I have become rich through blogging!!

When someone had asked me what a blog was 2 years ago I don't know I could have given a correct answer.

When my long time friend Wendy told me she had started a blog and that I should have a go I have to admit I was more than a little sceptical and Wendy had to do all the setting up as I was clueless! I had come up with a sort of name 'Bloggamy' as in monogamy (meaning one marriage and in relation to my new blog it would be my one and only blog hence the name!) Needless to say it means something to me and obviously nothing to anyone else as when it was set up the name ended up being spelt wrong and Bloggomy was born.....

During the 13 months my blog has been up and running I cannot believe the opportunities a stay at home Mum of four children has been given. From being asked to give my thoughts and opinions on a whole range of products and companies from Nuby, Maclaren, and Stewed to my newer relationships with Next (I am proud to be part of the Next Bloggers Network) and Mookie. I hope I can continue to work with these and other amazing brands in 2012.

I am extremely proud to have been a finalist in this years MAD Blog Awards in the Best Baby Blog category and was thrilled to be able to attend the Award ceremony in London in September, and although I did not win  I did get to meet some very lovely people and in particular the lovely Claire from A Boy with Aspergers who I am happy to now call a friend as well as the effervescent Super Amazing Mum who I have had a ball with every time we have met! I hope I may be as lucky to be nominated next year....

The lovely Super Amazing Mum

In May I was lucky enough to have attended Cybermummy kindly sponsored by Teething Bling and arrived in style in a fantastic Hyundai - what an event! *note to self - never wear killer heels to walk down a cobbled road in London at night in the dark*

During 2011 I have also been given the amazing help and support to lose 3 and a half stone since May thanks to Slimavite and I look forward to carrying on with my weight loss in 2012 (after the mince pies are all gone of course!)

I recently attended the Tots 100 Christmas Party at Butlins and my special thanks go to Sally Whittle for all her organising to make our weekend possible.  It was lovely to be able to share a magical weekend with my family and of course meet up with my fellow bloggers.

So how am I rich through blogging? Well through the reaches of my blog I have met some inspiring, clever, funny and downright lovely people and for that I am richer. Ok so I am yet to be a millionaire but if these new online friends were £50 pound notes I would be well on my way to that.....

Thank you to every company, brand, friend and blogger I have met this year and for helping make my life richer through blogging.

This photo had to be revived! Ladies you know who you are!!

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So this was Christmas.....

Well it's over for another year and it will soon be time to take down the tree and pack away the decorations.

For me Christmas is about seeing the delight (hopefully!) on my childrens faces as they open their presents or hearing them comment "How did you know I would like that?!" - it makes the time spent trawling the High street and shopping online worth it.

Although this year was an uneventful time, in some ways that makes it more relaxing and after falling asleep on the sofa on Christmas Day afternoon and waking at 3PM having not even heated an oven let alone prepared dinner I certainly proved I was laid back this year!

Here is our day in pictures - my favourite way to remember anything (even though yet again Santa forgot I would have liked a camera hhhuuummmppphhh!)

Smaller Christmas hat next year please Mum!

A stolen mince pie tastes the best!

Typical teens on their phones...

Enough said!

Tala has a first mini tantrum and sulks on the floor - bless!

A gift from New York was a firm favourite

So with thanks to our wonderful friends for our gifts and with hope that 2012 is the best year ever.....
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And so the end is near....

The MAD Blog Awards voting ends tonight at 9pm - Eek!!

I was so surprised and thrilled to be a finalist in the Best MAD Baby Blog category and I just wanted to say a big thank you to anyone that nominated me and also to those who have taken the time to vote for Bloggomy since the voting started.

Although I doubt very much I will win I know I have given it my best shot.  I managed to make our local papers (very small article with no URL to vote but hey!) and I have had some lovely comments and messages of support along the way which I have found very touching.

So now with 9 hours left til voting ends it just leaves me to say if you haven't voted for my blog and fancy it (you don't have to vote in every category if you don't want to either) the link to vote is here.  The Best Baby Blog category is the last one on the list and it is so easy to vote with a pull down menu to select from.  Just need to add you name and email address at the top of the form and that's it.

As you only get one chance to vote, why not have at a look at the other categories -  the finalists are listed here.

Good luck finalists! x

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