Has a week gone by already? I guess that means it is time to once again document another super-exciting-can’t-believe-I-have-this-fabulous-life-aren’t-you-jealous-day in pictures:

(Sans the medication and used tissues. You’re welcome.)

8:23am – Out The Door

I can’t catch a break with this kid. I’m either begging him to put on a winter coat FOR GOD’S SAKE or pleading with him to INGEST SOME SUSTENANCE before beginning his day. The little whirling dervish is out the door before I even know what hit me. (Not enough coffee in the world, I tell you.)

9:10am – Coffee, Blogging & Me

My appointment was late so I got a rare opportunity to sit down and work on the blog. There’s something about a quaint coffee shop that really gets my creativity flowing.

11:00am – The Garden- Launched!

We just launched a new site for The Garden at 147. (A creative co-op between Want2Grow? Marketing, Mary Kate McKenna Photography and Think Baseline.) It is such a fun collaboration, it is hard to believe it is actually work. (Not to mention the fact that Amy and I got to be photographed in a wheelbarrow.)

9:00pm – A Little Light Reading?

Each month in 2012 I’m going to try to read two books – one fiction and one business oriented. Well, I’ve already read three novels so far this month, so I’m trying to choose one with a more professional slant. The ultimate winner? No Bullshit Social Media by Jason Falls & Erik Deckers. I’ll fill you in when I finish!

Note: All photos were taken with my iPhone and various camera apps and filters.

Check out last week’s A Day In Pictures.

Tags: a day in pictures, Blog, children, no bullshit social media, websites

On Friday afternoon I got a pretty exciting opportunity… to chat with Heidi Klum.

Yeah, that Heidi Klum.

(The above pic is me on a conference call with her. Heh.)

The supermodel has teamed up with AOL to launch HeidiKlum.aol.com, a new lifestyle site offering a wide range of coverage targeted at women -  news, opinions about fashion, beauty, parenting, fitness, nutrition, relationships, lifestyle trends, entertaining, etc.

She won’t be doing it alone, however.  She is bringing in her real life team of experts. Said Heidi, “People can hear it from the horses mouths and from the people who have been helping me for the past 10 years.”

Smart gal. (Hey, she never claimed to have all of the answers herself.)

As I listened to her talk, I realized that she is, indeed, a wonderful example for modern women, working hard at balancing motherhood and her career while making time to nurture her own self. (Not to mention maintaining a great sense of humor.)

Personally, I liked hearing her talk about how she juggles her busy lifestyle. Take heart working moms out there – she is in the same boat as the rest of us, getting up early in the morning to work before the family is awake. She is no stranger to rising before the sun.

As for her family? She makes it a priority to spend every day with them and pays particular attention to one-on-one time with each of her children.

FASHION – HEIDI STYLE

I admit to being a little intimidated (okay, A LOT INTIMIDATED) by the whole high fashion scene, not to mention the empire this supermodel has built for herself in that industry. (Project Runway, anyone?) But fashionistas will be delighted that a staple on the new site features Heidi in a unique  “look of the day.” (Plus info on what she has paired together to create it.)

Surprisingly, she has a much more rational fashion outlook than I expected, “It is my real life. Sometimes I wear jeans from Gap and sometimes from a high-end designer. That is what the modern woman of today is. She is eclectic and shows that style doesn’t necessarily have to be how expensive something is, instead it is what looks good on you.”

HEIDI TALKS RUNNING

And lo and behold, the conversation even turned to running. (Go figure, right?) Ironically, beginning June 20th she will launch an eight week running campaign encouraging site visitors to run with her EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.

(Every day, I thought? I’ve never done that. Truth be told, I’ve never even contemplated that. Now, of course, my brain is hatching a plan… Could I? Should I? Every SINGLE day? Hmmm…. I might be joining her.)

Her campaign got me thinking, is a marathon perhaps in her foreseeable future?

“Probably not. No. That seems AWFULLY long. Not any time soon.  I’ll just accumulate all of the miles.. ONE day at a time.”

Maybe one day I’ll convince her to run the New York Marathon with me. For now though,  I’ll settle for her virtually offering me a lesson or two in style…

• Visit her new site: www.heidiklum.aol.com
• Chat with her on Twitter: @heidiklum

Tags: aol, Blog, fashion tips, Heidi Klum, lifestyle website, project runway, Running

Times are a changin’ here on this blog.

My kids are growing up. Sigh. I just have to face it.

My kids are growing up and so is my blog.

The issues the boys are facing in their lives at this juncture are, shall we say, of a more sensitive nature.

Puberty, my friends. Puberty and all of the joys that come with it. And by joys I mean attitude. And by attitude I mean full out tears and trauma.

Go ahead and laugh if you want. I understand. It is only the beginning.

As for this blog, I see a line being drawn in the sand in regards to the type of content I will be able to cover without mortifying my children and ruining their social lives forever. I’m trying very hard to keep these posts contained. (I can’t tell you the number of times I have begun the post about pubic hair and shower irregularities. So. Hard. Not. To. Write. And what about the whole “how babies are made” topic? OMG.) I really don’t want to devastate them but oh how funny things are right now!  If I ever needed moral support from other mothers, this is the time. I feel like someone duct taped my mouth (fingers) shut.  Arrgghhhhh!!!

So bear with me as I find my way through blogging with pre-teen boys. And please, if you have some advice – I NEED IT!

As an aside, Hip As I Wanna Be was featured in a new Maryland Family Magazine article about mom bloggers – “The Best Friend You’ve Never Met.” You should go read the article and get acquainted with some other fantastic area bloggers!

Tags: Blog, blogging with growing boys, boys puberty, difficulty, Maryland, mom blog, pre-teen

Not that I am cheating on you, but I have a confession to make… I’ve been spending time on other blogs lately.  Gasp! I know, I know. Shameful.

But in an effort to be truly forthcoming and totally honest and thus beg your forgiveness, I thought that I would offer up some links to my other lovers blogs:

My Body Is Capable – A post on the love/hate relationship I have with my body. As part of a series on the fabulous Melanie Spring’s blog.

Friendship On The Interwebz – For my pal @marymac who is going through a family crisis right now.

Blogging Resources 101 - I was asked to do a guest resource post for Nickelodeon’s Parent’s Connect Community

Building A Social Media Strategy – Okay, so this is my business blog.  I’m a regular cheater here. Does it still count?

Tags: Blog, Nickelodeon, social media

Ever overanalyze something so much that you just can’t will yourself to take action?  I do that regularly with this blog. It immobilizes me.

I’m afraid of the “niche.”  In my brain I know that having a niche is a good thing. It gives you a community, a goal, common ground and lots to write about.  Other than being a “mom blogger,” where do I fit?  What is my niche? I’m not sure.

I have so many interests and so many passions that, again, I am often immobilized. I don’t know where to go first or what to do.  Ever felt that way?

I love to read.  I could write about that.  I love to write.  I love tech gadgets.  Hmmm…. there is an idea!  Fitness, beauty & lifestyle. How about kids and music?  And gardening.  I love that too.  And I have been meaning to figure out how to skateboard.  Oops!  Can’t forget the running passion, can we?  Maybe I will Vlog?  Or not. Hmmm…. What should I write about again?

Gah!

I just don’t know where I fit in these days.  Especially when it comes to blogging.

Sometimes I end up staring at the screen wondering what in the world I should blog about.  And WHY anyone would want to read it.

I’m stuck in that place.

How to get out of it?

Tags: Blog, Mothers, Parenting, writer's block