OK, I just read this on Spunky Homeschool, and I about fell out of my chair. Some lucky moms are going to get paid to BLOG. Yes, you read that right. There’s a company called ClubMom.com that reaches out to 2 million moms, and they’re looking for moms who blog to pay them a minimum of $500 to $1,000 per month (plus gifts and bonuses) to blog about things moms want to read about.

Yeah. This is for real.

You’ve got until March 30th to give this opportunity some serious thought and prayer, if you think this is something you might like to do. Here’s the scoop (copied with permission from ClubMom.com):

1. Help Us Showcase the Best Mom Blogs ($1,000/month):
ClubMom is seeking a Mom blogger who can launch the “Best of the Mom Blogs” daily Blog!

There are many amazing Mom bloggers across the country, some of whom are starting to grow engaged audiences. ClubMom wants to bring these unique voices and the blogging medium to mainstream Moms across the country. Our 2 million+ members are very interested to hear from other Moms with compelling voices and stories. By showcasing the “Best of the Mom Blogs” daily blog on Clubmom.com, we want to get Moms excited about blogs.

The winning candidate will create a daily round-up blog which consists of descriptions and links to the best blog content written by moms or of interest to moms. Candidate will be responsible for researching and reviewing the latest Mom blog posts on ClubMom as well as in the blogosphere and determining which blogs to feature on the site and in the newsletters. We are looking for someone with personality, insight, and an ability to develop themes and stories regarding what is happening with Mom bloggers across the country. This represents an exciting opportunity to educate and interest millions of moms on blogs as well as to help existing blogs get attention from millions of moms.

Applicants should have a passion for the Web and media in general, understand how moms across the U.S. use the Web to find information and support, have experience writing a blog, read multiple Mom blogs, and have a strong interest in subjects covered by ClubMom.com.

What’s Involved?
The “Best of the Mom Blogs” Round-Up Editor will be expected to research and review blogs for inclusion in the round-up blog; write entertaining descriptions and headlines; post at least 5 days a week; be the face of ClubMom to the blogging community; and, on occasion, participate in PR activities. In return, she will receive a monthly salary of $1,000 plus 20,000 ClubMom Points redeemable for items like gift certificates, with a performance-based bonus structure to possibly earn more.

To apply:
There are 3 parts to the application. Only candidates who complete all 3 will be considered. Send us an email with the following:

1. Tell us about you. Here’s what we’d like to know:
Your Name and contact information
Can you devote a couple of hours per day to this blog?
Beyond the basics above, tell us who you are and why we should hire you to be the Round-Up Editor
What kind of unique voice or spin can you bring?
Share some ideas for how you’d get readers to your blog.

2. Show us what you’d write. Write 3 days of the Round-Up posts.

3. Show us what you’ve written. Include links to three writing samples, preferably blog posts, which showcase your writing talent and voice.

Completed application should be emailed to roundupblog@clubmom.com by March 30th. We’ll review applications and contact applicants for follow-ups on a rolling basis.

2. Wanted: Mom Bloggers ($500/month):
ClubMom is looking for Mom Bloggers willing to contribute their interesting and distinctive voices on a variety of topics!

If selected, you can reach more than 2 million Moms who are already part of ClubMom (and that’s just the beginning) and get paid for doing what you love.

We are excited to round-out our member and expert generated content with bloggers who have compelling and engaging voices and represent a diverse group of moms writing on diverse topics. We are looking for Moms who can tell compelling stories and get our members emotionally involved.

The plan is to start out with about ten blogs but that can change based on the quality of the applications we receive. If you or someone you know would make a great blogger on ClubMom.com, please apply and/or spread the word!

What’s Involved?

Candidates will be evaluated on writing style and voice, your ability to get our members emotionally involved, as well as dedication and commitment. Accepted bloggers will be expected to write frequently (at least five posts a week) and in return will receive a monthly salary of $500 plus 10,000 ClubMom Points redeemable for items including gift certificates, spa services, movies and more; with a performance-based bonus structure to possibly earn more.

Here are some topics we think moms would be interested in reading about:

Parenting:
Pregnancy: Just found out you’re pregnant? Share the joys and challenges of your pregnancy and beyond with other moms. (group blog – 3 spots or individual blog) – applicants can be at any stage of the pregnancy
Parenting Novice – 1st time parent with a newborn
Homeschooling
Raising a tween or teenager
Raising child with special needs

Diet & Fitness:
Preparing for a physical challenge: Preparing for your first marathon (or triathlon or some other physical challenge)? Share your training highs and lows as you prepare for the big day.
Starting a new diet (group blog – 5 moms who are on different diets)

Relationships:
Military Life: If you or your husband are in the military, share your story.
Dating: Are you single and on the dating scene?
Going through a tough time and looking for advice from other moms

Time For you:
Celebrity Gossip
Fashion & Beauty

Health:
Going through challenging health issues
Someone you love going through challenging health issues

Home:
Making a Big Move (big move – city to suburb, across country, out of country, etc.)
Major home renovation project
Cooking – Trying new recipes

Money & Jobs:
Starting a business
Working from home
Family budget tracker
Trying to make it in show business
I’ve got the best/worst job of all time

Politics & Activism:
Running for office / officeholder / or working on a campaign
Trying to make a difference in the world

Faith & Spirituality:
Interfaith marriage
Raising faithful children

Blogger’s Choice: Got a fantastic idea for a topical blog that doesn’t fit into the categories above, but you think would be a great addition to ClubMom.com? Tell us about it in your application and we’ll consider it.

To apply:

There are 3 parts to the application. Only candidates who complete all 3 will be considered. Send us an email with the following:

1. Tell us about you. Here’s what we’d like to know:
Your Name
How we can contact you
What would you like to blog about?
How many hours per week do you think you could devote to your blog? Be honest!
Beyond the basics above, tell us who you are and why we should hire you to write this blog.
What kind of unique voice or spin can you bring to this topic?
Share some ideas for how you’d get readers to your blog.

2. Show us what you’d write. Write 3 potential blog posts on your chosen topic.

3. Show us what you’ve written. Include links to three writing samples, preferably blog posts, which showcase your writing talent and voice.

Completed application should be emailed to topicalblog@clubmom.com by March 30th. We’ll review applications and contact applicants for follow-ups on a rolling basis.

If you know others whom you think would make great applicants, please help us spread the word! Please feel free to post this on your own blog.

P.S. My personal opinion? This is the first wave of thousands of positions that are going to become available to talented bloggers. Why? Blogging is good for business. People are introduced to companies online now, and a blogger’s voice is the 21st-century storefront. It won’t be long before every company with an online presence will need to have a blog to attract and retain customers. Who wants to visit a site that never changes? It’s like having a mannequin out front to greet customers. Bloggers are living employees, giving companies a face that actually smiles and a voice that says, “Come on in and spend some time here.”

Have you heard of God Allows U-Turns? I just discovered this book series has a blog! It looks like we’ve been missing a party.

Allison Bottke is the author of this series featuring stories written by people who’ve experienced the dramatic power of God changing the course of their lives.

I read over at The Writing Life that Terry Whalin is the guest blogger this week. Then I discovered that Allison has arranged a whole 2006 Guest Blogger Series, and many of my favorite writers are coming up. So, I’ll be checking back over there to see what’s going on — and maybe you can too!

One thing I like about reading other people’s dramatic stories is that it helps me think about my own life. I’m sure each of you have experienced a life-changing moment, a fork in the road, that perhaps changed the course of your life. Have you ever written that story down before? Reading other people’s stories may help trigger your own memory, and you’ll always be thankful you’ve written down your story.

Who knows? You may end up being featured in one of Allison Bottke’s future books! Here’s what she’s looking for now:

CURRENTLY ACCEPTING TRUE SHORT STORIES IN MULTIPLE CATEGORIES:

Publication Dates: TBA
DEADLINE: July 30, 2006

God Allows U-Turns
The Choices Couples Make
The Choices Moms Make
The Choices Families Make
Medical Miracles

Have you ever had to make a tough choice as a mom? As a couple? As a family? Here’s a chance to submit your story.

P.S. I’ve read some of your blog posts that I think would be perfect stories for these books. You may get an email from me to bug you about sending it! Notice the deadline — you’ve got over four months to polish your story up!

This week’s Carnival of Beauty is being hosted at Scribblings by Blair, so if you’d like to participate, you’ve still got until 3 pm today to post on the topic of “The Beauty of Order” and send Blair your link.

I confess, I’m shooting two birds with one stone here. One of my high school friends is co-authoring a book on the subject of “Breastfeeding,” and she’s asked me a couple of times to send her some tips. Well, it’s one of those things I keep meaning to get around to but haven’t. Then yesterday I realized my #1 tip for nursing moms also relates to the theme of order, so here goes.

First of all, if you’re one of my guy readers (and I know you exist, though most of you never comment!), you may just want to click on out today — because this is woman stuff here. That is, unless your wife is taking care of a newborn — in which case, what I’m saying here may make you the hero.

I don’t like to talk about controversial subjects in my blog (got too much else going on in my life!), but I do have strong opinions about the importance of scheduling a routine in homes with newborns — and toddlers for that matter. This is something that doesn’t come naturally to me — we were so blessed to be invited to take a class before our first son was born. The couple who taught the class were our neighbors, and they were the experts for me — with three happy, orderly children.

The first thing we learned was how important it was to establish a schedule for feeding your baby. This is especially important for nursing moms. Why? Because if your newborn nurses more often than every two hours, he or she will be “snacking” and not getting the rich hind milk that comes from nursing long enough to have this released. Plus, you’re going to be exhausted if you’re nursing a baby every hour around the clock.

When you can establish a flexible routine of nursing every 2-3 hours (aiming for 3), your life will start to have some order, and your baby will learn how to sleep longer at night. Getting a full night’s sleep is important for you and your baby — if a baby continues to wake up several times a night, he or she will probably be a toddler who can’t sleep well either. This makes everyone grumpy!

I’m not the kind of mom who likes to nurse out in public, so I liked to schedule my feedings when I knew I’d be at home — or in a quiet place (as much as possible). I didn’t carry my newborn in a sling and let him or her nurse all day. I know there are moms who do that, but I think this can be exhausting, especially when you’ve got two or more siblings who want to sit in your lap and be held.

With each baby I brought home from the hospital, I scribbled out a very flexible routine — that I adapted and changed each week as it became more apparent how this baby’s personality fit into our family. This schedule helped me keep my sanity, and I can’t imagine if I’d had to survive the first six weeks without having something written down to go by.

Moving on from feeding your baby, here are some other advantages of establishing daily routines. It’s very easy when you’re home with only one baby or toddler to fall into a slump of “I have nothing I really need to do, nowhere I need to be, so I think I’ll stay in my pajamas all day.” This is OK every now and then — even fun! But it shouldn’t be routine, or you’ll start to resent your husband for being out in the “real world” of adults, while you’re staying home day after day in your pajamas.

You should plan something for every day, and write it on your calendar. “Today, I will get dressed and go to the grocery store.” Or plan out a little schedule of weekly activities that you can do with your baby — or even something that you can do without your baby. I specifically joined a gym and church Bible study that both provided great child care!

Even when we were pinching every single penny in graduate school, I kept our two little ones on a routine. We didn’t have the financial means to take expensive Mommy-and-Me classes, but we looked forward to daily walks with our neighbors, free library storytime, and a couple of mom playgroups. At least three times a week, I tried to plan something that involved getting out of the house for a little bit — even if it only meant for a walk down the street.

Why am I writing all this? Because I have such a tender heart toward new moms. Sometimes I felt so alone during those early years. It’s so much easier when you have older children because they’ll have schedules that dictate how you spend your time — the baby will just come along for the ride wherever you have to be.

But it’s easy to fall into depression when you’ve got a newborn, and you’re home alone. Since many women don’t make up a schedule to live by — they feel like they’re bored or on the verge of going crazy, and they end up heading back to work as soon as possible. This makes it even harder for the moms who stay home because you really have to seek out like-minded stay-home moms.

Wow — I feel like I’m just getting started. Yikes. Blogs should be quick to read — sorry! Can you tell I’m passionate about this topic?

This week’s Carnival of Beauty is hosted by Marla of Just Marla, and our topic, of all things, is “The Bible.” As I’ve given this some thought during the week, I keep realizing how much I need the Bible as a mom. Are there other people like me, who feel like they’re dry and thirsty without daily refreshment from the Word?

I periodically look through my list of key phrases people type into search engines to find my site. It sometimes baffles me how a certain phrase will lead someone here. This past month, I noticed these phrases among many with the keyword “mom/mother:”

— frustrated mom blog
— bone tired mother
— advice for moms raising teenage boys
— frustrated mom of preschoolers
— christian words of comfort to a mother who is having a hard time with a teenager trying to discipline

I imagine what led a woman to her computer to type in one of these phrases. Perhaps she had a long day of work — either away from home or AT home with her children; she drove her mini-van to the grocery store or Stuff-Mart at least once during the day to pick up some necessity, kids in tow; she prepared at least one meal for her family, though possibly all three, including snacks (semi-healthy of course); then she drove her kids to all their activities and kept up with the other moms; she oversaw her kids’ homework; helped them with baths (if they’re still young); read them a bedtime story (or three or four); listened to their prayers; and tucked them in bed. Of course, somewhere in all that, if she has a husband, she shares time with him, discussing the day, planning for the next day, maybe even having a real conversation once the kids are in bed.

At some point during the day, she taps into her computer, “Bone Tired Mother.”

This is what I imagine, at least. She’d be even more bone tired if she’s a single mother, with no one to help share the load, and financial strain weighing heavily on her mind.

So what can I say to encourage these moms?

What I’d like to say is that there was another woman, in another time, who was also bone tired, exhausted from a fast lifestyle that made her feel cheap and used. She felt unloved and unworthy. When she went to draw water from a well in her city one day, a man who was there asked if she’d also get him some water.

“How can you ask me for a drink?” [she questioned Him.]

Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water.”

“Sir,” the woman said. “You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water?” …

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:9-13 NIV).

A spring of water … doesn’t that sound refreshing?

These verses are what I want to pass along to the bone tired, frustrated mom who is trying to manage toddlers or discipline teens. Dear mom, I hope you will find a few minutes today to read from the source of the well — maybe even opening up your own Bible to read John 4 and underlining or circling the phrase “living water.”

Then, if you want to see how the Word of God can change someone’s life, I have to send you to a powerful testimony I just discovered yesterday. Over a period of several years, through friendship and sharing Christian books, Carol of She Lives shared Christ with her housekeeper, who has now discovered Living Water. I know you’re busy and you have so much else to do and read, but if you have a chance to read She’s Got a Housekeeper (in three parts), this is what life is all about! Thank you, Carol, for sharing that with us!!

When the Samaritan woman at the well met Jesus, she couldn’t wait to go tell everyone else the Good News! I think that’s why many of us blog — we want to do the same thing in the 21st century.

When we’re thirsty, God’s Word is a well, always offering us a continual source of refreshment.

Let us drink deeply, sisters.

We’re back today to finish up chatting with e-book expert Alyice Edrich of The Dabbling Mum, who is telling us how we can write about our passions in an e-book form and build a home-based business — while our kids do their schoolwork or nap.

If you missed yesterday’s interview, you’ll want to read it so you can learn the basics of writing e-books and exploring niche markets. Today, I’d like to learn more details about the selling part (oooh…that word scares me.)

Hi Alyice. Thanks for coming back to tell us more about e-books.

You’re welcome! Glad to be back.

So, if I’ve decided on a topic I’d like to write about, how much do I have to write to be able to sell my ideas as an e-book? How long should an e-book be?

An e-book should be as long as it needs to be to get the point across. Often, people come up with a great title, a great theme, but then leave the readers hanging because they don’t put in the time necessary to write a thorough book.

If you’re writing a book on how to build a tree house, for instance, your book will need to be comprised of things such as: do you need a building permit, how to get a building permit, how to draw up a blue print, how many people will be needed for the project, how to tell if a specific tree is sturdy enough, what types of woods are there and which are best, should you use nails or screws, shingles or cement, etc.

Then of course, you’ll need to decide if pictures should be included and if you use pictures, will they be sketches or actual photos — in which case you’ll need to build a tree house from scratch. Such a book could run 200 pages.

If you’re going to write a book about building a tree house, it does no good to just give a list of rules in 20 pages. People could end up buying too soft of a wood, untreated wood that warps once put together causing a safety issue in the structure, and nails that rust or loosen over time.

So, it looks like writing an e-book is a pretty in-depth process. Is it worth all the time it will take to research?

By taking the time to go into detail, providing more than surface answers, your readers will tell others about your book and you’ll gain more sales through word-of-mouth advertising.

That’s true. If customers are happy, they’ll be the ones telling other people about the product. But the whole idea of selling things scares me!

Marketing e-books is just like marketing any other product. You have to develop a business plan. You have to discover your target audience and then you have to pitch your e-book to that target audience.

You can market your e-book through word of mouth, speaking engagements, published articles, advertisements, press releases, radio interviews, etc.

What about online marketing? Do you have any tips on how we can do some marketing from home?

Sure. Here are some tips I shared with an e-book writer looking to increase sales by promoting from her website:

— Find websites that accept articles about your e-book’s topic and submit articles related to your e-book’s theme.

— Find forums where your target audience hangs out. When someone has a question related to your e-book’s theme, reply with a 250-word answer, then include a brief announcement about finding more answers in your e-book in your tagline.

— Volunteer to discuss your e-book, in an organized manner, in chat rooms that relate to the theme of your e-book. Most authors only think of chat rooms that discuss the secrets of writing and selling their books. While that can be a great place to start, your best bet for converting your time into sales is by targeting your target audience.

What about a blog tour? Is there a way we could do this with e-books?

Yes, blogs are wonderful mediums, and people love hearing from authors. You can visit blogs with subject matter that relates to the theme of your e-book. There are a several ways you can do a blog tour. I’ve written an article about it with more detail.

You can also visit appropriate blogs and leave a comment that truly responds to the post, and then link to your sales page. Or you can ask bloggers to invite you to write short content for their blogs.

And here you are! You’re offering all of us Mom 2 Mom readers useful information in case we decide to try writing e-books as a way to earn extra income for our families. And you’re also helping to market your own e-book.

Well, I feel like we’ve just nicked the tip of the iceberg — and I still have a thousand questions. Is there a place we can visit to learn more?

You can visit me at The Dabbling Mum Press and order a copy of my e-book, Tid-Bits For Making Money With E-books.

Great! We’ll also be sure to check The Dabbling Mum website to learn more. Thanks again for all of your help!

You’re welcome.

I want to add a couple of things here: I’ve gotten my own copy of Alyice’s e-book, and it’s fantastic — full of practical research and links that would take you forever to find on your own. She also includes a journaling section with questions to help trigger your thoughts about choosing a topic — which would be helpful for couples to work through together. I also learned that Alyice earns a VERY nice income from her home-based business — in fact, she was able to support her family completely for a few years to give her husband the freedom to finish school.

For those of you who have blogs and would like to invite Alyice Edrich to come tour your blog, you can contact her here. She has a wonderful interview with Carmen at Full Contact Christ-Centric Living about how she organizes her office to make sure she stays productive. You can check out the other stops on her blog tour here as well.

Imagine this. It’s 4 am, and you’re sound asleep. Or you’re sitting in the quiet darkness of your home feeding your baby. Meanwhile, halfway around the world, ten people have just bought a product from you, for $20 each. Now, that extra $200 will go into your bank account to help you pay bills this month. And you didn’t have to do a thing.

That’s the beauty of e-books, which is a topic that’s fascinated me lately. I know so little about them, yet I’m curious. So, I decided to track down an e-book expert who also happens to be a fellow blogger and a mom of teenagers.

Alyice Edrich is the author of several work-from-home e-books, including Tid-Bits for Making Money With E-Books. She’s the founder of The Dabbling Mum, an online resource for parents and small business owners. Alyice enjoys teaching parents how to earn hundreds of dollars by selling information they already possess.

Hi, Alyice. Thanks for stopping in today. Can you tell us a little about e-books?

E-books are electronic, downloadable books. Many are written on very narrow topics, topics traditional publishers wouldn’t print because they tend to prefer marketing to larger audiences.

So far, e-books aren’t as popular as print books because people are still learning about them and getting used to the idea of paying for something they have to first download and print out using their own resources. Some buyers consider this double payment: payment to read material and payment to print out.

What kind of people buy e-books? Is there really a market for them?

Most e-book buyers are people who spend a lot of time online. They are used to the whole “instant access” mentality and look forward to reading e-books that are up-to-date and can be read within minutes of ordering.

Moms who stay at home or work from home also tend to buy e-books over print books because they can research, order, and read while their children are sleeping, which means one less outing.

Oh yes. I know all about the difficulty of getting out shopping with kids. Especially in a quiet bookstore! Can you tell us more about e-book topics? How do you know if you’re really an expert on a topic?

I always tell people to think first about things that their friends and family members constantly come to them asking advice for. That’s always a great place to start because that means you’re passionate about that topic and have often researched for the simple pleasure of knowing more or to help improve your current circumstances.

Most moms think, “I’m a parent and I read lots of stuff to improve my parenting skills, so I’ll start a website or write a book on parenting” or they think, “I really want to stay home and start a home business. I’ve researched a lot of information and am pretty knowledgeable so I’ll start a website geared towards helping other parents stay home or work from home.” While those are great topics, they have actually been done to death and will make it very difficult for new businesses and books to stand out from the crowd. This means that in order to become successful with these topics, these moms would have to work double (and sometimes triple) time just to break even.

Wow. I hadn’t thought about that. What are some ideas you’d recommend for moms interested in writing an e-book?

I encourage moms to stay away from overdone themes and instead find something that is narrower, that they can really call their own. It’s important, when trying to make a living from home, to find an area that is lacking and then fill that area.

Let’s say that you did read a lot about working from home and you consider yourself pretty knowledgeable so you decide to start a work-from-home website to teach others what you know. What you’re doing is actually reiterating what you learned. You have no hands-on experience because you haven’t yet started a business and seen it to success.

Can you give us an example of something that would be better?

Instead of starting yet another, work-at-home (WAHM) website, I would encourage you to think outside the box.

For starters, what do you do for fun? What is the one hobby that you simply cannot get enough of? What is the one thing that your husband says to you, “Why do you have to constantly spend my hard-earned money on that? I sure wish you could make some money off that instead of always spending our money!”

Once you’ve figured that out, sit down and jot down what you know about the subject. Then get online and see what others have written about it. Are there a lot of copycats out there? If so, there is plenty of room for you to be unique and offer something far more valuable. Look around and see what’s missing. What can you offer that others are not providing?

That’s the business you want to start. And that’s the e-book you want to write. Don’t just write an e-book on a specific subject; build a business around that e-book and you’ll open up a floodgate of opportunities.

These are some great ideas, Alyice. I feel like we’re just getting started! But we’ve run out of time today, so I hope you’ll be able to come back tomorrow and tell us more about making money while we sleep!

OK, Mom 2 Mom readers, are your e-book gears spinning? Alyice has given us a start, but tomorrow she’ll be back to tell us more about researching, writing, and marketing our e-books. I for one have a few ideas simmering, but I’d like more details — wouldn’t you?

Meanwhile, Alyice invites you to look at an article she wrote on this topic, as well as visit her at The Dabbling Mum Press.

The Carnival of Beauty is today, hosted by Michele of Chasing Contentment. You can visit her site and read a collection of nine posts written on the theme of The Beauty of Friendship. Michele says:

This morning, I found an e-card in my in-box from a friend, thanking me for my friendship. The card mentioned that February is International Friendship Month, a fitting time for a Carnival about friendship.

She also took the time to look up several scriptures relating to friendship — so this whole Carnival is inspiring, and I’m glad I’ll have this link in my archives. I’m sure I’ll be peeking at it again in the months to come. I’ve enjoyed that Technorati search tool in my sidebar a lot lately — I’ve found a blog to be a great place to store my thoughts that would have gotten lost if I hadn’t recorded them.

A quick note of congratulations to those of you who are finalists in the Share the Love Blog Awards. You can vote for your favorites until February 27. I only recognized a few of the finalists, and one is Katy’s Fallible blog, which is my pick for best design. I recognized her to be a kindred spirit because she also interviewed Mary DeMuth on her blog tour. If you love the French language and antique beauty, you’ll love Katy’s site!

Hmmm…how can I say this? More than ever, I appreciate Sallie of Two Talent Living’s diligence in making sure the blogs nominated for her awards last fall were clean for viewing. I visited a few of the finalist’s blogs to consider voting, and I felt like a frog who hit boiling water and jumped right on out. Why do women blog about such crass things? I don’t know. I guess I don’t get out much beyond the blogs in my blogroll and participants in the Carnival of Beauty (and those of you kind enough to leave me comments!) Just a warning, in case you were heading that way.

This week’s topic for the Carnival of Beauty is “Friendship,” hosted by Michele of Chasing Contentment. I’m having such a great time reflecting on these topics — I think about ideas while I’m going about my daily routines. It’s amazing what inspiration comes to my mind while I’m washing dishes, which is why my handy dandy notebook has wrinkled pages from soapsud-induced mad scribbling. (Does anyone else feel like you’ll die if you don’t write something down?)

So while I was thinking about friendship, sweet Blair at Scribblings by Blair tapped me for a Valentine meme about marriage. The question was, “What’s one thing you’ve learned about marriage that you could pass along to others?” I started writing about my parents — because most of what I know about marriage comes from observing them my whole life — but then I thought — Hey! This topic ties in great with friendship. So I saved my answer for this Carnival.

Being married to your best friend is one of the greatest gifts life has to offer. I thank God every day for this gift in my home now. But I also had this modeled for me growing up. My mom and dad are the best of friends. My mom brags about my dad all the time, and he brags about her. This is what I’ve observed makes a happy marriage.

Next month, my parents will celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary. They’ve spent four decades of life together. I love hearing them tell stories of how they met, dated, and spent their early years of marriage. My dad was in the Air Force, and I was born on an Air Force base in Kansas City, Missouri. We moved around a few times, so I was a toddler in Texas a while before we moved to Georgia. (Just wanted y’all Texas friends to know that.)

Over the years, my parents’ friendship has deepened and weathered the storms that life sends through. They took the calling seriously to raise three children and make sure we were in church every Sunday. No matter how busy we were, Mom always had us sit down together for supper, and I enjoyed watching my parents interact with each other — like friends — and talk and laugh about their day. The TV was never on while we ate — and everybody pitched into the conversation. (Even when I was a snooty-hooty teenager and dinner interrupted my busy agenda of phone calls and fashion planning.)

So, to answer Blair’s meme, marriage is all about friendship — first of all in having a friendship with God though Jesus Christ so you have the perfect role model for relationships — and second of all, it’s a lifelong friendship that grows and changes and is an adventure.

I’m still learning about this, which is why I love reading women’s blogs who describe their happy marriages. To double the blessings of my life, God gave me a husband whose parents also celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary last year. So, they should be the ones writing about marriage! I’m still the quiet observer, writing things down with my soapy dishpan hands.

How do you stay friends with someone for an entire lifetime? Here’s what I see. Marriage is a living thing, like a plant, that grows and needs constant attention. We were reading a book with our kids the other day about seeds, and it showed one of those giant Redwood trees in California. The last line of the book said something like, “Can you believe this tall tree used to be a seed?”

On our wedding day, we’re like a seed, planted into the ground. Then through years of growth toward the “Son,” we become like a tree. (Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a LIGHT for my path.”). Our roots should be deep enough so we’ll weather various storms that pass through.

How do we cultivate that seed? From watching my parents, I’d say:

#1 Surround each other with love and grace, the same way God gives it to you.
#2 Work on your sense of humor — laugh about the crazy things life deals at you! Have a lot of inside jokes that only your family knows about.
#3 Keep finding creative ways to celebrate the happy events — and tell stories about them over and over.

I could write a ton more — but I know you’ve got more blogs to click into — so I’ll just say this: if you’re a parent, the best gift you can ever give your children is to cultivate the seed of marriage and show them what a lifelong friendship looks like. It’s more important than anything else. I can’t thank my parents enough for giving me four decades of love, laughter, and celebration worth writing about!

P.S. If you don’t have a friendship like this as a role model, you can learn so much from great books! The Bible is #1. But I highly recommend The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman. And if you feel like a pioneer in this parenting gig, I just finished reading Mary DeMuth’s inspiring book, Building the Christian Family You Never Had — it’s a wonderful resource!

Thanks for your response to my desperate plea for vegetables yesterday. Now I can offer you a well-rounded buffet with a feast of recipes from eleven bloggers and two friends of Mom 2 Mom (plus one of my most often-requested recipes. And another blogger’s link I couldn’t resist passing along.)

I really enjoyed serving as your hostess this week. Once again, the biggest thanks goes to Sallie at Two Talent Living for sponsoring the Carnival — out of 27 million blogs out there, she’s helped us find some like-minded friends.

If I’ve missed anyone, please email me or send me a comment — my server seems to be a bit overzealous lately in blocking some messages — so I hope I haven’t missed yours.

Well, I wish I could spiff up this place a little bit, set out a tablecloth, or something. Hope you enjoy the potluck!

Thank you, Lord, for lavishing your love upon us through fellowship with other women who enjoy writing online. Your grace is overwhelming. Help us to continue encouraging each other to shine our lights into the world through our words. Bless our food today — and give us the wisdom and energy we need to prepare good meals for our families. Amen.

In her entry, Food for Body & Soul, Iris at Sting My Heart reminds us, “Although food for the body is essential for living, we as Christians need to feed on a different kind of food.” You’ll enjoy her mouth-watering recipe for Philly Steak Sandwiches here.

What better way to share a recipe than through step-by-step photographs? That’s what Bethany at A Picturesque Life has done for us, sharing a recipe she loves making with her children. In her post, Monkeying Around and Making Monkey Bread, their smiling faces will inspire us all to try this with our own families.

From across the Atlantic in the south of France, Mary of Relevant Prose sends us her Tres Vite Cinnamon Rolls, which she enjoys making with her teenage daughter. And in case that’s not enough for us, she’s also included a whole page of links to her favorite recipes, which are sprinkled throughout her blog.

For those of us with busy evening schedules, Trish of Simplifying Motherhood sends us her kid-friendly Parmesan Chicken Sandwiches. Even though her husband’s baseball schedule is hectic, she still places a top priority on sitting down for nightly family suppers.

And just when we were about to run out of ideas of what to do with a package of cream cheese, Marla of Just Marla offers us nine delighful recipes in her Ode to Cream Cheese. In case you’re wondering, she says, “Yep, the pictures were taken by me of actual food I made and ate.” It looks like she’s on her way to making her own cookbook someday.

Although Blair of Scribblings by Blair claims she doesn’t have a knack for cooking, she does have an incredible gift of writing. Get out your hankies when you read how she found the perfect way to enjoy Chicken ‘n’ Biscuits with her husband in A Valentine Memory.

In honor of her grandmother who recently passed away, Carrie from Of Christian Women shares a recipe for Pistachio Jello Salad. In her post, The Love in Food, she writes, “My Grandmother was a very family-oriented person who enjoyed showing her love through keeping her family well-fed. Being at my Grandparents house was like a never-ending feast … You really could almost taste the love.”

In her post, No Comfort in Chocolate, Carmen of Full Contact Christ-Centric Living once again delights us with her wit and wisdom. After a bizarre, chocolate-provoked experience, she learned why she finds comfort in foods that build her body and give her energy while tasting great. She offers us gorgeous pictures of God-made fruit, along with a tantelizing recipe for Fruit and Kefir Smoothie — yum!

Now, in case we’re feeling overwhelmed by nightly dinner preparations, Carol of She Lives shares her secret for keeping her family fed without a lot of fuss. She Lives, but not to cook. In her post, She’s Not All She’s Crocked Up to Be, Carol gives us several easy, down-home recipes that will entice us to dust off our crockpots and simmer something Texan.

Patricia of Pollywog Creek Porch shares a recent article that says, “Research now suggests that calling a food a comfort food has less to do with its qualities than with its ability to trigger happy memories and feelings.” On that note, her mind is filled with happy memories of serving her family Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins in her post, Comfort Food.

In her post, Connoisseur…of Good Food, Deb of Mountain Musings offers us a mouth-watering casserole that will inspire us to whip out the shoepeg corn and green beans. She does offer us this warning: “Unfortunately, I have learned that this dish is probably not for husbands and sons…so just take it to an occasional gathering so you can be sure to enjoy it every now and then.” A potluck club special here.

And rounding up this delicious buffet, I’m bringing you a collection of favorites from friends of Mom 2 Mom Connection. Lou Alice shares her Southern hospitality with a creamy grits recipe that is delicious paired with baked salmon. Lisa will keep you busy enjoying recipes she’s collected over the years from her family and favorite restaurants, including Chicken Divan, Roast beef with New Potatoes and Carrots, Chicken Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing, Tossed Salad, Breakfast Casserole, Broccoli Salad, and Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries.

I’ll also add in my recipe that brings me a ton of traffic from the search engines. Guess what most moms in the world are dishing up for their families? You got it — a new spin on good ol’ Macaroni and Cheese.

And I can’t let this Carnival go by without a link to one of my all-time favorite posts — I hope she doesn’t mind — it’s Sallie’s cache of homemade recipes from her classic post, My Quest to Eat at Home.

There you have it, ladies! A true Potluck Club. Let’s eat!

Here are several tried-and-true recipes that are sure to make you the Belle of the Buffet at your next Sunday School potluck.

Submitted by Lou Alice:

LAURA’S GRITS

(4-6 servings)
1 can chicken broth
½ cup cream
2 T. Butter
½ cup quick grits (NOT instant grits)
Pepper Jack or Monterey Jack cheese

Mix liquids in pan, Bring to a boil. Add grits and let rise to a boil. Turn down to a low simmer for 5-7 minutes. Add grated cheese. Stir until blended. Serve immediately. (4-6 servings)

Lisa has gone through her recipe file and compiled a list of her absolute favorites. This should keep us busy for a few meals!

MT. VERNON GARDEN CLUB’S CHICKEN DIVAN
Grandmama made this delicious recipe for many of her friends that were sick, tired, or just were in need of some good cheer. This is an excellent casserole to take to friends who are pregnant, sick, or that have a new baby.

2 (10 oz.) packages of frozen broccoli
2 cups of cooked chicken, cubed
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 cup mayonnaise
package of silvered almonds
i tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. curry powder
1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Arrange cooked broccoli in greased casserole. Top with cubed chicken. Combine remaining ingredients, except for cheese and bread crumbs. Pour over chicken. Top with cheese and bread crumbs. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, or until bubbly. Enjoy!

ROAST BEEF WITH NEW POTATOES AND CARROTS
This is one of my husband’s favorite meals. I love it because it cooks all day in the crockpot, and when I come home from work, dinner is ready.

London Broil
4-6 New potatoes, washed, quartered, and with the skins remaining
1 bag of baby carrots
Meat tenderizer
1 bay leaf

Fill the crockpot halfway with water. Stab the London Broil with meat tenderizer. Place the roast into the crockpot. Wash and slice the new potatoes, and place into the crockpot. Wash the carrots and place into the crockpot. Place the bay leaf on top of the roast. Cook on high for the first hour then turn down to low. Cook for about 6-8 hours.

MIMI’S FAMOUS CHICKEN SALAD
This is from a little restaurant in my husband’s hometown. They have the best chicken salad!

4 whole chicken breasts, bone in
Mayonnaise, Hellmann’s
1-2 T. celery seed
Pickle relish
Salt
Pepper (I use white pepper.)

Boil chicken until tender. Let cool, cut in bite-size pieces. Place chicken in mixing bowl. Add just enough mayonnaise to moisten chicken. Add 1-2 tablespoons celery seed. Add 1/2 cup of pickle relish. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix together. If salad seems too dry add more mayonnaise or pickle relish. Store in airtight container in refrigerator. We serve a big scoop of chicken salad on a bed of leaf lettuce with fresh fruit and poppy seed dressing and a muffin. We also serve our chicken salad on a fresh croissant. Delicious!

MIMI’S POPPY SEED DRESSING

1 1/2 c. white vinegar
2 c.. sugar
1/2 sm. onion, grated
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. poppy seed
1 c. mayonnaise
3 c. salad oil (Wesson oil or Crisco oil)

Mix in blender or food processor on high speed. Great on fruit salads! We have many customers who request this dressing with other salads as well! Delicious on fried chicken salad. Make some extra for gifts at Christmas!

TOSSED SALAD A LA LYNDA
Mom made this salad for our engagement dinner, and it was wonderful! My mother-in-law insisted on getting this recipe.

1 head of Boston lettuce
As much Iceberg lettuce on hand
1 Carrot, grated
(Other raw vegetables as your refrigerator provides)

Have available:

Black olives
Croutons
Cheddar Cheese

Dressing:

1/2 cup oil
1 cup salad vinegar
1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch dressing
Pour dressing over salad. Add croutons, black olives, and grated Cheddar cheese. Toss and serve!

MOM’S BREAKFAST CASSEROLE
Mom & Dad always serve this wonderful casserole for Christmas brunch along with sparkling grape juice. It brings back fond childhood Christmas memories.

Chicken, sausage, or ground beef
Seasoned croutons
4-5 eggs
4 cups of milk
Cheddar cheese, grated

In an 8″ x 12″ casserole dish (Pyrex), layer cooked meat, chicken, sausage, or ground beef. Next, place a layer of seasoned croutons over the meat. Mix in a blender or beat by hand, 4-5 eggs, 4 cups of milk, grated cheese. Pour the mixture over the top of the meat and croutons. Let stand overnight. Bake in the oven for an hour at 350 the next morning (Christmas morning).

BROCCOLI SALAD
I make this for many family gatherings. Everyone always loves it — enjoy!

4 cups of chopped broccoli
1/2 cup red onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup bacos or 4 strips bacon (I use turkey bacon)
i cup raisins
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. cider vinegar

Mix all ingredients tgoether except bacon. Stir in bacon just before serving. This salad can be prepared the day before serving.

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED STRAWBERRIES
Chocolate-dipped strawberries capture the essence of celebrating Valentine’s Day. In the spring, I love picking fresh strawberries and making this. This is a crowd pleaser!

One 12-ounce package semisweet chocolate chips
One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or liquer (optional)
2 pints strawberries, washed but left unstemmed

1. Place the chocolate chips and milk in a 3-cup glass dish. Microwave on high for 1 minute and stir. If not completely melted, microwave for 15 seconds more; stir. Repeat if necessary. When completely melted, stir in the sweetened condensed milk or vanilla extract or liquer, if using.

2. When ready to serve, reheat in the microwave over low power untll warm. Place in the fondue pot over a very low flame and surround with strawberries and pound cake, if using. Have someone stir the pot as needed to keep the sauce from scorching.

CORN CASSEROLE

This is a recipe from my aunt, who is a wonderful cook. It is easy to make and tastes divine.
1 can of sweet, cream corn
1 can of kernel corn
i pkg of Jiffy cornbread mix
1 egg
1/3 cup of milk
1 pkg of sour cream
Cheddar Cheese, grated

Mix together and bake for 30 minutes. Enjoy!