Each month, Mile High Mamas will feature a different mama blogger from our blogroll (our listing of Colorado’s hottest mom blogs). We have chosen Amy from Crunchy Domestic Goddess for our latest spotlight. Amy is a fascinating mama who is a firm believer in green living and natural birthing.

1) What is the history behind the name of your blog “Crunchy Domestic Goddess?”

I began my blog rather on a whim, excited after receiving a positive response to my first letter as an activist. I wanted a blog title that I felt defined me as a rather new stay-at-home-mom AKA “domestic goddess.” Since I was the most environmentally-conscious of my then-friends, I felt the moniker “crunchy” (AKA granola) was a good choice. My blog started out as “Musings of a crunchy domestic goddess,” but after a while I dropped the first part to make it a bit more compact.

2) Tell us about the “Crunchy Clan” and what you love about being a mama.

The “Crunchy Clan” consists of myself, my husband Jody, my 3 1/2 year old daughter Ava and my 15 month old son Julian. Jody, a computer techie/gamer, is not quite as crunchy as myself, but he tolerates and even generally supports my tendencies. Ava is an imaginative, creative, smart, silly and stubborn as a mule (just like her mama) preschooler. She’s a wonderful helper around the house and, an environmentalist in training, enjoys helping me pick up trash on our walks to the park. Julian is pretty happy-go-lucky, enjoys climbing on anything and everything, loves his mama milk, and adores his big sister.

One of the things I love most about being a mama is watching my children discover the world with such a sense of wonder and their excitement when they learn something new. They inspire me to be a better person. And, while they may get on each other’s nerves at times, I adore their unabashed love for each other. I hope they always remain best friends.

3) You just celebrated your third blogiversary. How have you evolved as a blogger and how has the blogosphere evolved since you began?

Over the past three years of blogging I’ve learned to be more diplomatic. I have many causes and passions that I like to discuss, but I’ve learned how to raise awareness on these issues, without preaching (at least most of the time). You definitely catch more flies with honey than vinegar. ;)

The blogosphere has exploded since I began, and there is a blog out there for just about every topic imaginable. My list of weekly reads has grown a lot over the years but it’s mostly focused on mommy, photography and green living blogs.

4) What’s all this talk of natural childbirth and the fact you actually look forward to labor?

Wait, wait, wait. I never said I look forward to labor, but it is the entire experience of giving birth that I find so amazing. I had two very different births - one with an OB in a hospital hooked up to machines, stuck in bed and drugged due to a pregnancy complication and one with a midwife at home where I was free to move around, eat, go to the bathroom, and give birth to a 9 1/2 pound surprise footling breech baby without any drugs. I found that when a woman gives birth naturally, free of drugs, her body produces such an amazing cocktail of endorphins and hormones that helps her not only cope with labor but also rewards her with an amazing birthing high. I’m not a runner, but I can only imagine that it feels similarly to the high one feels after completely a marathon. Seriously. I was on cloud nine for days after Julian’s birth. It was such an empowering experience, like nothing I’d experienced before. Our bodies are truly amazing.

5) Tell us a little about what BlogHer is and your involvement with the organization.

BlogHer is an online community for women who blog. They also hold an annual conference (this year’s is July 18 to 20 in San Francisco), and have a BlogHer Advertising Network. I’m involved as one of 60+ contributing editors who write daily guides featuring blogs from women around the ‘net in 20+ popular topics. The topic for my weekly BlogHer post is maternal health and is under the header “BlogHers Act.” Being a part of BlogHer has been a very positive experience for me.

6) What is Green Mom Finds and what can we do as mamas to be more environmentally conscious?

Green Mom Finds is a resource for moms (and dads) who are looking for ways to tread more lightly on the environment and who are also looking for more environmentally-friendly products and services. In addition to reviews, tips and resources written by a group of seven moms, there are also great green giveaways.
On my own blog I write a Green Tip of the Week with tips for people interested in becoming more environmentally conscious, from breastfeeding (the most environmentally-friendly way to feed a baby) to energy-saving laundry tips, from composting to nontoxic cleaning with baking soda. Some of the easiest things mamas can do to become more environmentally conscious are recycle (Earth911 is a great resource for recycling information), use reusable bags instead of paper or plastic bags when shopping (most grocery stores sell them now), use reusable water bottles, make or buy nontoxic cleaning products and consider shopping locally and in-season at farmers markets. Every little bit helps!

7) What is your mantra in life and in blogging?

I have two mantras that apply to both my life and blogging: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” by Gandhi and “Knowledge is power.” They’ve stuck with me over the years and are the impetus for much of what I do. The other mantra I’ve recently adopted in my personal life is “Just for today,” which inspires me to be aware of my actions with regard to parenting and being a better spouse. It’s not always easy, but when I break it down like that, doing anything “just for today” seems obtainable.

If you are a Colorado mom who blogs and would like to be featured or added to our blogroll (or know someone who does), drop me a note at .