Giveaway Results!

Hello Everyone! First of all, THANK YOU to everyone who participated. The response (165 comments) was overwhelming. 69 participants entered for 232 entries. I used Random.org to generate 3 random numbers (each entry was assigned a number) and these are the results:

First Place- 87 Kalei @ Bloggedy Blog Blog
Second Place- 142 LeLand's Mama @ Mama Makes Money
Third Place- 230 Mama Krit @ My Simply Savvy Life

I find it really funny that the Random.org place picked first place is the person who I just won a giveaway from. Honest coincidence, I swear! Congratulations to all of them! I will contact all three of you to get your addresses and for Kalei and Leland's Mama, I will get their choices.

Next: Here are the Top Ten posts you voted for! (Some of them tied with the number of votes, in which case my favorite got moved to the front.)

The Top Ten Favorite Posts were:
1. The No Return Policy
2. A Note from Mr. Bee (Guest Post)
3. My Interview with Boodle, My Elf on the Shelf
4. Words that I want removed from my Lexicon
5. Make Your Own Meme Monday: Then vs. Now
6. Drink, blog, Hiccup
7. Not Me! Monday: Law and Order Edition
8. I Know I am a Mom because...
9. 1461: A Letter
10. Calamity Jake

Honorable Mentions:
Our Running Tally, Now Here is Where I get Sappy, My 15 Year Old Self is So Excited....,
Don't Forget!, The Drama King, 8 things I hearted in 2008, Mr. Bee, My Valentine (Guest Post)

I got so many questions that I am breaking up the answers to my favorite questions into two posts. Here is the first Batch (in no particular order):

Q: Why do you blog, and what do you love most about it? ~Jen Weinman@ Jewel of the Prairie

A: I blog because I love to write. It's very therapeutic for me to put myself out there in writing. I love getting positive responses from my blog. When something I write touches someone or brightens their day, that makes me feel happy. It's really a win-win. I'm pretty sure I am addicted too!

Q: Are you gonna have a 3rd and try for a girl? ~The Dreamer @ Hey a Mom can Dream, Right?

A: Oh dear. Honestly... I go back and forth about this. I even wrote a post about it. Right now, I am leaning towards no, only because I am ready to get on with our life, and do fun things with my non-babies. Ask me again in two months, I might change my mind.

Q: I'd like to know what inspired you to start blogging? ~Angie @ Seven Clown Circus

A: I have been blogging since 2006, and I'm still not sure why I am. I just like to write and if people like to read what I write it's a huge bonus. I would say Amalah was my first inspiration. My friend Sarah introduced me to her and the now defunct Miss Doxie when I was bored at work. You can read more about my start under my About/Contact Me tab.

Q: 1) What one thing do you as a family do you most hope will happen in the next 10 years?
2) Balance (work, home, kids, spouse, etc.) How do you achieve it and maintain it? ~Dan @ The Art of Panic

A: 1. I hope we are doing the same thing in terms of being happy and healthy. That being said, I hope that Drew is a nice teenager (gulp) and we are living in a much bigger house so we aren't driving each other crazy. I would like more financial stability. Who wouldn't? Oh, and to be a weight I am happy with. Even with the recession and instability I am not daft and I realize these are golden years for my family. We really are blessed. Even when I pitch a fit about something I realize this.

2. I have never achieved balance. I usually wait until one part of my life is on the verge of collapsing and then pay more attention to it, with the exception of the kids. They are always #1.

Q: 1. Who helped you set up your blog or are you just a super web genius? 2. Are there any days that writing your blog is a total and utter chore?? ~Karen L (no blog)

A: 1. I am a super web genius. Ha ha, no, my website is actually the work of another super web genius, it would be the Blogger Buster. They have great free layouts for blogger. I LOVE this one, with the exception of my header, I want something cuter. But all of the extras that this layout came with I LOVE.
2. YES! It was a chore some of the days the month that I did Nablopomo and had to blog every day. When I am stressed out it can also be too much to blog. But I always let you guys know that.

Q: I was reading your blog on your weight loss attempt so I'll ask my question regarding that - how much weight would you like to lose? ~Brooke @ Smart + Strong = Sexy

A: Oh geez. Realistically 15-20 pounds. In my dreams 30 pounds. This is a major battle for me.

Q: So, I have a question.. music seems very important to you (as I). What was the very first live concert you ever attended, and with whom? ~CDB @ Fingers and Paws

Now this is embarrassing. NKOTB (New Kids on the Block) with my parents and my sister in 1989. My Dad got tickets through his work. I had never heard of them before and after the concert I was HOOKED. I went to two more concerts after that. I also saw Milli Vanilli. I know, I am ashamed.

My Favorite Concert ever was Lollapalooza. You can read about it here. I am going again this year and I can't wait!

Q: What's your favorite color? ~Sarah @ A Glimpse Into My Life

A: It changes often- right now it is eggplant purple, the color I painted my office.

Q: Have you done any drinking and blogging lately? ;o) ~Joy @ Joy to the Blog

A: No, sadly... But I am a horrible drunken Twitterer! Some of you, sigh, already know this....

Q: What is your or Mr. Bee's favorite children's book and which would you love to hide so you'll NEVER have to read it again?? ~MJ (no blog)

A: Mr. Bee and I came to an agreement on this one:
Favorite: Goodnight Moon. Mr. Bee picked it because he made up a song to sing it to the children, I like it because it's relaxing and seems to put the children in a trance. I have it memorized.
Least Favorite: 10 Minutes Till Bedtime: No words! Annoying.

Q: Why did you start this blog and have you accomplished what you set out to accomplish by having this great blog? ~Auntrene @ Auntrene

A: Ahh... Auntrene, you butter me up, I answer your question. It's a win-win! I don't think I will ever completely accomplish what I want from having my blog, because what I want is world domination a perfect blog with the best posts ever. As far as readership goes, I think I am right where I want to be.

Q: I'm new to your blog, so here it goes...what is your favorite hobby? ~Rachel Ann @ Rachel Ann's Place

A: You are looking at it. Okay, well, besides blogging I love to power walk with Ian (pronounced eye-ann, like Ian Ziering), My Ipod ALONE. So relaxing. Unfortunately it is impossible 3 months out of the year in Michigan. Le sigh. I also like to read.

Q: What do you think is the one material item that Mr. Bee cannot do without; and what does Mr. Bee think is the one material item you could not do without. ~Carma @ Carma Sez

A: Mr. Bee is refusing to play nice on this one. He said that for both of us we cannot do without our cars- so we can get to work. Then I asked him to answer something else and he said our refrigerator, because without it we would get scurvy. Then again, our toilets, because we would freeze our butts off outside trying to go the bathroom... I will answer this instead and say the toilet for Mr. Bee, because where else would he hide/relax? He spends hours in there to get away! For me: My bath/My Ipod because both are my stress relaxers. I use the bath more in the winter- and Ian the Ipod while walking more in the summer.

Q: What advice do you have for a novice/new blogger? And what is this Techn thingy??? ~Laurie (no blog)

A: Before you start your blog decide what you want out of your blog. Do you want your blog to have lots of readers or just a select few? What topics will your blog cover? What blog platform do you want to use? Test out blogging platforms. There is Blogger, Wordpress, Tumbler and Typepad that I know of. Make a practice blog and practice designing it.

Next, figure out a catchy name for your blog and make sure your url matches that catchy name (I know, mine doesn't, it's a point of contention for me still!). Join a blogging social network. I suggest SITS or Nablopomo. That's how I met most of my blogging friends. Join Twitter. Link your blog posts up to Twitterfeed. Comment on and follow other bloggers, and also big bloggers to get your name out there. Sign up for an advertiser. Set up sitemeter on your blog. If you don't know the answer to something, google it, or look on The Blog Doctor or if you use blogger, Blogger Buster. Don't be afraid to submit a post you think is good somewhere. Oh and above all else, write interesting stuff. Does that help?

Technorati is a blog ranking system/blog directory. You can find out who links to you through this and you can also create blogrolls through them. It's actually pretty cool, as long as they recognize your blog isn't spam. (I had to contact them so they knew my blog was NOT spam.)

Q: I'm picking this question cause someone asked me this question and I thought it was a good one. Not because I think you're going to say me. What is your favorite blog to visit that you can't wait til they do another post so you can see what they say. Seriously, I don't think it's me. I'm just curious. ~C @ The Scattered Mind of a Tattooed Minivan Mom

A: This is a hard one. I read 93 blogs (ish) so I look forward to so many of them! Of course first and foremost my IRL Blogs- blogs from those people I know in real life. Then next would be blogs from people I have become to think of as bloggy friends (including the Scattered Mind of a Tattooed Minivan Mom!). Those of you that have been there from the beginning, I especially feel invested in your blogs. (This is you, Mesa, Lucy, Juliet, Tina, Cammie, The Rambler, etc.) I really enjoy anything by the MamaPop Crowd (Amalah, Jodifur, The Wind in Your Vagina, Pet Cobra, to name a few favorites although I check in with all of them from time to time). I am SUCH their fangirl! Oh and when I am in a silly mood (read always) I love to read The Bloggess, Citizen of the Month, and Attack of the Redneck Mommy. When I am in a more serious mood, I enjoy Her Bad Mother, Pacing the Panic Room, when I am in the mood for a photo blog, I enjoy The Fresh Mommy, and Dooce. (I know, name dropping Dooce is like thanking God for inspiration- it's overdone, but I can't deny the Woman knows how to take a Photograph!) Oh geez, now I have to link all these don't I? Let me just say I love to read all different blogs all for different reasons, and anyone I read holds a special place in my heart.

No wonder my sister calls me a Techno-nerd.

I hope Google Ads doesn't suspend my account for excessive linking. They sure are on a suspension roll! @sshats!

This is it for today. I am linked typed OUT. I will have the rest of my favorite questions in a post later this week. I hope you have enjoyed it my little Q & A section.

Again, thanks to all of you that participated. I wish you could all win. Of course then I would be broke.

PS- Because of stupid Bloggers new blogger connect BS, I am completely lost and disorganized. I am still trying to visit everyone and sort through everything. I will try to be over to your blog soon, I am still sorting it out. Please let me know if you are linking to me and I will include you in my blogroll! (There are some updates already, check them out!)