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This blog is a personal website written and edited by me, Susan Downs.  For questions about this blog, please contact Susan at lilbear (at) onceuponamuffin (dot) com.

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Hey there, I’m Susan.  I began this blog in 2008 on a whim and started writing occasional snippets about everyday things.  My favorite posts from back then were those that made my family laugh!

Speaking of my family, those astoundingly awesome people include:

• TechDaddy, my husband  {I love him so, and not just for his cool ninja computer skills}
• Catz, my 15 year old daughter  {She’s all wit and style rolled into one beautiful young lady.}
• MrC, my 13 year old son   {He’s got the tech world covered with his razor-sharp video gaming abilities.}

My family is made up of the three most amazing people on the planet. I adore my husband and kids with every ounce of my being and will go to the ends of the earth for them.  Spending time with my crew is my ultimate relaxation technique.

So, who are you?

In a nutshell, I’m a wife & mom.  Refer to me as “Little Susie Homemaker” or “just a SAHM” and watch my face light up a room.  This is a role I was made for.  That doesn’t mean I skip around with a grin every moment of every day, making cookies and dusting the chandelier.  To be honest, I’m on a first-name basis with all of the dust bunnies and cobwebs hiding out in my home, and I don’t even have a chandelier. Not that I’d dust it if I did.  But I do make cookies, so if we become friends I’ll keep you supplied with some of the best recipes you’ll ever find.

Which leads me to another one of my roles: baker.  In reality, the baking is really a means to an end since I truly love eating the stuff I bake more than the actual baking itself.  I’ve also been known to search out a bakery ahead of time when planning a trip with the family just so I can try out some new muffins and cupcakes.  True story.  It’s then that I whip out my camera to get some shots of our visit {to everyone’s chagrin}.

Because I love photography, too.  And have been accused of being a bit, er, overzealous in my camera snapping.  Being an amateur I use the excuse of “learning” to spend too much time framing a shot or having a family member pose for the same shot four times in a row.  But they love me and ooh and ahh when once in a while I pull something pretty cool out of my Nikon.  Yeah, they’re neat like that.

I also homeschool my kids and have ever since they were tiny.  Not to say that everyone should homeschool because you have to do what works for your own family.  But it works for us and I love it.

But not as much as I love Jesus Christ.  He is my Rock, my Savior, and my all-around go-to Guy.  He rescued me from myself when I was lost and broken and self-destructive, and He continues to rescue me still.  I’m not perfect.  Far from it, in fact.  But His love knows no bounds in pulling me into His warm embrace time after time.  And for this He will always be #1 in my life.

What do you write about?

It depends, but I generally stick to the following:

• family    {raising teens}
• baking    {recipes, bakery reviews}
• homeschooling    {our curriculum, teaching high school}
• Florida    {fun places like Disney}
• music     {I love it, I feel it, I crank it up on the headphones. It feeds my soul.}
• marriage    {making it thrive}
• faith    {my stumble to the cross}
• travel    {roadtrips, geocaching}
• photography    {apps, workshops}
• mercy & mission work    {Compassion International, Mercy House, Operation Christmas Child}

Where did you come up with the blog name Once Upon a Muffin?

I love how children’s stories often begin with “Once Upon a Time…”  It’s often a precursor to something wonderful and thrilling! It’s a phrase that says “Sit down, get comfy, and prepare for something incredible.”

I love that.  Whether it’s a story or a recipe or a photograph, I want to produce for my family something incredible, that inspires and motivates them to make their own piece of something amazing in this world.

How in the world did you get the nickname Lilbear?

Hmm, that’s a sweet and funny story, actually.  When my oldest child was just a baby, and TechDaddy and I were exhausted from the joys of parenting, we’d lay on the floor of our apartment making a triangle shape with our bodies and the tv stand.  Catz would sit in between us and we three would watch Little Bear on a kids’ cable channel {until we bought every single VHS, and later DVD, of that series}.  As the years went by and Catz grew and MrC came along, Little Bear had become a sweet staple in our family.  So when my hubby one day introduced me to email and the internet, we knew what my handle had to be: Lilbear.

Why do you use fake names for your family? How come I can’t find any pictures of your kids on your blog?

My husband and I want to protect our family, just like any other parent.  One way we feel led to do this is to not use our kids’ real names online.  You will also probably not find a photo of my kids’ faces online.  While we totally respect that parents have a variety of ways to keep their kids protected in regards to internet safety, this is just how we roll right now.

Is there anything else you can tell me about yourself?

Yes, lots!  But I’ll let you learn more about me through my posts.

I’m so glad you stopped by for a visit!  I hope you’ll come back to see me soon.  To make sure you get my most recent sparkling and witty posts, be sure to subscribe here!