Welcome to my blog! I’ve been following ABC & 123 from the beginning, and I’m looking forward to visiting the other blogs that contribute to this amazing cooperative blog run by Katie and Katie!
I’m a SAHM to Emma (3) and Johnny (17 months), with a baby girl on the way. Before becoming a mom, I taught high school (French and Spanish) and then went back to school for a PhD in Medicine. Emma was born as I was finishing my PhD, and I enjoyed taking care of her so much that I decided to stay home with her after I graduated. Thankfully my husband Mike was able to find a good enough job that this was possible for us! A lot of things I learned in grad school are actually very helpful to life as a mom – I know how to research things I don’t know, and writing a dissertation requires patience and dedication (just like motherhood!)
My blog title is inspired by things I love: being thrifty, crafts, and – best of all – being a mom. I love making things with and for my kids, and that is what this blog is mostly about. Here are a couple of my favorite educational posts from my blog:
As for picnics, we try to eat outside as much as possible during the spring/summer, and our favorite picnic foods are watermelon and corn on the cob (I spent the first not-quite-seven years of my life living on a corn farm, so corn is near and dear to my heart!) Since we have a baby due this summer, we’ll be staying near to home, but we’re lucky enough to have several family members visiting us!
Thanks for visiting my blog, please leave a comment so I can be sure to visit yours! If you have an idea of something you’d like to see on this blog, I’d love to hear it!
MaryAnne is a craft loving educator, musician, photographer, and writer who lives in Silicon Valley with her husband Mike and their four children.
Wow! PhD in medicine! I know what you mean about grad school preparing you for motherhood. I was actually told “what a waste” – because I had my Master’s degree in teaching but opted to be a SAHM. I think the degree has helped me so much as a mom! Looking forward to getting to know you!
Mmmm, we love corn on the cob here too :)
I’m all about watermelon and corn on the cob myself! I am also expecting a baby girl this summer. Hope life doesn’t get to “hot” for you this summer. It already has been for me since the temp has been reaching the 90s for us here in Southeast Texas since the end of April. Stay cool!
Nice to meet you. I love your blog!
It’s nice to meet you and your blog! Congratulations on baby #3. It’s great that you could hear your call and stay at home with your children.
Hooray, for SAHM. I love being a SAHM. Nice to meet you.
We’re trying to grow corn in our garden this year, and it just started to come up. I can’t wait!! I had no idea you lived on a corn farm as a kid. How neat! I didn’t know you taught Spanish and French. I just started a Spanish for Tots group with my moms club and it has been a big hit! Lots of singing, dancing, and playing games (all in Spanish). The kids have a blast!
I love your water color activity. Thanks for sharing and congrats on baby #3. I left teaching to stay home with my boys, too. Although I love teaching, I wouldn’t trade this time with them for anything.
Thank for sharing!
Its nice to get to know everyone!
Thank you for coming by and for your sweet comment!
Congratulations on the new baby girl as well!!
nice to meet you! Hope to see more of you around the picnic!
Going to check out the felt map! Nice to learn about you and your family.
My kids are close to the same ages so it is a lot of fun seeing the activities you do with them. I really like the felt map. Also congrats on the baby.
Congrats on expecting a baby girl soon!
It was nice to meet you!
Congrats on putting your family first! It’s hard but great! Truly a blessing! I was a teacher too (elem) but knew I wanted to stay home. It was too tiring teaching first graders all day to come home to a family for me. :)
When is your baby girl due? Hope you are feeling well! I like your felt map! We like all things felt, or at least I do!
I look forward to reading more!
Nice to meet you!! Corn on the cob is a favorite at our house too. I have a few that won’t eat corn but love corn on the cob-go figure :) Congrats on the baby on the way!!
It’s rare to find one who walked away from a lot of career potential to stay home with their children. It’s so nice to see someone else besides me do that.
I wouldn’t trade it for the world, and eventually I might find my way back to the work world, but for now, I’m having a lot of fun with my kids – teaching them all I know.
It’s nice to get to know you alittle more, thanks for sharing!
Hi MaryAnne, Thanks for letting me know about your troubles connecting. I am having them too, I think it’s the Mr. Linky giving us trouble. I took it off and was able to load the page fine, but once I added the code back I had the same troubles. I did manage to get it up finally, and I linked your post. Thank you for joining in, it was interesting learing you have a PhD in medicine!
Hi Mary Anne! Thanks for the fun intro for the picnic.
I think I fixed Mister Linky so you can add your post that way. Sorry for the goofiness of all that this AM.
We LOVE corn on the cob too – yum!
I bet you are getting anxious for the arrival of your new little one!
Katie