The New Blog is Live!!!

Hi Friends!

Ok, I am waaaay too excited about this news:

The blog is all fresh and new!

I mean, design-wise — it has all been remade…re-did, re-done (?)…MADE-OVER!!

I’ve been dreaming of a new look for, um, years!…and I am so excited with how it has all come together!  While spending way-to-many-hours working on everything this week (I told Gretchen, my tech wizard, we could win an email-speed contest for how quickly we could shoot messages back and forth as she worked on coding and asked questions and I answered and then asked a question back, and it seriously felt like email-ping-pong on high-speed.)

Anyways, my husband questioned me a couple of times, saying (very kindly,)  “Is this really THAT big of a deal?”  To which I could only explain that my blog home, to me, is like my little shop (or cafe, or book store) in a cute little town.  (I love cute little towns.)  And yes it is important!!  I want just the right colors and the right interior, and I want there to be fresh coffee and biscuits for my visitors…Because I may never get to have that cute little shop in that cute little town (does anyone else dream of that?) but I have THIS…My little corner of the internet…And I want it to be so welcoming and such a special place for friends to come and hang out!

And ok I got really carried away there.  But you get me, right?

Now  —  I know most of you read my blog on your phone, and that’s totally cool.  But just this once, would you do me a favor and hop on a real computer and have a look?  Be sure to CLICK ON HOME to see the new entryway (living room?  I’m not sure..) The phone version is great (thanks to Gretchen’s work) but I want you to see the real place…the full shop experience…and then to click around and get familiar.

There are new things!  New features!  A brand new Start Here page  (to help you get oriented with the site!)

Also a new About Page (which I’m likely to change a few more times because I get really weird when it comes to the About page…)

There’s a BOOK page where you can (FINALLY!) sign up to be on the first-to-know list for BOY MOM BOOK stuff, and get notified when the LAUNCH TEAM OPENS (because there will be limited space.)  Go ahead hop over there now and sign up — I’ll wait here!

There’s a speaking page…

AND…there’s a Hawaii/TRAVEL page !!! (which both will be developed over time!)

But, here’s the thing:

The site is done, but it’s not totally done.  There are a few remaining issues and projects that I’ll be tackling next week.  I just couldn’t wait to share the news now.  (I was the pregnant girl who never ever waited until I hit 12 weeks to tell people. As soon as I found out I was like “Let’s just tell everyone!!”)

One issue (and sorry in advance) is we are trying to figure out how to SPEED things up.  If you click around and the site is slow to open, hang in there– we are working on it.

—Next week we’ll be updating the recipes into a lovely gallery.  I will also be filling in many of the pages and a few blank spots on the site currently.  It’s like a house (or my shop) —  the first weekend you move in…it’s exciting, but not COMPLETE. 🙂

There will also be something BRAND NEW coming out next week, which I am so excited to share with you.

(If you are a subscriber you’ll hear about it first!)(and look at me, practicing self-control and not telling you about it yet!) 

As for now, I’d love to get some feedback on the so-far state of the blog!  I’ll take any positives, and even constructive criticism (but be nice, it’s been a long week.)  Is there too much color?  I LOVE color, but I don’t want it to look like a candy store… (or do I? 🙂 )   Anything I missed?  Definitely notice that I’m asking for your input on my TRAVEL page!  (I know some of you have good stuff to share!)

What else?… Shoot me an email at:  [email protected] or comment below!  And it would be SO kind of you to share my new site with your friends using social media buttons (or your voice!)  Thank you!  

Now I have to give BIG THANKS to the people who helped put this site together.  The incredible coding, customizing, (and email-ping-pong) skills of Gretchen Louise, and design work of Angela Bouma…along with photos by the talented photographer (and my friend 😉 ) Emily Turner.

With so much Aloha,

Monica

PS  One more exciting piece of news:  My BOY MOM BOOK just landed back in my in-box for my FINAL ROUND OF EDITS!  That means it’s almost done done done…(prayers appreciated for the next 3 weeks!)  We chose the cover!! (See BOOK PAGE) and it appears this thing is really happening!  Thank you God and thank you friends!!