big blogging plans for 2011....

i love finding new blogs, new friends, new artists.  i love when i find an "all-in-one" kind of gal that fits the bill on all three fronts!! lately, i have been completely obsessed with reading on the Gussy Sews blog.  she is beyond adorable in everything she does {especially all of her ruffled goodies found here} and she blogs as if she is talking right to you, and you feel like her BFF from the get go.  she blogs alot about the importance of community, and i must admit - i've become smitten with the idea of really creating a community here on Marine Parents also!  another really fantastic topic that Gussy blogs about is having goals and staying positive while you work towards making them a reality! 

{credit due}

since i started blogging almost two years ago {what?!}, this blog has become so much more than just a place for me to update pictures of amelia for family living across the country.  who would have ever thought that any amount of people {let alone nearly 800 of you!} would want to read my daily ramblings, vents, or frustrations?  who would have ever thought i would own a domain name?  wait a minute.... who would have ever thought i would even know what a domain name was in the first place?  starting the Marine Parents blog was by far one of my best ideas, and i'm so glad that i've stuck with it.  i've made so many great blogging friends {you can meet them here, here, here and here} and i've grown as an individual by learning from these ladies, and others, through blog posts, twitter conversations and daily emails.

coming into a new year, i want to create goals for the Marine Parents blog, and compile them all in one, static place to which i can refer back to at a later date.  since i'm creating blogging goals, what better place to keep those goals than on my blog?! genius, i know.

• increase reader interaction {AKA community} - i feel like this is so important.  i want you to know that you are important to me!! i love the fact that you come here each day, or however often, and read about little ol' me, my deliciously adorable baby, and that hunky hubby of mine.  i'm flattered that even one person would leave a comment on my blog, let alone ten!!  i know i'm not the best about responding to comments, mostly because i'm afraid the response would never get to the right person!  i absolutely make a point to read each comment and try to follow up with any questions in future blog posts.  but i am going to start leaving more responses, emailing more in regards to comments from followers {who are just friends i haven't met yet, as another adorable blogger would say!} and interacting with you more.  in addition, i would totally love to introduce you to each other.... guest bloggers, featured blogs, more links to friends' blog posts.....
• create new blog sections - as i start to blog more about our life, and less about giveaways {sorry friends!}, i'd like to break the site down into different sections to make navigating easier for you.... and me, i'm sort of a frequent reader.  is that weird? no... ok.  as you can tell, crafting has become a recent trend around here, and i have alot of great projects coming up.  so definitely a craft section full of fun pictures, tutorials and DIY tips that i learned the hard way.  also to be added:  photography, travels, recipes.... thanks to everyone who filled out the reader survey last week - i hope to really bring more posts that interest you {while still embracing the spirit of Marine Parents in general}.
• get out into the real world - in a very blogging sense, of course.  i'm talking blogging conferences.... BlogHer11 to be more precise.  i'm thrilled to be attending this year.  i feel like a "grown up blogger" saying i'm going to a conference.... i'm super excited to meet up with a few lovely ladies {can't wait to meet you, you and you!!} and to learn more about blogging and really figure out where i'm going!  if you would like to support my trip by sponsoring my blog, you can check out my advertising page or email me directly!  are you going to BlogHer11?? i want to meet you!  let's plan it :)

in the sense of community *wink* - i'd love to know what your blogging goals are this year.  make your own blogging goals post and leave me the link so i can read all about what's on your heart.  hey, we can even hold each other accountable and help one another work towards making our goals a reality!