Meet Blue-Eyed Bride
Courtney here…
I have to admit my time “surfing blogs” has dwindled way down.
I used to be on them all of the time. I wish I had more time.
I have a short list of blogs that I visit every day only due to time constraints.
Erin, the Blue-Eyed Bride, is one I visit daily.
I learned about her from Ashley of Ashley Brooke Designs.
We need to get that sassy pants on our next Q&A.
I learned Erin is a blogging rock star and I also learned she is the real deal. Those are the ones I typically love. They draw you in with just pure sweetness, humor and authenticity. No hidden agenda, just Erin. She has blown me away with her generosity and kindness to me and so many others. She is always looking for ways to bless women and their businesses (no strings attached). And I just virtually met her. Solid human and FUNNY. Follow her on twitter with her other 4,000 friends for some giggles. I visit her daily and I love that she is a boy mom so I learn something new always.
So… I thought a Q&A would mix it up. Enjoy!
State your name, blog name, and twitter sized bio
My name is Erin Carroll, and I’m the author of Blue-Eyed Bride (blueeyedbride.com). I’m a boy mom to Hudson and Hayes, wife to Todd, and follower of Jesus. I love to cook, plan parties, and read when I have time.
When did you start blogging and why?
I started blogging when we were engaged. I thought it would be a fun way for wedding guests to check in and see what we were up to. A lot of my friends hadn’t met Todd yet, so it was a fun way for them to read updates and kind of get to know us as a couple.
What is the craziest question/comment you’ve received during your years as blogging?
Oh man. There have been a lot of things I didn’t expect, but I think one of things that I didn’t know how to answer was, “Can you give me your best tips on how to get pregnant.”
Would you encourage others to blog and why?
I think it just depends on the person and why they think they may want to blog. When I first started blogging, I didn’t read any other blogs. I just wanted to write updates on what we were doing and I never had any idea that people would read it. It just evolved over time into what it is now. I think if you want to blog just to gain readers, that’s not the best reason. But blogging as an outlet for writing and creativity and journaling is so much fun. It’s fun to share things you’ve found and ideas you have. It’s wonderful to have such great community support when we struggle with parenting decisions. And most importantly, to me, it’s amazing when you find a friend (or a few friends) that make it all worth it.
What are 5 things you feel are non-negotiable character traits or family rules you’ll keep in your home?
1. Kindness
2. Forgiveness
3. Family meals where we all eat at least one meal together per day
4. Family first above friends, responsibilities, and work
5. Time every day for us to pray, talk, and learn from each other
Name 5 things you can’t live without.
Bachelorette or Real Housewives…;) Neither. I used to watch The Real Housewives of OC, Beverly Hills, and New Jersey. I loved those shows! And I was really addicted to The Bachelor and Bachelorette. I stopped watch Bachelor/Bachelorette when they stopped finding new people and just kept bringing people back from previous seasons. Something about that just creeps me out. I stopped watching Real Housewives after Hayes was born. I think I was just overwhelmed at home with two babies and the amount of drama and screaming on those shows really got me upset and worked up. That’s when I started reading more again. I found that I really valued my quiet time when the boys went to sleep and “loud” reality shows just ended up upsetting me. Sometimes I really miss watching them, though!
Are you a keep your phone charged daily and gas tank full kind of girl – or always looking for the dern cord kind of gal?
No. I don’t put gas in my car until the gas gauge is on empty. Sometimes this makes me nervous. If you picked up my iPhone, you’d probably see that it has less than 20% of battery life left. I’m always using the Pandora app around the house to listen to music and my battery just drains.
What do you wish readers really knew about you – that blog posts maybe leave out or hide unintentionally?
I am very sensitive. I get my feelings hurt really easily and I can’t stand for anyone to be upset with me. And, I am an introvert. My idea of a good time is sitting at home with my family. And when I’m with friends I’d much rather be sitting on the couch watching a movie and eating cupcakes with a handful of friends.
What gets you up in the morning or keeps you up at night?
A full schedule is what gets me up in the morning and keeps me up at night. There just don’t seem to be enough hours in the day. I try really hard to be “with” my kids when they’re awake, rather than trying to cross things off my list. I know it won’t always be this way, but right now, when they’re little, they need me. So when they are sleeping, I am catching up on house work, responding to emails, writing, cooking, cleaning, doing laundry. All the stuff that every mom in America is trying to get done!
What do you want to be when you grow up – secretly – if you had no responsibilities or ties to anything – just could go for it…
Ha! When I’m in the car, just singing along to the radio, I dream of being a backup singer. I doubt I’d actually ever “go for it,” but I love to harmonize and I love music. But I don’t want to be “the star.” I prefer to blend in. I think the back up singers have a great gig. They get to sing great music, they get to travel, but they don’t have thousands of people staring at them all the time.
What is one thing about motherhood that no one told you – save a new momma from something today…
No one told me how little I would actually know. It’s hard. I love it, but it is hard. And, in my experience, mother’s intuition only goes so far. It is so important to have a support system of other moms. New moms, experienced moms, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers. The advice comes from all kinds, but it’s valuable. It’s helpful. Of course we all know our children the best, but when other women are praying for you and loving on your and your kids, listening to their words and their wisdom helps me so much. So it’s good to let go of the pride and let some women help you. To me, this is what the Body of Christ is all about.
AWESOME, Erin!
I love it.
Any other questions you all have for her?
Or, please leave a comment here to let her know you’re glad
she stopped by Lil Light O’ Mine for the Q&A.
Or, visit Erin at Blue-Eyed Bride and give her some love over there too.
