blogging is not just a hobby, its another universe

In the short time I've been blogging, I read many many blogs. Some are emotive and moving (see Hummingbirds Song, Married With A Blog & Enjoying The Small Things) and others are wet your pants hilarious (Good Golly Miss Holly, Woogsworld & Wheres My Glow). Overall they are all honest and inspiring and when I grow up, if I ever get good at this blogging lark, I'd love to be like any of these women. I'd love to swear in here as much as I do in real life but keep reminding myself that I want my kids to read this one day so I refrain... Many bloggers make money from doing their thing, they're sponsored and go on international trips and to conferences with other bloggers to talk about well, blogging amongst other things. Yes really. Sometimes they win awesome prizes like a brand new Ford Territory and a trip to New York - hello Beth aka Baby Mac. Congrats by the way, a well deserved prize!! It really is another universe this whole blogging thing. I've had a friend telling me for months I should get sponsors, do product endorsements and trials and make some money from this. You can check out the current Top 50 bloggers below, these women are awesome! To be completely truthful though I have no idea where to start being awesome myself.

image taken from Kidspot

I've honestly never thought I'd make any money out of doing this, and that wasn't my intention when I began. I'm writing my blog as a form of baby book, one place to capture the milestones and funny moments my kids have. With three kids I was attempting to write in three baby books, I was also writing on facebook, on forums and on the wall calendar. It was confusing and I was creating more work for myself then I had to. I try to capture whats going on in my personal non mum life, weight loss, work, whatever. I know I will forget all this stuff, I mean I'm lucky to remember what we did last week without writing it down. I like to think that one day there will be enough content in here to print it out, maybe into a book and show it to my kids, or even my grandkids. They can laugh at what a nut job I was or still am.

I also wanted a place to vent my frustrations. Being a stay at home mum with 3 little ones can be lonely and isolating. I have friends but many have fewer/older/younger kids than me, or live far away and many are working mums so their free/family time is precious. Yes I can go out with the monkeys in tow but sometimes the effort involved in getting everyone out, while working around alternating sleep and meal times is frankly not worth it. Rushing to get things done in the small window of time I have available is stressful for everyone involved and if not absolutely necessary why endure it. We have playdates at home, we visit friends and we do go out but quality adult time and conversation is limited for me right now. I think this is part of why I want to try part time work. I also want to get to the occasional gym glass without worrying about creche times or mother guilt. There has to be more than play school, play dates and play-dough. I know there is, I know its out there, I just need to find it and become a part of it. As my children get older the limitations will ease and it will get easier to get out and about with and without them. Until then the community of bloggers out there grants me a few minutes of adult conversation, and reminds me that I'm not alone and for that I am so grateful. If some are making money from it, than I'm happy for them and like I said, maybe when I grow up can I be like them? There are many mums out there in similar positions to me and like me they stay sane by writing their thoughts and feelings down. I thank them for sharing, and for showing me that my crazy thoughts are not mine alone. Now where and how do I get me a new car??


xx