Good-bye to 2007...

This year has been an interesting one for me. Not much has really changed - no big milestones or anything like that. I did not have a baby, get pregnant, start a new job, or move. For me, the theme of 2007 could probably be something like, "same old, same old".

And there's nothing wrong with that.

Especially after the ups and downs (mostly downs) of 2006 - I was very glad to have a relatively quiet and peaceful time this year.

There is one big thing from 2007 for me to celebrate however. The birth of... this blog! On May 30th, I started writing here, with no real purpose in mind except to chronicle my life as the mom to my 3 wonderful daughters, as a 'working out of the house' mom, to hopefully write some things worth reading, and also to maybe meet some other moms or people I could connect with. And I have to say, from my own perspective, I think that I've been pretty successful so far. I have journaled a lot of my children's milestones, stories and photographs, I've met some incredible and amazing people, and I hope that I've connected with at least some of you through what I've written. It's been a wonderful and fun time and I can only hope that 2008 will be just as good.

I wanted to do a few things to thank some people - those of you who have helped me learn more about this whole 'blogging' thing and have supported me in one way or another. I've received such love through links, awards, tags and giveaways that I want to give something back. I thought long and hard, and finally decided that the best way to do this is to spread some linky love here to everyone I can think of who's helped make 2007 such a wonderful blogging year for me.

I've learned a lot about how blogging works from MamaBlogga, ProBlogger, Blogging Tips, and by reading and participating in blogs like Pediascribe, Scribbit and Write From Karen.

I've learned more about writing from reading posts and participating in writing contests and group writing projects at MamaBlogga, Scribbit, and Summer's Nook.

I've had posts included in the Carnival of Family Life and the Mothers and Daughters Blog Carnival.

I've done weekly meme's such as Give Me Five Monday, Monday Madness, Memory Lane Monday, Heads or Tails, Tackle It Tuesday, Wordless Wednesday, Works for Me Wednesday, Thursday Thirteen, Throwback Thursday, and Aloha Friday.

I've been tagged for meme's by One Mom’s World, Are We There Yet, Believer in Balance, My 3 Wisemans, Coming to a Nursery Near You, My Life As Mama Jodi, An Island Life, Mason & Terri's Mom, Beth & Cory's Mom, Mama Pajama, MomOfThree, ...And Miles To Go Before We Sleep..., Confessions of an Organized Mess, A "Sample" of Jennifer's Thoughts..., ExPat Mom, Pediascribe, Amanda, Mom Knows Everything, The Natural News, Working Momma 247, Becca's Buzz, Brainfizzles, and Mommin' It Up (yes, I'll get to it soon!). I've got a few to get caught up on as well, and if I've missed anyone, I'm sorry and please let me know so I can add you to the list. :)

I've received awards from a lot of wonderful new friends as well, like Holly, Megan, Anna, Michelle, Donetta, Elizabeth, Jen, Jean, Kellie, Jennifer, Momma Bean, Tammy, Bridget, Shana, Neena, Laura, MomOfThree, ExPat Mom, Natalie, Jenn, Jenny, and Nap Warden. Thank you so much again to all of you!

It's been fun doing special projects or being involved in meaningful activities like Blog Day 2007, cyber baby showers at 5 Minutes for Mom, and again at Classy Mommy, the Christmas Tour of Homes, and Blog Day for 'The Mother's Act'. I hope to participate in these and others like them again in 2008.

I've discovered many sites for women - blogs and others - full of helpful tips, reviews, contests, and blog posts by amazing women. Sites like 5 Minutes For Mom, Pinks and Blues Girls, BlogHer, Blog Mommas, eMoms At Home, iMommies, Working Moms Against Guilt, MomsBlogging, and Work It, Mom!. I'm sure there are many more out there that I have yet to find and I look forward to doing so!

And I can't finish this without mentioning all of the amazing blogs that I've found in 2007. Trying to recognize everyone would probably be impossible, but I want to share some link love with as many as I can. Some of these I read regularly, some have become blogging friends, some I read whenever I can squeeze in an extra moment, and some are regular commenters here that I try to check out whenever I can. And I'm sure there are many more out there yet to be discovered!

~Enjoying The Ride, A little bit about me!!, ...And Miles To Go Before We Sleep..., A Life Of Triggers, a day in the life of..., A Life Uncommon, A "Sample" of Jennifer's Thoughts, A Whole Lot of Nothing, Absolutely Bananas, Adventures in Babywearing, Amanda, An Iowa Mom, An Island Life, And Babies Make Six, and baby makes four, Any Apples, arewethereyetmom.com, BECAUSE I SAID SO, Becca's Buzz, Believer in Balance, Beth & Cory's Mom, Big Binder, Blog That Mommy!, Brainfizzles, Casual Friday Everyday, Comedy Plus, Coming To A Nursery Near You, Confessions of an Organized Mess, Confessions of a Working Mom, Crazy Thoughts, CrAzY Working Mom, Crunchy Domestic Goddess, Dare To Get Organized, Desperately Seeking Sanity, Don't Call Me Mummy, don't make me get the flying monkeys!, eastcoastlife, Echoes in Eternity, Eleanorblog, Ellinghouse, Everything Moms, ExPat Mom, Expecting Executive Blog, From Under the Clutter, Full Plate, GirlGoneWild-Biblestyle, Gliding Through Motherhood, Green Grass Grows, hola, isabel, Hootin' Anni's, Hug Twice, I'm a Drama Mama, In The Life Of A Child, Jenn's Nook, Joy Is My Goal, Joyful Days, Just Jessie, Kelley Rees, Kitchen Table Chat, Life From A Cat's Perspective, Life Is A Journey. Enjoy The Ride!, Life With Hannah and Lily, Lisa C Writes, LIVE! and In Color, Living and Loving Every Minute Of It, Lost in Wisconsin, Love Shak, Baby, love, to the moon and back, Mama Pajama, MamaBlogga, Manic Mommies, meeyauw, Memoirs of a Mommy, Mindless Chatter of a Busy Mom, MOM KNOWS EVERYTHING, Momma Bean, Mommin' It Up!, mommy bytes, Mommy from the Midwest, Mommy Needs Coffee, Mommy Zabs, MomOfThree, MotherThoughts, My Chaos My Bliss, My Joyful Life as a Momma and a Wife, My Life as Mama Jodi, My Minivan is Faster Than Yours, My Three Wisemans, Nazarene Family Services, Never a Dull Moment, Notes from the Trenches, Not Just a Working Mom, Not That I Don't Love My Kids, OhAmanda, One Moms World, O So Mo Love, Ordinary Days, Our Happy Happenings, Overstuffed, PediaScribe, Real Life, Pointless Babbling By Mason & Terri's Mom, Rocks In My Dryer, Sarah and Jordan updates, scribbit, Siani's Pot-Pourri, Single Parents Unite, Skimbaco, Skittles' Place, Slurping Life, so, what do you do all day?, SortaCrunchy, Suburban Oblivion, Summer's Nook, Surviving Motherhood, Table for Five, The Chronicles of a SAHM, The Laughs Will Go On..., The Natural News, the r house, The Pumkin Patch, The Road to Home, The Twinkies, The Wilson Six, This Eclectic Life, Three Peas in a Pod, Three-Girl Circus, Tricotine, Twist & Skewer, Two Lines On a Stick, Up With Moms, Velveteen Mind, Virtual Ramblings, We Are Reilly..., WeSnLaNi, Where's Mommy's Prozac?, Writing in Faith, Working Momma 247, and, last but certainly not least, Write From Karen.

I would like to wish everyone reading this, whether friend, lurker, commenter or just passing by - the very best of wishes for a wonderful 2008. May your New Year be joyous and all you want it to be!