So, last night whilst I was shovelling dark chocolate down my throat and watching trashy tv, my phone beeped. I nearly choked on my nutty, chocolatey delights when I read that the beautiful Expats who blog at Thexpats nominated The Wilsons of Oz for a ‘Blogger Recognition Award’! I know right! Exciting stuff.

This is the first time I have properly believed that people are reading my blogs. Like really reading them!! I mean, looking at them enough to like them and then nominate us, is pretty good hey!! Even more wonderful is that the blogger who nominated us is based in the United Arab Emirates, which I think of as a very special “home” in my life’s journey, after having a wonderful adventure at high school in Abu Dhabi.

My Blogging Journey

As we were setting off on our Australian adventure, a dear friend threw a comment at me along the lines of, “you should start a blog about all this”; and that was that! I sat at Heathrow airport a week later, Monty vomiting into a Tesco carrier bag, thinking why oh why am I writing about this hell of a journey that hasn’t even started yet! I had no idea that two years on, the children would be practically native, I would be getting used to the beef sausages at the Bunnings Warehouse Sausage Sizzle, and I would no longer yearn for Marks and Spencer’s chocolate biscuits.. (ok that last one is a lie).

I blog to keep myself out of the shops, and to keep in mind how lucky we are to be here. Blogging is a great way for me to connect with friends and family back home, but also other expats and families wanting to travel. I’m doing it too, so I can print it all off one day and hand it to my children for them to show their children and make them realise just how enchanting the world really is if you just take that step out of your comfort zone. (And to remind them what bloody awesome parents they had, so they pick a great nursing home).

My advice to new bloggers

Be true to yourself. It’s something I am constantly being told to stick to,  I tell myself as often as I can, and I think is really important. Be honest and true to who you are and people will respond to that.

My Nominations

I’ve chosen blogs that I really enjoy following and have turned to again and again. (I didn’t choose 15 as I wanted this to be real, and focus on the talent that I personally like)

• The Expat Mama – I love her style, her pictures and her expat adventures. Singapore is definitely on my list after following this blog.
• Smiths Holiday Road – Proper adventurous family, the blog to go when you need to kick yourself up the backside and get out exploring! No excuses!
• The Unsung Mum – witty, laugh out loud, honest, and there for me when I think it’s just ‘my life’.
• MissMorni Penni – This lady makes me realise how lucky we are to be in such an incredibly awesome part of the world. The ability to see the beauty in everything, especially the ‘Mornington Peninsular’ is evidently her talent. Check her Insta if you don’t believe me!
• Brummy Mummy of 2 – She’s honest and very true to herself and her audience. Emma claims to sometimes be a ‘crap wife’, hurrah…. me too!
• The Honest Dad – Because all dads need this guy in their life! If you have a rubbish hubby, this could make you insanely jealous! First time parents, this is a must read! Parents who are well into parenthood, it’s worth it to see how beautiful the beginning was, and how quickly we have forgotten..! Or is that just me?

I really hope you all get chance to enjoy checking out the above blogs!

So, here are the guidelines for the ‘Blogger Recognition Award’ –

• Thank the blogger who nominated you and provide links to their blog.
• Write a post to show your award.
• Attach the award to your post.
• Write a brief story of how your blog started.
• Give a piece of advice to new bloggers.
• Select the 15 other blogs you want to give the award to.
• Comment on each blog and let them know you have nominated them.