525,600 minutes ago
I interrupt the regularly scheduled Sunday programming to present this announcement:
Today is the ONE-YEAR BLOGIVERSARY of Grandma's Briefs!
Yeah, baby! One year ago today I set out to create a blog to help ease the distance between myself and Bubby, to share my successes and failures as I venture out on the grandparenting road. Since then, this little site o' mine has seen 396 posts, 2,393 comments, 15,385 unique visitors, and 44,748 page views.
Most of all, though, this site has seen YOU! And it's YOU that has made Grandma's Briefs such an awesomely incredible experience for me!
There simply are no words to describe how much I appreciate you showing up and reading and commenting on my words and pictures, making it seem like this crazy journey I'm on -- the same one taken by millions of others, yet oh-so personal to me -- matters to someone besides myself and my family.
You all mean the world to me, and I'm offering up a few prizes as just a very small token of my gratitude for the difference you've made in my life. I'd like to give each and every one of you a great big bear hug, but a little giveaway will have to do.
But first ...
Darren Rowse, masterful mentor and blogger extraordinaire of Problogger, recently proposed a 7 Link Challenge that I thought would make a perfect one-year-blogiversary post. Darren's challenge is to present seven links in seven themes that best represent to new and long-time readers what one's blog is all about and to possibly introduce one and all to a few posts they may have missed.
In that vein, here are my answers to the 7 Link Challenge (Be sure to keep reading after the links for details on my blogiversary giveaway!):
- Your first post – And so it begins ... featured -- naturally -- an absolutely adorable photo of Bubby.
- A post you enjoyed writing the most – One woman's pleasure is another's worst job ever. I absolutely hated, hated, hated this job but I found writing about it rather cathartic because I knew I would never, ever, ever again be in a position to have to work such duty. Plus, I kind of enjoyed making you all say "ewww!" over the stinky job instead of the usual "awww...!" over the always precious antics and photos of Bubby.
- A post which had a great discussion – Wanted: Crazy, quirky confessions. Wow! I loved reading all the quirky things you all got going on, and apparently you did, too. This post had the most comments of any other so far, and it doesn't even include the equally quirky comments I got when posting the same thing over on Vibrant Nation.
- A post on someone else’s blog that you wish you’d written – There are so many great blogs I read by interesting and insightful women, but it's the posts of Pat at Mille Fiori Favoriti that I envy the most. Not one particular post, but every single one. Why? She's a grandma, just like me, but she lives in this wonderfully exciting place (NYC) and has the most awesome photo skills to document the world in which she lives and travels. I don't hanker so much to write posts like her; I just want to be able to take photos like her ... and take those photos in places as awesome as those in which she takes hers.
- A post with a title that you are proud of – Bikes, trikes and big-boy beds. Other than the always adorable photos of Bubby, there's nothing particularly special about this post. But I think the title just flows well -- and tells exactly what the post is about.
- A post that you wish more people had read – With this kiss, I thee wed. Without the first kiss, there would be no me and Jim, thus no Brianna, Megan and Andrea; no marriage between Megan and Preston; no Bubby. Ultimately, without that first fateful kiss, there'd be no Grandma's Briefs. Well, this post isn't about that kiss. But it is about the anniversary of that kiss.
- Your most visited post ever – Two men and a toddler (haircut) was published last August, but to this day I still get at least one -- often more -- clicks on it daily. I like to think it's because it is such a wonderfully wacky documentation of Bubby getting a haircut by Preston and his buddy. I shudder at my stats, though, showing there may actually be a more disgustingly pedophiliac factor to the searches that result in some of the visits. I've considered deleting this post because of the thought of what's behind the searches, but I love the photos too much to do that -- and I hope the icky folks doing the searching feel gut-wrenching guilt when they unexpectedly click on the wholesome photos of Bubby getting his hair done by Daddy.
And now, for the Grandma's Briefs One-Year Blogiversary giveaway:
Like I said above, I'd like to give all of you something. But what I have is three prizes to award, at random, to three folks who comment to this post telling me Why do you read Grandma's Briefs and/or what topics or features would you like to see more of in the coming year?
The prizes are:
Grand prize: A Grandma's Briefs One-Year Blogiversary tote bag filled with a few books from my stack of advance reader copies from publishers, plus homemade chocolate chip cookies made by Grandma (that's me)!
1st place: A Grandma's Briefs One-Year Blogiversary tote bag and homemade chocolate chip cookies!
2nd place: Homemade chocolate chip cookies!
(Do note that I'll ship the prizes within 24 hours of making the cookies so you won't be getting stale yucky pucks in the mail!)
Comments received by midnight MST Wednesday, July 28 are eligible for the drawing; winners announced Thursday, July 29.
Again, I appreciate you all! Thank you for reading. Thank you for caring!
Lisa
Okay, I'm the biggest dork of a grandma in the world, as Megan just pointed out that the Rent song -- and the facts -- show that it's 525,600 minutes in year, not what I originally had as the post title. Correction to title made! Thanks, Megan!
Reader Comments (24)
Happy Blogiversary! :)
HAPPY BLOGIVERSARY!!! I wish you many more!!!
I was attracted to Grandma's Briefs because of the Grandma aspect but I've continued with you because I so enjoy your writing. No matter what you write about, you're real and honest and interesting. I look forward to each day's post!
Happy Blogiversary! I am just starting a new blog today...and love reading your blog post. I also am a grandma (nanna) of two great babies. I hope that your day is filled with love and happiness!
Hugs,
Chrisy
I'm just your mom but I'd say exactly everything Annette said so, What She Said!
Happy Blogoversary! You should be proud of all the hard work you've put into this blog! Congrats! @sethandshannon1
Happy Anniversary!!!!
ps. I want the chocolate chip cookies!
Happy Blogaversary to you! Even though I' new here I just want to say how glad I am to have found you!
You don't have to enter me...I just enjoy coming here!
Happy Sunday!
hughugs
Happy Blogiversary! Yay!
I love reading about all your adventures -- grandma-related and otherwise -- but I especially enjoy your dog tales (maybe because I'm a dog person)!
Happy anniversary! What you have done here is amazing and wonderful.
Why am I here? Because you're a great writer and an interesting person in general. What would I like to see more of? Photos! I love your photos of not only Bubby, but your life at home, too.
Thanks for stopping by my blog, I'm returning the favor! Congrats on 1 year I love the idea of a 7-themes blog highlight, I may have to take this one, and I will be back to read more.
www.reflectionsbyrebekah.blogspot.com
I started out by loving the title of your blog and the perfect graphic! " Grandma Briefs" is so creative and so much fun that I knew you had to be too. I'm just a tiny bit jealous that I didn't think of the blog title first.
I'm a grandma blogger too over at Grandma's Little Pearls. You are my kind of grandma and I truly admire the the long distance relationship you have with your little grandson.
Congratulations on your one year anniversary! Well done.
Happy Anniversary! I read your blog because I am a grandma and I love reading about you being a grandma and I love you. I have known you for a very long time and I know you want to be successful with your writing.....and you are! And I have eaten your homemade chocolate chip cookes and I want more!
HAPPY ONE-YEAR BLOGIVERSARY to you!!!
I just discovered your blog! :)
Lisa, every once in a while someone comes along and you just know you're gonna love 'em.
So glad YOU came along!!!!!!
And don't even think about sending me any of those cookies. You are all the sweetness I need ...and I don't have to do the 30 minute shred for 90 minutes to work you off my hips (-:
Happy Blogiversary my great and awesome bloggy friend!!!
xoxoxoMelyssa
Woohoo! Happy Blogiversary (again)!
I started reading because I wanted to support my friend. I keep reading even though I'm not a grandma because I love your insight and the way you look at the world. Your blog always makes me think or laugh - and lots of times all in the same post! I can't think of anything I'd change. Keep on keepin' on!
Happy 1 year blogging anniversary! How fun to see that you call your grandson Bubby - that's what I called all of my boys as babies. :) Just seeing it brings back so many memories of them when they were little. I am celebrating my 1 year next week! Such an exciting time!
Happy blogiversary! I love this blog because you're a great writer, Bubby's adorable and the grandparenting topic is a nice departure from the mommyblogs I normally read. More photos would be great, but mostly, I'd just like to see you continue being awesome. :)
Congratulations!!!
First let me say I LOVE your headline picture! Also, thanks for your kind words about my blog last week as well. And lastly, Happy Blogiversay! How exciting to know you have been doing this a year now. I am enjoying looking through your site and seeing the cute and funny things you are sharing, and enjoying them all. Glad you found me :)....
Woo-hoo! I'm a new reader, but if I qualify in time for the chocolate chip cookies, I'm IN!
So far, I love your attitude and will be back and still here for next year's anniversary contest too. :)
Hi and Happy Blogversary!
I love the idea of why you started this blog - that is so sweet. My goddaughter got me into blogging in 2002 and I've been doing it ever since. (My personal home on the web is http:www.snarkypants.com) I love going back and re-reading what things were like for me 2, 3 and even 4 years ago just to get a perspective on where I am now. You'll find that the things you've written along with the pictures become much more precious over time.
I'm happy to follow your Grandma adventures anywhere!
:)
Happy Blogoversary!
I stop by because it won't be too many years before I'm a young, fun grandma just like you--and I want to see how it's done.
Thanks so much for your nice comments about my blog, Lisa! I guess like anything else in life taking good photos is just a matter of practice, practice, practice :) It also helps to live in a city that has a lot of sights to see.
I must have been on my boat ride that day you posted this nice shout out...sorry I missed congratulating you on the exact day of your blog anniversary --your blog looks so advanced for being only one year old and your give away is so charming!
Cheers!
Pat
I'm late at wishing you a happy anniversary . . . sigh . . . I hate it when I 'm late on things. You've got such a great site -- and are a great grandmother (as in a superior grandmother and not that you have any great-grandchildren . . .)
Love your give aways, too. Clever.