Sunday, December 29, 2013

And What Makes Me Think These Are The Top Three Posts for 2013?

Hi. I'm so glad you decided to stop by.

I thought the best way to end the year would be to review my top three posts. 

There are two reasons. One, I have a reason to share my posts again. :)  And two, we can figure out what I may have done right so we replicate it.

Well, I looked at my post stats and got confused. I had to stop and ask myself, what makes me think these are the top three posts of 2013?






1.) You Can't Live a Positive Life With a Negative Mind





















2.) 8 Reason Someone Envies You







3.) How Random Acts of Kindness Improve Your Life





How do I determine which posts are the most popular - the most successful?


Pageviews

If this is the determining factor, then yes the three posts shown above would be considered the most popular posts.

Comments

1.) You Can't Live a Positive Life With a Negative Mind
  • 57 comments including my responses

2.) 8 Reason Someone Envies You

  • 61 comments including my responses

    3.) How Random Acts of Kindness Improve Your Life
    • 60 comments including my responses

    These three pretty much seem tied when it comes to comments.


    Featured


    1.) You Can't Live a Positive Life With a Negative Mind
    • Twice

    2.) 8 Reason Someone Envies You

    • Twice


      3.) How Random Acts of Kindness Improve Your Life
      • Once

      The top two are tied. Unless I missed being featured somewhere which is quite possible. It's rare for a party host to send an email announcing that you have been featured.

      Pinned


      1.) You Can't Live a Positive Life With a Negative Mind
      • RePinned 99

      2.) 8 Reason Someone Envies You

      • RePinned 4

      3.) How Random Acts of Kindness Improve Your Life
      • RePinned 67

      Well those are pretty sad numbers. Especially number two which would probably put this post way back to tenth place or worse.

      It's probably because it doesn't have a pinnable image. I'll have to work on that.

      Number one does have the prettiest image.

      Shares


      1.) You Can't Live a Positive Life With a Negative Mind
      • Google Plus 15 Times
      • 6 Tweets
      • 31 Facebook Shares
      • 1 Stumble

      2.) 8 Reason Someone Envies You
      • Google Plus 13 Times
      • 9 Tweets
      • 19 Facebook Shares
      • 1 Stumble


        3.) How Random Acts of Kindness Improve Your Life
        • Google Plus 9 Times
        • 7 Tweets
        • 9 Facebook Shares
        • 1 Stumble



          These numbers fall in line properly for Google+ and Facebook shares but the Tweets are out of whack. 


          So what is the answer? How do I figure out which of my posts are most popular? That is if I am comparing my posts to each other as apposed to other bloggers.


          These blog posts were from March, April and May of this year. Maybe they are more popular right now because they are older and time is on their side?

          Sorry. I'm not suppose to be figuring out why they are popular but how their popularity is determined.

          Ahhh! I could make myself crazy.




          ********************************

          Well thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed reading this post. 


          And don't forget to stop by my Etsy Shop, Little Shop of Treasures or check out a few other posts.

          I would love for you subscribe and follow along! 

          You can also find me:  TwitterFacebook and Pinterest. See you there.



          I look forward to reading your comments. Make my day and leave one!



          Have a Fantastic Day!


          Tuesday, December 17, 2013

          When The World Says Give Up . . .


          Hi, I am so happy that you decided to pay me a visit.

          No need to grab a coffee today. This is a quickie. 

          Not too long ago I wrote a post about my granddaughters' perseverance when learning a new skill. 

          I asked this question, "What could we accomplish in life if we still had that kind of determination?"

          If you missed it, you can read it HERE.

          Anyways, I thought it might be nice to make a printable that expresses the kind of determination and perseverance that a child possesses.

          I am hoping that this quote can inspire and remind us all that we can achieve the unbelievable as long as we remain steadfast in spite of difficulties, obstacles or discouragement.





          Free Printable with Quote about Determination





          ********************************

          I have been featured. Yahooo! I am so happy and honored to be chosen.

          A special thanks to the lovely hosts at the Four Seasons Blog Hop.



          ********************************

          Thank you, thank you, thank you, Stacey from Along Came Life chose to feature my post, When The World Says Give Up . . . 

          This is what she had to say, “This is so true, sometimes we parents have so much that weighs us down, that we might be quicker to just give up or not do something. When maybe if we tried that one more time to achieve our goals, because perseverance pays off. My kids have proven it so many times, while trying to master, even something as simple as a video game, they learn that if they keep trying they will eventually master that level.”

          ********************************


          Well thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed reading this post. 


          And don't forget to stop by my Etsy Shop, Little Shop of Treasures or check out a few other posts.

          I would love for you subscribe and follow along! 

          You can also find me:  TwitterFacebook and Pinterest. See you there.



          I look forward to reading your comments. Make my day and leave one!




          Have a wonderful week!

          Wednesday, December 11, 2013

          Happiness is . . . Shopping?


          Who loves to shop?

          I do. I do. 




          HAPPINESS IS SHOPPING!


          Okay, I'm sure there are a few out there that just dread going into a store but hey, I bet you're not one of them.

          Oh what a happy day it is when I have some money in my pocket and nothing in particular to buy. No time limits, no kids distracting me or spouse asking me if I'm done yet. Just shopping for the sheer pleasure of it. Perfection.

          So that's the ultimate shopping experience for me. It doesn't happen very often but when it does, I feel a little bounce in my step. What about you?

          I also love finding a bargain. Time and a bit of perseverance and I find that perfect item at an unbelievable price. Now that's something that can make me smile for years.

          That kind of happiness I need to share. So I am teaching my granddaughters at an early age the joy of shopping. LOL


          Thrift Shopping


          My girls love garage sales and thrift shopping. 


          Talk about a bounce in your step. The girls literally run and skip through the doors with huge smiles on their faces.

          They grab their baskets and race to the toy section with my Mom and me taking up the rear.

          The girls fill up their shopping baskets with all kinds of stuff. Toys, books, shoes.

          But the main fun for them is playing with all the toys.

          Honey Bunny is wearing her favorite high heel shoes. They click when she walks.

          We bought those at Value Village in the summer for $3.99. 

          She still loves those shoes and wears them every chance she gets.

          The girls sure love their shoes. And dresses.

          Check out Honey Bunny's favorite dress. She feels like a princess when she wears it. 

          In fact Baby Cakes loved this dress too. They took turns wearing it up until it was too stained and scary. They would still be wearing it if I didn't hide it.

          I bought that dress at the Salvation Army for maybe six dollars.

          Once I've had a chance to look through the store I call my Mom and the girls over to the shoe area which is also the same place that the purses hang out.

          Dress up time!

          So many shoes, so little time.

          I sometimes think my granddaughters love the shoes and purses more than the toys.




          Can't you image the conversation taking place here?

          "I found this gorgeous purple purse with black feathers and now this awesome purple sparkly wallet to go with it!


          "Cool! Check out this cute little wallet that I found."

          "Oh my gosh! I love these boots! They have my name on them."

          "Look at those black boot. I have to try those on."

          "I feel good in these boots."

          "Ta Daa!"






          Happiness is Having Fun. Living in the Moment.


          *******************************



          Can I get a high five? Look! This post has been featured at Meandering Mondays!

          "This Momma’s Meanderer’s from last week, and boy oh boy it was a difficult choice! Don’t forget to grab your “I Was Featured” badge of honor! Congratulations to you all!"


          Mrs Tee from Love Life and Laughter choose this post as her favorite.

          Saying, “I loved this post because I am in a place where I myself am learning to find happiness in even the smallest moments and I think this post was a great example of that!”


          *******************************

          Well thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed reading this post. 


          And don't forget to stop by my Etsy Shop, Little Shop of Treasures or check out a few other posts.

          To receive my blog updates - please subscribe via email or follow through one of the other social medias. And don't forget to share the love.  :)


          I look forward to reading your comments. Make my day and leave one!



          HAVE A FANTASTIC DAY!

          7 Things I Look For On Your Blog?

          One of the things that I love most about blogging is visiting my fellow bloggers and checking out their amazing posts.

          Of course when I find something particularly interesting I want to share it. I want to know more about the blogger and I want to be able to follow them. 

          Sometimes it can be so frustrating. But more importantly, that blogger is missing out - missing out on the sharing and following. Not that I am a super star blogger but every bit helps right.





          7 Things I Look For When I Visit Your Blog


          1. Awesome Images

          No matter where I start from, whether it is a Linky Party, Pinterest, Google Plus, what ever, I am first and always attracted to your post by the image you have on display.

          Everyone knows that. But did you know a tree in the forest does make a sound when it falls and no one is around to hear it? And that is something I am definitely working on. 

          I started off with my regular digital camera but have upgraded to a Nikon DX. Mind you I love taking photographs and I wanted a better camera anyway. But holy cow, what a huge difference! I'm going to eventually go back and put better pictures on my older posts.

          Many bloggers use IStockPhoto, or Flickr for images and that's great if it works for them but it doesn't for me. I wasted so much time looking for pictures just to be disappointed.

          Oh ya, an awesome image isn't necessarily a professionally taken photograph. An awesome image is one that shouts out for attention.

          There are many different ways to attract attention, like through colour, lack of colour or just something plain fun. 

          2. Sharing

          Sharing is caring! When I read something good, I want to share it. The easier you make it for me to share the better. If I have to work too hard at it I'll just skip it and move to another blog.

          I like Pinning. As soon as I realize that I like your post, I want to PIN it. And the easiest way for me to do that is to click on the Pinterest icon that appears right on your pictures when I hover over it. I don`t have to search for it or strain my eyes to see it. 

          (There are all kinds of places on the net to get instructions for putting the Pinterest hover button. This is just one. Click HERE.)

          Done and move on. It has to be that simple.

          If you make it easy for me, I`ll even share your post on Twitter and Stumble. I`ll like your Facebook page. Make me search for those sharing buttons and I`ll likely just skip it.

          This is where I got my share buttons. Click HERE. It's free and easy. 


          3. Showing Off Your Best

          So I`m on your blog and I`ve shared your post. Now what?

          I want to see more. What else do you got? Anything interesting?

          Try showing off your popular post in your side bar.

          Or put "You Might Also Like" at the end of a blog post. Click HERE to add it to your blog.

          Either way, you'll keep me on your blog longer while I bebop from post to post.


          4. Your Picture

          I don`t know about you, but I love seeing a picture of the blogger. It`s you that I can relate to. It`s you I want to follow. And it`s your writing I want to read. Plus I tend to remember you face more than a blog title. 

          To me, your face is like your business logo. Memorable.


          5. Your About Me Page

          Everyone likes to feel like they fit in. 

          It`s a good feeling when I get to read more about you and find we have something in common. This alone could be the reason I follow you and share your posts. Is this true for you too?


          6. Follow Me Buttons

          Once I decide to follow you please make it easy for me to do it. 

          There`s nothing more disappointing to really like a blogger but can't follow them because you can`t seem to figure out where the follow me buttons are.

          I just changed my buttons. They were spread out but now they are grouped together. We'll see if it makes a difference.

          This is where I got my follow me buttons. Click HERE. It's free and easy.

          7. Subscribe by Email

          It`s all about the list. Well, that`s what everyone is saying. So make sure that is an option for me. 

          Besides, lately I`ve noticed that I prefer to subscribe by email. Sure it means  loads of mail but I find it a challenge to get my email back down to zero. I scan emails, reading and deleting as I go.

          I actually just moved this box to the top of my right panel and I already got more email subscriptions in this last couple of weeks than I did in the last year. Bonus.

          I use FeedBurner. Click HERE. Or if you prefer MailChimp, click HERE.

          To be honest, I don't know what the difference is and I can't remember why I choose FeedBurner. It works.




          *******************************


          I'm jumping up and down with joy. I can't thank you enough ladies. 

          This mother and daughter dual, Debi and Charly featured this post on their fabulous blog Adorned From Above.




          *******************************




          This is too exciting. 

          I would like to thank the hosts of the blog hop for featuring this post. I am honored.

          To see the other featured posts and meet the hosts, please click HERE.

          Terri Henkels publicly sent out this invitation, "Stop by and see the post Features of the week by some creative and great bloggers." 




          *******************************

          I'm doing a happy dance now! 

          This post has been featured on the Blog Strut as the most clicked.





          *******************************


          I'm dancing again.

          Thank you Carol and Linda for featuring my post at your party.

          Check out the smiles on these lovely ladies.



          *******************************


          Well thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed reading this post. 


          And don't forget to stop by my Etsy Shop, Little Shop of Treasures or check out a few other posts.

          To receive my blog updates - please subscribe via email or follow through one of the other social medias. And don't forget to share the love.  :)


          I look forward to reading your comments. Make my day and leave one!



          Tuesday, November 26, 2013

          Happiness Is .... Blowing Up a Balloon All By Yourself

          When you were a child, almost everything was new. You were experiencing so many things for the first time. And when you accomplished something for the first time it was miraculous, exciting and rewarding.

          It was the simple things in life that made you feel so good. Like doing a somersault or blowing up a balloon all by yourself. 


          Little Girl Blowing Up a Balloon.


          I watched my daughters try to blow up their balloons. For a long time they would send the balloon flying out from their fingers as they blew as hard as they could.

          Yes they giggled because it was funny but it was also disappointing because they still could not fill up the balloon.




          They were determined to blow up their own balloons. Then one day it happened. I don't know if the balloon was especially thinner or the girls lungs got stronger but low and behold they each were able to blow up their own balloons all by themselves.

          Look everyone. Look what I can do!

          Hooray! What an accomplishment. The joy. The pride. The ear to ear grins.



          What could we accomplish in life if we still had that kind of determination?




          *******************************

          Twitter ProfileHigh Five! Vashti choose this post to feature at This Momma’s Meandering Mondays #24. Saying, “It’s a cute post that put a smile on my face and I believe she is right when she wrote that we as adults would be able to accomplish so much more if we had the determination of a child.”

          Please visit Vashti Q Vega at Vashti Q Vegas Blog.



          *******************************




          Yahooo. I have been featured as the post with the most likes. "Turn It Up Tuesdays is all about being happy and excited and energetic, and having fun!"

          They ask us to "Link up your funny stories, DIY posts, recipes, mommy moments – anything at all, as long as it is family-friendly. We want to laugh, be entertained, be inspired, and have a good time!"

          So check out our hosts: 



          *******************************

          Well thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed reading this post. 


          And don't forget to stop by my Etsy Shop, Little Shop of Treasures or check out a few other posts.

          To receive my blog updates - please subscribe via email or follow through one of the other social medias. And don't forget to share the love.  :)


          I look forward to reading your comments. Make my day and leave one!

          Wednesday, November 20, 2013

          Happiness Is . . . Picking Apples

          Hi, I am so happy you decided to visit today.

          I have a few pictures to share with you. I had planned this post quite a few weeks ago but for some unknown reason I just didn't get it done. Better late than never. Right?

          Normally in the fall we go to a farm where they have fun activities like corn mazes, petting zoos, scary hay ride . . .  Know what I mean?

          Anyway, we decided to try something different this year because our usual haunt is closed this season for construction. 

          We decided to go to an apple orchard. 

          Happiness is Picking Apples





          I've never been to an orchard for fun. The last time I was in an one was many moons ago when I was a kid helping my Mom earn money picking apples.

          I don't know about the kids, but I was pretty excited and looked forward to eating some fresh crisp apples.



          Here is a picture of my daughter Cole leading the crew down a row between the apple trees. She is followed by her daughter Baby Cakes, Beth's daughter Sweetie Pie and Christina's daughter Honey Bunny.





          Oh my, that apple looks delicious. My mouth is watering. Those ones were a bit sour and juicy.




          One of the frustrating things about going on an outing with kids is their small bladders. We weren't in the orchard more than fifteen - twenty minutes when we heard the first cry, "Grandma, I gotta pee."

          Aw, the washroom is way far away at the front of the orchard. What can I say. I didn't remind the girls to take a pee before we left the house.

          Of course when one girl needs to pee another one chimes in that she has to pee too.

          Now I am frustrated. I guess it is just one of my pet peeves. I really don't like stopping to pee. 

          I take a deep cleansing breath and we head over to the washroom. We're done picking apples anyway.

          In the area near the washrooms, the girls found these tall stacks of corn stalks. 

          I thought they were cool and imagined one of them in my front yard for a Halloween decoration.

          At the same time they freaked me out. Children of the Corn anyone?



          In the same area were pumpkins and more pumpkins. 

          The girls squealed with delight and immediately buzzed around the pumpkins trying decide which one they liked best.



          Now who needed to pee? Oh ya, all three of the girls.





          **********************************


          Well thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed reading this post. 

          And don't forget to stop by my Etsy Shop, Little Shop of Treasures or check out a few other posts.

          To receive my blog updates - please subscribe via email or follow through one of the other social medias. And don't forget to share the love.  :)


          I look forward to reading your comments. Make my day and leave one!

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