Location: Layton, Utah

Kids: I have 5 kids Boy 17 (He was a bonus child, my step-son), Girl 10, Boy 8, Boy 5 and Girl 3

Why do you choose to stay at home?
I have always wanted to be a stay at home mom. I didn’t want anyone raising my kids other than my husband and myself. It has always been my dream job.

What are your favorite things about being at home?
I can make my own routine, I can cook when I want, excercise when I want….anything I want… I am in charge! I like wearing the pants and my husband would prefer it that way!

What do you find the most difficult?
The whining, tantrums, and the power struggles. Oh don’t forget the runny diapers, and throw up!

Your (just yours, not what with your kids) favorite things to do?
Taking Photos, Design things for blogs, and websites, Go on dates with my Husband, Go to a great resturant with good friends or Hubby. Go shopping when I have money.

One mom MUST have you can’t live with out?
Wipes

If you were on a deserted island, name three things you’d have with you:
My Family (that’s ONE thing, right?) Matches and a Boat.

If you weren’t staying at home, what job would you have?
A full time Photographer

One thing you wish you could do but don’t have time during the day?
To plunge into more crafts, and home decor

Advice for moms:
Take one day at a time, and enjoy it. They really do grow up too fast!!

If you could do anything different with your life what would that be?
This one is hard, I love my life the way it is, the grass is never greener, I am so blessed with what I have.

What is the best and worst day of your stay at home mom “hood”?
I think the best moments are when you bring home those sweet little newborns. Nothing more sweet!
My worst day? hmmm Probably when the doctor told my that my baby boy had a heart defect.

What is the most fun date you have ever been on with your hubby?
When he purposed to me.  It was on my Birthday, he brought me breakfast in bed, then handed me the newspaper and he put a personal ad in there for me saying, “Hope this is the best birthday ever!” We then went horseback riding, came back to his place and had a picnic.  Then for dinner we went out to get chinese food then a limo picked us up and we got a ride all over the Salt Lake valley while he popped the big…. “Will you marry me?”  And I was soooo stinkin’ excited I was laughing and crying and screaming all at once!  Of course I said yes!!  It WAS the best birthday ever and date and Purposal!!!

Add one question for the next stay at home mom being spotlighted!
Who is your favorite Woman Hero?

So I’m adding yet a new thing to Project stay at home mom. I love pictures and I love taking pictures! Wordless Wednesdays will be just as they sound. Wordless. However, a picture says a 1000 words, so would it still be wordless? he he…

So here is my first wordless Wednesday (minus the fact that I had to tell you about my wordless Wednesdays!)

…what summer is all about…

Today is all about going back to basics with the GAP. Comfy jeans and a fall sweater…what else could be better?! When you start out with a basic color you can dress it up or leave it how it is. To dress is up, add some cute earrings, a necklace, scarf or bracelet. I like to (and this may be my dirty little secret) go to thrift stores and find fun colored slip on flat shoes. I have a pair of American Eagle dark pinkish purple (same color as below) I found at DI and It’s amazing what a pair of shoes will do to an outfit! So it’s always fun to add a little color pop to a basic top!

Okay so do you remember going home from the hospital. New baby in arms and an ugly little diaper bag! This week’s must have is a CUTE diaper bag!!

I headed on over to:

I found this site when I went to the Mom’s who are making conference a few months ago. It’s an AWESOME spot to go if you are a mom and looking for something with moms to back it up! Moms enter the info of their fave stuff, you can fave it and then when other moms come to look (like I did today), they’ll find other moms faves! How cool is that?!

* * * * * The Baby Tree * * * * * * * * * * * MarieLynn Boutique * * * * * Dreamscapes baby boutique

So there you have it! Some “not so diaper bag looking” diaper bags! If you have a MOM MUST HAVE, let me know! missa425@gmail.com

Location: Mapleton, UT

Kids:3! Warren 6, Kaila 3, Mary 1.

Why do you choose to stay at home?
I want to be here for my children whenever they need me. If my 1st grader is sick at school, and needs me… I’m here! I even get to go into the classroom to help without having to “miss work.” If my girls, who are at home, want to go to the park or out to lunch, I’m the one who gets to go with them! I was a Kindergarten Teacher for 3 years while I had 2 of my 3 kids. It was really hard to miss out on some of their “firsts” . I didn’t like to just hear about it later, and a picture didn’t do it justice. Nor did seeing it for the second time. I enjoy taking my kids to school, picking them up, and having a snack ready for them when they come home!

What are your favorite things about being at home?
Watching my kids play and laugh together. We like to do fun things. They don’t always get along, but when they do, it makes me SO HAPPY! I also love going on runs with the kids. I push my girls in the double stroller, and my son rides his bike along side of us. It’s been really fun! We like to stop and look at all the farm animals we pass, and talk about nature as we go. It even gets them used to the idea of exercise! I love having them invite friends over to play. We have “sprinkler/popcycle parties” when it’s hot outside, leaf parties in the fall, and “sledding/snowman building” parties when it’s winter! I also like having my children’s life being slow paced. If I was working outside of the home, it would be hard not to be stressed all the time. I enjoy letting them have their “inventive play” time.

What do you find the most difficult?
Lack of adult conversation and getting up and going in the morning! I have to have an agenda or I go crazy!!!

Your (just yours, not what with your kids) favorite things to do?
I like to go running when it’s warm and skiing when it’s cold. I also enjoy make digital scrapbooks of my kids and of my husband and I together. I also LOVE going out to dinner and watching a movie! Love those movies! Also a guilty pleasure: Sappy LDS Romance Novels.

One mom MUST have you can’t live with out?
My “Flip Mino”

If you were on a deserted island, name three things you’d have with you:
My three addictions: Chapstick, bread, and my family!

If you weren’t staying at home, what job would you have?
Kindergarten or Preschool Teacher!

One thing you wish you could do but don’t have time during the day?
Do my hair and makeup and shave my legs!

Advice for moms:
Stay positive and remember WHY you chose to stay at home when things get tough. Make it fun for you and your kids and remember they are only young once.

If you could do anything different with your life what would that be?
Travelled with my husband before having kids!

What is the best and worst day of your stay at home mom “hood”?
WORST: going to the grocery store with 3 kids for the first time (and every time following). Best: When I saw my two oldest children kissing their baby sister and welcoming her to our family for the first time!

Add one question for the next stay at home mom being spotlighted!
What is the most fun date you have ever been on with your hubby?

Today I’m giving a shout out to some very awesome girls! If you have noticed on the side bar, I have two great links! The Girls Loft and Shop Kim. A week or so ago, I asked some friends and family members if they had any hookups to some products that could be donated.These two AWESOME ladies didn’t hesitate to help out!

Kim, a long time friend from my very first mommy board (over 7 yrs ago) has started making these really GREAT adjustable rings, and has recently added housewares and other gifts to her fun collection! The rings are really fun, vintage inspired and totally unique! I asked Kim if she’d be willing to donate and she was AWESOME enough to send me four rings for my FOUR goodie bags! Kim sent me a set of these two way cute rings below! Come check out Shop Kim for more great things!

I then asked this very FUN and spunky lady, Margie (who I JUST met a few months ago at the mom’s who are making it conference). She does these really AMAZING scrap kits and MORE and I thought it would be awesome to add a couple scrap things to my bag. Well the other day I had gotten out of the shower, was 1/2 way naked and my daughter ran into the bathroom saying “mom a friend is here with scrapbook stuff”. I didn’t really put two and two together, so as I’m hopping into my pants yelling “I’ll be right there”, Margie’s gorgeous daughter was just waiting for me at the door. I walked into the room, towel in hair) and saw her standing there with TWO boxes! Both boxes were STUFFED FULL of scrap booking goodies!! Oh. my. GOSH!!! Margie! You are such a sweetheart for sending that stuff! Besides making me REALLY want to get new scrapbook stuff, I am just humbled at how generous you were to give all this stuff to my little Project stay at home mom! Thank you!

SO..head on over to The Girl’s loft! Margie and her daughters have some CUTE stuff!

THANK YOU, THANK YOU to both Kim and Margie! for your AWESOME donations!

If you know anyone who would like to donate, send me an email missa425@gmail.com

Today everything comes from Target!
I love Target…how could you NOT? Everything there is cute and priced great!

What do I love about Target clothes?

* Everything is priced just right! No spending $100 on a pair of jeans or $40 on a shirt like you would at the mall.

* They always have RACKS full of clearance items! Always!

* You can really mix and match all their stuff to make one great outfit.

* I LOVE Target shoes! Adding a cute pair of shoes with a plain shirt can really add to the whole outfit.

So there you go! 4 great reasons to shop at Target and get some great clothes!

In my time of being a mom, I have had three strollers. One was given to me by my mom for my first son and it lasted all the way until my daughter was in preschool (so for 5+ years). We were walking to school, I ran across the street and ran RIGHT INTO the crib and the wheel broke off. I was so sad, because this stroller was great, I love it! It was a Graco.

I got a double stroller when my daughter was born, and it didn’t last long…and my third was a second hand one we got because my good one broke lol. It’s sitting in our shed not being used because it sucks like my double stroller did he he.

So this weeks MOM MUST HAVE is a GOOD stroller. I seriously used a stroller so much and it was so nice to not have to run after my kids! I’ve asked a lot of moms and the two most popular strollers are the Phil & Ted and BOB.

Love my Phil n Ted’s too! I I love that it’s a double now but a single when I will want just a single later. Since you probably don’t need a double, I’d go with any good quality jogging stroller.
~ Kirsten, Utah

Phil & Ted’s Double Sport….Love it!
~ Kerry, Utah

I do love my Phil and Ted’s double stroller with the detachable sling back!
~ Jennifer, TN

Love my Bob. Both single and double. Hold my water while I jog, has a great rain guard, my running gps fits perfectly on it, the free spinning front wheel function makes it easy for shopping, and it can go anywhere a wheelchair can go.
~ Corinna, UT

I love that it holds my diaper bag right there on the back of the handle. The handle is high and comfy. I like the storage space on the bottom too. Plus, you can change the wheels to walking mode or jogging.
Mindy, Utah

So there you have it! If you are looking for a FAB stroller, you have two awesome brands to choose from! And I’ve got to say about the BOB stroller…My sister has one and that thing is AWESOME! I thought I liked my GRACO…the BOB is so smooth and SO easy to maneuver.

If you have a stroller YOU love, let us know! Leave me a comment!

Location: Anchorage, AK

Kids: Ryan almost 5, Kara 2, Brooklyn 1

Why do you choose to stay at home?
Sometimes I wonder this question while the kids are driving me up the wall. But I love being at home with my children knowing what is influencing them. Teaching them preschool and getting to play with them too.

What are your favorite things about being at home?
Love to cook especially get Ryan involved in it also. Lots of fun playing with the kids and taking them to different parks and playground all around the city.

What do you find the most difficult?
Not focusing on the bad times but realizing that the good times outweigh them so much.

Your (just yours, not what with your kids) favorite things to do?
Finding the time once a year for watching movies, reading a good book, getting pampered at a spa.

One mom MUST have you can’t live with out?
my double stroller is a lifesaver with girls only 14 months apart.

If you were on a deserted island, name three things you’d have with you:
drinking water, working iphone, sunscreen

If you weren’t staying at home, what job would you have?
Probably still an insurance agent, but I would rather be a student trying to get an accounting degree.

One thing you wish you could do but don’t have time during the day?
Doing my hair and makeup.

Advice for moms:
We all break down once in a while, it’s okay. Just remember all the hugs and kisses make it all better and you won’t remember what was so frustrating in the first place.

If you could do anything different with your life what would that be?
I wish I would finish college and become an accountant.

Add one question for the next stay at home mom being spotlighted!
What is the best and worst day of your stay at home mom “hood”?

For any mom who has kids who are JUST getting to the school age, you know how exciting this is! Right?! You finally have some time by yourself to do things you’ve always wanted to do!

My baby girl started kindergarten today! She is my little sass monkey and she melts my heart. I’ve got to be honest, I was the girl who always wanted kids, but some how when it finally happened, it was hard and I didn’t really enjoy it. Maybe it’s because I watch to many movies with “nothing is ever wrong, we all love each other” story lines and I am not the “I love spending time with my kids every single second” kind of mom. It’s a struggle for me. Alissa has been my challenging one (out of two challenging kids lol). She is trouble wrapped up in this CUTE little girl. If you came to my (messy) house today, you’d see her name written on almost every wall in the house. She breaks things, she gets into trouble, but I tell you what I can’t resist those big blue eyes! She could be starting a fire in the house, turn to me with those things and I’d say “Oh, go ahead and burn it down sweetie”. HA HA HA! NOT REALLY!! but she FOR SURE gets off easier then her big brother.

It’s surreal to think that my kids are both in school and in one more year, they will be both in school full time. What will I do with my time? Will I get a job? Will I try and not be lazy enough to stay at home and work more on my photography and templates? Who knows! When your kids are little, it’s fun to think of all the time we’ll have when they are in school, but now that’s it’s so close, I’d better start thinking about it more!!

what will YOU do with your time?!!