Being A BiBs Finalist & A New Look {The Ordinary Moments #23}

I’ve really struggled writing this post, in fact I have started to write and subsequently deleted it about ten times in the last two days because what I am about to say seems strange and surreal and maybe some kind of dream or joke and writing it down or saying it out loud may well jinx it and it just seems, well it’s not very me.

But here goes.

On Monday as I was going about my normal day at home I glanced at my phone, you know the way you absentmindedly do every time it lights up even when you promise yourself you won’t! I had a couple of notifications on various social media to congratulate me. My heart started to race as I checked my emails and found the most exciting email I have probably ever received. One that I had to read 10 times over just to believe it. In fact I’m still sure it’s some sort of mistake that might be taken back at any minute.

I have been chosen as a finalist for the BiBs (Brilliance in Blogging) awards ran by Britmums in the Fresh Voice category. Me! My little blog has not only somehow been nominated but amazingly has actually made it onto the finalist list which I’m not being insincere when I say I would never ever have dreamed it would happen and am just totally over the moon with.

I know I’m small time, and most likely won’t win but I am ok with that because I am so proud and so happy to have made that list and will be proud come September when I sit at the awards (taking place on a city cruise in London) surrounded by lots of blogging people, blogging friends and those who inspire me on a daily basis, give me so much support and whom I admire for what they all do. Because we all know that blogging is not as easy as it looks!

I don’t really talk about it much here, I mainly record our everyday and our family life but blogging is something that I absolutely adore, it has changed me as a person more than even I thought possible and has definitely been the best thing I have ever done…maybe apart from my family that is! I am happier because of blogging, I am a little more confident because of it and have found a real passion for photography and capturing little bits of our lives. I am busier because of blogging sure but I know that no matter how many 1am finishes I have under my belt it’s because of pure love for recording these moments I truly never want to forget. I’ve finally found that thing that I’m proud of and if 1 person reads it, or if 1000’s of people do, I am happy.

Blogging has also encouraged me appreciate the ordinary moments, to record photos of my family every month that I definitely wouldn’t have otherwise and helped me through some dark times. I wrote a post about my battle with baby loss due to hyperemesis and it was truly the hardest thing I have ever had to write and something that truly I never thought I would. It was the first time I had told the true story even to people that know me and that was scary. Yet it helped, it has freed me from carrying such a burden and made me realise through contact with others that I am not alone and that actually my talking about it has helped others too, so for that alone I will be forever grateful to starting this little blog of mine.

Naturally the first thing I did when I found out was to decide it was the kick up the bum I needed to finally change my site up a bit! For such a long time I have had ‘re-design’ on my loooong blogging to do list as the old one just wasn’t very ‘me’ but not knowing massive amounts about it I have put it off time and again. I designed a new logo and then procrastinated when I found out it was too similar to another blogger and it kind of just got bumped down every time I was sat at my desk. I still have my logo to do and there are tweaks I need to make but this week I finally got that new look and I love it, it truly has been a week that has made me fall in love with it all once again.

So anyway this long rambling post is to say thank you, for reading, for commenting, for following, for nominating me if you did, because no I don’t know how long I will do it or how successful I will be but for now it feels really amazing and humbling to say that one day I made it as a finalist and be proud of that….if only to document it to tell the girls when they grow up that one day Mummy did that all by herself.

And of course as cringe as this sounds it would be the icing on the cake to win and as the awards is the day after my birthday maybe a perfect present too (although you never know Eddy may have got me something amazing that would top that…no pressure!) So if you want to vote for me to be in with even a slight chance then you can do so here and if you do then thank you, every one means a lot to me.

And here are some totally unrelated pictures from this weekend whilst strawberry picking because one of the biggest things to come out of blogging is my love of photography and it gives me the incentive to get my camera out and capture these ordinary moments just because. After all this is all for them and it’s amazing really how my ordinary life – and it is that – could, through blogging, lead me to such an extraordinary moment in my ordinary week. High fives all round.

Xx

 

Linking with Katie Mummy Daddy Me & Donna What the Redhead said for the Ordinary Moments

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16 Comments

  1. Sarah potter
    June 25, 2017 / 1:11 pm

    Well done Laura, I’ve voted for youxx

  2. June 25, 2017 / 2:14 pm

    Congratulations on the finalist spot. Amazing achievement!

    And beautiful photos 🙂

  3. June 25, 2017 / 5:09 pm

    Congratulations, Laura, and best of luck!

  4. June 26, 2017 / 5:22 am

    Ah this was a lovely post Laura. Well done lovely on making it as a finalist, you must be so thrilled and it must make all those 1am bedtimes feel so worthwhile. I didn’t realise it was on a river cruise this year! Sounds so exciting! Love the new look on your blog x

  5. June 27, 2017 / 5:11 am

    Congratulations again lovely, it’s amazing when the unpexpected happens. I’m looking at the redesigned blog on my phone and it looks great but I’ll go on the computer soon and have a proper look 😉 x #TheOrdinaryMoments

    • June 27, 2017 / 8:07 pm

      Thanks so much I am not sure that I will ever get over being shocked! I am really pleased with the design at the moment too although I am sure I will keep tinkering forever! x

  6. June 28, 2017 / 2:07 pm

    Congrats on your nomination – so exciting!

  7. June 28, 2017 / 7:55 pm

    Huge congrats lovely – you have such a great chance at this, your photos are beautiful and I love reading your blog. Love the new look too! x

  8. July 11, 2017 / 3:52 pm

    Well done Laura!! I’ll be routing for you when the time comes! September is a long wait! Stunning photography of your little family… I can see why you were shortlisted! xx #meandmine

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