next on your list, what you'd like ot be reading right now.) Thanks!
A: I just finished If You Want to Write by Brenda Ueland, which was absolutely incredible and I will highly recommend it to everyone! Next up... I'm not sure... I just requested Black and White by Dani Shapiro from the library and can't wait for it to come in.
Q: {Rebecca} I am very aware of alcoholism lately. I have people close to me struggling/struggled with it, but maybe can't own it or own it completely. And I can't figure it out. I want to be oh-so-compassionate. I really get the disease piece of it. I also feel so very frustrated because I just want to say STOP! because lives are getting so wrecked.
I'm looking for the place of healing. For all of us. Drinkers and watchers. I feel a little helpless. And searching. And tired.
Was that a question? Not sure. But you get the idea.A: I do get the idea. And my heart is heavy right now after reading your sort of question. Because it's not an easy place to be in. That being said, I don't know what it's like to sit where you are, and I never had anyone say anything to me about my drinking... and I'm not sure how I would have reacted if anyone tried to stop me before I was ready.
Have you thought about Al-Anon? I've heard that they do wonders. The helplessness is the worst part of anything, and I'm sure the person in question is feeling just as helpless. I wish I had answers... if you want to email me so we can talk about it more, please please do: crnnoel at gmail dot com.
Q: {Hyacynth} Ok- here's my question: when do I get to meet you in person for coffee, lady?? lol. Just kidding. That's not my real question.
My real question echoes Aging Mommy -- I'm curious about your photography background.
And where did you go to college?A: Soon hopefully!! One day :) I think I answered the photography stuff above... if not, tell me! I went to the University of New Hampshire, where I received my major in Political Science and a minor in English.
Thank you all so much for your thoughtful questions. If I didn't answer any of them fully, please let me know... or if my answers brought up more questions, again, let me know! We can discuss further via email and that sort of thing. But really, your questions were incredible. I was expecting more fluff, but so many of these could have turned into their own blog posts. So thank you for making my brain work :) You all are the best readers any blogger could ask for!