Our Mommyhood

By Kristi, Contributor, Live and Love…Out Loud (@tweetingmama)

Halloween came and went and I couldn’t be more excited; Thanksgiving is finally upon us and ’tis the season to be thankful!

Around this time each year, millions of people across the U.S. take a moment to reflect on the things they’re most thankful for. Family, love and good health are usually at the top of their lists. As a wife and mother, they’re certainly at the top of mine. But as a blogger? Well, my bloggy list of gratitude is a little more extensive.

My Bloggy List of Gratitude

1.  Thanks to the geniuses at StumbleUpon and the awesome folks who stumble my blog posts each week, I’ve seen an increase in blog traffic and RSS feed subscriptions. Discovering new blogs and being discovered is what it’s all about; I’ve learned that the more StumbleUpon love I dish out, the more I receive in return and for that I’m super grateful.

2.  Spam is annoying; there’s no doubt about it. Link-happy, grammatically challenged computer hacker wannabes troll from blog to blog leaving a trail of unconvincing comments in their wake. Why they bother to do so is beyond me; I’m just thankful for the extra page views they pad my stats with. Even if they are hairy men with hoarding tendencies who enjoy sitting around in their mother’s underwear. Thanks for the extra page view, you jerks.

3.  Her complicated ranking system and toolbar drive me bananas, but the visitor demographic information that Alexa provides is really cool and according to her my stats are on the rise. For those 2 reasons alone, I’m willing to forgive the migraine she gave me when I first signed up. If Alexa keeps it up, I just might show up at her doorstep with a fruitcake this Christmas. (Alexa is a woman, right?)

4.  Having a loyal following means the world to me. The fact that people actually relate to and find humor in my crazy journey through motherhood and marriage is both humbling and comforting at the same time. That they actually take the time to read my blog, comment and email me is beyond overwhelming. I am so very appreciative of their readership, feedback and support.

5.  If you’re not on Twitter, you need to be. Period. Communicating with the masses in 140-characters or less has changed my life as a blogger forever. Somewhere between random, sporadic tweets about breastfeeding issues and hey-I’ve-got-a-new-blog-post updates, I made a few new friends – roughly 1,100 of them. And those friends? Well, guess whose blog they’re reading? Uh-huh. You’ve got it. Even better? These friends have taken to forwarding their love for my blog to their friends. I guess you could say that Twitter is a lot like herpes. It’s the gift that just keeps on giving. Except it’s a really good gift.

6.  The blogging community as a whole has been an invaluable source of inspiration and support to me. Becoming part of a community like Our Mommyhood’s Blog Frog Community is the way to go. It’s a great place for bloggers to come together and share ideas, seek advice and build friendships. There’s no doubt in my mind that the encouragement, inspiration and support I’ve received from those within my blogging community has challenged me to become a better blogger.

7.  And last but not least, I’m grateful to my family. Sure they’re a bit nuts; I mean, who tells their wife that she has cankles? And what kind of kid pees on her sister’s razor? Oh and let’s not forget the kid who pooped on the hotel room carpet! Folks, these crazy people have given me more gray hair than I deserve, but I love them to pieces. They’ve given me oodles of blogging material and entertain you in the process. For their love, support and crazy shenanigans, I am beyond grateful.

Kristi’s navigating a sea of teenage hormones, dirty diapers and a family with ever-changing needs while blogging about it all at Live and Love…Out Loud

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