Tuesday 17 March 2015

My Blog Is One Today

Exactly one year ago today I sat down and started this blog. I never thought that I would still be writing it a year later, I honestly thought I would give up after a few weeks, like I do with most things. When I started my blog I had no idea what I was doing and my first post Why Write A Blog was pretty rubbish. But I remember being so happy that about five people had actually read my blog post! 

I started Newcastle Family Life as a way of recording my pregnancy with baby number three and to record days out with my girls, an online family diary to occupy me while I was on maternity leave. I never in a million years thought that anyone would ever read my blog and now thousands of people each month do. I would just like to say a huge thank you to every single person who has taken the time to read or comment on my blog or followed me on social media. 


The past year has been rather amazing, both personal wise and blog wise. I have recorded my whole third pregnancy and welcomed my baby boy Jacob into the world. We watched Sophia grow and celebrate her first birthday and Chloe my eldest turned twelve. 

Blog wise things have been equally amazing, I have started making money from my blog and have registered myself as self employed. I am so amazed that I can make money doing something that I actually love doing. Early last year I got to take Sophia to Swimming lessons, I was a Mother and Baby Magazine award tester and a Baby's R Us Babyologist tester. I have reviewed for many brands on my blog including Theraline, Tommee Tippee, Bright Starts and the The Gro Company, to name just a few. I was also invited to a Mothercare re-opening event, as a VIP blogger and I got to interview Myleene Klass .I attended a Baby Natal class and recently attended a craft event. So many amazing opportunities which I am so thankful for. 

I have learnt that social media is such a huge part of blogging, a year ago I had never even been on Twitter now I have over 2500 followers! I set up my Facebook page at the end of last year and have 150 followers (I would love some more followers, pretty please) and since joining Instagram in the summer I have 430 + followers. I have also recently joined Pinterest, I am now a social media addict! 

So happy first birthday Newcastle Family Life Blog, thank you for an amazing first year and I can not wait to see what a second year will bring. 







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42 comments

  1. Congratulations on your Blogiversary! Our blogs are almost exactly the same age and weirdly, I've been going through the same feelings about carrying on...maybe it's just a little blip!

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    1. Thank you so much. How strange you have been feeling the same, it must be a blog birthday thing . I hope you do carry on xx

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  2. Congratulations! You were one of the first bloggers I spoke to, I've loved following your blog you've had a fab year! Xx

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    1. Thank you Emily, i know your's was one of the first blogs i read and one of the first bloggers i spoke to. I remember when Indiana was tiny now she is a toddler! i have loved following your blog too and i am loving following your pregnancy xx

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  3. Happy bloggerversary! Wow, what a year you've had! I think the key is to keep doing it for yourself. If you get anything else from it then that is great, but you have to love your blog and love writing. That's the way I look at it. I'm a pretty slow starter - I've been blogging on an off for more than two years, but have relatively low readership and social media following for that time. If I was doing it for the stats I would have given up long ago. Keep it up and enjoy! #Sharewithme

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    1. Thank you Claire, great advice. If i was doing it for the stats i would have gave up now too as i don't even know what half the stat stuff means. I am a terrible blogger as i am very on/off too as sometimes i will post everyday for a few days then i wont post anything for two weeks. My twitter following is good but the rest of my social media following is not so great as i can not keep up with it all xx

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  4. Happy blog birthday! It seems like you are older than one xx

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    1. Thank you Sam , it is probably because we have known each other for so long and been on each others facebooks for years lol xx

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  5. Happy 1st Blogiversary to you. From your Blogiversary twin :D

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    1. Thank you! I loved your blog birthday post, i wish i had of had a spa day and a cake. I am looking forward to meeting you at BritMums in June xx

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  6. Happy blogaversary and well done for reaching a year. Its your blog, blog your way and enjoy it. I often feel the same but love writing and I now have a lovely diary to look back on full of things I would not have experienced without blogging. I will probably never get an award for doing it but writing it is its own reward.

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    1. Thank you. That is a lovely way to think of your blog. I will never get an award either or be a high ranking blogger but that is ok with me as that is not why i blog . Totally agree that writing and are blogs are the reward xx

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  7. Congratulations I have just hit one too, its been an amazing year and like you I can't believe how amazing the blog world is x

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    1. Thank you and congratulations to you too. The blog world really is amazing so many lovely people and amazing opportunites xx

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  8. Congratulations on a whole year of blogging! My baby blog is only 3 weeks old... Who knows what the next year will bring if I carry on. It sounds like you've had a great experience.

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    1. Thank you. I am sure you will have lots of amazing experiences if you carry on with your blog too as i never in a million years thought i would get any these things from blogging and i am amazed and so thankful every time that i do. Blogging is such a wonderful thing , i only wish i had of discovered it sooner xx

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  9. Congratulations what a great achievement. Your blog is lovely keep up the good work. Thanks for linking up to Share With Me. #sharewithme

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    1. Thank you very much. I think reaching one whole year of blogging has made me want to stick at it and work more on my blog. Thank you for hosting #sharewithme it is a great link up that i will be sure to return to next week xx

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  10. Congratulations, well done on all you have achieved in your 1st year. Here's to an even more amazing 2nd year! xx

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  11. Don't let the fact that you haven't got any 'close' blogging friends get you down. A lot of the bloggers who are quite pally with each other go to a lot of events together and have been doing it a lot longer than you! There's still plenty of time :) I definitely think you should carry on doing what you are doing, especially if you are able to turn it into a job. Congratulations on turning one x

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    1. Thank you, oh i don't think i would ever have the time nor the skill to ever turn this into a job it is just something i enjoy doing. I guess you are right that so many bloggers become friends via events and i have not had a chance to make any blog friends of my own yet, thank you for the encouragment xx

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  12. Happy 1st blogiversary and glad that you have decided to stick around and keep writing because you enjoy it! :-)

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    1. Thank you Louise , i really do enjoy writing it is just hard to find the time x

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  13. A belated happy first birthday! I'm surprised you've only been going a year, you come across as being more established (this is my clumsy way of giving a compliment, lol!). I've had the same feelings about giving up recently, I think I let some negative stuff get to me a bit too much, but I'd really miss it if I gave up now x

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    1. Thank you , aw thank you for the compliment haha. I don't feel at all established i still feel like a total newbie blogger who does not have a clue what i am doing half the time. That's exactly how i feel , i have been having doubts mine is more down to not having the time to blog and worrying about my children's photos and details being online , so i have decided to blog less about them now that people actually read my blog and put all there updates in a scrap book instead. I hope you don't give up your blog as i love your's xx

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  14. Happy bloggy birthday!! You have done so much in your first year, here's to the next one! xx

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    1. Thank you so much Katy , the past year has flown by but been truly amazing xx

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  15. This is great! It's not easy to keep a blog alive, so you've done a great job. Hope you have a fantastic year ahead for your blog :)

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    1. Thank you Tarana , i havehad many blog breaks during the last year since my son was born so i am amazed i have managed to keep my blog alive xx

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  16. Happy first Blogiversary! Wow what an amazing year! I have been blogging for 6 months now and haven't done half the amazing stuff you have! xxx

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    1. Thank you, i know i have been so lucky blog wise this last year. I was a really bad blogger too and kept having long breaks since i had my baby and i never blog regular. I am sure you will get loads of amazing things coming your way soon as i found most things happened as my blog neared one year old xx

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  17. Happy Blog Birthday!! :-) Lovely blog. xx

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  18. Happy 1st blog birthday! Thanks for linking up to the #BinkyLinky

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  19. Happy Birthday to your blog. As a newbie it's so encouraging to hear how well your blog took off. keep it up! #binkylinky

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    1. Thank you very much, i can not believe how well my blog has done in only a year. I have not blogged regular or anything so i am sure you will just as well if not better if you keep at it, blogging is such a wonderful thing xx

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  20. Congratulations on your blogs first birthday! I completely understand where you're coming from, and it's hard sometimes not to get hung up on how others are doing, but you have to blog for yourself first and foremost. It sounds like you've had an amazing year, well done! Here's to the next one x Sara (@mumturnedmom) x #sharewithme

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    1. Thank you Sara, i really have had an amazing year and i am amazed that i have managed to carry on blogging whilst having a baby in the middle of the year. The blogging world is truly lovely xx

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  21. Happy First Blog Birthday! Mine was 1 on the 1st February. Like you, it has brought us such fantastic friends and opportunities x

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    1. Thank you, you have done amazing in only a year and have had some brilliant opportunities xx

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