Friends | A Day in Mollywood

Fall Family Photo Shoot 2012

September 27, 2012 By Molly

Landon is four and Brigham is two and I knew that it was time for a family photo shoot to mark their age. We chose to have Megan take our photos on the first day of fall. She is a long-time blogging buddy of mine (seriously, I can’t remember how long ago I started reading!). We both have two boys that are close in age and she just so happens to have a budding photography business. What better reason to meet in person?!

She was just as sweet and genuine as I imagined and the boys really warmed up to her. Apparently Landon asked her if she could come home with us

What Megan probably doesn’t know is that she has been integral in my journey to strengthen my faith in God. I read her blog, a woman who truly believes in Jesus, and I want to be more like her. Someone that praises Him each day.

Isn’t blogging amazing? I’ve made real connections with awesome people. It just means the world to me.

So thanks, Megan, for encouraging me AND for taking such beautiful photos of our family.

Oh, how blessed I am to have this life and this family.

Filed Under: Blogging, Family, Friends, he's growing up, Naaman, Photography 10 Comments

Drive-By Blogging

July 30, 2012 By Molly

It’s time for another brain dump on this hot Monday!

1. Brigham is showing readiness signs for potty-training. At first I thought NO WAY, it’s too early. But then I remembered we started potty-training Landon at 27 months. Brigham will be 27 months on the 2nd of August! So I guess it’s not as crazy as I thought. We have been reading Karen Katz potty book every night. Afterward Brigham will ask to sit on the potty. Then he smiles and laughs and makes fart sounds with his mouth. It’s awesome. But no pee or poop in the potty yet.

2. I’m starting to have second thoughts about the dental assisting career change. I had an interview at an endodontic office and got called back in for a second interview. I was pushed into assisting on a root canal and I had no idea what I was doing. It was very overwhelming. All the instruments and such. I left feeling like I could never do something like that. I’m wondering if I should just try to find a job in the same field I’ve been in for years. It would be more money and at least I would have some confidence because I know what I’m doing. My poor brain. It goes back and forth every single day and the indecision is exhausting.

3. Landon turns four in just nine days. NINE DAYS! How did this happen you guys? As for plans we are not having a big party and once again, I am so happy we aren’t. We are going to the brand new SeaLife aquarium in Kansas City and then having dinner with family at Chuck E. Cheese’s. This is at Landon’s request. He says he wants to play skeeball, lol. I can’t believe I will have a four-year-old soon. Oh, how time flies.

4. I am so tired of our brown/beige/tan walls. I am ready to make some changes around our house. Add some color and get some new decor items. But the budget won’t allow for any of that right now. Huge bummer.

5. I had lunch with a friend that I met through my blog. I blogged about a church service one day and she emailed me wondering if we went to the same church. We do! How funny is that? So we finally met up for lunch and it was so nice to just sit and be myself with someone. Blogging is strange because it makes you feel like you know someone already without ever having met them in person. Thanks for a fun lunch, Rachel!

6. I’ve started going to the gym again. All of my clothes are too tight and I really want them to fit. I also know how good I feel after I walk/run for a little while and I’ve got to get that back. It is so important to my well-being and I don’t know why I can’t seem to make exercise a priority. We have a membership to a nice gym and it’s time I start using it at least two times a week. I would like to go three times a week but man, it’s hard to get there some days. How in the world do I stay motivated to keep going when there is netflix and popcorn?

Filed Under: Blogging, Brigham, Friends, Landon 4 Comments

BlogHer – One Year Later

July 23, 2012 By Molly

This time last year I was really struggling. My depression and anger were raging. My medicines weren’t right. My anxiety was through the roof. And in a couple weeks I was supposed to fly across the country to the largest blogging conference in the world where I essentially knew no one.

Due to all the personal issues I ended up having a lot of trouble coping while there.

Now a year later, as I watch blogs and twitter and facebook and instagram blow up with anticipation of BlogHer 12, I’m left feeling incredibly sad. I didn’t think not attending would matter that much to me. Turns out it does. A lot.

A year later I’m doing much better. There were long agonizing months to get me where I am mentally. Taking medicines that made me physically ill and emotionally worse. But my medicines and regular doctors appointments have finally stabilized me. I can say with certainty that I am no longer suicidal as I was while at the conference.

I probably would have had a good shot at having fun at the conference this year. There are still so many people I would have liked to see and hug again. There are new online friends that I would have loved to meet too.

I would have liked the chance to say, ”Hi. This is the real Molly. I’m actually a lot of fun if you get to know me.”

But there are no business cards to hand out this year. There are no shopping sprees to buy sparkly things to wear. There are no, Oh my God I can’t wait to meet you in person conversations on twitter.

Don’t get me wrong. I am so happy for every single blogger that has the chance to go this year. The BlogHer conference is an amazing experience. If that’s you, I hope you have the time of your life.

I just wish I could have the time of my life with you.

But just because I’m not going doesn’t mean I can’t hand out my own little piece of advice . . .

Blogging is so important to me. I don’t have the words to say what having this space has meant to me over the past five years. I don’t care how sponsorless and small I am. This means something to me. This small community that I (and you) have created speaks to my heart. Every time someone engages with me through a comment, short or long, I am ever so grateful. Whether it’s on a “look at what I did last week” post or something much more dark and deep. My readers have been through it all with me.

When I came back from the conference last year I made the difficult decision to be open and honest about what happened to me. I bit my lip and hit publish. I was utterly shocked at the outpouring of love and support. Shocked at the amount of people who reached out. Who gave me a little minute of their time to tell me that it’s okay that the conference didn’t go as planned. That there would be a “next time.”

They gave me hope that I would get better. They gave me hope that I could still trust that this blog does good things. For me. For other people.

A while ago I received a handwritten note from a woman who reads my blog. I read it with tears in my eyes. I was so thankful that someone could relate. I helped them see that being real, being imperfect, being vunerable, is okay.

It’s okay to be real, imperfect and vunerable at the conference too.

That’s what I hope everyone gets out of BlogHer 12. I hope you come together as a community. I hope, above all else, that you are YOU and that everyone is accepting of differences. I hope you hug and squeal for a little bit when you meet someone you’ve adored online. And then I hope you take the time to give yourselves a pat on the back. To understand the importance of your daily words.

Because hey. We’re all really doing something important here. No matter what kind of blog we have.

This blogging thing. This platform of millions of blogs all rolled up into one big powerful community.

I’m so proud to be a part of it.

Don’t ever let someone make you feel like what you’re doing is small potatoes. You’re a BIG DEAL.

From the bottom of my heart, friends, have fun at the conference.

Have fun blogging no matter who or where you are.

Filed Under: Blogging, Depression, Friends 12 Comments

Find a New Friend on Kelly’s Korner

May 4, 2012 By Molly

I don’t do many link-ups but I thought this one from Kelly’s Korner would be fun to try. She is doing a “find a new friend” link up where you post your name and the city you live in. This way, you can meet new blog friends in your area! I am especially excited about this because I would really like to help plan a big Kansas City Blogger Meet-Up. I’ve seen other areas of the country do them and it looks like so much fun. For those new to my blog we do have a KC Blog Facebook page and have regular dinners every month. They are super fun so email me at molly@adayinmollywood.com if you’d like to hear more about it! I think you can click the link and ask to join.

Now a little about me and my fam . . .

I’m Molly. I have two boys. Landon is *almost* four and Brigham just turned two. I live in the Kansas City area and I work full-time for an international non-profit organization. My husband is an RN who is moving up the ranks at a wonderful hospital system.

We enjoy weekends the most when we can be together as a family of four. Summer is my absolute favorite season and I can’t wait for swimming and popcicles and Fourth of July (my fave holiday)!

I have been blogging for more than five years and enjoy the connections and friends I’ve made throughout my blogging journey. Blogging has definitely been a motivator in starting and finishing my novel, which I hope to be done writing by the end of the summer.

If you want to know more about me you can visit my about me page.

Thanks for stopping by, friends! Please leave a comment so I can visit you too!

Filed Under: Blogging, Friends 10 Comments

Yeah, sorry about that.

December 9, 2011 By Molly

Oh my Lord, you guys. I feel so foolish for publishing that blog post yesterday. I shouldn’t even call it a blog post. I should call it a blog whine! I knew when I was writing it that I should save it as a draft and forget about it. But something compelled me to actually publish it. I wish I hadn’t now. I contemplated taking it down. But then I would lose all your lovely and supportive comments. I don’t want that! But I am sorry you had to read that crap.

I want you to know that I love blogging. You all reminded me why. It’s quite simple, really. It’s all about MEMORIES and the awesome COMMUNITY that surrounds me when I decide to share something. The fact is someone is always going to be bigger. Someone is always going to have higher stats and more followers. So trying to “catch up” is a losing battle.

I saw something yesterday in the comments. I noticed that people DO connect with me. Maybe not everyone who comes here. They may read and decide, hey, this is not their thing. And that’s perfectly acceptable. I do the same thing! But I’ve got plenty of supportive friends who keep coming back. And I thank you for validating my feelings and accepting me as part of your daily reads.

There is absolutely no reason for me to be upset or ashamed of my blog. I have worked hard to create something special for me and for you. I enjoy writing every single post and then publishing it for your viewing pleasure. That’s what it should be. You were right.

You know what I did yesterday? I went back to my old posts from 2007 and 2008. Most of them are silly little posts about nothing in particular. But as I read through them I realized that I was smiling. It brings me such joy to be able to look back on my life.

I saw baby bump photos from my pregnancy with Landon, photos of my pug Roxie, posts about my car accident and how it caused me such horrific neck pain. I saw trips to visit my sister and photos from my best friend’s wedding day. It’s all there. It’s my life.

I should be proud that I’ve kept it up this long. That I have so many memories forever ingrained on the pages of this blog.

I really do hope you all enjoy coming here. I realize I need to focus on the positives and there are BIG positives happening! But instead I decided to wallow in envy and negativity. That is NOT a healthy place to be.

To sum up, I am a silly woman sometimes. I gave in to the negative and forgot to focus on the positive. This is a lesson I have continued to struggle with throughout my life. I have to learn this lesson over and over.

Thank you for sticking with me as I learn it again.

Filed Under: Blogging, Friends, Silly Me 6 Comments

Wow! It’s my fifth blogiversary!

December 5, 2011 By Molly

I have been blogging for five years today! The past year has been pretty amazing for me as a blogger and I’d like to share a few of the highlights!

I won a BlogHer Voice of the Year award. (seriously? still in shock that this happened!)

I went to my very first blog conference and met some of my favorite bloggers making them into REAL LIFE FRIENDS!

I attended a really cool blogger event at Hallmark.

I finished 50,000 words of my first novel.

I landed my first job writing for someone else. (more on this to come later! I’m so excited!)

I realize I’m not the biggest or the best blog out there. I realize that I’ll never be. And as much as I lament about wanting to be bigger and better . . . I love this little space for what it is. An online journal where, from time to time, some really awesome people come support me.

It hasn’t been the easiest year. It has had its ups and downs. But every time I come here and see a comment from one of my faithful readers, I feel better about life in general. I just want to say thanks for coming along on the roller coaster ride that is my life. I hope you know how much I appreciate you for reading what I write.

I love blogging and I look forward to my sixth year. Hope you’ll continue to come hang out with me.

Filed Under: Blogging, Depression, Friends, Mommy Moments 15 Comments

I am finishing my novel

November 2, 2011 By Molly

Yesterday was a new beginning for me. I decided I am finishing my novel.

It’s National Novel Writing Month. #NaNoWriMo. And yours truly is participating.

For five years I have written a blog. I have spent countless hours on the internet tapping out post after post. Some of which are more than 1,000 words long. I know it may sound silly but this blog has become a home to me. The aroma of coffee while typing. E-hugs from friends. Support. Support. Support. It’s comfy. Like a sweater with pills on the arms. But the sweater has holes in it.

I have seen many of the bloggers I read get book deals. For good reason too. They are talented writers. They’re smart and they work hard. You want to know the difference between them and me? They all had a finished manuscript before they were published. That makes sense doesn’t it?

Five years, friends. Five years of ideas and stories and photos. Five years of commenting and networking and succeeding. Five years of almost quitting and then making a comeback. Five years of growing and changing and hurting out loud. I love this outlet. I love my readers and those who comment. I know you’ll be just as supportive when it comes to my book!

I started a novel ten years ago. Back then I had a naive confidence that only a fresh journalism graduate could possess. Manuscripts, queries, literary agents, book proposals, publishing companies. I was going to make it happen.

Then my best friend died. And I was frozen. Just like the day she was buried.

We sat next to one another in a high school creative writing class and I shared my poetry and short stories with her. She never critiqued me. She never judged. She always believed in me. I loved her so much for that. But she’s not here anymore.

So it’s time I start to believe in myself. I know she would like that. I think a lot of people I know would like it if I started to believe again.

Believe that the four chapters I wrote ten years ago could actually become something more than a word document. I have to work through the pain of my past and get to the last page. It’s easier said than written. But I’m going to do it. My characters and their story are aching to come to life.

For Naaman who has been nagging at me to write my book for years. I’ve always told him, “No one will want it.” His rebuttal is, “Not if you don’t write it.”

For my Dad who for the longest time has said, “Just write a page a night, Molly. You’ll have your book in no time.” You were right, Dad. I’m sorry I didn’t listen until now.

For my college English professor who told me that I could get published no matter what I wrote. Thanks for the vote of confidence. I still haven’t been able to find out where she went after I graduated but I still think about the moment she told me that. I was frightened when she said it. Because I realized she could be right.

For my boys. When they are asked what their mom does for a living I hope they can someday say, “She writes stories.”

But most importantly for me. For the girl who wrote her first short story at six-years-old. For the girl who told her mom she wanted to be a novelist when she grew up. For the teenager who laid on the floor writing poetry while listening to Alanis Morissette.

I said I would publish a novel by the time I was thirty. I’ll be 33-years-old in a month. I can’t be happy until I’ve done this. I want to feel what finished feels like in my hands.

Here are my tools:

#nanowrimo tools

Coffee. Lots and lots of coffee. Dr Pepper for an extra kick of caffeine when the coffee starts to fail. Tissues. God knows I’ll need them. Maybe someday you will too. A keyboard. Preferably with non-sticking letters. And some confidence. Yes, I’ll need that too.

Do you think I can do it? Would you buy my book?

I sure hope so.

Filed Under: Blogging, Friends, Mommy Moments 20 Comments

I’m a Sluiter Nation Recruit!

October 12, 2011 By Molly

I’m so excited to have been chosen as a Sluiter Nation Recruit over on Katie’s blog! I have been reading her blog for some time now and she is a wonderful writer. I also got to meet her at BlogHer and it was pretty darn cool to actually see her smiling face!

If you’re coming over from Sluiter Nation, welcome! Don’t know the first thing about me? Here’s the synopsis. I hope you’ll stick around awhile and follow me on my journey.

Warning: sometimes you will cry reading my blog. Tissues are optional.

If you’re one of my readers I hope you will click on over to read the post I wrote. I may be biased but I happen to think it’s a good one. Comments are closed here but I would love for you to comment over there!

Either way, I’m glad you’re here. Thanks for stopping by today, friends.

Filed Under: Blogging, Friends

hello, again.

September 15, 2011 By Molly

This Friday, I will walk into a familiar restaurant to have dinner with two ladies I used to love more than life itself. The last time I had dinner with them together it was 1997, the year we graduated high school.

These girls were my best friends. We shared every secret, every hurt, every hope. We shared laughter and clothes and tears. But in the summer of 1997 the friendship abruptly stopped. It took years to repair my heart because these wonderful girls are the only thing that kept me clinging to life during high school.

Oh, how I missed it when it ended. Those dinners where we would meet in our hometown, order chicken strip baskets and laugh until the sound wouldn’t come out anymore. I can’t recall what was so funny. But everything was always funny. I think it was just all four of us together. Being exactly who were were. We didn’t have to pretend with each other. It was unconditional friendship.

Now, fourteen years later, three of us live in the same town where we grew up. I am shocked that I can write that. I swore I would never move back. But it actually feels good to be somewhere familiar. I think I am a person who needs to feel connected to her roots. There are memories everywhere, yes. But it doesn’t bother me because I try to treasure the good ones.

Last time we were all together we talked about boys and band and college and more boys. Oh, how the conversation will have changed.

Instead I’m sure we’ll talk about our beautiful kiddos and wonderful husbands. I gather we’ll also talk about the fourth friend. The one who can’t come to dinner. The one we miss so much but lives only in our hearts now. I know I’m supposed to accept it. I know that. But if I’m being honest, I really wish God would give this one back. If only for one night.

She may not be here anymore but the memory of her is. The memory of the four of us is still out there somewhere. Maybe it lives on in another group of high school girls. Thrift store shopping and gossiping and dreaming.

I am happy about this little night out. I can say for certain that I have left the past behind. There is no more animosity. The grudges have gradually disappeared with time. There is only gladness to see my old friends again. Friends who meant so much and still do.

Look at me . . . I grew up. I guess it was bound to happen some time.

Filed Under: Friends, Pour Your Heart Out 7 Comments

BlogHer – The Good Stuff

August 22, 2011 By Molly

I’m probably the last of the 4,000 bloggers who were at BlogHer to do a recap but nonetheless, this must be recorded. So grab a snack and get cozy, folks. This is gonna be a long one. Here’s the good stuff that happened at BlogHer.

The plane ride to San Diego (and I don’t even like flying).

This one time, as I stood in line to board the plane from KC to San Diego, I saw a face I thought I recognized. Then I realized that I most certainly recognized the woman’s baby. It was Casey and her baby Vivi! from Moosh in Indy! I poked my head into her private conversation and said something like “hey, you don’t know me but I know your baby.” Awkwarrrrrd. Probably not the best way to start a conversation. But her baby is kinda famous in the blogosphere. Then Casey told me that I could just come with them when it came time for families with children to board. “I’ll tell them you’re my sister” she said. Yeah, THAT HAPPENED. And then I got to talk to Casey and her friend Heather for three and a half hours whether they wanted to or not because you can’t escape on a plane (no photos even though we all had our cameras out on the plane. How does that happen?)

Dinner with internet friends without a computer screen between us.

I made it to San Diego just in time for dinner. After exchanging plenty of hugs and squeals we were off! We were all exhausted and hungry. Unfortunately the restaurant did not since the urgency we had to fill our faces with food. It took forever. Upside to bad service? More time to gab about our cute kids. I was super psyched to eat din-din with some of my faves. Jill & Torie (two of my roomies!) & Chelsey & Mandy & BA & Jenni & Erika & Mae & Stephanie & another Mandey. You’re all good people.

photo via mandey of mama and the dudes

Pathfinder Day – My Blog as a Book Proposal.

I would like to say I left feeling confident that I will someday score a book deal. But instead I left feeling a little discouraged. I know it’s all about my own insecurities as a writer. I just need to be confident in my writing and believe that I will be a published author someday. I at least have to try and now I have a better idea of how to get started in the world of publishing.

Clever Girls “I’m with the Brand” party.

My roomies and I all went to a rooftop party the night before the conference officially began. I also ended up meeting a couple new blog friends, which it turns out was something I really enjoyed. I didn’t realize how much I wanted to make new connections until I was surrounded by so many bloggers I had never seen before. I was so curious. Who were all these people? What did they blog about? My inner-journalist was out in full-force. Too bad I had a massive panic attack and cried in the bathroom. But fake lady gaga cheered me up. And apparently, I’m not the only one who hides in the bathroom at BlogHer. I would have met her. But I was too busy crying in front of fake lady gaga, remember?

I was almost drunk enough to think she was real

BlogHer sessions.

Okay, so I didn’t make it to many sessions. The google calendar that I organized and color-coded everything I wanted to attend? It wouldn’t print. So I used the new BlogHer app (thank God and good job, BlogHer!) otherwise I would have had no clue when anything was. But I thoroughly appreciated the words of advice I received from these talented and inspiring women.

Expo Hall.

If you’ve been reading my blog for any length of time you should know that I’m not real big on product reviews or sponsorships. It’s not my focus and it will never be. I started this blog for the chance to write what I want. I will never work with a company or shop that I don’t feel matches my goals or the needs of my readers. That being said, there were a few brands that impressed me. And more than a few that didn’t. I got a few freebies and a few business cards of companies I thought were a good fit.

Other awesome people I met.

Diana made me feel like a celebrity, which was pretty cool. Suz might be the nicest person I have ever met. Miranda is the definition of awesome and is so supportive. Torie is just a beautiful person inside and out. Jenni is like my sister but she lives far away ::stomps feet::

top left – Diana
top right – Suz
bottom left – Miranda
bottom right – Torie & Jenni (linked above)

Random encounters with bloggers I love.

(I curse myself that I didn’t get photos of all these chance encounters! Next time, maybe?)

Katherine Stone. One of my internet heros. She is the founder of PostPartum Progress and has helped so many women since the inception of her blog and now her non-profit. The fact that she “hung” with me for any amount of time is mind-boggling. She’s a busy lady and I appreciate her kind heart and her words of wisdom more than she will ever know. (didn’t get a photo, DAMN IT!)

Heather of Extraordinary Ordinary. I’m still a fairly new reader of her blog but that doesn’t seem to matter to her. She cares enough to respond to my comments (something I suck at) and even email me with words of encouragement. In short? I adore her. She inspires me and I was hooked from the first post I read. I’m so glad I got to meet her (and her new baby Elsie!).

Morgan of The 818. I’m also fairly new to Morgan’s blog. In my anxiousness about actually going to the conference I read a post she had written about BlogHer ’10 and it helped me realize that I should give it a go. After the Voices of the Year Keynote Speakers I had planned to go to the reception. But when I looked around and realized I didn’t know a sole I took off running back to my hotel room. Morgan stopped me and talked me into going with her. I seriously wouldn’t have gone if it had not been for her. And I certainly would not have met my blogging idol (see below). Thank you, Morgan. You’re a genuinely caring and lovely person and I’m so glad I met you.

Kelle Hampton & her Nella. My heart jumped when I saw her. Then I saw her again. And again. And again. But I was too chicken shit to say anything. Finally, Katherine (did I already mention she is awesome?) forced me to say hello and I was able to tell Kelle what an inspiration she is to me. I about peed myself when she said hello to me the next day and remembered my name. Holy hell! She’s like a celebrity to me! So if you’re reading this, Kelle, thanks a bunch for making me feel important for five silly minutes. (another missed photo opportunity! But it happened, swearsies)

Aunt Becky, creator of Band Back Together. So we got stuck behind a train after dinner. A big long train that wasn’t moving at all. I’m standing, arms crossed, anxious to get to the next event. I turn around and see a girl with a t-shirt that said Shut Your Whore Mouth. I thought she must be pretty awesome to wear a shirt like that. Then someone said it was Aunt Becky. And since an effing train is blocking my chance at doing anything, there was no other option but to ignore my anxiety, turn around and say hello (thank you, train). If you haven’t visited Band Back Together, well, what are you waiting for? It’s an amazing website where anyone can submit their painful story in writing. And it helps people. People like me. People like you (look I have a photo of this one).

Aunt Becky and the t-shirt

My roomies. My awesome roomies. Jill and Suzanne and Torie. I love and respect you ladies. You were just as kind and beautiful as you seemed on your blogs. I was so impressed with your ability to make friends and network with brands. You’re all amazing moms while also being go-getters in this big bloggy world. I’m proud to call you my friends.

Suzanne & Jill & photo with Torie is above

And if I missed you just know I’m sorry. My fingers hurt and this post is way too long. I loved you all!

Finally, a big thank you to Invitation Consultants for sponsoring me at BlogHer. I saw so many of the pink blogger bag tags. I will for sure be ordering some cute stuff from your website very soon!