When I first started this blog, many years ago, I had a different reason for writing.

Now I feel I’ve found myself.  I love sharing crafts, learning activities, and more with my awesome readers.

Changes coming soon!

In order to make the experience better for all of your, there are some changes about to happen here.  I will be switching over to a more user-friendly theme and page lay-out here over the next day or so.  I don’t have a huge budget, so I will be making the switch myself (gulp!).

Thank you for your patience during the switch!

The post Changes for the New Year first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

 This is a sponsored post written on behalf of Blogelina.  All opinions are 100% my own!

When I started this blog three years ago, I really had no idea about the amount of work it takes to get a blog up and running.  

SEO?  I don’t think I even heard that term until my second year in.  Keywords in the post title?  Categories and tags??  

To be honest, I cringe now at some of my earliest posts.   

Thankfully there is a wonderful site that can help you understand what those unfamiliar terms mean and how to implement them on your own site as well.  (Goodness knows I needed help!)

Blogelina has tons of posts that can help you sort through just about any blogging related issue.  

And, for a limited time, Blogelina is offering a special deal — just for you!  You can enroll in the popular 4-week blogging class —Profitable Blogging for Beginners— for just $5!

If you want to learn the basics of how to set up a blog, take your blogging to the next level, or begin earning money from your blog, this class is for you!

What do you get if you sign up?

• A 60-Page How-To Manual  packed with information that will help starting your own blog less overwhelming
• 4 weekly online class sessions where you can ask your questions and get personalized feedback
• A FREE Year of Web Hosting
• Blogelina Does Your Blog Set-Up For You – They will take care of the techie side of the set-up so you don’t have to.  You just have to start blogging!
• Blueprints, step-by-step tutorials, networking with other bloggers — everything you need to grow your blog.

And if life gets in the way and you can’t make it to one of the sessions?

You’re covered!  Notes from each session are automatically emailed to you.  (I love having a mini refresher course right there at my fingertips!)

If you want to take your blog to the next level, here’s your chance!

Sign up for the Blogelina Profitable Blogging for Beginners class today!

The post Blogelina 4 Week Blogging Class first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

Oh my goodness!  I must have lost track of time…  Welcome, welcome!  I can’t believe it’s time for the Ultimate Blog Party again!

Please excuse the mess; we’ve been busy crafting again this morning.  (Just step over the empty egg carton and craft sticks over there, and watch the hot glue gun!  That thing will get you every time…)

Let me introduce myself; I go my OneMommy here in the blog world.  I’m a former middle school teacher who left the classroom to become a SAHM to my babies here in SW Ohio.  (Okay, so one is 6 now and the other is going to be 5 soon….  They are STILL my babies!)  I’ve been blogging here for the past 3 years.

How did my blog get it’s name?

As a mom you tend to get pulled in a lot of directions:  the baby is crying; the toddler needs a snack; the dog wants out; the husband is looking for dinner…. You get the idea.  I found myself saying, “There’s just one mommy…” a lot, and the name was born.

Now a days the name has taken on a new meaning to me.  It’s all about trying to be the best mommy I can be for my kids — after all, there’s just one mommy!

Want to know a little more about me?  Check out this post of 22 Things I’ve Done.

And, while you’re here, be sure to check out some of my most read posts:

• Tips for Traveling with Kids (Screen-Free!)
• Simple Cat in the Hat Craft
• Kids’ Halloween Party Games
• Easy Eggplant Parmesan Recipe

Don’t let the party end!  Let’s keep in touch!

Check out There’s Just One Mommy  on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest,  Google+, or follow my RSS Feed.

The post Ultimate Blog Party 2014 first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

If you search the web, there is literally hundreds of pages of information out there on how to boost your page views and grow your social media followers.  But who has time to sift through all the suggestions and figure out what really works?

As a mom to two very active kids, I know I sure don’t.  Normally, by the end of the day, when they are finally asleep, I barely have energy to type up a new post.  I sure don’t want to stay up all night trying to figure out SEO and all that social media stuff.

That is one reason I was so happy to discover Boost Your Blog in 100 Days  (#BB100).

These five, fabulous bloggers have gone to conferences, grown their blogs, and want to share what they have learned.

Why 100 Days?  

Thaleia of Something 2 Offer explains:  “Well, to be honest I am a very, very busy mom of 4 children 11 years and under.  I do not have extra time to spend laboring over by blog and Social Media.  I want results and habits that can transform the limited time I have into something incredible.  Spreading out 10 challenges over 10 days each just sounds better to me.  Spending just 10-15 minutes a day versus an hour or two makes more sense to me. Easing into each new challenge should help create a habit a little easier.  This will also give you a better understanding of why a particular challenge should be done daily or weekly and how it has helped you.”

10-15 minutes a day is something I can do.  And being able to ease into each new challenge, not having to have it all figured out in one day?  Perfect!  Because, let’s face it, sometimes it takes a couple days for things to really “click.”

Interested?

Great!  Anyone with a blog CAN participate.  You may do one or all 10 challenges at your own pace or join in daily!

Meet the Hostesses:

Honey Rowland blogs at Honeys Life about homeschooling, family life and green living. With a passion for self sufficiency and natural, special needs parenting you’ll learn about everything from natural, local foods to essential oils and homeopathy to gardening and farm life. Honey has also turned the constant ‘talks too much’ report card comments into a home business. She runs social media while obtaining new sponsors and advertisers for herself and other bloggers. So whether you’re curious about chickens or children, ask…’cause she’s dabbled and babbled in just about everything.

Michelle Marine blogs at Simplify, Live, Love where she shares down to earth tips for the thoughtful mama. Michelle. along with her husband, 4 kids and a bunch of animals, lives sustainably in barn on 5 acres in rural Eastern Iowa. Michelle is an avid gardener and from-scratch cook of real food; she cans produce, homeschools, and teaches community college classes in addition to blogging. Her husband is building their forever home to the German Passive House standards and they plan to live off grid yet still enjoy modern conveniences. Simplify, Live, Love chronicles their attempts to live sustainably and strives to remind people to live simply and frugally yet still enjoy life.

Martiel Beatty from Amazing Success Academy specializes in helping artists build online businesses and blogs. She is a fiber artist, expert blogger, author of Blog Notes, and GIMP Wizard. She is also the founder of Sewmantra and started the Academy because she couldn’t find an affordable, knowledgeable and effective program that supported handmade, indie-artists. Find out how she can help you build your business today. Learn More Now!

Lisa Nelson from The Squishable Baby focuses on creating positive learning experiences through everyday life. I believe that learning about – and respecting diversity, different religions, other cultures, charity, and our environment – through play, through crafts, through lessons, through giving – will not only produce more empathetic children and adults – but will put a child on a path to a love of lifelong learning.

Thaleia Maher blogs at Something 2 Offer where she is generous in giving advice and helping others find free resources that meet their needs; be it for homeschool or life! She is a BIG researcher who wants to encourage families on their homeschool journey. Wife to high school sweetheart. Mother of four (including 2 little reds!), Sister, Daughter, Christ-Follower, Talkative, Creative. Hoping to figure this whole life, blogger, social media thing out! So be sure to keep tabs on her journey of life.

The Schedule:

Days 1-10: Leave 100 Comments with Thaleia begins Feb 15.

Days 11-20: Grammar Mistakes Bloggers Make with Michelle

Days 21-30: Using Twitter with Honey

Days 31-40: Topics for 100 Blog Posts with Martiel

Over the next 100 days we will work together to help improve our blogs and social media reach.  Are you excited yet?

The post Boost Your Blog in 100 Days Challenge first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

Wow, this past week has just flown by!

I hope each of you has had some time to spend with loved ones this season.  I know I’ve enjoyed snuggling with my babies and playing with them and their new treasures!

Today I just want to say thank you to each and everyone of you for sharing some of your time here with me at There’s Just One Mommy.  You truly are what keeps me going!  (And I’m so excited to be starting a 3rd year here next month!)

A special thank you to everyone who follows me on Pinterest!  (It’s probably no surprise, but Pinterest brings in some of my best traffic!)

It seems everyone is counting down their bests lately…  I thought it would be fun today to see which 2013 There’s Just One Mommy posts were pinned the most this year, and here they are:

The top 5 pinned posts from 2013!

Screen-Free Travel Tips with Kids

Halloween Party Games

Fizzy Preschooler Science

Coffee Filter Science

Simple Shape Vehicles

 Thank you, again, for all your support and comments this year!  I’m looking forward to sharing 2014 with you!

The post Top Pinterest Pins for 2013 first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

Looking for a fun and healthy lunch alternative to the usual sandwich for the kids?

Check out this and a some of our other fun wrap ideas over at Natural and Free today!

And while you are there, check out some other great ideas, or submit your own, to the awesome back-to-school link up party going on!

And, if you’re looking for a mess-free snack to add to that lunch box, check out our Del Monte giveaway!

The post Wrap Up a Fun Lunch! first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.