Still Smiling... [NBCnews video]

Still smiling from inside and out.

This was since NBCnews Chicago aired their special segment called "Blogging For Buck$ - Secrets to Cyber Success" that featured me and another blogger friend, Bobblehead Dad Jim Higley.










But it was a very different scenario days before the night it aired. Of course there was the excitement of the actual filming day but I was nervous. Afraid that things will be taken out of context and the false and misconstrued reality of professional blogging will be seeping through like the all too common feature on bloggers today. You know, the one where all bloggers are lumped together as the swag-grabbing-mommy-blogging-horror kind of story.

Days before the actual filming I even confided with the reporter about what my worries were. She talked me through it and assured me that the things she was looking for are not anything where my concerns were on. But still during the interview I was very cautious with my words but in the end I felt somewhat content that the questions thrown at me where ones I was prepared to answer.

A few days before airing, NBC Chicago's Facebook header was changed to this:

Soon after that Kim Vatis started posting nice tweets and tagged me along but I was afraid to even retweet and promote but did anyway. The nervousness started building again. 

Monday night came (the night it aired) and Jim Higley and I poked fun about possibly not having a blogging career after the 10pm special. My hands got cold and paced the living room back and forth watching the news start. They were showing teasers in between the newscast before the special segment came on and suddenly, blips of my children that were gathered from this blog were showing between commercials and I got giddy and excited.

Then it came on and have not stopped smiling since. So grateful to Kim Vatis of NBCnew for this wonderful opportunity! Can you imagine if I did say no?!

View more videos at: http://nbcchicago.com.

A big shout-out to Beth Rosen for letting me film with her at her place and also to Dwana who joined in on the filming.

Perfect day to film with PBS Family Travel Show with Colleen Kelly!

It's not very often that I get to take the kids with me to a video or photo shoot but this one called out for a family adventure! While the hubs is chillin' at home, I joined Colleen Kelly on her show called Family Travel with Colleen Kelly. A family vacation PBS series for the family. We filmed for a day at the Lincoln Park Zoo that created more excitement for my little girl. It was a win-win weekend for us. It was a gorgeous day to be out (weather has been nuts here), the kids got to work with me (they had fun too), and it was showcasing my favorite city, Chicago! Hey, I'm a Chicagonista! Of course I'm excited to show off my city!

Check out some of the other pics below.

#ONEMoms raise voices through a journal

In light of a blogger bashing WSJ article today, I am happy to receive this package from my blogger friends that traveled to Ethiopia with ONEmoms.

On October of 2012 a dozen moms travelled to Ethiopia to listen and learn about other women and their families living in that community. There they witnessed families living in extreme poverty but some who are slowly improving their lives through international help. The bloggers took notes, drew pictures, took photos and compiled them in this beautiful journal. The journal filled with Karen Walrond's amazing photos, and notes after notes from bloggers like Liz Gumbinner, Gabrielle Blair, Christine Koh, and more.

It is quite amazing what a collective group of women bloggers can accomplish! I am thankful for these women sharing their journey.

A "berry" exciting day!

Picture taken by Chris Christian of the California Strawberry Commission

Prepping for the camera can be a bit intimidating when dealing with a script, a teleprompter, wardrobe, make-up, lights, and camera crew. I get nervous easily but thankfully today's work was with my good friend David Grotto. We just wrapped up a series of videos for the California Strawberry Commission and I think we did it successfully well. My portion of the video with David was on healthy family eating. I can't wait to see the end result and will of course share it here when it finally comes out.

Last week I mentioned how I am involved with this project, so check out that link if you'd like to know more. It was truly a pleasure to be working with David and the California Strawberry Commission again and I hope that you will follow along the many fun things to happen!

Also, a quick shout-out to @JustDwana for being supportively awesome and always ready to assist me through it all.

Kite Day! A Sunday FUN day with the family [pics]

Getting her kite up

 Today was an exceptionally beautiful day out and so it called for a kite day with the family. It was still a bit chilly but the rain loomed over Chicago for a couple of days and so any sunshine is welcome. I grabbed my camera on our way out and off we went to the nearest open field. Check out all the pictures I snapped below.

It's "berry" official!

Some of you may remember that I once traveled to Monterey, California for the California Strawberry Commission to learn everything about these delicious berries. It was an amazing experience to visit several strawberry fields where I had the pleasure in meeting the generation of growers and learning their history. I toured the actual route the way berries are transported to chillers, to groceries, and then to our tables. Even learned about all the necessary nutrition strawberries provide us. When I got back to Chicago I gathered with my friends to tell tales of that incredible trip and of course a reason to feast on what else, strawberries! Strawberries were served in form of cocktails, appetizers, main dishes, and of course desserts were devoured.

Well, this time I'm given the opportunity to paint the town red once again! I just signed the dotted lines of a Spokesperson Contract for the California Strawberry Commission! Weeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

First part of the job is to join in on a video series with Nutritional Housecall's Dave Grotto, author of 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life, 101 Optimal Life Foods, and his latest The Best Things You Can Eat. We're set to go on taping at the end of this month and so I'll be back talking about that experience here.

Let's hope I remember all my lines because that would be berry berry good! Hihi. Sorry, I couldn't help myself.

Paint Chicago Red Event - August 2011

My Sugarbaby's Fun Day

My little mini-me had quite an adventure yesterday. She had a cover photo shoot with the Chicago Parent magazine for their Summer issue and she joined me on this Vlog to tell you what happened at the shoot.

During the photo shoot, but not the chosen for the cover

Buckets

Yesterday I had to trek up to my good friend Melisa Wells of Suburban Scrawl to tape her for a ChicagonistaLIVE segment. Right before I left my home I posted this on my Facebook wall tagging her.

FastForward

I'm back! Can't think of a better way to keep you abreast on what's been pulling me away from here other than a quick video of it all. I hope you'll enjoy it!

....and I'm back!

Clearing the cobwebs here is a start.

I've been mulling over about this for days. A few months ago I ambitiously opened a professional site mjtam.com but I was way in over my head. It was another thing to add with so many other place I write with and have commitments with. It didn't make sense.

So now I'm back. Yes, I know - I'm at it again. But this SugarMyBowl.com space has been around through everything since 2000. Through the birth of my 3 children, through the launch of Chicagonista.com and many others, and this space made me the active blogger that I am today.

I have a lot of ideas (oh, boy) and I hope those subscribed here will stick around again to see the many additions I will be adding on.

Thanks for reading and will be here daily. There I said it! Daily! Gah!