2013 Mad Blog Awards Finalist...

One day when Mads was about four months old, I sat down and started a blog.  

To be perfectly honest, I didn't think I would stick at it.  I am not known for my 'sticking power'.  I played the flute for three weeks, did Karate for a week and have been tied into more gym memberships than I care to remember.  

But stick at it I did.  And the more I blogged, the more I enjoyed it.  I found something I loved to do- I loved to write, to pour out my heart and soul into words, and to document the life of my little family.  I had been 'blogging' on and off for ten years, in the days when I had a Live Journal account and it was wonderful to have an outlet for my writing.  I found it therapeutic, but most of all I loved writing down the memories of our day to day life.

I have always loved taking photos but blogging has inspired me to learn all I can about my camera, and I have found a passion that I never thought I would have.  I am never ever without my camera and I love capturing our every day life and our beautiful ordinary.  

Quite simply and quite cheesily, blogging has changed my life.  I have found passions, I have had the most amazing opportunities and I have met a community of incredible people.  I have made online friends and some of those online friends have become real life friends.  

I don't know what made me start my little blog that particular day but I am sure as hell glad I did.

And last week I had some amazing news.  I am yet again a finalist in the 2013 Mad Blog Awards- the UK's most prestigious blogging awards.  Out of 100,000 nominations I find myself a finalist in not one, not two, but THREE categories.  To say I am shocked and blown away is an understatement- when I found out I jumped around the room in excitement and I couldn't stop shaking.  

I am a finalist in 'Best Pregnancy Blog,' 'Best Blog Photography,' and 'Best Family Life Blog'.  I am absolutely thrilled and when I look at the other amazing bloggers I am up against, I am sure I won't win but I feel honoured to have been chosen.  

The best thing this year is that some of my most favourite blogs are finalists too.

 My closest, most lovely blogging and real life friend Lucy is a finalist in Best Baby Blog, as are the lovely ladies over at My Two Mums whose blog I love.  Then in my category Best Pregnancy Blog there is Bex and Jess whose blogs I love and who I chat too lots.  In the most innovative category there is the absolutely lovely Emma who runs the Science Sparks Blog- she is definitely worth your vote as she has done such a wonderful job since her blogging partner in crime Kerry passed away last year, as well as Annie too. 

In the Best Family Fun Blog there is the The Boy and Me who was one of the first bloggers I talked too, and the lovely Coombe Mill who is always so welcoming and kind.  In the Fashion and Beauty finalists there is Kelle whose blog I adore and who I can't wait to meet.  In the Best Schooldays Blog there is But Why Mummy Why, another lady who I am looking forward to meeting and finally in Best Craft Blog and another of my categories Best Photography there is another one of my absolute favourite bloggers Lucy as well, who is fast becoming a lovely friend of mine.

Eek so exciting that so many of my favourites are included, there are lots of others but I just cannot mention them all or I would be here all year!

My blog is chock-a-block full of photos and stories of our day to day life, and of course I documented my pregnancy, from our first video announcement, to when we found out Bug was a girl, and of course the day she arrived.  You can see a full list of my pregnancy posts and my bump diary post here.

I am honestly so thrilled to be a finalist and I cannot wait until the awards in September.  If you like my tales of family life, my abundance of photos or enjoyed my pregnancy posts please do give me a little vote.  It doesn't sit easy with me asking for votes but here goes...

 You can vote by clicking on the button on my sidebar, or by clicking the button below.  The voting is only open for a couple of weeks!

And thanks to everyone who nominated me!!