This is me. Lolli.

No, Lolli is not the name I was born with and in fact is simply a silly nickname that I use on my blog. Speaking of silly nicknames, let me introduce you to my family.

CandyMan (my husband) and I have, in the nearly 15 years that we’ve been married, managed to become parents five times over. My kids are truly a blessing, and they provide me with countless stories (and pictures) to share with all of you. My kids are (in order of age):

• KitKat, girl (13)
• Necco, girl (11)
• Twizzler, boy (9)
• Reese, girl (7)
• AJ (short for AlmondJoy), boy (5)

See that header picture up there? Those are my “sweet” kids, with me represented by the camera. (I like to take pictures.) Apparently CandyMan was at work when the picture was taken because he is not represented by anything. Poor guy.

Speaking of work, CandyMan and I own a business creating foreign language software–Peanut Butter~Language Learning that Sticks. It’s scary, risky, exciting, and a whole lot of work.

So…now that I’ve gotten the family introductions out of the way, you want to know a little about me?

Here’s all you need to know about Lolli in 10 simple points:

* I have been blogging since October 2007.

* I have a passion for photography and am, for the most part, self-taught.

* I love thrift store shopping. Thrift store shopping is an art, and I am an artist. My Grandma taught me well.

* I am shy by nature but blogging brings out the social part of me that was hiding for so many years.

* Since this subject comes up frequently, Yes, it is true that I do not have TV. I own a television set, but we have no cable.

* I love to cook, but I love to let my children cook even more. A bunch of our family’s favorite recipes can be found on my recipe blog, Family Food. I update it very rarely, but it’s still there with lots of good food. Prepare to drool.

* I am a Faculty Mom for the Pepperidge Farm Fishful Thinking program.  I promote positive parenting and raising optimistic, resilient children.

* I love books and almost always carry a book in my purse. Over on my sidebar I’ve got a cool little widget that features a bunch of my favorite things. Including books that I’ve enjoyed. Check them out and PLEASE recommend your favorite books in the widget, too.

* I grew up in California, graduated from High School in Oregon, went to college in Utah (where I met my husband who was from Virginia), and settled in Maryland (outside of Washington D.C.) to raise our kids. Honestly, I miss the mild seasons that I grew up with, my family on the West Coast, and the mountains where I spent my summers, but I love all that the D.C. area has to offer. Maryland has been good to us. Maryland also happens to be home to a bunch of amazing bloggers, who I get to meet up with occasionally.

* I really do like candy, and most of the time I am pretty sweet. I do accept fan mail filled with chocolate.

You can also find me on Facebook:

My personal page: http://www.facebook.com/lolli.betterinbulk (become my friend!)

My Better in Bulk fan page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Better-in-Bulk/ (become a fan!)

Better in Bulk on NetworkedBlogs: http://apps.facebook.com/blognetworks/blog/better_in_bulk/ (follow me on NetworkedBlogs!)

I host a meme every Friday called Give Me Your Best Shot. Every Friday, I give my blogging friends the chance to show off their favorite photo from the week. It doesn’t have to be a work of art–It’s just a fun time to link up and see what has been happening in our lives. Join me and the Linky this weekend and give me your best shot!

Starting January 2010, my friend, Manic Mother and I have teamed up to provide photography tutorials and challenges. Check out Bloggography every Tuesday!

If you’d like to contact me, use this form:

(For information about advertising or product reviews, please see my Advertise page, or contact me here:)