Top Ten Tuesday: Blogs to Check Out

I’m always adding new blogs to my Google Reader (you don’t have one? You need one, I promise) and I thought today I’d share some of the good ones I’ve come across lately. This is by no means an inclusive lists of my favorite blogs nor is it in any particular order. But they are awesome, and you should add them to your Google Reader (that you now have) too.

1. Organizing Your Way. Part of the “life…your way” series of blogs, I recently subscribed to the organizing section and while I must admit that most of what I read goes into the “awesome idea, I should do that sometime but not today” file in my brain, they have fantastic tips on organizing everything from papers to dinner. And while I was over there to grab their link, I subscribed to the full “Life Your Way” feed. Maybe you should, too.

2. NieNie Dialogues. Here’s how author Stephanie Nielson describes herself: “I am: Returning from a near-fatal airplane crash, burned 80% of my body, and will have surgeries for the rest of my life. Probably. But I am alive. I cherish Mr. Nielson, Claire, Jane, Oliver, and Nicholas.” As though her story wasn’t amazing enough, she has the neatest house. And she also throws great parties.

3. The Fence. I often feel the blogosphere is populated with mostly SAHMs (or WAHMs, or whatever acronym is fashionable at the moment and is meant to mean ‘moms who don’t spend their days at an office.’) and it’s always a pleasant surprise to find a blog written by someone who can relate to the difficulty I have getting out of the house in the morning. Kami Lewis Levin, author of The Fence, is one of the funniest people I’ve ever come across.

4. Baking Bites. You will gain 10 pounds by looking at the pictures, but it will be worth it.

5. Smitten Kitchen. See disclaimer on #4.

6. Gina’s Skinny Recipes. To undo some of the damage done by the last two blogs I listed, I highly recommend this one. It’s my go-to website for recipe ideas that are delicious, nutritious, and low in weight watchers points. Kate, my picky eater (no idea where she gets this. None.), loves Gina’s Crock Pot 3 Bean Turkey Chili, and claims it’s better than my chili, which is the one thing I’m confident about my ability to cook. Or at least I was, until Kate decided she liked this one with chickpeas and black beans better.

7. Bringing Home the Bacon. Holly Michael writes about life as a mom in the corporate world… while raising her three kids on a pig farm (which is just down the street from my house). She also doesn’t like kittens, which means she and I are kindred spirits.

8. Snips and Snails. I was introduced to this blog through Beth from I Should be Folding Laundry (another one to add to your reader!) shortly after the author’s 2.5 year old son was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor behind his eye. Julie’s posts about his struggle continuously amaze me with their openness and honesty. Also? When you see one picture of little Andrew, you will be hooked.

9. Curvy Girl Guide. This site just launched at the first of the year, I believe, and is written by bloggers super famous well-known in their own right. They talk about a little bit of everything, with the focus being on getting comfortable in your own skin.

10. Oh Amanda. How could I write a Top Ten Tuesday post about bloggers and not include Amanda, who created Top Ten Tuesdays herself? I love this girl. You should SEE the birthday parties she throws for her kids – amazing. She wrote a post today about her top ten tips for Blissdom, which are fantastic and real, just like her.

So, what’s in YOUR google reader?