Its My Blogoversary!

That's right people, its actually been a whole entire year to the day that I started blogging. What a year its been! I remember when I didn't have a clue as to what a blog was or what it entailed. I had no idea what I was in for!

When I started blogging I thought that I would just post once a week. I was only going to spotlight cool things that I found on the web that I either had or thought would make for great gift ideas. I signed up on all the listing places and one of them was the Mom Bloggers Club. I was all over that site, greedy for more info. When I started I had no comments, no visitors - nada. I joined a Follow Me club and tried to keep up with following all of these different bloggers. I never commented on their posts or anything. I just didn't know any type of blog ettiquette what so ever.

One blogger in particular kept coming back and commenting on my weekly posts. I thought to myself that this lady must really think I'm awesome! Little did I know that this blogger was just being friendly, and maybe, just maybe she wanted me to comment back on her posts too. Actually, I don't even think that it crossed my mind at all. I mean, I only blogged once a week!

Anyways, my initial reason for starting this blog was to kill some time and learn all about social networking while I was waiting for enough cash flow to start my own business online. Then as I read more and more blogs I wanted to become a review blogger. I had no idea how to accomplish this but I knew I had to start with posting a whole lot more often than once a week! From there I just read as much as I could and learned how to become a review blogger. I also started joining in on the blog carnivals and incorporating my family life into my blog. Through all of my changes, that same blog friend, mentioned earlier, rang true and continued to comment on my posts. Over the last year she has watched me grow from someone who was really uncomfortable with the idea of blogging into the blogaholic that I am today. Through all the posts, when I decided to add more me, when I joined my first blog carnival, when I shared milestones, when I posted about my insecurites as a mom, and even now as I have been too busy to read other blogs these days, she was there. Commenting and making me feel the bloggy love with her jokes, her positive comments and her friendship. She taught me how to be a better blogger. For this, I am thankful.

Who is this wonderful blog bud, you ask? Everyone knows her, everyone loves her, the one and only - Blue Violet. In honor of my blogoversary Blue Violet has graciously agreed to let me ask her a couple of questions about blogging.

I swear that almost always when I go to post a comment on someone's blog Blue Violet has been there. I barely have time to visit the ten or so favorites that I have - so I have always wondered just how she can visit so many blogs.

Here are my questions:

How in the world do you find the time to read and comment on as many blogs as you do? (when I think about it the spokesperson for Micromachines flashes in my head, lol!)

Blue Violet: My kids are in college so I have all kinds of time to spend on the computer. I didn't even have the internet when my kids were young.

What is your advice to me, or anyone else, to get a ton of bloggy buddies, especially those that like to leave comments?

Blue Violet: I can't tell you why people comment on my blog, but a lot of the commenting I do comes from building a relationship, a bloggy friendship. I care what my friends write about and I want them to know it, so I leave a comment. I comment on every post that I read, and I read a lot!

Do you use Google Reader to read all your favorite blogs?

Blue Violet: I almost always use google reader to read the blogs and then I click through from there.


Thanks Blue Violet - you're awesome!

All though I know that I have a lot more to accomplish as a review blogger I feel that what I need to work on most this upcoming year is improving my blog friendships. I have gotten so busy with reviews and giveaways that I have had no time to focus on blog hopping and reading all about whats up with my favorite bloggers. I want to focus more time on them and making new blog friends. I hope to post more of me than I do now. I aspire to be more like Blue Violet and comment reguarly on all my blog friends posts. This is my goal.

A toast to bloggy friends old and new! Bottoms up!