Happy 1st Blogging Birthday & Giveaway

With all of the hiking antics and recovery of last week I failed to mark and acknowledge in some way that my blog turned 1! AHHHHHHHHH I cannot believed I have been blogging for a whole year – its nuts! Its had several “re vamps”, increased in following, been short listed for an award and connected me with amazing people all over the world. THANK YOU to all of my followers old and new, without you reading, liking and commenting, I would have no audience to share it all with so thank you!
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I still feel like a little newbie blogger, though after a year I don’t think I am anymore? I still don’t really get the whole code thing and still mastering some social media sites that blogging has led me to use more, but over all I absolutely LOVE to write it, share our story and record the highs and lows of our roller coaster life. I love the people it has connected me with, blogs I have found that say it so perfectly they could’ve taken it from my heart and I generally love the online banter.

Its quite emotional to think that when I set my blog up it was to share Poppy’s journey and our struggles to come to terms with her diagnosis and battles and journey for care. I am tearful to think that it has meant so many got to know a baby they never met and that her legacy can live on through my words and experiences.
Share2014-11-04-2db5ca0c4f66450f6aef1acea4ed4dbe393540e853127992e422c129f33ffb82-Picture (1)I love how it has evolved to a place where I can openly share the lows, raw emotions and heartache of loosing my baby and hopefully teach others how it feels to be on this road. I love how it has also become a reflection of our crazy, beautiful and fun family life.  I feel weird to say “Im a blogger” but I am and I love to blog – it is my most favourite new hobby. It may or may not in the future lead to work, opportunities, experiences or whatever else “professional bloggers” do and whilst I do not rule those things out it is not my main goal and focus or reasons for blogging. If blogging leads me to that I will (if it feels right) jump on it im sure, but right now it makes me happy to share our life with the world, have a place my kids can see a true record of their childhood with all of the feelings, emotions and adventures captured in one spot and writing it down is helping me heal, deal with and accept what has happened. I write and capture our story, I share our emotions and all angles of our family life and if anyone wants to jump on board they are most welcome – but either way, despite the tough, painful days we are living the dream!

joyHere are some of my favourite posts from the last year that give a good overview and insights to our journey and the themes that run through my blog:
 Birth Plans

Sprinkles of Joy

Fighting for change

Blankets of Love 

Still A Birth

The beareaved Mother

A world of my own

Why im hating Christmas

Adventures in Prague

Thoughts on being an Earth Mum

The negative side of a positive test

My 2 little playmates

Look far we’ve come

In celebration of my blogs 1st birthday I would love to give one lucky reader a very happy (un)birthday pressie and make your life a little more “hearty”! Iv’e chosen a few things that make me happy to brighten your summers day so …Just enter below for your chance to win my fave summer scent “pink grapefruit” from The Body Shop (Body scrub, shower gel and body sorbet), 2 pouches of chocolate (because lets face it – choc is whats helped me survive all this) and a mini “Pain au raisin” Yankee candle – Everything you need to unwind and feel good (just click on the rafflecopter link below)!!! Thanks for following and thanks for supporting 🙂 xxxJune_Customer_Special_Square

a Rafflecopter giveaway

66 Comments

  1. June 6, 2015 / 8:32 am

    Happy blog birthday! I remember your asking me about blogging – as if that was a year ago?! Oh and chocolate makes me extremely happy lol x

  2. June 6, 2015 / 1:25 pm

    Happy Blog birthday!! Waking to my family makes me happy!

  3. dlatany
    June 6, 2015 / 1:25 pm

    Happy Blog birthday!! Waking to my family makes me happy!
    commented as latanya thornhill

  4. June 6, 2015 / 3:16 pm

    A year is an impressive benchmark. Here’s to hoping my blog someday does as well as your’s does! Happy Blogday to you!

  5. June 6, 2015 / 6:17 pm

    Happy Blog Birthday Mary. I only met you a month ago, but I can see how passionate you are about your blog. You write from the heart and I love reading the adventures you go on as a family. You should be very proud of everything you have achieved in the past year. Love and hugs xx

  6. June 6, 2015 / 6:18 pm

    Oh and what makes me happy…… A big lie in on a Sunday !

  7. June 6, 2015 / 6:40 pm

    What makes me happy? Friends that accept me for who I am and don’t judge me (due to health issues I aren’t the easiest person in the world to be friends with). They stay friends through thick and thin and don’t care. Family are the same.

  8. Tania Atfield
    June 6, 2015 / 6:55 pm

    Lots of chocolate

  9. pete c
    June 6, 2015 / 7:43 pm

    having good health and having cheerful people around me

  10. laura banks
    June 6, 2015 / 7:50 pm

    playing board games with my son he makes me chuckle everytime he comes out with some classic answers

  11. Martina Pichova
    June 6, 2015 / 8:46 pm

    Spending time with my family and friends makes me happy.

  12. Sandra Foreman
    June 6, 2015 / 9:26 pm

    spending time with my family

  13. Simon C
    June 6, 2015 / 10:25 pm

    What makes me happy? My kids. So much joy.

  14. Suzanne Drummond
    June 6, 2015 / 10:44 pm

    seeing my children having fun

  15. Hassina Begum
    June 7, 2015 / 1:41 am

    Seeing my family happy make me happy.

  16. Heather S
    June 7, 2015 / 4:11 am

    Happy Blogaversary! 🙂
    My kiddos make me the most happy!

  17. June 7, 2015 / 5:02 am

    Happy Blog birthday! Yankee candle and my family makes me happy..

  18. Paula Readings
    June 7, 2015 / 11:16 am

    Having my family to visit.

  19. Rey Chunara
    June 7, 2015 / 5:33 pm

    Lots of sunshine and free time to enjoy it

  20. mistyfuji
    June 7, 2015 / 5:52 pm

    My family and friends. Couldn’t imagine life without my children.
    Happy blogging & anniversary.

  21. brenda heads
    June 7, 2015 / 6:27 pm

    Happy blog birthday, going to my exercise classes make me happy.

  22. isis1981uk
    June 7, 2015 / 7:15 pm

    My two beautiful children make me very happy!

  23. Cathy Hayward
    June 8, 2015 / 2:39 am

    My husband and son make me happy, and running a ferret rescue, to see the ferrets little faces in the morning when they know there all going to get kisses and cuddles & play times we love them to bits xx

  24. June 8, 2015 / 5:00 am

    Spending time with my friends and family, laughing and eating yummy food makes me happy!

  25. Nat thomason
    June 8, 2015 / 9:50 am

    My kids and grand kids

  26. claire griffiths
    June 8, 2015 / 1:47 pm

    happy Blogaversary my family make me happy

  27. Amy Mitchell
    June 8, 2015 / 8:30 pm

    Being with others that I love, and feel good around make me happy 🙂 Especially my fiance, nobody in the world makes me as happy as he does. (Sorry about the cheesy answer lol!)

    Happy blog birthday! Your blog is amazing 🙂

  28. Ruth Harwood
    June 9, 2015 / 9:38 am

    Having a happy family xx

  29. Kasia
    June 12, 2015 / 12:51 pm

    My family

  30. June 12, 2015 / 3:25 pm

    Happy Blog birthday!! x my grandaughter always makes me happy x

  31. June 13, 2015 / 1:32 am

    Greetings! Very useful advice iin this particular post!
    It’s thee little changes that produce the greatest changes.
    Thanks for sharing!

  32. rachel cartucci
    June 13, 2015 / 2:51 am

    My son makes me happier than I have ever been….he is such a joy!! I have another fine little boy on the way. My heart soars! Happy Bloggy birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wishes for many more to come.

  33. Lesley
    June 13, 2015 / 12:32 pm

    Soaking in the bath with lighted candles after a stressful day 🙂

  34. Kristyn Harris
    June 16, 2015 / 3:01 pm

    My husband and my two children make me happy! : )

  35. Jennifer I
    June 17, 2015 / 12:11 am

    Spending time with family.

  36. Cheryl Kean
    June 17, 2015 / 11:30 am

    My kids and my dog make me very happy 🙂

  37. Lindsey Stuart
    June 17, 2015 / 4:00 pm

    Happy Blog Birthday!!!! Welldone you for having a great blog.
    Having my lovely family and cats around makes me happy oh and LOTS of nice food 😉

  38. sharlene speakman
    June 17, 2015 / 8:26 pm

    happy blog birthday my son makes me happy hes my greatest achievement and im so proud to call myself his mummy
    you have such an enlightening blog and you are so brave telling the world about your greatest loss and how it affects you

  39. Jade H
    June 18, 2015 / 12:06 pm

    Being with my family

  40. VERONICA BUTT
    June 18, 2015 / 1:45 pm

    Candles and chocolate

  41. June 18, 2015 / 2:39 pm

    My little family make me very happy, we have had our ups and downs as we all do.. but everything is working out well at the moment. I’ve really enjoyed reading your blog, and wish you a very Happy Blog Birthday! x

  42. carole eaves
    June 18, 2015 / 7:40 pm

    this is my first visit to this inspiring website, its very heart-warming and I will get brave and share more, thanks, happy blog birthday too!

  43. Victoria Prince
    June 18, 2015 / 8:03 pm

    Happy 1st Birthday to your blog 🙂 Things that make me happy – my family (dogs included!) and chocolate!

  44. Fran H
    June 18, 2015 / 8:11 pm

    A day with nothing planned and getting to the end of it with everyone I love happy, healthy and still here 🙂

  45. whiteshadows1
    June 18, 2015 / 8:11 pm

    Happy Birthday! Chocolate and wine makes me happy!

  46. jamie banks
    June 18, 2015 / 8:25 pm

    my daughter x

  47. Harriet Higgs
    June 18, 2015 / 8:54 pm

    My daughter, the cat and my husband I suppose 😛

  48. June 18, 2015 / 9:40 pm

    Happy Blog Birthday – Sunshine and birdsong make me happy

  49. Susan B
    June 19, 2015 / 3:31 am

    Seeing my family well and happy makes me very happy. And so does enjoying my pets and garden.

    Happy blogging birthday!

  50. Martina Alban
    June 19, 2015 / 6:21 am

    my children make me happy

  51. Emma Whittaker
    June 19, 2015 / 7:37 am

    My little girl 🙂

  52. June 19, 2015 / 8:55 am

    Everything 🙂 I am generally a very happy person 🙂

  53. Janet Carter
    June 19, 2015 / 9:03 am

    Spending time with my family

  54. emma kinsey
    June 19, 2015 / 9:33 am

    my 4 chidren

  55. lindsay chadburn
    June 19, 2015 / 12:02 pm

    happy blog birthday!!! what makes me happy is my daughters, they are so happy and full of life and this rubs off on me!!!

  56. Tracey Tedford
    June 19, 2015 / 8:50 pm

    If my kids are happy then I am happy

  57. tracy sinclair
    June 19, 2015 / 11:55 pm

    My kids and Grandkids make me happy, well, most of the time anyway x

  58. Monika S
    June 20, 2015 / 12:03 am

    seeing my children smile – Happy Blogiversary

  59. Natalie Crossan
    June 20, 2015 / 1:17 am

    Seeing my daughter have fun 🙂

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