I've been really neglecting my blog lately and feel rather guilty about it. I find it mildly difficult working full time, parenting, maintaining a fun relationship, studying for a designation, and keeping up with a blog on top of it all! To get myself back into a groove and also spark motivation with the new year right around the corner, I signed up for the Solidarity Sisters month long challenge for the month of December. Susannah over at Simple Moments Stick is the mastermind behind this great idea. She pairs up bloggers who are in the same blogging niche and who have similar interests and gives you a set of challenges to complete together each week. It is a really great opportunity to connect with fellow bloggers and get advice on how to improve your blog. (More info on how to join at the bottom of this post).
I was paired with Hil from Raising Fairies and Knights. She has two littles, who I learned are 21 months apart, which is a major coincidence, as Liana and her baby sibling will be 22 months apart if the baby is relatively on time. I also learned Hil had a home water birth with her son. How amazing is that? It's like my dream come true! Compromising with my boyfriend, we decided on a natural unmedicated birth with a midwife at the hospital of my choice. Last time I got to at least labor in the tub but not give birth in it. Enough about me, let's meet Hil!
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Blogger Name: Hil
Blogger Bio: I am a mom of two (one and two and a half years old), working from home and raising my children to be vegetarians like my husband and I. I love to camp and be outside, do crafts, yoga, bake, drink mocha's and follow the ways of the goddess.
Blog Name: Raising Fairies and Knights
Blog Niche: Parenting, crafting, food, lifestyle.
Blog Description: I write about a lot of things, being a mom, parenting a baby and toddler, relationships, crafts for toddlers, DIY's for adults, book and product reviews, vegetarian recipes and baking, and how to celebrate pagan holidays and traditional holidays with your family.
Length of Time Blogging: I have been blogging for seven months so far.
Why I Started Blogging: I was looking for a hobby to start feeling more like myself again after two kids. Being a mom is amazing and my whole life, so why not blog about it and connect with other moms as well.
What Keeps Me Motivated: Trying to be the best mom I can and share my experience with others in case it may help them too. Blogging about seasonal crafts and activities and reviewing children's books has been a great way to bond more with my daughter and give us a great excuse to do tons of crafts together.
Favorite Blog Post I've Written: I did it, I survived a year!
I wrote this only a few weeks ago but it was in celebration of my son's first birthday and how exhausting and amazing this past year with two little one's only 21 months apart was.
Goals For Your Blog in the Next Year:
I wrote this only a few weeks ago but it was in celebration of my son's first birthday and how exhausting and amazing this past year with two little one's only 21 months apart was.
Goals For Your Blog in the Next Year:
1. Engage readers more.
2. Increase my following on social media.
3. Be more organized in my posts and having time to write them.
Greatest Achievement Outside of Blogging: My at-home water birth of my son a year ago. I wanted to have both my babies at home and unfortunately I was not able to with my daughter. Giving birth in my own home in the water was such an amazing experience, I have never felt more like a goddess!
Favorite Blog(s) to Follow / Motivational Blog(s) and Why: What's Up Moms. a YouTube channel. If the name does not ring a bell, I am sure their parody music videos will! "I'm so Pregnant", "Gangam Style", and "Blank Space" are just so amazing and I feel such a connection to the moms behind the channel. These women are super mommy's who have it all and inspire me to work harder to do more with my children and try to help other mommy's too.
Favorite Blog(s) to Follow / Motivational Blog(s) and Why: What's Up Moms. a YouTube channel. If the name does not ring a bell, I am sure their parody music videos will! "I'm so Pregnant", "Gangam Style", and "Blank Space" are just so amazing and I feel such a connection to the moms behind the channel. These women are super mommy's who have it all and inspire me to work harder to do more with my children and try to help other mommy's too.
Advice to New Bloggers: Do your research and join other groups on Facebook. Meeting other bloggers has been amazing and so helpful for me. I have learned so much and made some great friends. But you really have to do your research from the beginning or else you have to spend a lot of time going back over stuff to fix it.
Connect with me on social media!
Connect with me on social media!
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I hope you enjoyed meeting my December solidarity sister! Be sure to take a peek at her blog and leave her a comment on your favorite post! xx
Ps. If you'd like to join in the fun and sign up to be paired with your very own Solidarity Sister, click the button below!
This sounds like a fantastic way to meet bloggers and make friends! I'd love to do something like this a little later in the year when I've got more free time!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic way of making new blogger friends. Sounds great, I may have to join!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post, I love the idea of solidarity sisters although I already have a few blogging friends who I would automatically pair up with for anything blogging related. I also totally understand your exhaustion at having two children so close together Hil, mine are 23 months apart. Having them so close together was the best decision I ever made, they adore each other and play together wonderfully now aged 19 months and 3 1/2 years. The first year was tough though! Happy New Year and all the best for 2016.x
ReplyDeleteGreat post! Love the idea of this post It's great finding out about other bloggers x
ReplyDeleteThis is a great post! Such a good way to make more friends through blogging as well! All the best in 2016 :) X
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely idea — meeting likeminded bloggers is fab isn't it? When I started blogging I thought it was quite a solitary affair but I was so wrong!!! I've met some fab (real-life) friends through blogging! :) Happy new year to you and your family! xx
ReplyDeletethis is a lovely idea, going to click the button and see what it is all about!
ReplyDeleteThanks for introducing us to Hil and her blog - such a great idea to pair with someone. I have done this as part of an Etsy team and it was a cool way of getting some motivation and inspiration from another crafter. I'd quite like to give it a go as a blogger too!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a fantastic idea to meet different bloggers. I hope you have a wonderful 2016!
ReplyDeleteWhat a cool idea for a blogging challenge! It was fun to read more about Hil - a home water birth would be so amazing!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great challenge! It's good to have support from other bloggers, it's so motivating.
ReplyDeleteI had a home birth with my son and it was incredible xx
That's a great idea to get linking up with other bloggers, it is a great way to share the love and to find new blogs to read. Nice to 'meet' you both!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like such a good idea! Definitely something I'll look into later on in the year :) xx
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