When I first rebranded my blog and started taking it a bit more seriously in 2014, the first thing I attempted to do was build somewhat of a community with other bloggers. I can’t remember how I went about finding an initial core group of “blogging friends”, but one of the first girls I “met” was Elizabeth. Four years later, she feels like an old friend. 🙂 I hope to meet in real life one day! She is kind, supportive, and so talented in so many areas of this online world. I hope you enjoy her feature today and enjoy learning about what makes her so great. Meet Elizabeth!
Q: Hi friend!! In three sentences or less, tell us a bit about who you are.
A: Hey everyone, I’m Elizabeth–military wife, mama to a sweet little girl, storyteller, and the blogger behind Our Darling Adventure. My little family and I make our home in upstate New York and I’m currently solo mama’ing it up while my husband is deployed. My passion is encouraging other women to thrive in their marriages and family life and I love sharing my own family’s adventures with my readers.
Q: You’re one of my oldest (and sweetest!) blog friends! You’ve been on and off blogging now for a while. When did you originally start blogging, and what has your journey with blogging been like the last few years?
A: Aw thank you! Yes, my blogging adventure has definitely had its ups and downs since I started way back in 2013. At the time, I was a newlywed far away from home and family (we were stationed in Hawaii at the time) and I was searching for a way to connect with others in the milspouse community.
It has been a wild ride these past five years–there was even a time when I seriously considered quitting my blog all together! Through all the changes and blogging breaks though, the sense of community I’ve found and the friendships I’ve made through blogging have been what’s drawn me back to Our Darling Adventure time and again.
Q: Why did you recently decide to do a site overhaul and begin again? (PS: Your site is so beautiful!)
A: To be honest, I really missed my community! As a new mom and a military wife going through deployment, it’s easy to lose yourself in the everyday grind and I definitely felt myself doing that. My hope is that my blog once again becomes the place I share my heart with my readers and I hope that reading about my struggles and successes will help some of them as well!
Q: You are a very talented web designer! Are you self-taught? Do you have any interested in designing blogs again in the future?
A: Thanks! I started designing for my own blog and completely fell in love with crafting a brand and designing a website. I’m self-taught so I love learning more about design and continually improving. (I think that desire is one of the reasons why my blog has gone through so many facelifts–I’m always experimenting!) For right now, I’m content with learning more about branding & design and putting my knowledge into practice on my own blog. However, once life calms down a bit for us, I do hope to start designing for others again!
Q: You guys are an active duty military family like us. ☺ Where are you currently stationed, and what do you like about your current duty station vs. the previous?
A: We’re currently stationed in Fort Drum, New York aka the land of ice and snow! Hawaii is a pretty hard act to follow so I’m not sure there’s anything specific I like better about Drum but I do appreciate the slower pace of life around here…sometimes (#bigcitygirlatheart).
Q: What have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced during your husband’s deployment so far?
A: Oof. I’m not sure if this is my biggest challenge, but this deployment has definitely made me realize just how many little things my husband does around the house that keep it running smoothly. I struggle with time management on a perfect day so balancing housework, baby time, blogging, and my daily to-do list has been a real learning curve for me.
Q: What are your favorite things about being a new mom to your precious little girl?
A: Can I say everything? It sounds cliche but I’ve loved settling into my role as a mama and Baby E makes it so easy (for the most part haha). I love watching her personality blossom and seeing her grow into this little independent mini-person. And also baby kisses–they’re my favorite!
Q: What are some of your favorite ways to have “me” time?
A: Scrapbooking has become my favorite ‘me’ time activity. I’ve always had an interest in memory keeping but never seemed to have the time to scrapbook. Now, after realizing how important it is as a mom to have some time to decompress, I try to carve out at least 15 minutes every day to dive into my paper stash and create. Sometimes it’s more and sometimes it’s less but it always leaves me energized to continue the day.
Q: Where should new readers start on your blog?
One of my all-time favorite date ideas: Chopped Date Night for Couples
If you’ve ever wanted a glimpse into the mind of an introvert: Confessions of an Introvert
And, lastly, a recent post about a topic that’s weighed on my mind: Don’t Call Me a Single Mom
Q: Where can we connect with you on social media?
When I’m not blogging or updating my crafty Youtube channel, I spend most of my time on Instagram but you can also find me on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.
And just for fun…
- Early bird or night owl? I’m definitely a night owl–it’s when I’m most creative.
- Fly or drive? Both have their perks but I’d say flying.
- ABC or NBC news? Neither, I’m more of a CNN type of girl.
- Mac or PC? Mac, hands down!!
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Thank you so much, Elizabeth!
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Is this your first time to Whimsical September? Welcome!
Hello! I’m Erica, the blogger behind Whimsical September. I created the “The Saturday Sit-Down” series in January 2017 as a way to give back to the blogging community and link readers with new bloggers whom they may share similar interests with. Click here to discover more bloggers that have been featured on “The Saturday Sit-Down”. I promise you – there’s some GREAT ones!
Want to be featured in this series?
I have openings starting in the summer of 2018 and would love to feature you! Please fill out the form below and I’ll be in touch with you. It’s totally free and a fun way to bring new sets of eyes to your blog. <3 PS: Bloggers with any size following are welcome to be featured, whether you’re brand new or “seasoned”. 🙂
Hi! I’m Erica, and I absolutely adore sharing my life on this website with you! I come here almost daily to blab about all of the things related to being a regular wife and mother in today’s ever-evolving society. I share about our new home, what’s on our kitchen table, what we’re hanging in our closets, where we’re traveling to next, my crazy 5 a.m. work outs, how I make time for girlfriends, our faith, and much more. We always have a lot of balls in the air and somewhat thrive on the chaos. I believe in the power of story-telling as a form of inspiration and entertainment, so I’m here to do both! I was born and raised in north Alabama and recently re-planted roots here again after my husband transitioned out of the Army (he is now in the Reserve and it’s going so well!) I’m a super proud mom to two little girls (ages 5 and 2) who seem to be the stars of the show around here (for good reason – they’re pretty great!) I’m so glad you found me and are here reading! I hope we can get to know each other here on the blog as well as Facebook and/or Instagram. xoxo
