Insights about that great new restaurant that just opened … Hot styles for your summer wardrobe… Information about the best splash pads nearby… A new slow-cooker recipe to make for dinner… You name it, Phoenix bloggers are posting about it. Dozens of successful, local bloggers cover the Valley from the inside out, giving readers the dish on everything they need to know about living in (and visiting) Phoenix.
From fashion to food bloggers, travel to mommy bloggers, there’s something for everyone. And one of the most popular topics is — you guessed it — parenting! Local mom blogs run the gamut from solo-mom ventures to team operations. And we’re not just talking about moms who type a diary of their daily triumphs and struggles with parenthood. Many of Phoenix’s mom bloggers have impressive digital marketing, writing, and photography skills, and a few have garnered Instagram followers in the tens of thousands. They offer valuable insight for any parent, babysitter, or nanny in the Phoenix area.
Bookmark these 10 Phoenix mom blogs, follow them on social media, and return to read their updates the next time you find yourself in search of places to take the kids, DIY craft ideas, and more. Plus, sometimes it’s just nice to read and relate to the precious mommy moments these ladies share.
Scottsdale Moms Blog, by Multiple Contributors
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In 2010, two local moms founded Scottsdale Moms Blog. This collaborative blog “written by and for local moms” has since changed hands, and more than 20 contributors now write for the site, which is updated daily with articles ranging from fun things to do with the kids and local events to personal stories and product reviews. The “SMB Local Guides” section is the place to go to find an extensive list of Scottsdale-specific restaurants, parenting groups, preschool information, and more. The site’s calendar is regularly updated with events for kids, and local moms especially love the SMB-hosted Mom’s Night Out.
The original Scottsdale Moms Blog founders went on to form an umbrella organization called City Moms Blog Network, which has, over the years, added dozens of individually operated sister sites to its collection spanning the country. Valley-wide City Moms Blog Network ventures also include North Phoenix Moms Blog, East Valley Moms Blog, and West Valley Moms Blog.
Surprise AZ Mom, by Vicki DeLuzio
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Vicki DeLuzio is a mother of three who has compiled one of the best lists of splash pads, pools, and parks — not just in Surprise, but across the entire Valley. She also lists Surprise-area farmers markets and preschools, and includes a searchable map for the long lineup of nearby attractions. Surprise AZ Mom’s blog posts include helpful information for local moms about upcoming events, free activities, and in-depth pieces about local attractions, while more personal posts are filed under the “Thoughts and Such” tab. DeLuzio has an active Facebook account for her blog, which has nearly 100 five-star reviews and more than 5,000 followers. She’s also a real estate agent, adding to her expert-level take on the pulse of the area.
Whimsicle, by JoAnn Crohn
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JoAnn Crohn’s “About” page on her blog says that she believes “family life should be enjoyable. However with kids, it can also be a tad messy. Thus, my site is Whimsicle — spelled like Popsicle. Full of fun and slightly imperfect.” Whimsicle fits the bill for “full of fun,” with its sitewide bold colors and typefaces, not to mention its lively content. Crohn writes about a variety of helpful parenting tips and inspiration. She posts plenty of Arizona-specific stories, like “8 Ways to Save Money (and Have a Blast!) at an Arizona Diamondbacks Game!” and “20 Affordable Phoenix Family Activities over Winter Break.” She also writes about travel and women’s style for readers’ delight, providing a nice break from mommy duty.
Crohn is an active Facebook user with regular video posts and is a Pinterest queen with nearly 10,000 followers. She even teaches others how to start their own blog with an online course and gives insights to her monthly revenue.
Wildish Jess, by Jess Holmes
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Jess Holmes said she began blogging in 2002 and has never looked back. After gaining knowledge of the online writing world while working for an SEO company, she launched Wildish Jess to write about parenting, beauty, health, travel, and lifestyle tips. The mother of two boys posts DIY craft recipes, pregnancy tips, and plenty of Phoenix-area events, activities, and local business spotlights. Her beautifully designed site is plugged into all the social channels, perfect for following, liking, sharing, and pinning.
Many Hats of a Mom, by Stephanie Cross
Stephanie Cross is a full-time working mom and co-founder of See It Sideways, a digital marketing agency based in Phoenix. Cross uses her skills as a content creator to write about travel, parenting, food and drink, and gift ideas. Many of her posts are photo-centric and often inspire ideas for date nights, outings with the girls, and future travel plans. She says her blog is about “finding a balance between happy hours, play dates, and conference calls.”
Momma Tammy, by Tammy Gabel
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Momma Tammy, Musings of a Working Mom, is written by a mom of two, Tammy Gabel, who is also a public relations professional with a journalism and social media background. Her blog follows her many adventures in motherhood, and features well-written, creative posts about crafts, food, travel, fashion, and more. Her down-to-earth blogs and social media posts are sure to be relatable to everyday moms — from a Q&A with her daughter on her daughter’s 6th birthday to her kids’ summer styles. Gabel’s blog will make you want to start your own.
Active Moms AZ, by Katrina Sherk
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A Phoenix native named Katrina Sherk launched Active Moms AZ in 2002 after identifying a lack of media coverage for local family activities. Her site’s topics, like “Where To” and “Try This,” include insightful posts about Phoenix locales, city sights, exhibits, daytrips, and adventures. Sherk reviews gear, runs regular contests for her readers, and hosts an activity calendar. She and her family live an active lifestyle, experiencing all that the Valley of the Sun has to offer, and her fun-loving photos and posts will inspire you to do the same.
All for the Boys, by Allison Waken
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Created to fill a void of online information for crafts and activities for boys, Allison Waken’s blog All for the Boys has been reaching mommas near and far since 2011. We’re talking Shark Week-themed activities, “Star Wars” terrariums, DIY slime, indoor fort ideas, and more. Her topics have expanded over the years to include technology reviews and travel, with the travel vertical acting as the umbrella where most Phoenix-specific posts are found.
Waken is a mom of two boys and worked as a marketing manager before transitioning to full-time online writing. After seeing success with All for the Boys, she launched a second blog called All for the Memories, where she writes about scrapbooking and memory-keeping, travel, food and drinks, DIY projects, and décor. She’s an active social media user and a trusted reviewer with thousands of followers.
Motherhood & Merlot, by Joanna Clute
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It’s no secret that this mother of four loves a good red wine. Joanna Clute runs the lifestyle and mom blog Motherhood & Merlot, writing about motherly moments and helpful insights, plus fashion and beauty, healthy lifestyles, wine, and more. Clute has a collection of Phoenix-driven content, including seasonal activity recommendations, attraction overviews, and more. But some of her most popular reads fall within her blog’s other categories, particularly fashion and beauty — offering a perfect segue into some personal-interest reading time. You, along with more than 16,000 others, can also follow her trendy, elegant style and precious family moments on Instagram.
My Wifestyles, by Clarissa Esquivel
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Clarissa Esquivel’s blog is the perfect site to visit for inspiration, from kids activities to relationships to recipes to household tips — not to mention the adorably innocent photos of her three little ones. The cuteness has earned her nearly 62,000 followers on Instagram. (No, that number isn’t a typo.) A baby in a sink, cuddling siblings, and a little one posed in a mini cowboy outfit — one could spend the better part of nap time scrolling through Esquivel’s Instagram posts. Though stories on My Wifestyles aren’t often location-specific, her blogs are full of relatable snippets of motherhood and married life and provide helpful organization and decoration goals.
