National Delurking Day 2012

Today is National Delurking Day, which is the only national blogging holiday that I look forward to every year with great(!!) excitement(!!)

(That could be because it’s the only national blogging holiday.  But still.)

My favorite part of blogging is the relationships with you guys.  And being that I’m so not a narcissist and yet I still have to do most of the talking around here, I relish the days when it’s all about you instead of me, me, and more me.

But this year, I love it even more.

At some point during the past twelve months, I had an epiphany: I REALLY appreciate my lurkers.  About 80% of you have never said a single word to me – something that used to completely baffle me.  But all of a sudden, I realized how cool it was that there are actually people out there that would come read my blog regularly, and maybe even find it marginally interesting, without a single bit of personal interaction, ever.

(It kinda shocks me, actually – I don’t know that I’d read my blog if I didn’t talk to myself.)

So today is more than just asking you to say hi, it’s also a day for me to say thank you.

No seriously – thank you!

Thanks for being interested in the ridiculously frivolous fluff with which I crowd the internet (and the occasional slightly more dense stuff), thanks for keeping on coming back even when I write a really stupid post or ten, and thanks for being a part of our life.

So.  If you don’t want to say hi today or, like, ever, I’m totally cool with that.  Because I am celebrating you (yes you!!), and appreciating your odd and inexplicable interest in reading this unnecessary corner of the internet.

But if you do want to say hi, today is your day!!

If you’re new around here and haven’t gotten a chance to introduce yourself yet, or if you say hello only on this day each year (I love you people!!), or if you’ve never said a word to me, I am now metaphorically handing you the microphone.

And if you don’t know what to say, here are a few burning questions that you’re welcome to answer, if you like:

1. Where are you from?  What is something super fascinating about your city?

2. What’s the most awesome (aka most horrifying) stereotype you’ve ever heard about Alabamians? Or…what stereotype have I disproven (or proven) about Alabama?

3. What are your favorite blogs to read?

4.  Do you have Armadillos where you’re from?  Have you ever seen an armadillo?  If not, I am so jealous of you.  Do you have giant flying cockroaches?  If not, I’m moving to your state.

Please accept this post as a token of my extreme gratitude to you – for sticking around even when I talk about vomit and poo.  And when I  rhyme the words “you” and “poo”.

Happy Delurking Day!

98 thoughts on “Lurker Appreciation!

  1. I usually never comment but I do love your blog. It is so witty and I just love it. I have cousins in in Alabama and you actually remove the stereotype that they give (hunting, carrying guns, etc). I just love how funny your blog is. :)

  2. I’m from Findlay, Ohio, but I lived in Alabama for 1 summer doing a research project for the University of Alabama in Huntsville. Can’t say I really took advantage of seeing any sites while I was there, but it was a nice place. And, I’ve never seen an armadillo or a flying cockroach.

    1. Armadillos don’t make it quite as far “north” as Huntsville. From what I hear, they’ve been slowly trudging alongside interstates for years to simply make it to Birmingham. Give them about 30 years…they’ll make it there! And maybe in about 300 years, they’ll even be in Ohio!

  3. Girl, if you think Alabama has giant flying cockroaches then you should check out Central Florida. I grew up there and was terrorized by these creatures as a kid and teenager. To this day if I see a roach I go into a fit and completely freak out. It’s totally uncontrollable and utterly embarrassing. One of my favorite bills to pay every month is our pest control bill – because of them we never have roaches (or any bugs other than the occassional daddy long legs) in our home.

    And to answer your questions (even though I’m not 100% a lurker – I comment occassionally):

    1) I’m from Clearwater, Florida. My city is known for being the world headquarters for the Church of Scientology. Scary scary stuff, I tell ya. I grew up in a large church literally across the tiny road from the C of S in downtown Clearwater.

    2) I’ve lived in Alabama for 14 years now so any steriotypes have been debunked by me. I love living in Alabama. I love the south.

    3) Some of my favorite blogs to read are: yours, Young House Love, my friends blogs, Healthy Tipping Point. I have the ones I frequest the most on the right side of my blog too.

    4) See above about the cockroaches. And, yes, I’ve seen an armadillo, but not in Alabama. They are gross and remind me of horse shoe crabs, but they are not nearly as gross as oppossum.

    1. My husband knows that if he hears me screaming like I’m being knifed to death in a brutal manner, that he better come running – with the roach spray. I’d be much calmer during a knifing event.

      I’m glad you like Alabama!! Always nice to hear.

  4. /delurk

    1. I am from Worcester, Massachusetts, the city of old beautiful churches on every corner.

    2. I may now forever associate Alabama with making things out of meat.

    3. YHL, House Tweaking, Grasping for Objectivity (of course), Nalini Singh’s weblog (free exerpts of her books!), Better After, Enjoying the small things

    4. No Armadillos (pity) and no giant flying cockroaches (thank goodness)! The scariest things in our neighborhood are feral cats. And the neighbors.

    Weird fact about me — I have a deep seated fear of commenting on people’s blogs, especially if they don’t know me personally. All my posts seem to be overly long and share-y.

    Like this one. >.<

    I always imagine the blogger looking at my post and thinking "omg, crazy stalker woman is talking at me again." You guys put your lives out there for us to enjoy and learn from, it seems the least we can do is not stalk you for it.

    This is offset by the fact that pretty much every blogger I read has said they love comments. So sometimes I will delurk, post, suffer agonies of regret and hope I haven't bothered the blogger too much, and lurk again.

    But don't worry, just because we lurk doesn't mean we don't love you!

    Ok, I am feeling crazy and stalkery now.

    /lurk

    1. Actually, you’re one of my favorite occasional commenters, because you’re always entertaining, and I especially love your fabulously geeky use of html humor. So thanks for always making me smile!!

      /ReverseBlogStalking

  5. So it seems there are REALLY giant flying cockroaches. Uuuh. Now I’m scared. I had hoped it was one of Rachel’s jokes again… ;-) (One of those jokes that I read to my boyfriend every once in a while so he understands why I love the blogging world!) I’d thought of visiting the USA someday but after that information I have to think about that again… A LOT!!!

    1. Oh yes. They are real. Horrifyingly so. Luckily, they’re rare sightings around here (Chris knows that he has to keep the house debugged for the sake of my sanity), but nothing can make me have a nervous breakdown quicker than seeing a roach that can fly.

      But don’t worry – they’re not all over the US!! You just may not want to visit CERTAIN portions of the US. ;)

  6. Hello, my name is Annie and I am a…lurker. ( I said w/ due shame. I even hung my head briefly) I am currently enrolled in a 12 step program to control my lurking urges.
    I come to you from Milwaukee, Wisconsin—-that is Wisconsin , home of the World Champion Green Bay Packers. I read your blog because it was spoken of highly by my Birmingham Daughter-in-law, Laura, who will likely die of embarrassment when she reads this . Your blog is fresh, amusing and I love your take on things.
    May I have your permission to keep reading this? Please? I am nothing but a harmless old Granny. I’ve even QUOTED you, for cryin’ out loud!!

    1. Thanks for reading!! I promise not to tell Laura about this comment. ;)

      I’ve been to Milwaukee – a LONG time ago (longer even than the Maryland comment above). What I remember about Wisconsin: going the the cheese factory and seeing gigantic vats of melted cheese, eating unbelievably delicious cheese, and something called “Blue Moon Ice Cream” – I was five years old and I still remember that ice cream – and have never seen it again.

      So enjoy some Blue Moon Ice Cream for me!!

  7. Hi! I’m a relatively new reader (past few months) but have never commented. I love your blog because of . . . Birmingham. My husband and I are Virginians, but we lived in Birmingham for one year (the first year we were married), and I loved, loved, LOVED it. I would move back in a second if it weren’t for — well, our whole life is here in Virginia.

    But I love reading your blog and hearing about places I used to to (Zoes!) and imagining that I still live there and you’re my fun next-door-neighbor. Requests, so I can visit vicariously: posts about Smith’s Variety, O’Carrs, Hobby Lobby, Vulcan, Pepper Place . . . .

    And yes, the stereotypes about Alabama make me angry. When we got back from our year there, people here kept asking us, “How was THAT???” and rolling their eyes, as if we were refugees who had endured some horrible experience in hicks-ville. I always respond very tartly to nasty talk about Alabama and the South.

    1. That’s so cool! Where did you live in Birmingham? I live about 10-15 minutes from everywhere you named, except Hobby Lobby. There is decisively no HobLob anywhere near me. I love Smith’s and O’Carr’s (But not the Homewood one – only the Cahaba Heights one. The Homewood one makes me feel all nervous and crowded on the inside), but the only one of those things I have blogged about before is Vulcan — not much, but it’s the best I’ve got: http://www.graspingforobjectivity.com/2010/02/amazingly-racing-into-trouble.html

      Now I will keep you in mind anytime I’m blogging about anything overly-Birminghammy.

  8. Lurker. Just started like last week, though. Friends were sharing your Mom Jeans articles on Facebook and I fell in love.

    1. Wisconsin, but now reside in the middle of the country. I want to move back to Milwaukee but can’t. So I won’t say anything great about the Great Plains where I live.

    2. I’ve seen some rowdy Auburn fans. Does that count?

    3. Favorite Blogs: http://www.digthischick.net/, http://www.sweetfineday.com/, http://www.girlsgonechild.net/, http://thebloggess.com/, http://matronofhusbandry.wordpress.com/, http://www.soulemama.com/, http://www.younghouselove.com/

    4. No armadillos or flying cockroaches. Although I saw one flying at my inlaws in Florida. SHUDDER.

    1. Rowdy Auburn fans definitely count, although I must admit that Alabama fans, on average, are more rowdy. :-/ But LSU fans are the rowdiEST, so it’s all okay, right??

      And yes, Florida is the only state that seems to have more flying cockroaches than us. Not EVERYTHING down there is perfect…just most things.

      Have a great Sunday, and thanks for saying hi!!

  9. Hi I’m Katie, and I am a lurker.

    I live in a small town in Indiana across the Ohio from Louisville, KY. The interesting thing about my area is we used to have 2 bridges and now we have one. They found a crack in the Sherman minton Bridge and now everyone has to use the Kennedy Bridge. The Kennedy was already 20% overcapacity, and now its neer 200%. I am grateful that I dont work over there so I dont have to sit in traffic for hours.

    1. Oh wow! We had a bridge out for a while that was semi-near me and it was super inconvenient, and it wasn’t even a major thoroughfare!!

      Thanks for saying hi!!

  10. ok, not a lurker, but I stumbled across your blog yesterday, when a friend had linked your jeans article on f/b. Remind me to go back and thank her…you’re pretty funny and I’ve enjoyed reading! My boss may be less happy, because most of that reading occured yesterday, during working hours! shhh, don’t tell! ;)
    Anyway, I’m from Baltimore Md and (today at least) we are famous for our Baltimore RAVENS! (its purple friday here, everyone wears purple). Other times, we’re famous for our seafood, specifically, steamed crabs.

    1. Thanks for joining the fun here!

      I’ve actually been to Maryland … a long time ago. I was really little, but I still remember those cool crab cracking hammers.

    1. New Hampshire – that was one of the states that Ali and I couldn’t find anyone that had ever been there when we did our map a few months ago! Now I can tell her I know someone from New Hampshire. Thanks!! :)

  11. 1. I now live in Hattiesburg, MS. We’re the first ‘major’ city due north of New Orleans so we have more hotels then ‘normal’ for our size city because anytime people want to head north, they usually pause here.

    2. What’s the most awesome (aka most horrifying) stereotype you’ve ever heard about Alabamians? Or…what stereotype have I disproven (or proven) about Alabama? I can’t think of any stereotypes that focus just on Alabama that don’t also apply to other states in the South.

    3. What are your favorite blogs to read? Yours, of course. Just in case you are curious, when I’m relaying something from your blog to my husband, you are “Marshmallow Mom” because the first post I read of yours was you using marshmallows to teach Ali the Presidents.
    http://captaindad.org/
    http://trippin-lifewithtriplets.blogspot.com/
    http://www.askamanager.org/

    4. Do you have Armadillos where you’re from? Have you ever seen an armadillo? If not, I am so jealous of you. Do you have giant flying cockroaches? If not, I’m moving to your state. I’ve only been in the south for a few years now, so I’ve only see dead Armadillos thus far. Unfortunately, that has been long enough that I have had the existence of flying cockroaches visually confirmed. *shudder*

    1. I like being Marshmallow Mom! That’s a lot better than a lot of things I could be called if people started with other posts… poo Mom, vomit Mom, jammed her kid in an elevator Mom…

      And I hope that you never confirm their existence. May you continue to live a blissfully happy life!

  12. Hi Rachel!

    I came in a few days ago after someone posted your hold-your-sides-and gasp-to-get-a-breath-it’s-so-funny jeans article on facebook. So..I don’t consider myself a lurker since I just barely arrived on the scene. ;) But I would have been tempted.

    I’m originally from the coastal NC where they do indeed have giant flying cockroaches. They also have armadillos – except they’re called ” ‘possums” and they share a common goal of crossing the road at night. I live in Charlotte now where neither of these prehistoric creatures exist. That’s why I moved.

    love your blog!

    1. I don’t blame you a bit for that move!! Although trading the beach for a bug-free life… that would be a hard call to make.

      Thanks for joining in on the fun! Welcome to my little corner of the world.

  13. Hi! I’m Dawn from Seattle. : ) There aren’t any armadillos or cockroaches here. I just found your blog, but I’ve been lurking for a few days. I think your writing is fabulous. You are so funny!

  14. Yours was the blog that de-lurked me earlier last year. You are down to earth and approach-able, and once a comment is left, YOU RESPOND! After that I didn’t feel like such a crazy stalker, because you were talking back to me. Now I comment liberally around the blogosphere.

    No flying cockroaches here in Southern CA, and I’d love to have you for a neighbor. (Hope that didn’t sound like a crazy stalker comment!)

    1. Hmm… I’ve been to parts of Southern California that I absolutely adored and wanted to move there immediately, and then other parts that scared me worse than the movie Deliverance (which I’ve never seen, but it still scares me). If I’m going to move in next door to you, we’d definitely have to talk location. ;)

      My favorite cities ever in CA are San Diego, Monterey, and San Luis Obispo, for what it’s worth!

  15. I comment some but am mostly a lurker. Can I still comment?

    1. I don’t live in a city but a township which means we don’t have a post office nor a stoplight. This area is known for their covered bridges. Every fall we have a covered bridge festival where we travel from bridge to bridge, take walks enjoying the beautiful fall foliage, and then travel to the next bridge. We also have a grape festival since this area is abundant with vineyards and wineries. Some of our local grapes even make it in Welch’s grape juice.

    2. I haven’t heard anything stereotypical about Alabamians.

    3. Some of my favorite blogs are sewing blogs, food blogs, and blogs that make me laugh.

    4. I’ve never seen a flying cockroach and am glad I haven’t. I did see an armadillo in TX. It was dead in the street. As a true hick from a township with no PO and no stoplight, we pulled the car over and, with our toddler boys in tow, we oohed and aahed over a dead armadillo in the middle of a busy street.

    1. My Dad would LOVE your area – he used to drag us all over Alabama in search of Covered Bridges!!

      I’d be glad to box up and mail you the next Armadillo I see, if you’d like.

  16. I’m not sure if I’ve ever commented, but I’m officially delurked. I live NW Alabama, but for most of my life I wanted to live in Birmingham. We visit friends and go shopping on 280 pretty regularly… Thank you for making me laugh with your blog!

    1. Thanks so much!! Maybe one day I’ll run into you on 280 – I pretty much live there. Of course, you’ll have to say hi to me first, unless you’re wearing a big nametag or something. ;)

  17. 1. I’m from Mitchell, SD home of the “World’s Only Corn Palace”. Not too exciting, but the kids enjoy it.

    2. Stereotypes….not sure. I guess I don’t have many for Alabama.

    3. Yours, Enjoying the little things and Yarn Harlot are some of my favorites.

    4. No armadillos here. Growing up in southern Missouri, I have seen a bunch of dead ones, but never a live one! No cockroaches either – the crazy wind and winter keep the creepy crawlies far south of here.

    Love your blog. Your ability to make fun of the everyday moments of parenting makes the everyday parenting enjoyable for me.

    1. Corn Palace?? I might have to Google that!!

      We need to work out an exchange program – I can come there when it’s over 100 degrees here, and you can come here when it’s below 0 there. It would be a lovely life!

  18. Hello!
    I come to visit from a small town in West Texas. I don’t really know anything interesting about my town, it’s small and surrounded by dairies and feedyards- you can imagine this place smells amazing sometimes!

    I don’t know about question 2.

    I enjoy LOTs of blogs, including yours- which I’ve commented on only a couple of times. A friend (http://weigleinc.blogspot.com/) said how funny your blog was, so I started reading. She was right! I also enjoy Blue-eyed bride, Kelly’s korner, and E, Myself, and I. I’m a boy mom so I enjoy reading about other boy moms.

    Yes, this is Texas and we have armadillos, but not really in my area. There aren’t really any roaches where I am either- thank goodness!

    Keep up the funny blogging!
    Catie-http://thehawvers.blogspot.com/

    1. Hi! Texas sounds so close, but I know how far West Texas is. We used to drive through Texas when I was a kid – and WOW I got tired of my family by the time we made it to the other side!! :)

  19. Um, hi. I’m with Hanna – commenting on blogs makes me feel weird and awkward, but you all say you love comments, so here I go. I fully admit to being a crazy stalker. One of my friends linked your mom jeans post on FB and I laughed so hard and nodded in agreement so much that I promptly went to the beginning and read right on through to the latest post. See? Totally a stalker. Plus I like back story.

    So. 1. I’m from Colorado Springs. I haven’t lived here long, so I don’t know much about it yet, but I grew up in Boulder, Colorado which is where all the hippies live. Or used to live, until they became lawyers, sued everyone for stupid things like taking up too much sunlight (no joke) and turned into yuppies. But that’s another story. :) I suppose we might be famous for the Broncos/Tebow right now, but I don’t follow football much so that’s about all I know about that.

    2. First off, I thoroughly enjoyed all the football posts. Like I just said, not really organized sports fans in this house, so hearing about the obsession regarding football in your state left me in awe. Way to not do anything by halves! :)

    I was a co-Maid of Honor in a wedding once where one of the bridesmaids was from the south. This was a Colorado wedding in all it’s glory – fun, easy-going, casual – and she was horrified. She complained to the other bridesmaids that her hair stylist did not know how to do a proper chignon, she was surprised at our ignorance of “proper wedding traditions” like who leaves first, (bride’s family or groom’s family?), and she was floored when the other MoH and I flipped a coin to see who would walk in first. Among many, many other things. She probably had to go lay down in a dark room when some of the guests came in wearing shorts and jeans. She kept saying “Well. Weddings in the south are much. much. different. Well.” As a result I did secretly wonder if southern women were all snooty, but I told myself that it couldn’t possibly be true. And you are not snooty, so thanks for giving me hope.

    3. Oh, I have so many. I love blogs. Adoption blogs, craft blogs, life blogs, humor blogs, blogs about God, blogs about food, parenting blogs…I get wifi at the gym, so I can even read blogs while I workout!

    4. No armadillos here, but I saw a dead one once in Oklahoma. It was pretty flat, so it didn’t give me a good indication of their actual appearance… Cockroaches….yikes. I’ve seen one, once. I was horrified. My sister (who lived in Hawaii for a year) laughed at my 1.5 inch cockroach and told me about roaches that were bigger than her thumb. And now I learn that they FLY? Oh. My. We don’t even get mosquitoes here. Let alone flying roaches!!!

    Ok – again with the over sharing. This is why the Lurker Appreciation Day is only once a year, right? :)

    Valerie

    1. Hi!! I have a very special fascination and appreciation for anyone who has the attention span to go back and read from the beginning. For one, I was a terrible blogger in the beginning, and for two, I have like 1500 posts!! You definitely get a special reader award for that one. That is, if I had awards…but I should! And you would definitely win!!

      And yes, I do love Tebow, especially being that we were fellow homeschoolers (and I use “fellow” in a loose term, considering I’m much older than him than I want to consider).

      I promise all southerners aren’t like that Bridesmaid, although there do seem to be an inordinate amount of expectations regarding weddings. I never can remember which side the Groom’s family sits on and which the Bride’s family sits on until halfway through the wedding – and I realize I know no one sitting on my side of the church.

      Thanks for sharing!! Hopefully your awkward feeling has passed by now. It was very nice to get to know you!

  20. Hi,

    I delurk (does anyone else love that word?…Just me? Nevermind) once a year, to say hi and sheepishly comment.

    I’m from Queenstown NewZealand. We like to think we’re famous for the mountains and the scenic beauty but I think Americans actually know us for the fact that the Lord of the Rings was filmed here.

    I always thought Alabama was very much “huntin’ shootin’ fishin’ ” so you’ve blown that stereotype away.

    Your blog is one of my favourite to read. I love that you live on the other side of the world and yet your day to day reality is actually pretty similar to mine. I tend to read Mummy blogs which have some humour. I went through a phase of reading craft blogs but I’ve accepted that I’m never going to be Martha Stewart and given that up!

    I saw a cockroach once in Australia and I’ve never seen an armidillo but I’ve always thought they sounded cool!

    1. Thanks!!

      Yes, I’ve never hunted or shot anything. I think I unsuccessfully tried fishing as a kid…

      And yes, “delurk” is a fabulous word. ;)

  21. Hi Rachel. I had my first comment on your blog a few days ago because both our daughters seemed to be sick this past weekend! I have been lurking a while now. I found your blog because someone (on fb?) sent a link to your mom jeans post! Let me tell you; as a fat chick in Canada (ie: very limited shopping choices!) it is *hard* to find the right pocket placement!!!

    1. I am from Edmonton, Alberta. First home of Wayne Gretzky (hockey-wise) and home of biggest mall in North America. I live in the redneck part of Canada!

    2. What’s the most awesome (aka most horrifying) stereotype you’ve ever heard about Alabamians? Or…what stereotype have I disproven (or proven) about Alabama? Don’t y’all marry your cousins??? ;)

    3. What are your favorite blogs to read? The Bloggess! I used to read many more blogs, but over the years I have lost most of the links :(

    4. Do you have Armadillos where you’re from? Have you ever seen an armadillo? If not, I am so jealous of you. Do you have giant flying cockroaches? If not, I’m moving to your state. We do not have armadillos. Or flying cockroaches. But we do have snow (although none yet this year).

    1. The biggest mall in North America?? That sounds fabulous!! I *might* be a bit of a mall addict.

      No cousin marrying here – we blame that on Tennessee and Kentucky. Funny, though, they blame it on us. Hmm…

      And I can’t believe you haven’t had any snow yet!! That disproves my stereotype of it always snowing in Canada.

      Thanks for saying hi!!

  22. Hello! (I’ve delurked before on your delurking posts. So I thought I’d do it again.)

    I adore you and your blog. You are a hilarious writer and every day I get to read one of your posts it makes me happy. : )

    I’m from a very, very, very hot state. And we are known for quite a lot. The Grand Canyon, the heat, cacti ( :PPPPP ), and our sunsets.

    I love to read blogs that are funny, have some fashion, and are written by godly ladies.

    I have never in my life (unless it was at the zoo…) seen an armadillo. I have, however, seen a cockroach. More than one. Thankfully, when we moved to a bigger house, we got away from most bugs of that sort. I. do. not. like. cockroaches.

    God bless!

    1. Hey Bethany!!

      Congratulations on the escape from cockroaches. When we moved to a bigger house, we had more of them!! Luckily, my handy hubby has banished them in the last four years.

      Surely you guys have something equally as horrifying, right? Like giant biting lizards or something? Then again, maybe that’s Australia. :)

      1. Oh boy, men do come in handy, don’t they? haha

        Well, the heat itself is pretty bad, but we also have snakes. We’ve had one or two in our backyard once, and one tiny one somehow got in our house. (But it wasn’t dangerous at all, thank goodness. : )

  23. 1. I live in Denver Colorado now, but I grew up in Venezuela (north coast of South America)

    2. Um… about all I know of Alabama is from American history class (I’m a Civil War buff).

    3. I actually read quite a few blogs now (probably 60-70), but yours was the first. I think I must have stumbled on it via a Google search and I’ve been hooked ever since. I use a reader to manage my subscriptions and I blame that for my lurking. By the time I’ve clicked through I generally have talked myself out of whatever comment I was going to post.

    4. No armadillos or cockroaches in Colorado (yes to the cockroaches in Venezuela being the big flying ones).

    1. And here I always thought Venezuela sounded like a fabulously exotic place to visit. I’ll go when we all figure out how to get rid of flying cockroaches!! ;)

  24. I’ve been following you for probably about 6 months or so, and I don’t think I’ve ever commented. But you’ve got SUCH a fun blog. :) I kinda wish I could babysit sometime to meet your fun kiddos!! :)

    1. I’m from Darlington, PA. What’s interesting? It’s no city. I live on a dairy farm in the middle of Nowheresville. But it’s only about an hour from Pittsburgh, home of the Steelers, the Penguins, and recently declared the new “it” city, knocking Portland out of that spot. All i know is that in spite of the fun bridges, tunnels, rivers, and beautiful scenery, Pittsburgh is REALLY hard to navigate. Praise the Lord for GPS!
    2. I’ve enjoyed some of the pics you’ve posted showing that Alabama actually has towns/cities. lol. For some reason, maybe because I’ve never been to Alabama, I always picture desert region in my mind. Desert, shrubs, tumbleweeds, and not much else as far as the eye can see. Strange imagination I have…
    3. My favorite blogs… I tend to have new favorite blogs every 4-6 weeks or something like that. Right now I’m loving Words of Williams (wordsofwilliams.com), The Small Things Blog (thesmallthingsblog.com), iHeart Organizing (iheartorganizing.blogspot.com) and ChristianPF (christianpf.com). Oh, and this one called Grasping for Objectivity. I think you’d like it.
    4. I’ve never seen either of those creatures. We do have plenty of bugs though, and mice and other little annoying rodents. Some snakes, too many coyotes, and the occasional fox. That’s all I can think of on the animal-ick-factor scale. The best thing about this area is that we get the best of all four seasons: GORGEOUS Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. And the trees are really lovely here.

    Thanks for brightening my days with your fun posts :)

    1. We’re always up for a date – we’ll take your babysitting!! :)

      No deserts here – Alabama is kind of the opposite of deserts, because you can’t see very far at all because we have trees (and hills) EVERYWHERE. The heat, however, is no joke.

      Your seasons sound lovely!! And Pittsburgh does always look beautiful on House Hunters and such shows.

  25. Hi. I’m your sis-in-law and I rarely comment because of the whole needing two hands to type thing. A luxury I rarely have it seems…. So I guess that makes me a lurker. :(

  26. Hi
    I comment sometime so I don’t know if I count as lurker but I thought I would answer your questions anyway. Even though we did briefly meet when I came and visited Lindsay.
    1. Where are you from? Originally Brandon Florida near Tampa. Now High Springs Florida near Gainesville (don’t hate me because I live in Gator country I generally root for Alabama). I am actually 4th generation Floridian which is an endangered species now a days.
    What is something super fascinating about your city? We have the most natural springs and you can go tubing down the spring fed rivers in the summer.
    2. What’s the most awesome (aka most horrifying) stereotype you’ve ever heard about Alabamians? Or…what stereotype have I disproven (or proven) about Alabama? Since I have relatives from Alabama and Friends I don’t really have any stereotypes of Alabamians.
    3. What are your favorite blogs to read? Yours and Yours
    4. Do you have Armadillos where you’re from? Have you ever seen an armadillo? If not, I am so jealous of you. Do you have giant flying cockroaches? If not, I’m moving to your state. We have both so you can take Florida off your possible states to move to list.

  27. Hi, I’m another lurker. I almost never comment on blogs. I sometimes write a comment but after reading, re-reading and editing I usually decide it’s too stalkerish to post so I chicken out. I found your blog after someone linked that ‘Mom jeans’ post on Facebook. I love reading your blog, it’s always funny and down to earth. I laughed so much at the Mom jeans post that I had to go through and read a lot of your old posts too.

    I’m from Dunedin, New Zealand. There’s not much fascinating here although we can now claim the only (according to the website) fully roofed, natural turf Stadium in the world. Was a very expensive stadium though. LOL

    I don’t really know much about Alabama at all really. I had to google tail-gating after you posted about it because in New Zealand if you are tail-gating then you are driving far too close to the car in front of you. Normally only mentioned if someone is tail-gating you though.

    We don’t have Armadillos or giant flying cockroaches at all thankfully.

    Anyway, keep blogging and I will keep lurking :-)

    1. Thanks for saying hi, and feel free to keep lurking! :)

      Yes, tailgating means that here as well – it’s just not it’s primary usage (at least in the state of Alabama!!)

  28. Hi! HIHIHIHIHI! So, I’m not a lurker…. but wanted to say hi anyways!

    Also I fully support the measure to make more national blog holidays ;-)

  29. I’ve posted once, on your Christmas Lego post, but I’ve been reading for awhile. I too was introduced to your blog through the “Mom Jeans” post. LOL In answer to your questions….

    1. Where are you from? What is something super fascinating about your city? I’m from Carlisle, IA … Home of the McCaughey Septuplets. Other than that, there isn’t much to our town. We have a big sign pointing to the “Historic Downtown”, but it’s really just a very small collection of building. Oh well, we love it and crime is non-existent. I have four kids, 10, 8, 5, and 2 1/2. I also homeschool, this year a 4th, 2nd, and Kindergartener. Also, love my awesome hubby.

    2. What’s the most awesome (aka most horrifying) stereotype you’ve ever heard about Alabamians? Or…what stereotype have I disproven (or proven) about Alabama? I actually didn’t know much of anything about Alabama before the tornadoes of this year. Lots of prayers were sent in your direction!

    3. What are your favorite blogs to read? Your’s is the only one I read. :)

    4. Do you have Armadillos where you’re from? Have you ever seen an armadillo? If not, I am so jealous of you. Do you have giant flying cockroaches? If not, I’m moving to your state. The only armadillos and flying cockroaches I have seen were in the zoo. We live in an old house and now and then we get a plain cockroach, but thankfully they don’t fly and are relatively little. We do have wolf spiders, though. Every fall they start coming in and I have to call the bug man. They aren’t as big as tarantulas, but they are FAST and NASTY.

    Thanks for all you do to brighten my day. I love reading your new posts. I guess I am officially de-lurked now and maybe I’ll post more frequently! :)

    1. I usually don’t mind spiders, but big fast ones would give me a bit of a scare – especially if they were hairy and brown. Brown spiders just seem less friendly than black ones for some reason.

      Thanks for the prayers this year – we really appreciate it!!

  30. Hey. I’ve been following your blog for about a year now. A friend sent me the link to your post on mom jeans and then going to your current stuff I read that you were pregnant with your son as I was pregnant with mine. I guess I just felt kind of like I had someone to help me laugh my way through parenthood instead of cry. I live in Logan Utah for now and we don’t have armadillos or cockroaches.

    1. Ah, pregnancy. I was just thinking about one of my more embarrassing pregnancy posts today!! Glad I could be a friend during that time. :) And what I always think about Utah is the unbelievable amount of STARS you can see in the sky. We drove through at night one time, and it was absolutely stunning!!!

  31. I just love to read your blog because you are so down to earth and honest – but funny all at the same time!
    Alabama …….all my ideas of that come from the Sweet Home Alabama movie…….so yes, you changed what I think of Alabamians lol.
    I’m in New Zealand so never seen an armadillo irl – only on animal planet on the telly (which my children hate – so I torture them with it regularly!)

    1. Sweet Home Alabama is a pretty cute movie…I wouldn’t mind if Reese Witherspoon lived here!! But it does portray a bit more of a backwoods, small-town feel than the Alabama I know.

  32. Gosh, that’s weird – you’ve mainly got followers from the states and New Zealand. I wonder how you got all us New Zealanders? (It was Mom jeans for me too, but can’t remember how I got there…)

    Anyhoo, it is quite facinating seeing the similarities and differences in our everyday lives. Keep on keepin’ on… :)

  33. I am…a lurker. I’d like to think of myself as more of a fan though. I started reading your blog after the famous mom jean post and went back and read all your other posts and I was hooked. I love your wit, humor and attitude towards life.
    I am from Holland, Michigan. We currently have 6 inches of snow and my three boys are outside sledding. My hometown is famous for a Tulip Festival in the spring.
    I haven’t ever really heard a sterotype about Alabama. I just know you have strong southern accents and no basements in your houses. I think…
    My favorite blogs to read are about mostly local moms and their everyday lives and struggles. I follow a savings/coupon blog as well. Your blog is my favorite though. My boys were fascinated by the rabbit post and followup. And the Lego nativity scene. With three boys, we should have bought stock in Lego since we now own thousands of legos. And that is no exaggeration. :-)
    We don’t have armadillos here, nor flying cockroaches. And I’ve only seen a real armadillo at a zoo. And I can’t think of something that qualifies as an equal nuisance around here. I think all the pests we have, you have as well.
    So thanks for opening up the floor to all us lurkers. It’s fun to see where are the readers are from. In fact I think you could incorporate a geography lesson for Ali with all the locations around the world. :-) Keep up the good work and humor…with no pressure of course!

    1. I am so jealous of your snow!! I’ve been wishing for some snow this year… but not a single flake so far. I’ve actually thought about the fact that I need to take a trip to Michigan every year just to get a snow fix.

      I think the basement thing might be lower Louisiana because they’re below sea level, but I could be wrong about that. At any rate, we do have a basement, so there goes another stereotype! :)

  34. Hi! I’m Sonya in Michigan (grew up in southern Cal). Mom to two girls, 3 and 5. I’m pretty sure I got a million chigger bites when visiting family friends in Alabama. Enjoyed the blackberry picking that lead to the chiggers though :)

    My favorite blogs are: http://www.memoriesoncloverlane.com/
    http://www.gradydoctor.com/
    http://www.kellehampton.com/
    http://bestillandknowkw.blogspot.com/
    …and yours of course :)

    No armadillos or flying cockroaches here. Skunks are about our most interesting (and annoying) wildlife.

    1. Oh…chiggers. That is most definitely a truism of Alabama. In fact, I’ve even written a post about getting bitten by millions of chiggers while blackberry picking!! Congratulations on having a true Alabama experience.

  35. Hi Rachel! I’ve been a lurker for a little over a year now. I’m originally from Atlanta, but lived in Birmingham for 10 years before moving to Winston-Salem, NC, last June. I miss the deep South so much! Hopefully we’ll be moving back sometime soon! I’m an only child and have no experience with kids. After 7 years of marriage, with me saying every year that I didn’t want to have a baby, we’re finally thinking about taking the plunge…I have really appreciated hearing all about your parenting stories! I always look forward to reading your blog!

    1. Thanks for saying hi!! Where did you live in Birmingham? And congrats on potential future kiddos!! We didn’t have kids until we’d been married six years, and we are both so very glad. We LOVE having kids, but are also grateful for that long stretch of time that we had to get to know each other to prepare us for the level of communication that having children requires from you! I will say that we both think that the initial adjustment to having kids after being married for so long is harder, but it’s so totally worth it. :)

  36. Hi there, I have tried to comment before but it didn’t work for some reason and I guess I gave up. I do love your blog. Shiree from Pistolsnprincesses is a dear friend of mine and how I was introduced to your blog.
    I have wanted to tell you that your blog makes me laugh out loud for real! And I love that. I love how people have such a way with words and how fun to be so connected to people from all over. I like to read way more than trying to get my thoughts down in words. So I admire all you amazing bloggers. Thanks for sharing and making me laugh so much. I needed it!
    Stephanie
    Oh and I am sorry I haven’t commented sooner. :)

    1. Thanks so much!! And sorry you’ve had trouble commenting. Hopefully it was before I switched to WordPress – that seems to have fixed all of those problems… **crossing my fingers**

      Anyway, nice to meet you!!

  37. Hi Rachel! I have been an avid reader for a few months now, and I am addicted to your humor.

    I was born and raised in Houston, TX. We are known for NASA and oil.

    The only stereotype I have heard is one many Texans hear as well….ignorant. I must say that you are most definitely not. :)

    I read many blogs, but I am not a blogger. I’m pretty sure no one would read, and I’d never know what to write.

    Unfortunately, I have seen many roaches and armadillos. There is a large field behind my house and I always have uninvited and unwelcome visitors in my backyard. An armadillo came into our backyard digging a very large hole. I think she was pregnant and looking for a place to birth her babies. I read online if you sprinkle deer urine on the hole, they won’t return. I didn’t have any deer urine lying around, so I made my husband pee in the hole and cover it up. Our friend has never been back.

    1. You SHOULD be a blogger!! See?? You just did an awesome guest post about getting your husband to pee in a hole. That is bloggy gold, I say.

      Nice to meet you!!

  38. Although I might not officially be named a “lurker” of yours yet (just found your blog a week ago and added it to my bookmark list of fun blogs to read) but I’ll “De-Lurk” myself. I live in SD and am a middle school math teacher. I am horrible at writing but really appreciate and enjoy a well-written blog (yours is definitely one of them). There it is. I’m de-lurked!

  39. I lurk, but have occasionally delurked before.

    I live in Oklahoma, so many of the stereotypes about Alabama apply here too. I don’t believe them about you and please, don’t believe them about me!

    I have driven through Birmingham and found it to be a nice place, you know, from the Interstate!

    I am from Tulsa and we have this guy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Driller How’s that for fascinating?

    We do have the nasty flying cockroaches and apparently we have armadillos in the southern part of the state, though I have never, ever in my life seen a live one. Except at the zoo.

  40. 1. I grew up in Memphis, TN, went to school in Texas, and now live in Boise ID. Soooo glad to be away from the cockroaches! I opened my closet in college once and saw one the size of my thumb sitting there on my pants. Ahhhh! Boise is pretty awesome. There is non-profit (OMG, I know) ski resort 16 miles from downtown, although they aren’t open yet due to the shocking lack of snow. We don’t get much snow in the valley, though, and really the weathers are a lot more mild than people think.

    2. Since I grew up in Memphis, I’m pretty sure I’ve heard every stereotype of the South.

    3. I read yours, The Simple Dollar, boingboing, FemaleScienceProfessor (I teach chemistry), and several Kindle cheap/free blogs.

    4. I recall seeing an armadillo crawling up the side of the Memphis pyramid once, and yes, plenty of them on the side of the road. I’m pretty sure they aren’t in Idaho.

    I’m pretty sure I found your blog through the mom jeans post. You are very talented and never fail to make me laugh. I’m married, with no kids, and sometimes your blog makes me want to have kids, sometimes the opposite. :)

    1. I can totally see how my blog would and wouldn’t make someone have kids. And I’ll take that as a compliment – I’ve achieved balance!! :)

      And non-profit ski resort?? I need to come visit you!!

    1. Alabama – my husband is a complete diehard fan! I knew nothing about football until I married him – and now, after 13 years of attending all of the home games, I am starting to understand!

  41. A little late but finally commenting. I am orginally from Cullman, AL and now live in Auburn. I love your blog and pretend I don’t see the UA love. ;)

  42. I’m really late for this, but I’ve been wanting to “meet” you since I started reading a couple of months ago! I’m from Woodland, AL – a teenytinytown about halfway between Birmingham and Atlanta. Something fascinating about our town – it’s so small we have one family owned convenience store, one family owned restaurant and no stop lights. But I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. I love your blog because I have a 5-year-old boy and a 18-month-old girl, so just backwards from you. Thanks for bringing laughter to my days!

    1. We’ll be passing your tiny town (from the interstate, anyway) tomorrow! Thanks so much for saying hi – I am fascinated by what small-town life would be like. I’ve never experienced it and have no frame of reference whatsoever.

      Have a great weekend!!

  43. Hey! I have to say I LOVE your blog! I randomly saw some photo on Pinterest that caught my attention – mostly because I am always shocked at the obliviousness of many women to the fact that they daily sport the Mom Jean…. and found that the photo was a link to your blog! From there I sent it to my 4 sisters and a bunch of girlfriends, and we send each other our favorite posts all the time now. I think my Pinterest find added you readers in SC, NC, VA, Toronto, TN and CA! Thank you for giving me something to read during brain breaks at work, although I have to be careful not to awkwardly LOL and blow my cover. Take care!

    1. Thanks so much! And welcome – I’m glad to have you around!! Just don’t get in trouble because of me… I don’t need a worse reputation.

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