2011 Year End Review

It is with great humility and gratitude that I look back upon the year 2011.

Family Brings Joy has come a long way this year.  From the creation of this blog in August 2008 until March 2011 I used the blogger platform.  For those 2 years and 4 months I was blessed with about 3,000 Pageviews from wonderful people like yourself.  In March of this year I released a new design and began a new journey by using WordPress.  Since March…excuse me while I break down a little here…sniffle & tears…I have been blessed with 29,324 Pageviews.  Oh my goodness.  This is a monumental moment in my blogging life to see these numbers.  You know why?  Because there are many days I wonder if my little ‘ole blog in this huge blogosphere is making an impact on families.  That is why I do this.  You see, the family in general, is under attack.  Every where we turn we see families that are broken.  Divorce is prevalent.  Marriages are torn apart and kids are separated from the parents they love.  I believe with all of my being our Creator wants our families to stay together.  It is not easy; not at all.  It takes work to create a family who loves and respects one another.  Sometimes this work can be so difficult that we want to just give up, but we can’t.  We have to work together, strengthen one another, encourage one another.  The family bond is so precious, and time is precious.

Here is the ironic thing.  My most viewed posts for 2011 don’t have much to do with helping the family.  So I have to sit back and reevaluate.  Does it matter?  Obviously the content does matter to me or I wouldn’t have written about it.  My intentions have never been to become a hugely famous blogger.  I only want to make new friends and have a community of people who are passionate about family.  So have I succeeded?  I believe the answer is a resounding yes!  34% of my visitors are “returning visitors.”  You 34% are my friends and community.  I am honored to call you friend.  I am honored you bring me into your home on a regular basis.  You bring me joy and happiness.  Every time you visit, every time you comment, you make a difference to me.  I hope that together we can continue to share the importance of the family.

Last but not least, I want to make special mention to my own family.  I think they finally “get” this blogging thing.  They realize it makes their Mom/Wife happy.  DH (Dearest Husband) has been known to actually comment on the site.  Thank you hubby for encouraging me to go to Blissdom last year and again in 2012.  Sometimes the kids might say, “You’re not going to put that on your blog are you?”  I love it when I catch one of my children scrolling through my posts on the computer.  I want to thank them profusely for their support.  Not only my immediate family, but my extended family.  My Mom is a regular commenter and continues to be my biggest fan.  She is always happy to hear me talk about my latest projects and posts.  Thank you, Mom.  Now if I can only get my siblings and the rest of my extended family to write a comment or two! {Hint, hint!}

Enough of all this mushy stuff.  Without further ado, here are the top 4 posts for the year 2011:

Grateful for my Craft RoomI continue to be grateful for my craft room and the creativity that is cultivated by my family in this special room. {55 generous comments}

Dreams Do Come TrueThis post was somewhat of an encore/update of the previous post.  It was an honor to write this on behalf of the Roomspiration Blog Hop & Link Party. This post brought Family Brings Joy 873 Pageviews in one day!  A monumental milestone for this small blog.  {36 generous comments}

Mudroom ArtworkI never in a million years thought this post would receive the kind of attention it has.  I quickly put the post together one Saturday morning.  Out of the majority of the posts I have written, I spent the least amount of time putting it together.  It is very simple and inexpensive, yet the artwork continues to make a gigantic impact every day I look at them. {39 generous comments}

 Favorite Outdoor Family Portrait PosesI struggle adding this to the group because I feel as though I shouldn’t receive the credit.  All I did was find poses and put them in a post.  Nothing truly original from me, photography or writing.  Yet, again, I am reminded at how a collection of photos can be inspiring and helpful to others.  And as you see this is the only one out of the four that has to do with the importance of family…the importance of capturing your family before time gets away and everyone is grown and out of the house.

Posts I Wish Were Viewed More

Family Theme Song

Dinner Time is Golden Time for Your Family

Treasure-Trove Thursday {Etiquette}

 Way to LOVE doing Chores

Treasure-Trove Thursday {Benevolence}

I look forward to what God has in store for Family Brings Joy in 2012.

Linking Up:

Happy New Year & Thank YOU,