Rachel's Blog Rocks!

I was lucky enough to have someone lead me to this wonderful blogger named rachel, author of the rockin' blog, Following In My Shoes. She is a wife, and mom to a beautiful little girl. I spent a while reading her blog, which I can't believe I haven't been reading yet. Her sense of humor shines through in every post, and you can feel the love she has for her family.

So, let's get on with the interview portion of this post.

me : What was your very first blog post about, and why did you write it?

rachel : My first blog post was a rambling, stream-of-consciousness post about the decision to become a "blogger." At that time, my blog was merely a private (for family/friends only) blog.

me : How did you decide on the name of your blog, Following In My Shoes?

rachel : Following in My Shoes is the 3rd name my blog has had; this most recent change was made after I witnessed my 1 year old daughter ( in an attempt to be like Mommy) trying to walk around in my shoes. It got me to thinking about how she would learn so much from watching me -- self confidence, how to treat others, etc. Being a parent is a HUGE responsibility that goes beyond merely feeding and clothing a child. I changed my blog title to remind me of this fact so I can always be aware that my child is constantly watching and learning from what I do.

me : If you could only use 3 words to describe yourself, what would they be?

rachel : Hmmm . . . I guess "Quirky," "Competitive," and "Classy" (according to my husband, anyway! I just polled him. lol)

me : Using all the words you want, why did you pick those 3 words to describe yourself?

rachel : Well, I picked the first two and my husband chose the last one, after I started drawing a blank. I call myself quirky because I'm just odd -- I can be both predictable and unpredictable . . . quiet and a loudmouth . . . serious and ridiculous. I chose Competitive because I AM! I always have been the stereotypical Type-A, first born child. I was competitive in school, at work, and even in the blogging world. I always want to be better than I have been and strive to make sure everything I do is as near to perfect as it can be.I asked my husband why he thinks I'm classy; according to him, I exude class through the way I carry myself, my manners, how I communicate . . .then again, he's a boy; I'm sure there are a lot of things that seem classy to him!

me : Did you design your blog layout yourself, (it's beautiful!) and if so, do you make templates for other bloggers?

rachel : I do make my layouts and have made some for my sisters and friends. I am still learning all of the ins and outs of blog design, but I hope to start a design business after the first of the year. In the meantime, if anyone wants to help me practice please let me know! Right now, my services are FREE!

me : Do you participate in weekly memes, and if so, which ones?

rachel : I participate in two memes -- Wordless Wednesday and Photo-Story Friday. I love to take pictures and these particular memes are great for sharing those photos.
(me : you have to check out her picture stories...they are so well written and wonderful!)

me : What is your favorite post you've ever written, and why?

rachel : Wow, this is a hard question! I really enjoy writing and typically am happy with what I write. Looking back over the past few months, I have three that are my favorites. The first two (The True Story About The Little Lady's Daddy, and A Trip To the Beach from The Little Lady's Perspective) are in my favorites list because they are stories about my daughter and husband. The last of my favorites (The Christmas List) is a recent post that describes my ULTIMATE Mommy Christmas List!

me : Do you feel your blog has a theme, and if so, what is it?

rachel : I guess it does fall under the "Mommy Blog" genre simply because I focus a lot on my daughter.

me : We all have blogrolls, and our favorites we visit regularly. Who is your most favorite blogger, and why?

rachel : Two of my favorites are Classy Chaos and Cheaper Than Therapy. These are two popular Mommy Bloggers who always have great content and take the time to respond to comments.

me : What do you think draws people to your blog?

rachel : I keep my blog light-hearted and make sure its a genuine reflection of who I am. I think people appreciate that -- I know that I LOVE a humorous blog, as well as blogs that honestly shares life experiences. I also think that my readers can relate to (and enjoy) the "new-parent" stories I share.

Bullet Questions:

pink or purple? Pink
winter or summer? Winter
cat or dog? Dog
meat or veggie? Veggie
necklace or bracelet? Necklace

Now, I know you are all in a rush to go check out this rockin' blogger, and by all means, that is what I want you to do. While you are there, make sure you check out her favorite posts, because they really are great, and leave lots of comments!

Thanks, rachel, for taking the time to be my first blogger who rocks!