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2013 Ultimate Blog Party #UBP13

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Ultimate Blog Party 2013

 
Thanks for stopping by!  

I’ve always wanted to participate in the Ultimate Blog Party, but I always seemed to miss the deadline.  Not this year!!

Let me introduce myself….



I’m Wendy…aka @mapsgirl

What’s my blog all about??

The first post — In the beginning…

9 years ago when I started this blog I was just posting about being pregnant and then about being a mom. There are a lot of cute stories about the girls.

In June, 2008, I became a Certified Car Seat Technician and started to include information about car seat safety.  I’m very passionate about this so if you have any questions, please read my “Car Seat Info” page. If your question doesn’t get answered there, please contact me and I’ll try to help.

I’m a stickler about grammar — i’d like to buy a “LY”, please

Sometimes I worry — mustering up strength

I love to share photos — hard to believe it’s November

In November 2009, I did my first sponsored post — Disney on Ice is coming to Toronto

Since then I’ve worked with some amazing brands and pr companies!

I recently posted my first auto review —  2013 Ford Edge SEL

My favorite part about blogging is that over the years, I have met and become friends with so many amazing bloggers!

Through the Ultimate Blog Party, I hope to meet many new bloggers (and maybe even some new brands to work with too)!!

Thanks again for stopping by! If you’re participating in the Ultimate Blog Party please leave a comment and I’ll be sure to visit your blog!

    2012 stats summary

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    I’ve been reading Simply Stacie for a very long time
    and in November 2012 she started

    Following her lead, I decided to take a look at my yearly statistics. This will help me gauge how my blog is doing as I move forward.

    Thank you to all of you out there who have helped make this a great year!!

    2012 Stats:

    Here’s some detailed info from Google Analytics:

    10 Most Viewed Posts:

    1. understanding the new Canadian car seat regulations (effective Jan 1, 2012) — 14885 views
    2. boosters and seat belts — 1338
    3. best kijiji ad ever!  —  843
    4. Dear Photograph – a dedication of our memories — 829
    5. rear-facing car seats  — 743
    6. forward-facing car seats  — 686
    7. Win tickets to see Disney on Ice Worlds of Fantasy in Toronto! — 655
    8. Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! (and Saturday) Monster Jam ticket giveaway  — 535
    9. Canadian child car seats and what is happening in January 2011  — 507
    10. Cold Stone Creamery has lots of tasty treats — cakes, cupcakes and sandwiches! Oh my! —  449

    Top 10 Keywords:

    1. ontario car seat laws 2012 — 1016
    2. car seat regulations ontario 2012 — 853
    3. car seat laws ontario 2012  — 553
    4. ontario booster seat law 2012 — 459
    5. booster seat laws ontario 2012 — 447
    6. ontario car seat laws new 2012 — 407
    7. new car seat regulations ontario 2012 — 400
    8. ontario car seat laws — 202
    9. car seat regulations ontario — 191
    10. car seat laws — 186
      You can link up your 2012 Stats Summary over at

      I’m a GirlGuidesCANblog Big Deal Seal nominee!!

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      Girl Guides of Canada are launching the GirlGuidesCANblog Big Deal Seal to recognize and celebrate their top guest bloggers whose posts over the last year have inspired, engaged, enraged, enlightened and entertained us most, helping to make GirlGuidesCANblog a success!

      The top 25 blog posts for the inaugural year (May 1, 2011 – April 30, 2012) were ranked based on the total number of views on the day the piece was posted on this blog. These posts fall into 4 voting categories, with the addition of a Reader’s Choice category:

      1. Guiding Greatness
      2. Growing Guiding
      3. A Girl’s World
      4. Oh My Guides!
      5. Reader’s Choice
      I have been selected in the “Oh My Guides!” category for my post
      “I am Me Because of Summer Camp“

      To see all the posts that have been selected, head over to the GirlGuidesCANblog Big Deal Seal page!

      Winners of GirlGuidesCANblog Big Deal Seal will be awarded an online seal for their post on our GirlGuidesCANblog and that could also be used on their own blog or website.

      Voting is open: May 2 – 30, 2012

      Winners will be announced on June 1, 2012 on GirlGuidesCANblog!

      To vote for me, you must:

      1. Subscribe to GirlGuidesCANblog
       
      2. Email to vote!

      I’ve set up the above link to include all the details they require to submit your vote.
      ** You are allowed one vote per category per email address subscription. **
      Thank you to everyone who votes!

      I know there are a few steps and not everyone wants another email subscription, but it means a lot to me that you took the time to vote!

      i’m a featured friend!

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      Welcome to Friendly Followers Blog Hop hosted by The Knit Wit by Shair and Multi-Testing Mommy where our goal is:

      • you will find some new blogs to read
      • you will gain some more followers
      • you will gain some more friends
      • you will get a new genuine comment or two

      RULES:

      1. Follow the two hosts’ links and the featured friend link.
      2. Enter your link (any ONE SOCIAL MEDIA link you choose–NOT a direct link to a blog/website).
      3. Follow as many people as you can throughout the week.
      4. Try to make this genuine! Leave a genuine comment after following someone new and let them know you came from Friendly Followers so that they can follow you back.
      5. It would be awesome if you followed back everyone that followed you!


       
       

       
       

      This week’s Featured Friend is ME!!.
       

       
       

      Each week, they will have a FEATURED FRIEND. If you are interested in having a chance of being the FEATURED FRIEND, please fill in this form. The FEATURED FRIEND will get spot #3 in the hop and it will be a requirement for blog hoppers to follow them and the two hosts before adding their link.

      get the InLinkz code

      Please feel free to take our button to spread the message about this hop:


      Friendly Followers
      Friendly Follwers Blog Hop hosted by The Knit Wit by Shair and Multi-Testing Mommy
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      lucky number 7!

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      To my beautiful Munchkin on your 7th Birthday:

      Wow… it seems like yesterday I was writing about your 6th birthday!  And now you’re 7!

      BigDaddy, Peanut and I love you very much!
      Last year at this time, you had only lost one tooth!
      Now you’ve lost 8 but 4 have come back!

      What you’re up to these days?

      • you’re  reading at a grade 3/4 level (Levels M to O) and we’re working on your comprehension skills 
      • you’re still doing math for fun and really enjoy your math workbook
      • you’re loving science
      • you’re a great helper in the classroom
      • you wear size 7/8 clothes and a size 3 shoe
      • you chose “boy boots” this year because you didn’t want girl ones
      • you’re 4′ 3.5″ tall and weigh 62 lbs
      • you’re a Brownie now
      • you can be a really great sister…most of the time
      • you’re funny and you love telling jokes
      • you got a big bike with hand brakes this summer and we enjoyed lots of long bike rides
      We can’t wait to see what you can do by next year!