I have been blogger for three years which equates to eternity in the ever-changing social media world. I never have done give-aways, blog-hopping, contests, etc. I didn’t know I had any followers until recently. The purpose of my blog was (and still is) to post pictures of my kids and tell about our life on the prairie. My readers were my mom, grandma, sister-in-law, sister and a few friends. They remain my loyal readers but now I have more friends through blogging.
One aspect of blogging that I didn’t initially know about is the connections I would make to other moms like me. Many bloggers I think of and pray for daily, I have never met. 23 million American women are blogging. You certainly can connect with many who are like you, who expand your thinking and give you ideas and insight on things you are most interested in at this stage of life. For me those include things like like parenting, activities with my kids, growing in my faith and marriage and maintaining sanity in a hectic life. Blogging has grown and maintained my relationships also to my family members and long-time friends across the country and the globe (I know I have at least one loyal Icelandic reader, my friend Sunna.)
Recently my friend (in real life) Leah in Indiana gave me some blogger love with “A Blog With Substance” and so I am thanking her for the award and following the rules.
The Rules:
*Thank the blogger who awarded it to you.
*Sum up your blogging philosophy, motivation, and experience using five (5) words.
*Pass it on to 10 other blogs which you feel have real substance.
Thank you again Leah for sharing the love. Find her blog here: Beyer Beware. Leah and I have met through business but connected on many levels by being a crazed working, traveling moms and wives. We have similar values and blogging helps us stay connected. You’ll enjoy Leah’s blog about her kids, life on the farm and balancing her career with life as a mommy and wife. She is authentic and transparent which is easy to not be in the blogging world.
My blogging philosophy, motivation & experience in 5 words:
I have never narrowed anything down to five words. But I am going to try…
Photographing & telling our prairie story.
This list could be so much longer but to provide some privacy to a few friends who I am not sure if they want their blogs shared I am limiting my listing. The 10 Blogs With Substance I am sharing this award with are as follows:
- Graceful Days (Staci & I went to Bible Camp together as kids/ teenagers, have common friends, live 100 miles a part which is like being neighbors on the prairie and she is very bold in her faith on her blog.)
- The Wife of a DairyMan (I have never met Nancy but love her farm story and recipes she shares.)
- In This Wonderful Life (I have never met Megan but have followed her blog since early winter. She lost her newborn son Cohen in June.)
- The Barnett Blog (Katie was my college roommate my freshman year at the University of Georgia. I give her credit for turning my life around during a difficult and challenging time. Through the years we have maintained an amazing friendship. She has yet to meet our girls and I have yet to squeeze her babies but her blog is my connection point to her Southern family life in Tennessee as a working mom and wife.)
- Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Julie and I met years ago through business, haven’t seen each other in a few years but stayed connected through our blogs. Her blog is about her adventures as a single mom with her daughter.)
- LovelyLukensLaLaLand (Known this girl since birth, my sister, Kirsti. I have given her a hard time about her lack of blogging but you need to check out her most recent post with her decorating. She is a woman on a budget with an amazing sense of style and talented (professional) writer.)
- Dancing Barefoot on Weathered Ground (Lynnette Kraft, a woman I have never met but her story is tough. Her faith through it all is amazing.)
- The Wilson Family (Another one I have known since birth, Lora and I have known her husband since junior high. Lora and I have been friends through it all and I’m like a proud older sister watching her raise her babies and stay connected via our blogs.)
- Bring The Rain (I follow many of the popular Christian mommy blogs and am not listing them all here today but this is a very purposeful blog I love. Angie Smith doesn’t post very often but when she does it is always worth the read. No, I don’t know her but like thousands of women feel like I do. And read her book to because it is worth the tears you will shed.)
- Griggs Dakota (If you know me, you know Griggs Dakota. It is our family farm and the blogger behind it is my mom. She is dedicated to telling our farm story so Katie Couric doesn’t tell it for us. She is purposeful and passionate. My mother also is a writer. I am immensely proud of Griggs Dakota.)
Thanks for stoppin’ by for a Latte’. Your blog is really cute and I am happy to be your newest follower. I can’t wait to read more about life in the Dakota’s.